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Pierre Trudeau

55 quotes

“I believe a constitution can permit the co-existence of several cultures and ethnic groups with a single state.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 2000 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Prime Ministers (2000) by Rennay Craats
“Paddling a canoe is a source of enrichment and inner renewal.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) said by 2000 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“People are more interested in ideas than dress.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) said by 2000 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1944 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Exhaustion and Fulfillment : The Ascetic in a Canoe" (1944)
“I would have to point out in the strongest terms the autocracy of the Liberal structure and the cowardice of its members. I have never seen in all my examination of politics so degrading a spectacle as that of all these Liberals turning their coats in unison with their Chief, when they saw the chance to take power.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1963 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As a CCF member taking issue with the federal Liberal Party. Cite libre (April 1963)
“Bilingualism is not an imposition on the citizens. The citizens can go on speaking one language or six languages, or no languages if they so choose. Bilingualism is an imposition on the state and not the citizens.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1966 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Statement to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, as quoted in Problems of Journalism (1966) by the American Society of Newspaper Editors
“There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment in the Canadian House of Commons on the decriminalization of homosexuality (21 February 1967)
“Vive la France libre.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1967 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment referring to the 1968 student protests in Paris, patterned after the 1967 remarks of Charles de Gaulle in Montreal on Quebec independence from Canada: "Vive le Québec libre!" (Long live free Quebec!), quoted in …
“I'm not leaving! I must stay.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the reviewing stand of a St. Jean Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, after being subjected to objects being thrown by demonstrators. (24 June 1968)
“A man who tries to please all men by weakening his position or compromising his beliefs, in the end has neither position nor beliefs. A man must say what he believes clearly, without dogma, and without guile.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Statement during the 1968 election campaign, as quoted in party literature. "Pierre Elliott Trudeau for Canada", 1968 leaflet
“Well, I am trying to put Quebec in its place — and the place of Quebec is in Canada, nowhere else.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Quebec separatist movement (25 June 1968), exact quote take from footage as seen in "Pierre Elliott Trudeau Memoirs" (27 Jan 2009), Disk 2, 24:05; only the bolded portion has usually been quoted in print, …
“Of course a bilingual state is more expensive than a unilingual one — but it is a richer state.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Remark in 1968, quoted in Improving Canada's Democracy (2006) by Terry Julian, p. 14
“Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply to new problems the old doctrinaire solutions, because it is prepared to experiment and innovate and because it knows that the past is less important than the future.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Defining liberalism at the 1968 Liberal leadership convention, as quoted in "History of the Liberal Party of Canada" (PDF at the Liberal Party website)
“If you want to see me again, don't bring signs saying "Trudeau is a pig" and don't bring signs that he hustles women, because I won't talk to you. I didn't get into politics to be insulted. And don't throw wheat at me either. If you don't stop that, I'll kick you right in the ass.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment to a young protester throwing wheat at him during a speech in Regina, (17 July 1969), in The Best of Trudeau (1972)
“Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Addressing the Press Club in Washington, D.C. (25 March 1969) - Audio clip
“Canada regards herself as responsible to all mankind for the peculiar ecological balance that now exists so precariously in the water, ice and land areas of the Arctic archipelago. We do not doubt for a moment that the rest of the world would find us at fault, and hold us liable, should we fail to ensure adequate protection of that environment from pollution or artificial deterioration.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1969 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: House of Commons Debate (24 October 1969)
“The past is to be respected and acknowledged, but not to be worshipped. It is our future in which we will find our greatness.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Statement of 1970, as quoted in profile at the Canadian Museum of Civilizations, also quoted in York University: The Way Must Be Tried (2008) by Michiel Horn, p. 4
“Trudeau: Well there are a lot of bleeding hearts around who just don't like to see people with helmets and guns. All I can say is, go on and bleed. But it's more important to keep law and order in the society than to be worried about weak-kneed people who don't like the looks of a soldier— CBC reporter Tim Ralfe [interrupting]: At any cost? How far would you go with that? How far would you extend that? Trudeau: Well, just watch me.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Responses to reporters following the kidnapping by the FLQ of a provincial cabinet minister who was eventually murdered. CBC video archives (13 October 1970)
“Let us overthrow the totems, break the taboos. Or better, let us consider them cancelled. Coldly, let us be intelligent.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Approaches to Politics (1970)
“Mangez de la merde.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1970 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Response to the taunting of a group of striking Montreal mail truck drivers in 1970, as quoted in The Trudeau Decade (1979) by Rick Butler and Jean-Guy Carrier, p. 219
“There is no such thing as a model or ideal Canadian. What could be more absurd than the concept of an "all Canadian" boy or girl? A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech to the Ukrainian - Canadian Congress, Winnipeg, Manitoba (9 October 1971)
“I've been called worse things by better people.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1971 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: When it was reported to him that President Richard Nixon had called him an "asshole" (1971), quoted in Absurdities, Scandals & Stupidities in Politics (2006) by Hakeem Shittu and Callie Query, p. 19
“The next time you see Jesus Christ, ask Him what happened to the just society He promised 2,000 years ago.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1972 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In reply to a high school student's question about what happened to Trudeau's promises of a "Just Society", in Regina, Saskatchewan (September 1972)
“I don't really know what a cyclotron is but I am certainly very happy Canada has one!”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1976 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Visiting the TRIUMF cyclotron in (February 1976), as quoted in "A Canadian TRIUMF" in Grad Gazzette [University of British Columbia] (June 2005)
“If Canada is to survive, it can only survive in mutual respect and in love for one another.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1976 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Televised address (1976-11-24)
