One Final Farewell
My three year old son, after hearing us talk all weekend, said to me
tonight, "I miss Pierre."
I said, "I guess I haven't explained this well enough to you. Pierre is very happy now, but Canada is sad."
"Mommy," he said,
"Sing O'Canada again."
– Daniel Bell |
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Your responses:
Just how extraordinary a man and leader Pierre Trudeau was became crystal
clear while I watched his funeral on television.
The honorary pallbearers were assembling outside the church.
There was Fidel Castro, standing next to Jimmy Carter.
And, look, off to the left, there was Leonard Cohen.
Fidel Castro, Jimmy Carter and Leonard Cohen all acting as honorary
pallbearers for the same man.
Someone could write a book about this funeral, but it would have to be
fiction because no one would ever believe this cast of characters, together,
at the same time and place, and for the same purpose.
I saw it and I can hardly believe it.
Sheila Keenan
New Westminster, B.C.
I attended the funeral for Mr. Trudeau today and, along with the thousands
of others who filled the streets, sidewalks and square surrounding
Notre-Dame, was moved by the emotion that flowed from the basilica. It was a
classy ceremony for a man who personified class.
Jim McRae
Montreal, Quebec
The west side entrance of the parliament center block the read "where
there is no vision the people perish." I read this as I stood in the
‘homestretch' of the long line to pay respects to Mr. Trudeau. The
lateness of the hour and chill of a September evening (and an October
morning) had not discouraged myself or any of the others in line.
Earlier, I had questioned, with some awe, what had driven many people to
stand here tonight? The answer lay in stone: people were here because of
a vision.
The line was quiet notable with the absence of the parliamentary bells.
Through the silence there were voices as is relevant and comforting in
times of death. People had stories and memories despite the unique
situation where most had not actually met Mr. Trudeau. Many people
remembered events, accomplishments, controversies and most importantly
remembered where they were when these stories developed. People
remembered how and when this man and his vision touched their individual
lives.
I had my own thoughts. As a child, I remembered the signing of the
constitution and people pointing to a television and saying "this is a
part of your history." Later, I remembered struggling to write a school
report on the process and responsibilities of Mr. Trudeau's successor.
I remembered thinking: how can I imagine someone else as prime minister
as I only ever knew Mr. Trudeau in that role? Was he not the
description for the job?
The line moved slowly, quietly and orderly. The RCMP officers
frequently walked by offering estimates of time remaining in line and
reassured that even after the 11 o'clock close time, all in line would
be given the opportunity to pay respects. Four hours, three hours
passed .. no one left; no one complained.
In line, arriving at the flame was a considered a milestone. The flame
danced largely and casted a warm orange glow upon the encircling group
of visitors. Surrounding the flame, there were roses, thousands of
roses, depths of roses. The color was so red, so vibrant and so
striking. Notes and messages attached to the offerings marked the
reasons we were "in line."
Entering the parliament buildings brought protection from the wind. The
grand halls and ceilings were marked with magnificent stonework and
mythical creatures. Silence. A large portrait of Mr. Trudeau reminded
us of the confidence, style and grandeur of power. We nodded in
passing. Silence. Mounties and service people lined, guarded and
honoured the casket. Silence. At this moment, I had many thoughts.
Time stood still, history was present. Touched the flag. Shared a
vision.
Paula Carty
Manotick, ON
Because he had courage we Canadians had courage, he was self confident
and we were self confident. He stood shoulder to shoulder with the
leaders of the world and well above many. He will go down in history as
one of the two or three greatest prime ministers this country has had.
He will be missed but as Justin said in his eulogy we as Canadians must
carry on his legacy.
Jim Drinnan
Calgary
Passionate, moving, and articulate, Justin, your eulogy was just the right
touch and that story about Santa Claus in Alert, well that was the finishing
touch. I have heard a lot of such eulogies by family members but never has
anyone been under such pressure to honour a father and a father of a
nation. I shed a tear thinking of all you have lost, all that we have lost.
I was only able to vote in 1981 but growing up and studying history and
current events all through school in PEI we knew who he was and we had our
opinions – long before they counted. One time I had my question answered
(through a reporter known to our history teacher) at a press conference in
Charlottetown (it was 1978).
"Never have so many owed so much to so few." Pierre Elliot Trudeau was one
of those few and I will always remember him – a Canadian and a great man.
Thank you for your tribute and may you be conforted in your grief.
