“We’re going to build socialism here. For a country with such a small population there is no alternative.”
“The state has an active role to play in ensuring that there is equilibrium between the constituent parts of the economy, the consumers and the producers.”
“Since neither individuals themselves, nor the economic system itself, can remedy the fluctuations [in the business cycle], we’re forced – whether we like it or not – to turn to the State. How can it guarantee that distributed purchasing power will transform itself completely into effective demand for produced goods? The most obvious solution would be to redistribute income equally among social classes, so that the poor have more to spend, and the rich have less to save.”
When asked in 1969 by some students what kind of society he would like to make in Canada – socialist or capitalist, Trudeau replied: “Labour Party socialist – or Cuban socialism or Chinese socialism – socialism from each according to his means.” *
These quotes of Pierre Trudeau’s not only provide the lens to understand the former Prime Minister’s design for our country and his government’s modus operandi; but they also illuminate the core resentments that conservative-minded Canadians harbour for the misguided government actions Pierre Trudeau, solely, is responsible for.
(ed. – This quote is e sourced in a “Tribute to Trudeau” written by George Irbe – click here.)
