Once you have responded to the previous posting, click on this link and watch the video of a very young Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who made famous the quote, "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation."http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/topics/538-2671/
-watch the clip
-read "The Story"
-click and read "Did You Know?"
Consider the context... The year is 1967. Canada is undergoing a sexual revolution. Birth control is a hot political topic, especially for young feminists. (For more information, perform a Google search and find out more about this particularly turbulent time in our nation's history. It is because of times like this that if people ever say Canadian history is boring, it's because they don't know ANYTHING about Canadian history...) Was Trudeau right? Or did Trudeau open a big can of worms? (15 marks, inquiry)
Please post your response by Tuesday, October 14, 2008.
25 comments:
Although we did not live through Canada’s history, or laws and standards within society today are results of such historical issues. The sexual revolution in particular is what I view as being exceptionally interesting- mainly because it seems that we are on the same level as they were so many years ago, in that we still do not have any conclusive answers as to what is considered right and wrong when it comes to such issues as sexual orientation, the purpose of marriage, and abortion laws. Due to our failure to come to a common agreement as a society, and within our government, this makes us no different from the society and government of Trudeau’s time. As a result, I strongly agree with Trudeau’s revisions to the Criminal code in 1967.
The bill’s statements that only “certain sexual acts between consenting heterosexual and/or homosexual adults aged 21 years or older,” is a clear and very sensible law that cannot in any way offend nor segregate against any minority, except for the age factor. However, I strongly agree with the age factor because I believe that the government should not promote young people to be engaging in sexual relations of any type. The government is therefore serving as a positive force for society because they are not condemning the acts of individuals, providing that they are of an age of adulthood- therefore having them be consciences enough to make their own proper decisions, and most importantly, keeping such affairs private rather than public. This not only ensures that young people are not making wrong choices, but it allows people to make their own sexual choices as a result, and because of such various sexual orientations and acts, they are keeping it private to avoid much negativity from society- and the government will not be blamed as a result because they have placed the proper standards in place. In addition, such revisements avoid any religious and cultural contradictions of many people, which will once again avoid bashing towards the government and negativity within society towards individuals because such acts are to be kept completely private.
In regards to Trudeau’s view points as revised in the “Ominous Bill,” about abortion, I do not completely agree. Without having any religious or cultural bias on my own part, I personally believe that abortion is simply murder. Trudeau stated that he is accepting of abortion because an unwanted pregnancy can possibly lead to physical, emotional and mental problems for the woman. However, I believe that if a woman can possibly endure such “problems” through pregnancy, she should take enough precautions to avoid getting pregnant. Even more importantly, if such “problems,” can occur for a woman baring a child- of which she does not want, her negativity towards the pregnancy evidently had much to do with the father. I believe that a woman should not be engaging in sexual relations with any man who she does not have good feelings about, and who can possibly be any sort of a problem to her at any time. The choice of one’s sexuality, and whom they choose to engage with, and when, is completely up to the individually providing they are mature enough to make this decision- which usually comes with adulthood (age 21), but sometimes even earlier- or later. I think that one cannot place a number on adulthood, it varies with the individual; for some it may even be past age 21. With this choice comes the ability to determine if one’s partner is right or not, and any woman who can possibly experience “problems,” if she becomes pregnant should definitely re-examine her partner, because circumstantial issues ( such as school, work, or overall readiness) cannot cause such problems Regardless, such engagements should be kept private at all times, and if an individual is at a point where he/she is able to act upon their sexuality in a mature way- homosexual or heterosexual, they are also aware of the consequences, and there will therefore be no extreme problems for the woman in a situation of pregnancy, making abortion simply not an option in my eyes. Overall I believe that Trudeau’s intentions were good, and he was correct in much of what he did and said; something today’s politicians are not- but not all of it was very intelligent in my opinion. In addition, I would like to point out that my views are in response to that of Trudeau’s, therefore religion has been left out, simply because Church is evidently removed from state. We must therefore attempt to make the most positive and sensible choices within society, which is what I believe Trudeau has attempted to do, and sadly, current governing officials are unable to do.
Canadian history is a topic that is extremely interesting topic if it has been depicted correctly. Canadian history involves many political leaders that had some extreme and outrageous ideas. Pierre Trudeau was a very modern and liberal individual who changed the course of Canadian history.
