Margaret Trudeau
Encyclopedia
Margaret Joan Sinclair Trudeau Kemper (born September 10, 1948) is the former wife of the late Pierre Trudeau
, the 15th Prime Minister of Canada
.
, British Columbia
, Canada
, the daughter of Doris Kathleen (née Bernard) and James Sinclair
, a former Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada
and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
. One of her maternal ancestors was East India Company
figure William Farquhar
. Trudeau attended Simon Fraser University
where she studied English literature
.
As an 18-year-old vacationing in Tahiti
, she met Pierre Trudeau, who was then Minister of Justice. Ms. Sinclair did not recognize him, and she in fact thought little of their encounter, but Trudeau was captivated by the carefree "flower child
," thirty years younger than himself, and began to pursue her. As Trudeau was a Catholic
, she converted to Roman Catholicism for their marriage.
Trudeau was still a bachelor
when appointed prime minister
in 1968. After keeping their romance private, the Prime Minister astonished the country by marrying the 22-year-old Sinclair on March 4, 1971, in a private ceremony. This raised some eyebrows among Canadians because of the age difference, but it was considered typical behaviour for a vivacious prime minister who prided himself on his "progressive" views and youthful vigour. Asked about her role in a marriage to the prime minister, Margaret Trudeau said, "I want to be more than a rose in my husband's lapel."
The couple had three children: Justin
(born December 25, 1971), Alexandre
(Sacha) (born December 25, 1973), and Michel
(October 2, 1975 – November 13, 1998).
Though the couple initially appeared to have a very close and loving relationship, the marriage soon began to fall apart. Margaret resented her husband's constant work-related absences and was forced to raise her three young sons largely by herself. Beyond the normal extensive publicity that her high-profile position brought, on a few instances she made her own headlines. Margaret smuggled drugs in the prime minister's luggage, made scantily clad appearances at Studio 54
, and tore apart a tapestry in the prime minister's official residence in Ottawa because it celebrated "reason over passion".
Over time, the marriage disintegrated to the point that, as recounted in her book, Margaret had an affair with U.S. Senator
Ted Kennedy
. She also had an affair with Ronnie Wood. Trudeau won custody of the children and did not pay any spousal support. Margaret had a difficult time earning a living after her marriage. She wrote the book "Beyond Reason" about her marriage.
Suffering from stress
and bouts of bipolar depression, she separated from her husband in 1977 and became a much talked about jet-setter. She gave many "tell-all" interviews to Canadian and American magazines and appeared in two motion pictures.
On the eve of the 1979 election
, in which Trudeau's party lost the majority of seats in the House of Commons, Margaret was dancing at Studio 54
nightclub in New York City
. A photo of her there was featured on many front pages across the country. She was also, wrongly associated with Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. This added to the Canadian public's growing unease about "what would happen next."
In November 1998, the Trudeaus' youngest son, Michel, an avid outdoorsman, was killed when an avalanche swept him to the bottom of British Columbia
's Kokanee Lake
. The loss of her son was devastating for her and Margaret suffered another mental breakdown that led to her second divorce.
When Pierre Trudeau died in 2000, Margaret was at his bedside.
Today, she is the honorary president of WaterCan, an Ottawa-based organization dedicated to helping the poorest communities in developing countries build sustainable
water supply and sanitation
services.
She was stopped by police on May 30, 2004, and charged with impaired driving and driving with 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood
. The impaired driving charge was not pursued at trial and she was later acquitted of the second charge by a judge
who ruled that her rights had been violated by police who had no grounds to pull her over and denied her the right to counsel
. She praised the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which had been enacted by Pierre Trudeau, for her success. The Crown's appeal from this decision was denied.
On May 5, 2006, Margaret announced that she had been suffering from bipolar disorder
. Since then, she has advocated for reduced stigma of mental illness — bipolar disorder in particular — with speaking engagements across North America.
She wrote Changing My Mind, a book about her personal experience having bipolar disorder
, published by HarperCollins
Canada in 2010.
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Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
, the 15th Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
.
Early years and marriage
Trudeau was born Margaret Joan Sinclair in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the daughter of Doris Kathleen (née Bernard) and James Sinclair
James Sinclair (politician)
James Sinclair, PC was a Canadian politician and businessman.-Life and career:Sinclair was born in Banff, Scotland, the son of Betsy and James George Sinclair. He moved to Vancouver with his family in 1911...
, a former Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada)
The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for supervising the fishing industry and administrating all navigable waterways in the country...
. One of her maternal ancestors was East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
figure William Farquhar
William Farquhar
Major-General William Farquhar was an employee of the East India Company, and the first Resident of colonial Singapore.-Early life:Farquhar was born at Newhall, Aberdeenshire, near Aberdeen in 1774, and joined the East India Company as a cadet when he was 17...
. Trudeau attended Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
where she studied English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
.