Rev. Beth W. Johnston
Rexton N.B.
Today, we watched and participated – the visit to The City Hall, the
cavalcade to Notre Dame, the pain, the tears and the prayers and the
hopes of the nation. Our television took us there, step by step.
Through the tears and the pain, came the realization that Mr. Trudeau's
legacy will remain living and viable. He planted the seeds of hope,
love and unity and freedom in all of us. We, Canada will succeed and
will grow and flourish.
Our thanks and heartfelt sympathy to his family for sharing him with us.
James G. J. Kramer
My family and I journeyed to Ottawa this weekend. I felt a compulsion
to be close to history, past and present. I now feel the desire to make
an effort understand my country's history. Something which I have
neglected until now.
As a teacher of young children, I also feel the need to have the
children of Canada write to one another and get to know the province who
wants to separate...so they won't allow them to.
My three year old son, after hearing us talk all weekend, said to me
tonight, "I miss Pierre."
I said, "I guess I haven't explained this well enough to you. Pierre is very happy now, but Canada is sad."
"Mommy," he said, "Sing O'Canada again."
The tears blur the words in my mind.
Daniel Bell
I too stood in line for four hours in order to pay my respects to this great man and this is what I wrote in the guest book.
Pierre, you not only challenged us, provoked us and inspired us, but you made lots of us make more of ourselves than we might otherwise have done. We not only mourn you as a person, we mourn what you stood for, that strength of character that helped define us and our country.
Harry Foster and family
Breckenridge, Quebec
Why is it that, only after his/her death is a hero recognized?
Pierre Elliot Trudeau was a true Canadien. But he was more. Well
travelled, well read, well learned, well principled, he was, in the
style of the ancients like Herodatus and Thycidides and Plato, a citizen
of the world - our world. And he epitimized what a Canadian
Renaissance man could be. He was simply our philosopher prime
minister: just, caring, understanding. And yet he was misunderstood.
Our Socrates stood before us in life and, in our ignorance, we
sacrificed him. That is why he is now our hero.
Farewell my Socrates. Your soul will be in "heaven" amongst the great
souls of history.
Calogero Milazzo
on behalf of la Famiglia Milazzo
Hamilton, Ont.
There are no superlatives left unsaid to describe Pierre Trudeau. I recognize myself in so many of the thoughts and messages being expressed these past few days: he was the only politician I
cared about; he had a profound effect on my life, and my values, and my Canada; he was, not just the Canadian statesman of his era, but a leading statesman on the international stage – few could
compare to him. I regret that I did not meet him, that I did not have the chance to work with him, or to have been amongst those who count themselves as his friend.
Perhaps all that I can add is the tribute that my husband and I inscribed in the book of condolence on Parliament Hill this Saturday morning:
SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS, CIRCUMSPACE
"If you would see his monument, look around"
- Ascribed to the son of Sir Christopher Wren
inscribed above the north portal of London's St. Paul's Cathedral
Trudeau is the architect of the modern Canada, and it is a monument to him. The outpouring of grief, passion, and respect for the man from across this great country is also his monument.
Signed,
Monika Dankova & Pierre Blais
Ottawa
It is difficult to find words to express my thoughts and feelings that have not already been said. I found myself glued to my television this morning in beautiful British Columbia and felt distressed at having to leave to go to my job. I
was so touched yesterday at the coverage of Mr. Trudeau's sons, Justin and Sacha, and their tears on Parliament Hill watching their father leave on his final journey on the train to Montreal.
We have lost a great Canadian and we must give thanks to God for having blessed us so greatly with such a charismatic leader who cared so deeply about Canada. I remember Mr. Trudeau visiting my high school in the 70's; how articulate he was; how he spoke with us, not down to us – he showed respect to us despite our youth and lack of knowledge of how the world really worked. He left us in a helicopter that took off from our football field – his typical
way; with great energy and showmanship.
What a show of respect today that so many dignitaries attended. It was a great sight to see Fidel Castro and Jimmy Carter walking side by side into the church - an indication of the respect that Mr. Trudeau earned world wide.
He will be greatly missed – my condolences to Justin and Sacha and the rest of Mr. Trudeau's family.