Pierre Trudeau was right to introduce the revisions to the Criminal Code; The Ominous Bill. In year 1967 a large sexual revolution was taking place not just in Canada, but around the world as well. Trudeau’s additions and revisions to the Criminal Code took a contemporary approach to the modernization of the main sexual and political issues facing Canadians. As a liberal, Trudeau had a duty to add versatility to Canadian society at such a complex time in Canadian history. Homosexuality was a major issue and through Trudeau’s quote “There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation”, he made it clear that liberalism was in full effect. The idea of homosexuals doing what they want in the privacy of their own homes should be respected. This is what Trudeau was trying to say; how can something done in private with sexual consent be considered illegal? The answer is that it cannot. Trudeau implemented the idea of 2 homosexuals, years twenty-one or older may be involved sexually with one another in private without it being considered illegal. Birth control and abortion was also an extremely important aspect to this new ‘Ominous Bill’, Women have the right to choose if they want a child growing in their bodies. Hence the idea of sex before marriage, which was a very political issue at this time as well. Abortion, according to Trudeau, could be preformed if the woman was in a proper state of mind and it was not considered cruel. Therefore, if a woman did not want to be pregnant, she could suffer mental and emotional damage through having the child. Abortion could solve this problem. Trudeau also put into practice the idea of police having probable cause to test individuals for impairment. Therefore, Trudeau was permitting people to have a lot more freedom and be much more liberal in society. The Ominous Bill also added the legalization of contraception, lotteries and abortion. This bill even liberalized divorce laws. The 1960’s-1970’s was a time period that was involved with many social and political changes. Thanks to Pierre Elliot Trudeau modernization of Canadian society was achieved.
I found the revision of the Canadian Criminal Code by Trudeau fairly interesting. By introducing the Omnibus bill in the House of Commons, many controversies arose. Trudeau's changes in the criminal code included revision of abortion laws, homosexual acts, legalization of lotteries, new gun ownership restrictions and allowing police to perform breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers if they have reasonable and probable cause. Trudeau created these additions and revisions of the criminal code to modernize the law to keep it in sync with society. During the time period on 1967, there was a sexual revolution, and these changes to the law were incorporated due to this revolution.
I think Trudeau was right in creating these changes to incorporate the changing society around us. The idea that what two homosexuals do together in their own private home does not concern the criminal code was a good one. "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." This quote simply explains that what homosexuals do does not concern us or the state as long as it’s done in private and not public. This revision of the homosexual act is a fair and respectful change. This revision stated that "certain sexual acts between consenting (homosexual or heterosexual) adults aged 21 years or older, when performed in private, were legal". This revision not only allows homosexuals to do as they please in private, but also dies-encourages young teens form sex because of the age restriction. I think this age restriction is a good idea because it minimizes the amount of young people becoming sexually active.
Another good change that Trudeau made was allowing abortion under certain circumstances. These circumstances state that an abortion can be legal "if a committee of three doctors feels the pregnancy endangers the mental, emotional or physical well-being of the mother." This makes a statement that abortion is still wrong, but if there is any danger to the women, abortion can be allowed. This gives women a bit more freedom that is controlled. The only downfall to this change is that, women could ask doctors to say that they need an abortion for the well being of the mother, even though the abortion is not needed. This freedom could be easily taken advantage of.
Trudeau also added that police are allowed to perform breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers if they have reasonable and probable cause. This revision to the criminal code still ensured the right to privacy of a person, since the breathalyzer tests were not random. If the police have a probable cause to assume someone is intoxicated, they should perform a breathalyzer test. By doing this, the right to life, security and liberty of others on the road will be less jeopardized.
Even though I agree with the revisions of the Canadian Criminal Code by Trudeau, there are consequences to be paid.
These changes set precedence to further change laws. For example, now same sex marriage is fully legal in Canada, as well as abortion. Because of this change, Trudeau did open a can of worms in the sense that, his changes became more extreme over time. It was the first step to extreme change in our laws.
