Trudeaumania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trudeaumania was the affectionate nickname given in early 1968 to the great excitement generated by Pierre Trudeau's entry into the the leadership race of the Liberal Party of Canada. Trudeaumania (a derivative of Beatlemania), continued during the subsequent federal election campaign and during Mr. Trudeau's early years as Prime Minister of Canada.
Many young people in Canada at this time were influenced by the 1960s counterculture and identified with Trudeau, a young, energetic, nonconformist. Young people could identify with this man; he once sympathized with Marxists and had spent time in the democratic socialist Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. Young people were attracted to his stance on human rights, including the rights of homosexuals and women (he legalized homosexuality and created more flexible divorce laws as Justice Minister under Lester B. Pearson.
Trudeau was admired by his fans for his laid-back attitude and his celebrity relationships; in that word's prevailing use at the time, describing a modern, hip and happening person, he was described as a swinger.
Many young people were dazzled by Trudeau's charm and good looks, and a large fan base was established throughout the country. He would often be stopped in the streets for his autograph or for a quick photograph with one of his fans.
Trudeaumania began to fizzle after Pierre Trudeau married Margaret Sinclair in 1971, but he is remembered to this day as one of Canada's most loved politicians and prime ministers, while at the same time, an unpoular politician in the western provinces, and among some conservative thinkers and Quebec nationalists. He was named the Canadian Newsmaker of the 20th Century by the Canadian Press at the dawn of the year 2000. When he died later that year, there was an outpouring of public grief, and he was again named Newsmaker of the Year for 2000 itself. In 2004, he was voted the third-Greatest Canadian by CBC viewers, coming behind socialized health care champion Tommy Douglas and cancer activist Terry Fox.
A Canadian board game of the early 1980s, "True Dough Mania", was titled with a pun on the phenomenon. The game was a satire on Canadian politics.
Today, Trudeaumania is fondly recalled by Central and Eastern Canadians. It was a phenomenon unique in Canadian politics that turned a politician into a pop culture icon.
