Pierre Trudeau at the 1968 Liberal convention

The Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention of 1968 elected Pierre Elliott Trudeau as the new leader of the Liberal Party; he was the unexpected winner in what was one of the most important leadership conventions in party history. The Globe and Mail newspaper report the next day called it "the most chaotic, confusing, and emotionally draining convention in Canadian political history."^[1] Image File history File links Trudeau_at_the_1968_Liberal_convention. ... Image File history File links Trudeau_at_the_1968_Liberal_convention. ... The Right Honourable Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, PC , CC , CH , QC , MA , LL.L , LL.D , FRSC (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 3, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984. ... The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada) is Canadas current governing political party. ... In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader. ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The Right Honourable Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, PC , CC , CH , QC , MA , LL.L , LL.D , FRSC (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 3, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984. ... The Globe and Mail is a large Canadian English language national newspaper based in Toronto. ... Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm (see Monarchy in Canada) with a federal system of parliamentary government, and strong democratic traditions. ...

The convention was held following the retirement of Lester B. Pearson, who was a much respected party leader and Prime Minister of Canada, but who had failed to win a majority government in two attempts. Eight high profile cabinet ministers entered the race, but by the time the convention began on April 3 the charismatic Trudeau had emerged as the front runner. He was strongly opposed by the party's right wing, but this faction was divided between former Minister of Trade and Commerce Robert Winters and Minister of Transport Paul Hellyer, and failed to mount a united opposition. Trudeau won the leadership on the fourth ballot of the convention. The Right Honourable Lester Bowles Mike Pearson, PC, CC, OM, OBE (April 23, 1897 – December 27, 1972) was a Canadian statesman, diplomat and politician who was made a Nobel Laureate in 1957 and served as the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968. ... The Prime Minister of Canada, the head of the Canadian government, is usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Canadian House of Commons. ... In the Westminster System, a majority government is one in which the government enjoys an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or Parliament. ... The Cabinet of Canada plays an important role in the Canadian government in accordance with the Westminster System. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... The Honourable Robert Henry Winters, PC (August 18, 1910 - October 10, 1969) was a Canadian politician. ... The Honourable Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC (born August 6, 1923 in Waterford, Ontario) is a Canadian politician and commentator who has had a long and varied career. ...

Pearson retires

A picture from April 1967 showing Pearson and three other members of his cabinet. From left to right: Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, Jean Chrétien, and Lester Pearson. All three would become Prime Ministers of Canada in the future.

Liberal leader and Prime Minister Lester Pearson announced on December 14, 1967, that he would be retiring in April 1968. Pearson had been Liberal leader since 1958 and Prime Minister since 1963. He was still much liked by the party and by the Canadian people in general, but he had failed in two attempts to win a majority government. The Liberals were also trailing in the polls behind the Progressive Conservatives, whose popular new leader Robert Stanfield had been selected in September of 1967. From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: Pa-117107 (Copy Negative Number); Use/Reproduction: Restrictions on use/reproduction: nil Copyright: National Archives Of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron / Library And Archives Canada / Pa-117107 File links The following pages link to this... From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: Pa-117107 (Copy Negative Number); Use/Reproduction: Restrictions on use/reproduction: nil Copyright: National Archives Of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron / Library And Archives Canada / Pa-117107 File links The following pages link to this... The Right Honourable John Napier Turner ,CC,PC (born June 7, 1929) was the seventeenth Prime Minister of Canada from June 30, 1984 to September 17, 1984. ... The Right Honourable Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, PC , LL.D (born January 11, 1934) was the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003. ... The Right Honourable Lester Bowles Mike Pearson (April 23, 1897 - December 27, 1972) was the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968, and also a 1957 Nobel Laureate. ... The Right Honourable Lester Bowles Mike Pearson (April 23, 1897 - December 27, 1972) was the fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968, and also a 1957 Nobel Laureate. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the Westminster System, a majority government is one in which the government enjoys an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or Parliament. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... The Right Honourable Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC (April 11, 1914-December 16, 2003) was Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. ...

