Leading Canadian thinkers to probe Trudeau's leadership, legacy at York U. conference, The Trudeau Era -- Culture, Media, Politics

TORONTO, October 13, 1998 -- It's been 30 years since Pierre Elliott Trudeau was first elected prime minister, but he is still making headlines, fuelling controversies, provoking debate. The debate about his own legacy and leadership is about to get an airing from leading Canadian thinkers with diverse perspectives during a York University conference, The Trudeau Era -- Culture, Media, Politics, October 22 to 24.

That debate is often polarized, with Trudeau either worshipped as a great intellectual guided by an unwavering and generous vision of what his country could be, or reviled as a ruthless Machiavellian. Still, Trudeau's influence has assuredly shaped much of the critical issues still facing Canada today. And as language issues, a pending Quebec election, human rights, and international policies preoccupy this country anew, the discussion of his legacy takes on new relevance.

An impressive line-up of conference participants -- including the editors of two recently released books on Trudeau, dozens of scholars, Trudeau biographers, journalists, and those who held high positions in the Trudeau era -- will provide a rigorous and reflective examination of these, and other, questions.

Was Trudeau a failure in reconciling Quebec and the rest of Canada, or a success in defining the fundamental weaknesses in the sovereigntists' position?

Did he weaken or strengthen Canada's fragile national consensus?

Was the author of the War Measures Act a civil libertarian who left a robust heritage of enhanced individual rights or has he left us with a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that is an albatross around our parliamentary system?

Was he an internationalist committing Canada to peacemaking and rectifying North-South injustice, or was his effort too fragile to be enduring?

What was his contribution to Canadian culture and popular movements?

Author Bruce Powe, Academic Advisor to York's Winters College, is organizing the conference, the first of its kind since Trudeau's retirement in 1984. "The purpose of the conference is to review and re-evaluate Pierre Trudeau, his aspirations and accomplishments, and to examine the political and cultural heritage of the Just Society. It's our ambition to re-ignite the debate about what liberalism means for Canada," said Powe.

Stephen Clarkson, co-author of a comprehensive two-volume work on Trudeau and his era, will deliver the keynote address, Changing Times and Changing Generations: Trudeau's Evolving Liberal Legacy, opening the conference Thursday evening.

Other participants include: the editors of two recently released books on Trudeau -- journalist Andrew Cohen and York professor emeritus Jack Granatstein and writer Ron Graham; early Trudeau biographer and journalist Richard Gwyn; former Trudeau principal secretaries Jim Coutts and Tom Axworthy; Trudeau-era Cabinet Minister Iona Campagnolo; historians Michael Bliss, Guy Laforest, and Ken McRoberts; philosopher Mark Kingwell; CitÈ Libre editor Max Nemni; York University President and former Senator Lorna Marsden; writers Carole Corbeil and Linda McQuaig; McLuhanite Derrick De Kerckhove; and actor and playwright Linda Griffiths of "Maggie and Pierre" fame.

A reception launching the two new Trudeau books will follow the keynote address. Trudeau's Shadow, published by Random House Canada and edited by Andrew Cohen and J.L. Granatstein, is a collection of essays by leading Canadian writers, journalists, novelists, philosophers and former politicians. The Essential Trudeau, published by McClelland & Stewart and edited by Ron Graham, is a selection of excerpts from Trudeau's writings, speeches, and interviews -- many appearing for the first time in book form. It features introductory notes to each chapter and occasional commentary by Trudeau.

Journalists will have an opportunity to interview speakers before and during the conference, and are invited to the Thursday evening reception launching the two books. The conference agenda is attached. Conference website is at http://www.yorku.ca/org/pet.

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For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

Bruce Powe
Conference Spokesperson
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 77446

Patrick Gossage
President
Media Profile
(416) 504-8464

Sine MacKinnon
Senior Advisor, Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22087