As an 18-year-old vacationing in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, she met Pierre Trudeau, who was then Minister of Justice. Ms. Sinclair did not recognize him, and she in fact thought little of their encounter, but Trudeau was captivated by the carefree "flower child
Flower child
Flower child originated as a synonym for hippie, especially the idealistic young people who gathered in San Francisco and environs during the 1967 Summer of Love. It was the custom of "flower children" to wear and distribute flowers or floral-themed decorations to symbolize altruistic ideals of...
," thirty years younger than himself, and began to pursue her. As Trudeau was a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, she converted to Roman Catholicism for their marriage.
Trudeau was still a bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
when appointed prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
in 1968. After keeping their romance private, the Prime Minister astonished the country by marrying the 22-year-old Sinclair on March 4, 1971, in a private ceremony. This raised some eyebrows among Canadians because of the age difference, but it was considered typical behaviour for a vivacious prime minister who prided himself on his "progressive" views and youthful vigour. Asked about her role in a marriage to the prime minister, Margaret Trudeau said, "I want to be more than a rose in my husband's lapel."
The couple had three children: Justin
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau, MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented the Montreal electoral division of Papineau in the Canadian House of Commons since 2008 as a member of the Liberal Party and currently serves as the party's critic for youth, post-secondary education, and amateur...
(born December 25, 1971), Alexandre
Alexandre Trudeau
Alexandre "Sacha" Trudeau is a Canadian filmmaker and journalist, and second son of Canada's former Prime Minister, the late Pierre Trudeau, and Margaret Trudeau.-Early life and education:...
(Sacha) (born December 25, 1973), and Michel
Michel Trudeau
Michel Trudeau was the youngest son of the late Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he studied at Dalhousie University to become a microbiologist....
(October 2, 1975 – November 13, 1998).
Though the couple initially appeared to have a very close and loving relationship, the marriage soon began to fall apart. Margaret resented her husband's constant work-related absences and was forced to raise her three young sons largely by herself. Beyond the normal extensive publicity that her high-profile position brought, on a few instances she made her own headlines. Margaret smuggled drugs in the prime minister's luggage, made scantily clad appearances at Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
, and tore apart a tapestry in the prime minister's official residence in Ottawa because it celebrated "reason over passion".
Over time, the marriage disintegrated to the point that, as recounted in her book, Margaret had an affair with U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
. She also had an affair with Ronnie Wood. Trudeau won custody of the children and did not pay any spousal support. Margaret had a difficult time earning a living after her marriage. She wrote the book "Beyond Reason" about her marriage.
Suffering from stress
Stress (medicine)
Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance...
and bouts of bipolar depression, she separated from her husband in 1977 and became a much talked about jet-setter. She gave many "tell-all" interviews to Canadian and American magazines and appeared in two motion pictures.
On the eve of the 1979 election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
, in which Trudeau's party lost the majority of seats in the House of Commons, Margaret was dancing at Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
nightclub in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. A photo of her there was featured on many front pages across the country. She was also, wrongly associated with Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. This added to the Canadian public's growing unease about "what would happen next."
Life after divorce
The Trudeaus officially divorced in 1984, and a short time later Margaret married Ottawa real-estate developer Fried Kemper, with whom she had two children, Kyle and Alicia. After her second marriage, Margaret virtually disappeared from the public eye.In November 1998, the Trudeaus' youngest son, Michel, an avid outdoorsman, was killed when an avalanche swept him to the bottom of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's Kokanee Lake
Kokanee Lake
Kokanee Lake is one of over 30 alpine lakes located in British Columbia's Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. The lake is approximately 1,200 m long and 400 m wide, at an elevation of 1,981 m and located at the head of Kokanee Creek. It is fed by the Kokanee Glacier and is the headwater of Kokanee...
. The loss of her son was devastating for her and Margaret suffered another mental breakdown that led to her second divorce.
When Pierre Trudeau died in 2000, Margaret was at his bedside.
Today, she is the honorary president of WaterCan, an Ottawa-based organization dedicated to helping the poorest communities in developing countries build sustainable
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
water supply and sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
services.
She was stopped by police on May 30, 2004, and charged with impaired driving and driving with 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
. The impaired driving charge was not pursued at trial and she was later acquitted of the second charge by a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
who ruled that her rights had been violated by police who had no grounds to pull her over and denied her the right to counsel
Counsel
A counsel or a counselor gives advice, more particularly in legal matters.-U.K. and Ireland:The legal system in England uses the term counsel as an approximate synonym for a barrister-at-law, and may apply it to mean either a single person who pleads a cause, or collectively, the body of barristers...
. She praised the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which had been enacted by Pierre Trudeau, for her success. The Crown's appeal from this decision was denied.
On May 5, 2006, Margaret announced that she had been suffering from bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. Since then, she has advocated for reduced stigma of mental illness — bipolar disorder in particular — with speaking engagements across North America.
She wrote Changing My Mind, a book about her personal experience having bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, published by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
Canada in 2010.
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