Long before the actual convention a vigorous leadership contest had begun. At the outset the two leading candidates were believed to be Jean Marchand and Paul Martin Sr., both highly respected elder statesmen. The unofficial Liberal Party tradition was to alternate between francophone and anglophone leaders, and Lester Pearson viewed Marchand as his ideal successor. Martin was a highly respected veteran minister who had finished second to Pearson in the 1958 convention, and his ambitions to try again for the top job were well-known. The Honourable Senator Jean Marchand, PC (December 20, 1918 - August 28, 1988) was a well known French Canadian public figure, trade unionist and politician in Quebec, Canada. ... The Right Honourable Paul Joseph James Martin, PC , CC , MA , LL.D. , QC often known as Paul Martin, Sr. ... The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ...

Marchand declined to run, however, not being interested and suggesting that his English and health were not good enough to be a national leader. It was seen as necessary for national unity and the health of the party to have a strong Quebec candidate. Marchand and Gérard Pelletier united behind Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau. Trudeau had little experience and was not well-known nationally, but had earned some renown for his wit and charisma. He had received plaudits for a wide-ranging overhaul of the criminal code that removed many of the morality laws, such as those against sodomy. Trudeau also had the strong support of top Pearson advisor Marc Lalonde as well as the tacit backing of Pearson himself, who felt it was important that a francophone finish in at least second in the race. Gérard Pelletier, PC, CC (June 21, 1919 - June 22, 1997) worked as a journalist for Le Devoir, a French-language newspaper in Montreal, Quebec. ... Marc Lalonde OC, PC (born July 26, 1929) is a retired Canadian politician and Cabinet minister. ...

The campaign

The campaign consisted of trying to win over the almost twenty-four hundred delegates who would go to the April convention. These consisted of prominent Liberals from across the country and also ordinary party members elected by each riding association. The campaign lasted from after the Christmas recess up to the convention. Parliament was in session during this period and since all the major candidates were important cabinet ministers finding time to campaign was difficult. Thus it mostly consisted of the candidates taking short trips to various parts of the country to try and win over delegates. A delegate is an individual (or a member of a group called a delegation) who represents the interests of a larger organization (e. ... In Canadian politics a riding association or constituency association is the basic unit of a political party, that is it is the partys organization at the level of the electoral constituency or riding. ...

Trudeau campaign

As Trudeau gained more public exposure, his popularity grew. Trudeau is believed to have decided he would run while on holiday in Tahiti over the Christmas break of 1967. The winter of 1968 was dominated by the lead up to a February constitutional convention. Trudeau as justice minister was expected to play an important role at the convention. Lalonde, with the approval of Pearson, organized a pre-convention national tour where Trudeau would meet with each of the premiers to talk about the constitution, and also to get guaranteed news coverage. One of his most important meetings was with Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood, whom Trudeau sufficiently impressed to earn Smallwood's lasting support. At the constitutional convention itself Trudeau made a strong impression by outmaneuvering and outdebating Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson, Sr on national television. Johnson, and many others, felt that French Canadian disaffection could only be addressed by giving Quebec more autonomy. Trudeau rejected this approach arguing that the best way to protect the interests of French Canadians was to guarantee their rights across Canada. On February 17, only days after this success, Trudeau declared himself as an official candidate for the Liberal leadership. Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean, at 17°40′ S 149°30′ W. The island had a population of 169,674 inhabitants at the 2002 census. ... Joey Smallwood (center) Joseph Roberts Joey Smallwood CC (December 24, 1900 - December 18, 1991) was the last Father of Confederation in Canada, bringing Newfoundland into Confederation in 1949. ... Francis Daniel Johnson, Sr. ...

