It was with dismay and sadness that the Caribbean Community learnt of the death of the Right Honourable Pierre Elliot Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada.
He was a friend of the Caribbean Community and enjoyed a close relationship with the Leaders of the Caribbean, often spending many days in Caribbean waters.
Hailed as a “Peacemaker”, “A Vibrant and Charismatic Leader” and the “Embodiment of a Dream of a Just Society”, Pierre Trudeau endeared himself to the Caribbean not only for his support for our efforts in the international arena to create a more equitable economic order responsive to the needs of developing countries, but also for his support for the abolition of apartheid and the end of racism. He believed in a world of equal rights and justice for all and was a champion of world peace.
His call for the strengthening of relations between the industrialised nations and the developing countries led to developmental initiatives which recognised the special needs of small states and developing countries.
A lawyer by profession, Pierre Trudeau pursued post graduate studies at the London School of Economics, where a number of leaders and thinkers of the developing nations of the Caribbean also studied and with whom he shared thoughts on a new world order built on fairness and equity.
He firmly believed in One Canada and a strong federal government . He became a Member of Parliament in 1965 and was appointed Minister of Justice in 1967. In 1968, as a result of his extraordinary appeal among the populace, labelled “Trudeaumania“, he was elected Prime Minister of Canada, a position he held for a total of sixteen years .
Among the accomplishments in his impressive political record are Canada’s Parliamentary Independence from Britain; a New Constitution which included for the first time a Bill of Rights; and the passing of the Official Languages Act, guaranteeing bilingualism in the Canadian Civil Service.
Pierre Trudeau displayed particular empathy for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and for the advancement and empowerment of women in a male-dominated society – a cause to which he gave tangible support during his tenure as Prime Minister with the Appointment of the First Woman Speaker of the Canadian Senate in 1972; the First Female Speaker of the House of Commons in 1980; and the First Female Governor General.
During his term of office as Prime Minister, the relationship between Canada and the Caribbean Community was significantly strengthened. Under his guidance, the Joint Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (JTEC), which broadened an already existing trade arrangement with Canada to include trade, technical and economic cooperation, was signed between CARICOM Member States and Canada in 1979. This Agreement still constitutes the basis of CARICOM- Canada relations.
At the international level, Pierre Trudeau worked with Caribbean Leaders in the quest to establish a New International Economic Order. Equally, in the Commonwealth, they worked to create an equal, inclusive and effective sub-group of nations to demonstrate what was possible at the global level. Caribbean Leaders appreciated his sense of purpose, integrity and honesty.
As we mourn this great loss, the Governments and Peoples of the Caribbean Community share the grief of the international community, and extend heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved relatives, the Government and the People of Canada at the passing of one who stands out as a true and faithful friend of the Caribbean and indeed, of all humanity.
He will be greatly missed.
