Then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was so worried the 1981 recession would mean the end of the Liberal party, cabinet ministers were urged to plant positive stories in the press..“Ministers expressed the view that caucus appears tired,” said 1981 Cabinet Minutes – part of secret files that were obtained by Blacklock’s through Access To Information..Trudeau Sr.’s last term in office saw Canada suffering through the worst pre-pandemic recession with 12 per cent inflation, 13 per cent national unemployment and 21 percent mortgage rates..Cabinet at the time was preoccupied with repatriating the Constitution, something then-Multiculturalism Minister James Fleming said Canadians appeared indifferent to..“Mr. Fleming reported that political communications had concluded the public were tired of the Constitution debate and the sooner it was concluded the better,” said Minutes..Trudeau called a secret on December 3, 1981, and said he feared the Party faced destruction..“He emphasized that the government could not turn its back on the Minister of Finance without destroying the party,” said Minutes..“In his view the mood of Liberal Party members which was developing across the country was potentially very destructive, and if this continued the Liberal Party would come to be recognized as the party of the past rather than the party of the future.”. Liberals planted news stories as Trudeau Sr. feared election wipeout during 1981 recession .“Several Ministers expressed concern,” said Minutes..“They undertook however to support the Minister of Finance in any way possible and to assist in ensuring the government’s position was properly understood.”.Then-Finance Minister Allan MacEachen told cabinet more sympathetic media coverage was needed..“The Minister of Finance felt much of the criticism was based on misunderstandings and that there was a need to explain the government’s policies to a much better degree.”.MacEachen was removed as finance minister in 1982..At one cabinet session Ministers were urged to plant pro-Liberal statements in the press. The recommendation was made by then-Fisheries Minister Romeo LeBlanc, a former CBC reporter..“He noted there had not been as much success as the government would have desired in stimulating non-governmental voices to speak on behalf of government policies,” said Cabinet Minutes..“During discussion the question of prompting individuals to write favourable ‘letters to the editor’ was raised..“It was suggested this was not an area that Ministers should be involved in, and that if this approach was to be taken it should be managed by Party officials.”.But the communications strategy did not work..In July 1982 cabinet was given a pollsters’ briefing entitled Towards Political Recovery..“It described the following public perceptions of the government: uncaring, not trying; can’t manage well; tired, out of ideas; breaks promises, no philosophy; picks fights with the provinces,” said Minutes..Trudeau resigned as prime minister on June 30, 1984, and 10 weeks later theLiberals lost 1.3 million votes in a general election and was reduced to forty seats in the Commons..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was so worried the 1981 recession would mean the end of the Liberal party, cabinet ministers were urged to plant positive stories in the press..“Ministers expressed the view that caucus appears tired,” said 1981 Cabinet Minutes – part of secret files that were obtained by Blacklock’s through Access To Information..Trudeau Sr.’s last term in office saw Canada suffering through the worst pre-pandemic recession with 12 per cent inflation, 13 per cent national unemployment and 21 percent mortgage rates..Cabinet at the time was preoccupied with repatriating the Constitution, something then-Multiculturalism Minister James Fleming said Canadians appeared indifferent to..“Mr. Fleming reported that political communications had concluded the public were tired of the Constitution debate and the sooner it was concluded the better,” said Minutes..Trudeau called a secret on December 3, 1981, and said he feared the Party faced destruction..“He emphasized that the government could not turn its back on the Minister of Finance without destroying the party,” said Minutes..“In his view the mood of Liberal Party members which was developing across the country was potentially very destructive, and if this continued the Liberal Party would come to be recognized as the party of the past rather than the party of the future.”. Liberals planted news stories as Trudeau Sr. feared election wipeout during 1981 recession .“Several Ministers expressed concern,” said Minutes..“They undertook however to support the Minister of Finance in any way possible and to assist in ensuring the government’s position was properly understood.”.Then-Finance Minister Allan MacEachen told cabinet more sympathetic media coverage was needed..“The Minister of Finance felt much of the criticism was based on misunderstandings and that there was a need to explain the government’s policies to a much better degree.”.MacEachen was removed as finance minister in 1982..At one cabinet session Ministers were urged to plant pro-Liberal statements in the press. The recommendation was made by then-Fisheries Minister Romeo LeBlanc, a former CBC reporter..“He noted there had not been as much success as the government would have desired in stimulating non-governmental voices to speak on behalf of government policies,” said Cabinet Minutes..“During discussion the question of prompting individuals to write favourable ‘letters to the editor’ was raised..“It was suggested this was not an area that Ministers should be involved in, and that if this approach was to be taken it should be managed by Party officials.”.But the communications strategy did not work..In July 1982 cabinet was given a pollsters’ briefing entitled Towards Political Recovery..“It described the following public perceptions of the government: uncaring, not trying; can’t manage well; tired, out of ideas; breaks promises, no philosophy; picks fights with the provinces,” said Minutes..Trudeau resigned as prime minister on June 30, 1984, and 10 weeks later theLiberals lost 1.3 million votes in a general election and was reduced to forty seats in the Commons..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