To the surprise of many, Trudeau became one of the prime contenders. Marchand played a leading role in Trudeau's campaign and brought in many supporters, especially in Quebec. Trudeau received endorsements from three cabinet ministers, and two provincial premiers with Louis Robichaud of New Brunswick joining Smallwood. Trudeau's charisma and attention-grabbing behaviour earned him far more media coverage than any other candidate. A Laval University study found that from January 1 to March 20 Trudeau had received 26% percent of the media coverage devoted to the nine candidates running. Finance Minister Mitchell Sharp was a distant second with only 16%. ^[2] Trudeau also received attention outside Canada being profiled in both the British and American media. In Canada, a Premier is the head of government of a province. ... The Honourable Louis Joseph Robichaud, PC , CC , BA , LL.D (October 21, 1925 - January 6, 2005), popularly known as Little Louis or Ti-Louis (due both for his short height and his sharing a name with Uncle Louis St. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope was restored) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Area 72 908 km² (8th) Land 71 450 km² Water 1 458 km² (2. ... Laval University (Université Laval) is one of Canadas leading universities. ... Mitchell William Sharp,PC,CC (May 11, 1911–March 19, 2004), a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. ...

By the end of the campaign, Trudeau was unquestionably the most popular figure among the Canadian public. A public opinion poll gave Trudeau 32% support, Martin 14%, and Winters 10%, with the other candidates in single digits.^[3] Many within the Liberal Party still had deep doubts about him, however. He was a recent convert, having joined the party only in 1965, and was still considered an outsider. Many saw him as too radical and outspoken a figure. A significant portion of the party was bitterly opposed to his views on divorce, abortion, and homosexuality. A number of minor scandals also broke out as articles he wrote that were deeply critical of Pearson, especially of the decision to accept nuclear weapons in Canada, were republished. He was also forced to explain why he had been blacklisted by the United States in the 1950s.^[4] Trudeau's campaign was not run by professional political consultants. Rather the campaign was directed by a group of young, extremely well-educated amateurs such as Gordon Gibson and Jim Davey. The team impressed many, but it also made a number of errors. A blacklist is a list or register of people who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, or mobility. ... Gordon Gibson (born 1937) is a right of centre political columnist and author based in British Columbia and a former politician. ...

Other candidates

The race was by no means a sure thing for Trudeau and a number of potent candidates remained in the contest. Finance Minister Mitchell Sharp was one of the highest profile cabinet ministers and represented the same liberal wing of the party as Trudeau. His campaign was badly hurt, however, when on February 19 the government was unexpectedly defeated on a tax bill, almost forcing a snap election. Pearson was out of the country and as senior minister and finance minister getting the bill passed was Sharp's responsibility. After this debacle Sharp was prevented from campaigning through much of March by a collapse in the world gold market that he had to deal with. Despite intensive campaigning in the last few days internal polling found that Sharp had fewer than 150 delegates and was unlikely to even be able to play kingmaker. Thus the day before the convention Sharp dropped out of the race and endorsed Trudeau. Sharp brought a number of other ministers with him into the Trudeau camp, including Jean Chrétien, and at least a hundred delegates.^[5] The endorsement of the respected elder statesman also reassured many who liked Trudeau but were worried about his radical image. Mitchell William Sharp,PC,CC (May 11, 1911–March 19, 2004), a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. ... The Right Honourable Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, PC , LL.D (born January 11, 1934) was the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003. ...

Trudeau and Mitchell Sharp converse at the convention

A number of potent candidates remained in the race, including much of the inner cabinet. Paul Hellyer ran one of the most skilled campaigns directed by Bill Lee, who was widely regarded as one of the Liberal's best campaign managers. The campaign received much attention for using a computer to keep track of delegates. By the convention Hellyer was widely viewed as having the greatest chance to defeat Trudeau. He has several prominent backers including Defence Minister Leo Cadieux and Secretary of State Judy LaMarsh. He drew support from a wide part of the political spectrum and from across the country, but was generally seen as somewhat to the right of Trudeau. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1665x1107, 172 KB) From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: PA-189558 Use Reproduction Restrictions on use/reproduction: Nil Copyright: National Archives of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron/Library and Archives Canada/PA... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1665x1107, 172 KB) From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: PA-189558 Use Reproduction Restrictions on use/reproduction: Nil Copyright: National Archives of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron/Library and Archives Canada/PA... Mitchell William Sharp,PC,CC (May 11, 1911–March 19, 2004), a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. ... The Honourable Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC (born August 6, 1923 in Waterford, Ontario) is a Canadian politician and commentator who has had a long and varied career. ... The Honourable Léo Alphonse Joseph Cadieux, PC , OC , BA , B.Comm (born May 28, 1908, Saint-Jérôme, Quebec) died May 11th 2005 is a former Canadian politician. ... Judy LaMarsh The Honourable Julia Verlyn (Judy) LaMarsh, PC , OC (December 20, 1924 - October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, author and broadcaster. ...

