Trudeaumania was the affectionate nickname given to the great excitement generated by Pierre Trudeau's entry into Canadian politics in 1968.
Many young people in Canada at this time were influenced by the 1960s counterculture and identified with Trudeau, a young, energetic, nonconformist. Young people could identify with this man; he once sympathized with Marxists and had spent time in the democratic socialist Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. Young people were attracted to his stance on human rights including the rights of homosexuals and women (he legalized homosexuality and created fairer divorce laws as Justice Minister under Lester B. Pearson).
Trudeau was admired by his fans for his laid back attitude, his many celebrity relationships, and his reputation as a swinger.
Many young people were dazzled by Trudeau's charm and good looks, and a large fanbase was established throughout the country. He would often be stopped in the streets for his autograph or for a quick photograph with one of his fans.
Trudeaumania began to fizzle after Pierre Trudeau married Margaret Trudeau in 1971, but he remains to this day as one of Canada's most loved (and, by some, hated) politicans and Prime Ministers. He was named the Newsmaker of the 20th Century by the Canadian Press at the dawn of the year 2000. When he died later that year, there was an outpouring of public grief, and he was named Newsmaker of the Year 2000. In 2004, he was voted the third Greatest Canadian by CBC viewers, coming behind public healthcare champion Tommy Douglas and cancer activist Terry Fox.
Today, Trudeaumania is fondly recalled by many Canadians. It was a phenomenon unique in Canadian and world politics that turned a politician into a pop culture icon.
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