"I believe a constitution can permit the co-existence of several cultures and ethnic groups within a single state."" -- Trudeau, September 30, 1965.
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Pierre Elliott Trudeau was born on October 18, 1919 in Montreal, Quebec. He was a very highly educated man. He attended Jean-de-Brebeuf College, B.A., in 1940, University of Montreal, LL.L, 1943, Harvard University, M.A. in Political Economy, 1954; and did his post graduate studies at Ecole des Sciences Politiques, Paris France, 1947-1947 and the London School of Economics, 1947-1948. During his schooling at the University of Montreal, Pierre Trudeau was required to join the Canadian Officers Training Corps. He, like many of his fellow Quebecois, opposed the recruitment. .
Pierre Trudeau picked up a reputation as a radical and a socialist, although the values he had were much closer to those of a liberal and a democrat by trying to get people involved in their government and having women in places of power. The Quiet Revolution of the 1960's in Quebec fulfilled some of his hopes for change. Due to his beliefs, this caused problems with former colleagues who wanted and believed in an independent Quebec.
During his life, he had many different occupations. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1943. He was the advisor to the Privy Council from 1949 through 1951. While in .
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the office, Pierre began to support the labor unions, especially during the Asbestos Strike in Montreal. He criticized the repression of the Union Nationale under Premier Duplessis. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1967. He was the co-founder and co-director of Cité Libre newspaper in 1950 with other young intellectuals. He was an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Montreal from 1961-1965. Even when in office as Prime Minister, he still felt a strong connection to college students and the youth of Canada.