Robert Winters entered the race late, but won strong support representing the right-wing of the party. He promised to privatize crown corporations if elected and also was highly critical of Pearson's fiscal policy, arguing that the new social programs would damage the Canadian economy. The faction of the party that was deeply worried about Trudeau's insurgency hoped for one of Hellyer or Winters to drop out and support the other, but neither would compromise. The Honourable Robert Henry Winters, PC (August 18, 1910 - October 10, 1969) was a Canadian politician. ... In Commonwealth countries a Crown corporation is a state-controlled company or enterprise (a public corporation). ...

Several other prominent ministers remained in the campaign, but were seen as having little chance of victory. The campaign of elder statesman Paul Martin, who had first run for the Liberal leadership in 1935, had slowly faded. Canada seemed in a mood to reject elder statesmen with few new ideas in favour of the fresh new faces. Martin remained in the race, however. Health Minister Allan MacEachen was also floundering and being pressured to drop out in favour of Trudeau, but he, too, remained. He had a firm base of support in his native Nova Scotia, but was expected to swing his votes to Trudeau after the first ballot. MacEachen ran on a strongly left wing platform defending Canada's new Medicare system. Agriculture minister Joe Greene was also still in the race and had support in Eastern and Northern Ontario, but was seen as a dark horse. Besides Trudeau, the candidate to garner the most attention for his charisma and oratory was the young junior minister John Turner. He gathered a following, but was viewed as too young and inexperienced to win. Allan MacEachen The Honourable Senator Allan Joseph MacEachen, PC (born July 6, 1921) Born in Inverness, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia is one of Canadas elder statesmen and was the first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (One defends and the other conquers) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant Governor Myra Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Area 55,283 km² (12th) Land 53,338 km² Water 1,946 km² (3. ... There are several publicly funded health services in various countries called Medicare: Medicare (Canada) is a comprehensive, universal (for all the citizens and permanent residents in the country) public health financing system. ... John James (Joe) Greene (June 24, 1920 - October 23, 1978) was a Canadian politician. ... The Right Honourable John Napier Turner ,CC,PC (born June 7, 1929) was the seventeenth Prime Minister of Canada from June 30, 1984 to September 17, 1984. ...

Two minor candidates ran from outside the cabinet. Harold Henderson had no following. Former Quebec cabinet minister Eric Kierans had developed a small following and ran a solid campaign with minimal resources, but remained an outsider. Rev. ... Eric William Kierans (February 2, 1914 - May 9, 2004) was a Canadian economist and politician. ...

The convention

The Ottawa Civic Centre where the convention was held

The convention, held at Ottawa's Civic Centre, took place in the shadow of the assassination of Martin Luther King and the riots that followed in the United States. The opening day of the convention was dedicated to giving tribute to Pearson, still a much-respected and popular figure, and he gave his parting address to the delegates. The following day consisted of a series of policy workshops. These were based around three halls named Our Life, Our Country, and Our Economy. Each candidate had twenty-five minutes to discuss the topic of the room with delegates. The other candidates noted in alarm that Trudeau drew by far the largest crowds to these events. Friday consisted of speeches by each of the candidates. It was marked by strong speeches by Trudeau, Turner, and surprisingly, Greene. Greene's speech focused on his service in the airforce during the Second World War and reportedly moved some in the audience to tears. Hellyer's address, which was described as more the reading of a treatise, was very poorly received. Hellyer's campaign manager Bill Lee later reported that the speeches had caused at least a hundred votes to move from Hellyer to Greene. ^[6] ImageMetadata File history File links Ottawaciviccentre2. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Ottawaciviccentre2. ... Martin Luther King, Jr. ...

