Pierre Elliot Trudeau (placeholder)

Pierre Elliott Trudeau (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.

An author, political activist, and professor from early in his adult life, Trudeau was a charismatic figure who dominated the Canadian political scene and aroused passionate reactions. “He haunts us still,” one biography begins. Admirers praise the force of Trudeau’s intellect. They salute his political acumen in preserving national unity and bringing into force the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Detractors fault Trudeau for arrogance, deplore economic policies that increased the national debt, and criticize him for increasing a sense of political alienation in western provinces. Nevertheless, few would dispute the assertion that Trudeau was a towering figure who helped redefine Canada.

Trudeau led Canada through some of its most tumultuous times and was often the centre of controversy. Known for his flamboyance, he sometimes wore sandals in the House of Commons; dated celebrities; occasionally used obscenities to insult his opponents and on May 7, 1977, did a pirouette behind the back of Queen Elizabeth II. As prime minister, he was principally responsible for patriation of the Canadian Constitution from the British Parliament to Canada and incorporated in it the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

(from Wikipedia)