Pierre Trudeau was born Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau on October 18, 1919, in Montreal, Quebec, to Charles-Émile Trudeau and Grace Elliott. He was the eldest of three children, with an older sister Suzette and a younger brother Charles Jr.
Following his father's untimely death when Pierre was just 15, he and his siblings were raised by their mother, with whom Pierre remained close for the rest of her life.
Prior to the 1960s, Pierre Elliott Trudeau's career was largely unknown, as he began his professional journey in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
However, in 1968, Trudeau's life took a dramatic turn when he became the 15th Prime Minister of Canada, succeeding Lester B. Pearson and the Liberal Party.
Trudeau's personal life was marked by surprise and controversy. In 1971, he married Margaret Sinclair, a woman nearly 30 years his junior, with whom he had three sons: Justin, Alexandre, and Michel. The couple separated in 1977 and divorced in 1984.
Trudeau's political career was marked by significant milestones, including his defeat in the 1979 federal election by Conservative leader Joe Clark. However, just nine months later, Clark's government was defeated, and Trudeau regained power with a majority government, marking the end of his second term as Prime Minister.
On June 30, 1984, Trudeau retired from politics, and John Turner succeeded him as Prime Minister. Later in life, Trudeau fathered a daughter, Sarah Elisabeth Coyne, with Deborah Coyne, at the age of 71.
In 1998, Trudeau was devastated by the death of his youngest son, Michel, in an avalanche. Friends reported that Trudeau was never the same after this tragedy.
Pierre Trudeau passed away on September 28, 2000, at the age of 80, due to complications from prostate cancer. His funeral was held on October 3 in Montreal. Despite his passing, Trudeau will be remembered for his unwavering strength of character.