Liberal logo of the day

Outside the convention itself each candidate's team worked to woo delegates. Most of the candidates set up conventional hospitality suites with food and drink for the delegates. Trudeau had nine set up in the various Ottawa hotels, though he did not provide any alcohol. Joe Greene did not have enough money for this so he instead gave each delegate Laura Secord chocolates. Allan MacEachen had his own television station, AJM-TV, that broadcast to all the hotels the delegates were staying in. Delegates could call in with questions and MacEachen would answer them. The system was plagued with technical difficulties and the system was not a great success. Hellyer and Trudeau were more successful with publishing a newspaper on each day of the convention reporting on upcoming events and selling the candidate. Each candidate also had a team of "convention hostesses" these were young women dressed in matching uniforms who would accompany the candidate, hand out buttons, and generally try to build enthusiasm for their candidate. Image File history File links Lpclogo1970s. ... Painting by Mildred Peel Laura Secord (September 13, 1775 – October 17, 1868) was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812. ...

As with the other conventions of the time the new leader was decided by runoff voting. Multiple votes were held, and each round, the candidate with the fewest votes was removed from the ballot. This continued until a single candidate won a majority of the votes. In the 1968 convention this process took four ballots and seven-and-a-half hours. The delay was blamed on the new IBM punchcard machines that were used to count the votes. Despite instructions not to, a good number of the delegates would insist on folding their punchcard as they would a normal ballot. These folded ballots caused the machines to repeatedly jam. Runoff voting is a voting system used in single-seat elections. ... International Business Machines Corporation (IBM, or colloquially, Big Blue) NYSE: IBM (incorporated June 15, 1911, in operation since 1888) is headquartered in Armonk, NY, USA. The company manufactures and sells computer hardware, software, and services. ... The punch card (or Hollerith card) is a recording medium for holding information for use by automated data processing machines. ...

The weather was surprisingly warm for that time of year, and, as the convention centre was not well air conditioned, the delegates were left sweltering. The food stands also ran out of supplies early, leaving many delegates hungry. Crowd control was reported as "non-existent", and even the candidates had to battle their way through the throng to get anywhere. Asked the next day what his first thought was after being elected, Trudeau quipped that it was "how am I ever going to reach the podium".^[7] Outside, there were several protests, the largest being one against the Vietnam War demanding that Canada stop selling materials to the United States. The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or Viet Cong) against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and their allies—notably the United States military in support of...

First ballot

Trudeau was in first place on the first ballot with about as many votes as expected. Winters and Greene did surprisingly well, creating an unexpected four-way split in the anti-Trudeau vote with Turner and Hellyer. The result was especially disappointing to Hellyer, who had expected to get two hundred more votes than he had.

After the first ballot, Martin, MacEachen, and Kierans withdrew, knowing they could not win. Henderson, who didn't get a single vote, was automatically eliminated. Kierans, despite being courted, did not endorse another candidate. Martin's tie for fourth ended any chance of victory, or even of playing kingmaker. After speaking with advisors and his son (future Prime Minister Paul Martin), Martin delivered an emotional withdrawal address that marked the end of his career in politics. Despite earlier discussions with the Hellyer camp, he did not endorse another candidate. Several of Martin's supporters, including Herb Gray, moved to support Trudeau. MacEachen withdrew and, as was expected, quickly endorsed Trudeau. However, he did not withdraw in time, and therefore remained listed on the second ballot. The Right Honourable Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , MP , LL.B , BA (born August 28, 1938 in Windsor, Ontario) is the Prime Minister of Canada. ... Herbert Eser (Herb) Gray (born May 25, 1931, Windsor, Ontario) was a Canadian politician. ...

