Analysis of Articles about the Legacy of Pierre Trudeau on National Unity - Essay Example

Dufour, Christian. “Trudeau’s Canadian Legacy from a Quebec Perspective: New Canadian Nationalism Weakens Canada.” London Journal of Canadian Studies 18(2002/2003): 5-13, accessed February 12, 2012

The study of Dufour emphasizes on the role of Trudeau in the misunderstanding caused regarding the demands of Quebecers, as citizens of a critical Canadian region. Moreover, through the above study, it is made clear that political decisions of Trudeau had led to the following problem: various cultural groups across Canada have benefited from the changes in the Canadian constitution while the rights of the citizens of Quebec were ignored. In other words, the study of Dufour, analyzing the conflicts between Quebecers and the rest of Canadians, makes clear the failure of Trudeau to secure national unity, especially in the area of Quebec. The specific aspect of Trudeau’s legacy regarding national unity is quite important, taking into consideration Quebec’s geopolitical value for Canada.

In any case, their failures of Trudeau in managing the claims of Quebecers can be used for evaluating his practices in other regions with similar issues. Although the specific subject is partially covered also in the study of Di Sciullo, the use of the study of Dufour is important to understand the challenges that nationalism has faced in Canada, especially since the information provided in the study of Dufour as of the specific issue is more detailed helping to understand all critical aspects of the particular problem.

Hunt, Wayne. “The ‘Branding’ of Trudeau.” London Journal of Canadian Studies 18(2002/2003): 87-101, accessed February 12, 2012.

The study of Hunt is a valuable means for understanding political decisions of Trudeau, especially regarding ethnicity. More specifically, the specific study presents views of Trudeau on national unity and multiculturalism, referring to the case of Quebec, as an example of Trudeau’s practices for promoting multiculturalism. At the same time, the study refers to the ‘branding’ practice of Trudeau, a practice used for the promotion of Canadian products worldwide. The specific study explains analytically the two key elements of Trudeau’s political choices regarding ethnicity: ‘diversity and opposition to the nationalism of Quebec’ (Hunt 89). In this way, the role of Trudeau in the transformation of national unity in Canada, compared to the past, is made clear; under these terms, the incorporation of this study in the bibliography list has been considered unavoidable.

Imperial, Donald “Where did Trudeau go wrong? On the Question of Nationalism and Charter Patriotism in Canada.” Constitutional Forum constitutionnel 17.2(2008): 39-47, accessed February 12, 2012.http://www2.csj.ualberta.ca/Ipperciel/PagePersonnelle/textes/WhereDidTrudeauGoWrong.pdf

The study of Ipperciel can be characterized as an analysis of the failures of Trudeau, especially regarding the issue of nationalism in Canada. Through the above study, political choices of Trudeau regarding nationalism and patriotism can be understood. The specific study is differentiated from the other ones, also incorporated in the bibliography, at the particular point: the views of Trudeau on patriotism are compared with those of Habermas, offering a sociological explanation of Trudeau’s political choices. At the same time, the specific study analyzes an important challenge that legislators in Canada had to face when reforming the country’s Constitution: the choice between ‘the union and the division of the country’ (Ipperciel 41).

Rocher, Francois “The Evolving Parameters of Quebec Nationalism.” International Journal on Multicultural Societies 4.1(2002):1-21, accessed February 12, 2012.http://www.criec.uqam.ca/Page/Document/textes_en_lignes/evolving_parameters.pdf

The study of Rocher also refers to the development of nationalism in Quebec, an activity that had led to the strengthening of the region’s economic and social life. The specific study analyzes nationalism in Canada, as reflected in the case of Quebec. The difference of this study from the others, also referring to the case of Quebec is the following one: the specific study analyzes the concept of nationalism across Canada, not only in Quebec, and explains the reasons for which the promotion of nationalism in Canada has been strongly opposed, a problem reflected in the failures of constitutional negotiations of 1990 and 1992.