Many More Trudeaus

Here are two more books on Pierre Trudeau, mostly in praise of the great man, to add to the small library already available. His many admirers and disciples are on the way to declaring him a saint—secular division, if necessary. It is not enough to agree that he was the most intriguing personality to become Prime Minister of Canada and then to examine whether he was a good prime minister. His admirers prefer to sing his praises as a person.

These books generally follow that pattern. The Hidden Pierre Elliott Trudeau: The Faith Behind the Politics, edited by John English, Richard Gwyn and P. Whitney Lackenbauer, explores his religious faith, and implies a promise to show the invisible hand guiding his politics, but fails to deliver. Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew is approximately 150 brief testimonials, edited by Nancy Southam, from a variety of people who worshipped with him, worked with him or for him, negotiated...