Throughout the voting Trudeau projected an image of what Radwanski referred to as "supreme detachment." In his booth Trudeau played with the flower in his lapel and ate grapes by tossing them up in the air and catching them in his mouth. ^[8]

Second ballot

Trudeau's vote increased on the second ballot. The greatest surprise was Winters, who seemed to be drawing the largest share of the stop-Trudeau votes, with Hellyer unexpectedly falling into third place. Great pressure was exerted on Hellyer, and Turner and Greene, to unite behind Winters. Cabinet minister Judy LaMarsh was famously caught on tape telling Hellyer that "you've got to go to Winters. Don't let that bastard win it, Paul—he isn't even a Liberal." Only eight votes behind Winters, and still seeing a chance of victory, Hellyer refused to quit. Turner also stayed unexpectedly and he resolutely refused to deal. Greene was saved from elimination by MacEachen remaining on the ballot, but he promised to endorse Trudeau after the next round. Judy LaMarsh The Honourable Julia Verlyn (Judy) LaMarsh, PC , OC (December 20, 1924 - October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, author and broadcaster. ...

Belatedly, Hellyer and Winters agreed that whoever finished third on the next ballot would withdraw and back the other against Trudeau, but most observers felt the time to block Trudeau had passed. Peacock states that it is "fascinating to speculate" what would have happened if Hellyer and Winters had reached an agreement after the second ballot, but he feels that Trudeau most likely would still have won.

Third ballot

The third ballot was a close repeat of the second, but Trudeau and Winters began to draw off a substantial number of votes from the candidates who no longer were seen to have had a chance of victory. As per earlier agreements Hellyer and Greene withdrew after this ballot, with Hellyer backing Winters and Greene endorsing Trudeau. To the surprise of many, Turner insisted on remaining on the ballot.

Final ballot

Trudeau and Winters won additional support on the final ballot, while Turner, despite having no hope of victory, won almost two hundred votes. Trudeau placed 249 votes ahead of Winters on this last ballot with 51% of the vote. With this majority, Trudeau was declared the winner.

Trudeau victorious

Trudeau about to make his victory speech. Lined up behind him are the other leadership candidates.

Trudeau won the leadership on the fourth and final ballot, and all the remaining candidates endorsed him. This included both Winters and Hellyer, but observers noted that neither man did so with much enthusiasm. The subsequent Trudeau victory party at the Skyline Hotel swelled to massive proportions as over 5,000 revellers attended and the celebration spilled out into nearby streets. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1326x786, 185 KB) From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: PA-189557 Use Reproduction Restrictions on use/reproduction: Nil Copyright: National Archives of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron/Library and Archives Canada/PA... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1326x786, 185 KB) From the Library and Archives of Canada image description page Reference Numbers: Accession: 1970-015 Reproduction: PA-189557 Use Reproduction Restrictions on use/reproduction: Nil Copyright: National Archives of Canada Credit: Duncan Cameron/Library and Archives Canada/PA...

Trudeau was sworn in as Liberal leader and prime minister two weeks later on April 20. That summer he led the Liberals to victory in the 1968 federal election. Canadians were quickly caught up in the excitement created by this youthful and dynamic leader. His popularity following the convention and through the general election was dubbed "Trudeaumania" by the media; Trudeau was often mobbed by fans, as if he were a rock star. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... In the Canadian federal election of June 25, 1968, the Liberal Party won a majority government under its new leader, Pierre Trudeau. ... Trudeaumania was the affectionate nickname given to the great excitement generated by Pierre Trudeaus entry into Canadian politics in 1968. ...

While Winters announced his support for Trudeau at the convention, he quit politics soon afterward returning to the private sector. He died only a year later. Hellyer briefly became a cabinet minister in the Trudeau government before leaving in 1969, eventually to form his own fringe party, and then seek the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party. Turner served in Trudeau's cabinet, becoming one of the most powerful MPs until quitting in 1975. He eventually returned to politics and succeeded Trudeau in the 1984 Liberal leadership convention. Greene and MacEachen both served Trudeau ably as ministers before being elevated to the Canadian Senate. The 1976 leadership convention of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was held in Ottawa on February 22, 1976, to elect a leader to replace Robert Stanfield, who had resigned after losing the 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ... The Senate (French: Sénat) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, which also includes the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the House of Commons. ...

