The Impact Of Pierre Elliott Trudeau On Canadian Identity

Canada is country that is known for its distinctive features that has helped construct Canadian identity. The nation is acknowledged for its national languages and its diverse communities. However, this could not have been done without the help of past Canadian prime minister’s. A prime minister’s actions are the reflection of the country and its future identity. The day of April 20, 1968 marked the beginning of the change in Canadian history. Pierre Elliott Trudeau was elected as the 15th Prime Minister of Canada and soon became the most revolutionary individual to impact Canadian identity. As a part of the Liberal Party, Trudeau built ideas that were popular among Canadians. He constructed Canada through his vision of a unified, bilingual,

Before 1982, the rights and freedoms of Canadians were protected solely by the Bill of Rights. However, the Bill of Rights was only applied federally as opposed to provincially, which meant that certain rights were not acknowledged as it was not a section in the Constitution. As Trudeau began the process of patriating the Constitution, he also included a new Charter of Rights and Freedoms within the Constitution. The proposed Charter brought along many concerns about the amount of power that the government would possess if the Charter were to become a part of the Constitution. However, in the end many of the provinces agreed to support the Charter on the condition that they were able to exempt their laws from certain sections in the Charter for a period of five years. As a result, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms officially became a part of the Constitution on April 17, 1982. This Charter applies to anyone that steps foot onto Canadian soil. It is a short document that highlights the rights and freedoms of every Canadian and ensures the protection of Canadians against the state. Interim Liberal leader, Bob Rae acknowledges the importance of the Charter as he stated, “On the steps of Parliament Hill, 30 years ago today, Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s Liberal government signed the historic Canada Act, 1982, patriating our Constitution and making the Charter of Rights and Freedoms the supreme law of the land. The Charter enshrines our most cherished Canadian values. It reflects our belief that Canadians have a fundamental right to live free from discrimination, to assemble peacefully and express our opinions, to vote in elections unimpeded, to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and fundamentally, that our individual rights take precedence over the rights of government.” The establishment of the Charter led to the recognition of every citizen’s