Cheryl von Conruhds
As I watched the train journeying from Ottawa to Montreal last night, and
saw the outpouring of grief, I remembered Daniel Lanois' hauntingly
beautiful song, Death of a Train, in which Pierre Trudeau is mentioned by
name. Recorded in the early 1990's, it is a song of bereavement for the loss
of our national railway system and, by extension, the loss of the Trudeau
era. I listened to that song over and over last night, with great sadness. I
was only one of many to shake his hand during the 1979 election campaign. I
was 19. He took my hand, looked me in the eye, and at that moment I felt
like the most important person in the world.
Cheryl Krause
Justin Trudeau's affectionate eulogy for his father made me truly
appreciate the power of a strong role model in a child's life. May we
all strive to offer the love, guidance and discipline to our children
that Pierre Trudeau so devotedly offered his three sons. Ultimately, it
is our society that benefits from the nurturing of our youngest
citizens, a fact of which I'm certain Mr. Trudeau was well aware.
Jennifer Douglas
Chilliwack, BC
As I sit here through many tears watching the funeral of
Pierre Elliott Trudeau, suddenly came the Eulogy of
Justin Trudeau.
I smiled through my tears as a son recalled touching memories of his youth and shared with us private moments with his " Dad ".
This young man undoubtedly understood our pain and why we loved his father so much.
Through his compassionate and vibrant words I saw his father.....and understood .
For all the success all the accomplishments we saw what in the end counts ....the love of father and son.
May any of us be so fortunate to leave a legacy for our children that is returned with this much Love.
Justin you are your father's son, and I look forward to hearing speak again.
Thank you for touching us all, your father would have been so proud.
Sincerely with love,
Barbara D. Eaton,
Windsor, Ontario
(formerly Montreal, Quebec)
Well, Pierre, you have gone out
with a bang! Certainly, not a whimper.
Rest well, friend.
Elaine A. Bourassa
Calgary
I was waiting in line to see Mr. Trudeau's coffin lying in state at
Montreal's city hall. I was collecting my thoughts, thinking about his time
in office, what he had done for the country.
It struck me like a hammer strikes an anvil that if he had chosen not to act
to decriminalize homosexuality, I would be a criminal. My sexual orientation
would make me unwelcome in my own country.
But he chose to make that decision. He chose to recognize that no human
being is illegal. And the freedom I have taken for granted today was due to
his act.
I burst into tears at city hall.
This is absent any thoughts of hero worship. He did enough that I disagree
with. But it's a very unusual feeling to realize that you owe someone your
freedom.
Écartons ces romans
qu'on appèle systèmes,
Et pour nous éléver
descendons dans nous-mêmes.
-Voltaire
Blessed be,
Matt McLauchlin
Montreal
I was compelled to stand on the sidelines at the Dorval Via train station
this morning. There, among the crowd which consisted of both the young
and old, English and French alike, I stood to watch the funeral train
make its slow passage towards Montreal. I was moved to tears, as so many
have been, and as the train crawled by and his sons (Sacha and Justin) hung
out of the train windows, waving in response to the crowd of flag-waving,
rose-clutching witnesses, I murmurred, "Merci, Pierre."
I was glad I had come, putting off my engagement with day-to-day routine, to take a brief
moment to witness the passing of a man who represented so much. As a young
adult in the late seventies and eighties, he ignited a sense of pride in me
for my country and gave me hope that I would never have to choose between my
beloved Quebec and my beloved Canada.
I must say that I no longer feel so hopeful. Who, today, can evoke such
pride and passion in a united Canada and speak it with sincerity in a voice
that echos fluently in both English and French to every corner of this
beautiful country? Who has the power to capture the pride of Quebecers
and all Canadians alike? Then again, maybe that's the problem, too
much pride and not enough reason.
Merci, Pierre. May you rest in peace and may your family be, if only
briefly, consolled by the evidence that their grief is shared by a whole
Nation.
In sadness I remain,
Canadian... and blue...
Nancy Lee
Chateauguay, Quebec,
As I was watch the train roll past the people, it didn't shock me to see all those people wave their flags and clap their hands because he was a people person. We love him, we sometimes dislike him, but he told us what he was going to and he did it if we liked or not.
We bless you and we hold you in our hearts, true Canadian.
From Joe and my wife Hazel and our children Kayla & Patrick
I am leaving in a few hours time to go to Montreal even after seeing Mr.
Trudeau's
casket on Parliament Hill. It's a strange thing, I've never done this sort
of thing
before.