The 1968 leadership convention did more than choose a single leader of the Liberal party: it did a great deal to set the history of the party, and of Canada, for the next four decades. Four future prime ministers were at the convention. Trudeau remained leader of the Liberal Party until 1984, and was prime minister for all of that time except during Joe Clark's short-lived Conservative government of 1979-80. 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Right Honourable Charles Joseph Clark, PC , CC , AOE , MA , LL.D (born June 5, 1939) was the sixteenth prime minister of Canada from June 4, 1979, to March 2, 1980. ... The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) was a Canadian centre-right conservative political party that existed from 1867 to 2003. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

His replacement by Turner in 1984 was largely a product of Turner's showing at the 1968 convention. After Winters' death, Turner's third-place showing made him the leading runner-up. Turner's political and organizational skills were much lauded in 1968, establishing him as one of the highest-profile Liberals. Turner was succeeded by Jean Chrétien in 1990. Chrétien had originally backed the leadership bid of his mentor, Mitchell Sharp, but joined Trudeau's campaign when Sharp withdrew in favour of Trudeau. At the convention, Chrétien became one of the Trudeau team's leading figures, playing a crucial role in recruiting a number of other cabinet ministers to the Trudeau fold. Chrétien continued to be Trudeau's loyal deputy until Trudeau's retirement in 1984. Chrétien won the Liberal leadership in 1990, in part by claiming to be the heir to Trudeau's vision and policies. Canada's current Prime Minister, Paul Martin, was also at the convention, not as a Liberal operative, but as a close advisor to his father Paul Martin Sr. His father's poor showing, permanently ending his long dream of becoming Prime Minister, has long been cited by biographers as the source of the ceaseless ambition by Martin Jr. to win Canada's top job. The Right Honourable Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, PC , LL.D (born January 11, 1934) was the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003. ... The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ... The Right Honourable Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , MP , LL.B , BA (born August 28, 1938 in Windsor, Ontario) is the Prime Minister of Canada. ...

See also

• Liberal Party of Canada
• Liberal leadership conventions

The Liberal Party of Canada (French: Parti libéral du Canada) is Canadas current governing political party. ... The first three leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada were not chosen at a convention. ...

Notes

1. ^  Anthony Westell and Geoffrey Stevens. "Seven and a half hours of chaos, and an enigma chosen next PM." The Globe and Mail. April 8, 1968, p. A9.
2. ^  George Radwanski. Trudeau. pg. 104.
3. ^  Richard Gwyn. Northern Magus. pg. 68.
4. ^  The blacklisting was due to a 1952 visit to a conference in Moscow (where he was briefly arrested for throwing a snowball at a statue of Stalin) and as he subscribed to a number of leftist publications. When he found out about the ban Trudeau appealed and it was lifted.
5. ^  Donald Peacock. Journey to Power. pg. 279.
6. ^  The quality of the various speeches is agreed upon by a number of sources. Lee's statement is from Sullivan. Newman is especially harsh on Hellyer's speech.
7. ^  Geoffrey Stevens. "Trudeau Promises to work as PM for 'a just society.'" The Globe and Mail, April 8, 1968, p. A1.
8. ^  Radwanski. Trudeau. pg. 105.

References

• Gwyn, Richard. Northern Magus. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1980.
• Newman, Peter C. Here Be Dragons: Telling Tales of People, Passion and Power
• Peacock, Donald. Journey to Power. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1968
• Radwanski, George. Trudeau. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1978.
• "Sharp, Smallwood support Trudeau; Turner attacks backroom deals." The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1968, p. A1.
• Stevens, Geoffrey. "Trudeau Promises to work as PM for 'a just society.'" The Globe and Mail, April 8, 1968, p. A1.
• Sullivan, Martin. Mandate '68. Toronto: Doubleday, 1968.
• Westell, Anthony. "Candidates fail to make decisive impact on delegates." The Globe and Mail, April 5, 1968, p. A1.
• Westell, Anthony and Geoffrey Stevens. "Favored Trudeau gets big ovation." The Globe and Mail. April 6, 1968, p. A1.
• Westell, Anthony and Geoffrey Stevens. "Seven and a half hours of chaos, and an enigma chosen next PM." The Globe and Mail. April 8, 1968, p. A9.