“Oh, for Christ's sake shut up. Obviously the New Democratic Party is not only misinformed but uninterested in the subject.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1977 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment in the House of Commons in response to an MP heckling his response in Question Period, House of Commons Debates - Official Report - Second Session - Thirtienth Parliament - Volume V, 1977 - Page 5272 (4 May 1977)
“I don't know if the member of Prince Edward-Hastings thinks he's on camera, but he's not.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1977 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment in the House of Commons in response to the heckling of George Hees, October 17, 1977 (this particular Question Period was the first to be televised, prompting Trudeau's remark. In actuality, John Raymond Ellis w…
“If I can be permitted to turn around a phrase, I would say that I'm kind of sorry I won't have you to kick around any more.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1979 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Statement to the press, referencing "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around any more", during his resignation speech (21 November 1979)
“We peer so suspiciously at each other that we cannot see that we Canadians are standing on the mountaintop of human wealth, freedom and privilege.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1980 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech (13 December 1980), quoted in It's great up north" by Henry Porter in The Observer (20 November 2005)
“We must now establish the basic principles, the basic values and beliefs which hold us together as Canadians so that beyond our regional loyalties there is a way of life and a system of values which make us proud of the country that has given us such freedom and such immeasurable joy.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1981 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: This quote from 1981 appears on the poster of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms(wikipedia) (1981)
“I walked until midnight in the storm, then I went home and took a sauna for an hour and a half. It was all clear. I listened to my heart and saw if there were any signs of my destiny in the sky, and there were none — there were just snowflakes.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1984 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Recounting a "walk in the snow" at a news conference announcing his resignation (29 February 1984)
“Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong. And our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1984 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Farewell speech to the Liberal Party (14 June 1984)
“The essential ingredient of politics is timing.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1986 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in The Rainmaker : A Passion for Politics (1986) by Keith Davey, p. 57; also in The Wordsworth Dictionary of Quotations (1998) by Connie Robertson, p. 439
“I, for one, will be convinced that the Canada we know and love will be gone forever. But, then, Thucydides wrote that Themistocles' greatness lay in the fact that he realized Athens was not immortal. I think we have to realize that Canada is not immortal; but, if it is going to go, let it go with a bang rather than a whimper.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1988 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Testifying before the Canadian Senate in opposition to the Meech Lake Accord (1988-03-30)
“I was too busy doing my job and living my life to spend time keeping notes for some future volume of memoirs.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) said by 2000 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Jesuits were good educators, exceptional teachers. In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard, of course, that the discourse be focused on what they were teaching, but we were able to go beyond this framework without incurring too great a risk.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1919 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 1, 1919 - 1968 The Road to 24 Sussex Drive, p. 21
“Harvard was an extraordinary window on the world.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1919 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 1, 1919 - 1968 The Road to 24 Sussex Drive, p. 39
“What is wonderful about a university like LSE is that you not only receive teaching of very high quality, you also learn where to find the knowledge you are seeking. And you make unexpected discoveries; it was a Marxist professor who introduced me to the work of Cardinal Newman, a great master of English prose as well as theology.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1919 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 1, 1919 - 1968 The Road to 24 Sussex Drive, p. 46
“What is considered sinful in one of the great religions to which citizens belong isn't necessarily sinful in the others. Criminal law therefore cannot be based on the notion of sin; it is crimes that it must define.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1919 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 1, 1919 - 1968 The Road to 24 Sussex Drive, p. 83
“When I had been appointed to the Cabinet in 1967, I had been struck by the amateurism that reigned in the upper echelons of the federal government.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 2, 1968 - 1974 Power And Responsibility, p. 107
“Democracy demands that elected members be able to realize fully the role for which they have been chosen.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 2, 1968 - 1974 Power And Responsibility, p. 117
“I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 2, 1968 - 1974 Power And Responsibility, p. 122
“I am sometimes also asked whether the October Crisis taught me anything about the art of governing, or about the means that were at my disposal for defusing the crisis. First of all, it taught me that you can be the prescient futurologist in the world, you can lay out the best-made plans and define your priorities with the utmost care, but if you show yourself to be incapable of managing a crisis when it arises, you will lose your right to govern and the whole thing will blow up in your face.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1968 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 2, 1968 - 1974 Power And Responsibility, p. 149-150
“Some things I never learned to like. I didn't like to kiss babies, though I didn't mind kissing their mothers. I didn't like to slap backs or other parts of the anatomy. I liked hecklers, because they brought my speeches alive. I liked supporters, because they looked happy. And I really enjoyed mingling with people, if there wasn't too much of it.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 178
“The state has an active role to play in ensuring that there is equilibrium between the constituent parts of the economy, the consumers and the producers.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 189
“As against the "invisible hand" of Adam Smith, there has to be a visible hand of politicians whose objective is to have the kind of society that is caring and humane. I worked to put this view of social justice into effect throughout my years in office.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 190
“I never actually got around to taping conversations with my guests, but there are a lot of things you can learn from a man like Nixon.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 216
“The community of man should be treated in the same way you would treat your community of brothers or fellow citizens.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 224
“I remember thinking that walking on the beach as a free man is pretty desirable.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1974 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 3, 1974 - 1979 Victory And Defeat, p. 258
“The federal government is the balance wheel of the federal system, and the federal system means using counterweights.”
Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) first seen 1979 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Part 4, 1979 - 1984 "Welcome to the 1980's", p. 290