I guess like so many other Canadians growing up in Trudeau's Canada, I have
taken
his vision as my own. While Mr. Trudeau had to go out to see the world,
for me he
brought the world to Canada. As a young adult in Montreal, Toronto and
Ottawa,
I've had the privilege of finding friendships with people who came from
India, Sri
Lanka, Russia, Haiti, Greece, Jamaica, Chile, Nicaragua and China. What I
found
to be universally true was not just that they had interesting cuisine or
music, but that
we had so very much in common. The cultural differences were intriquing
but what
was far more surprising was our common humanity. I grew up meeting young
people from around the world who sincerely wanted and worked for a better
world.
I met immigrant parents who wanted more for their children and were
prepared to
make the sacrifice of coming to Canada to find it. Perhaps I was extremely
fortunate
in acquintances I made and now have a rather rosy view but I don't think
so. These
very human values have always been found in Canadian immigrants. Part of Mr.
Trudeau's legacy was to open our doors to people from throughout the world.
For
me personally, it was finding both a richness in humanity while
rediscovering the
hopes and thoughts of my great-great-great-great-grandparents.
This is just one of the legacies that Trudeau's policies gave to my
generation. I worry
now that he's gone, that these legacies may slip away. I worry about a
national party
that seems intent on turning back the clock to more chauvanist,
narrow-minded times
perhaps closing our doors to immigration. I worry about political leaders
so fixated
in keeping up with the Jones to-the-south that they will strip us of all
that is unique
and leave us as a country a poor, pale American imitation.
I overheard a conversation today. One woman was complaining to another
that she
was tired of hearing about poor Mr. Trudeau. I wanted to say that it's not
so much
Mr. Trudeau we're lamenting for we know he had a rich and rewarding life.
Rather
it is really for ourselves we weep. We fear Pierre Trudeau's death will
mean the loss
of his vision and our consequent loss of identity.
So after a long night, I'm packing up the kids and heading for Montreal.
Who really
knows why we do much of what we do in life? Like so many others this weekend
who travelled many hours to come to Ottawa, I too feel a need to travel.
Perhaps
it's a way to show the depth of my passion for a man who lived a good life.
If my
children can take away from this historic event the belief that individuals
can make a
difference; that we can stand up and be counted in big or small ways, then
the
journey will have been worthwhile. But it feels to me that perhaps we're
saying
something more in all of this. In making this pilgrimage to inscribe a
book, to leave a
rose, to touch a coffin, or to be at a funeral, perhaps we are saying as a
people that
we will not allow Pierre Elliott Trudeau's vision to die.
Sincerely,
Pam FitzGerald
I joined the crowd to watch the final departure of Pierre Elliott Trudeau from Parliament Hill. It was early Monday morning and most
people were on their way to work or to the start of their other Monday morning activities. After Mr. Trudeau's cortege passed by most people started streaming off of the hill. I was struck by the level of energy and strength that I felt among the people there.
I could feel the vibrancy, the energy of these Canadians on the way to fullfilling their individual missions.
Mr. Trudeau was a strong character. Many say he saved Canada and left a legacy that forms a vision of Canada's present and future. He is gone now but this morning on Parliament Hill one could feel the strength and energy being focussed on keeping Canada a strong, dynamic and healthy place to live. It reminded me of how proud I am to be a Canadian.
Frank Boyaner
Ottawa
Dear Justin and Sacha,
Your father was a peaceful, friendly, kind and courteous man to children as well as seniors, to people of all ages. He also knew how to have fun and how to be serious for the people and with the people of Canada.
My friend Vaughn and I waited in line with many other people to go into the Hall of Honour. I was touched with how the parliamentary staff helped people with disabilities and the eldery in a special way on Sunday. This is how your father would have wanted it. While outside, I was also thankful for all the people who gathered to pay their respects to your father. Their presence shows the desire of Canadians to
say "thank you" to their former Prime Minister for all the things he did for us. Inside, I said a special prayer for your family.
Love and Peace,
Mark Evraire
We went to the Hill on Saturday night to say goodbye. It was incredible to
see so many people, thousands of us, all waiting patiently, moving slowly in
a lovely clear September night. For the four hours it took to get to the
place where he was we talked quietly amongst ourselves of who he was and
what he meant to us. Looking around at the crowd, I felt an almost physical
blow as I understood what I was looking at: this is it, this is the Canada
he talked about, that he wanted to create. We were all there: children,
women and men, from every corner of the world, of every station and opinion,
born or come to Canada to be his just society. We are his legacy, and how
fortunate we all are that he came our way.
Willy Pullen
Ottawa, Ontario
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