I found Mr. Trudeau comment to the sexual revolution to be inspiring. He hit the nail right on the head. Mr. Trudeau was not afraid to approach the fine lines between the right of the state and the right of the people. His addressed the issue and it changed the view point nation wide. Now from what I understand, Mr. Trudeau composed a revision to the criminal code of 1967 and he addressed the matter of what was deemed public and private. It seems to be apparent that we have the same issue today. The question still remains, what is deemed private verses what is deemed public. He stated it very eloquently when he said “there is no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.” I believe that Trudeau was right and that he addressed the problem. He knew exactly where he wanted to go with his Ominous Bill. If it wasn’t an issue he wouldn’t have addressed it. He established boundaries that now recent bills are made to up hold. He also established the aspect of what referred to public and private within the actions of adults. What I found very interesting what his opinion on the aspect of abortion and the limits he set on that action and defining what a doctor performed as illegal or legal. He established the aspect of the idea of safety for the child and its mother. An example of this was if the mother was in emotion danger and was suffering mental issues, it was okay for the abortion to occur not just because the mother had made a mistake and wanted to have that child aborted. His Ominous Bill of 1967 did not only affect Canada but it affected the world as well. He introduced liberalism to the full extent and introduced the concept of privacy in regards to homosexuals and heterosexuals and what they do with the confines of their homes. He allowed people the ability to have freedom but with that freedom he was allowed to have responsibilities placed on the people who enacted with that freedom, for example the breathalyzer test on impaired drivers. He addressed key issues that were happening in the Sexual Revolution such as: Contraceptives, abortion, divorce, lotteries and drinking. He established the idea that through out the time period of the 1960’s and 1970’s there were many changes politically and socially. Therefore through the efforts of Mr. Trudeau, Canada’s society modernization completed achieved level. Instead of opening a can of worms he actually solved many.
I think that Trudeau was doing what he thought was best. the 1960's were a very turbulent time in Canadian history. This was probably the best way to address the issues at hand. Homosexuality was a major issue at the time. Trudeau's decision to decriminalize private 'homosexual acts' was a smart one because it had absolutely nothing to do with the Criminal Code. The State has no place in the bedrooms of the nation. Only when such acts become public should there be some state intervention, because it then begins to affect everyone else. With regards to the revision of abortion laws, again, Trudeau was doing what he thought was best. Amidst the sexual revolution of the 1960's, it would be impossible for the government to make abortion illegal without major public backlash. By requiring that a committee of three doctors give their consent to an abortion, it makes it so that you can't get an abortion for whatever trivial reason you want. It decreases the number of abortions performed in Canada. The bill's policies on new gun ownership restrictions and breathalyzer tests were good ideas, designed to protect the Canadian public. I may not completely agree with Trudeau's revisions, but I understand why he made them. He was doing what he thought would serve Canadians best, in the era of the sexual revolution. Trudeau addressed the issues, and did the best he could in his situation.
-Martina Vlasic
The comparison to Canada’s history towards modern day time, our policies to criminal law have not changed ideally since history tends to repeat itself. When Trudeau spoke of abortion in 1967, the sexual revolution, it caught my attention because even today people are debating whether this idea of abortion is right or wrong. It seems throughout the years, humanity still have their morals mixed up when it comes to marriage that soon leads onto its laws of conceiving a child. During his speech, he mentioned how the criminal code needed an update since they focus on harming homosexuals in the bedroom. In everyway, Trudeau is correct to decriminalize homo/heterosexual acts that are appropriate for adults (over the age of 21). However despite his “Ominous Bill” that was passed in 1967, however the argument still resides today about our laws.
First of all, since the bill was passed in 1967, it depicted that society should be able to legally have sexual acts that were private over the age of 21. Discussing about the age, Trudeau was correct because this gives the impression to society that the government is focusing on its citizens rather than just for the sake of having a bill passed. In addition to Trudeau’s bill, he was not the only one to pass this because other countries at the time were also updating their criminal law on this issue such as England and Australia. Even though the bill seem to decriminalize homosexual acts, more or less the bill’s true goal was to separate the definition of public and private sexual acts. His quote “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation”, explains the fact of his liberal campaign towards public/private affairs. This allows citizens to act freely to commit these acts only in private, as the government suggested. Otherwise if these acts are done in public, the police will gladly arrest those offenders. What doesn’t make sense is the idea of homosexuality as to means of why do people care of them revealing who they are now? If people have looked back onto history, homosexuality had existed way before the Greeks, since sexuality did not matter. More or less today, people of the same sex are not afraid to show who they really are, thanks to Trudeau’s idea of the “Ominous bill” and the “Charter of Rights and Freedom”. The only reason why homosexuality was questioned was the fact that all the countries in the 1970s were facing a time of economic change. Continuing on the age factor, even though the government gives an official age to do acts in private, people will always have the choice to perform these acts in private. I believe that despite Trudeau’s idea of the bill, this allows the further separation of the church and state, because this conflicted with women’s choice of the birth pill, the fundamentals of marriage (involve sexual acts). Even though the church still argues of this debate, Canada was formed on the basis of these issues. This bill also allowed the legalization of lotteries, new gun restrictions and finally breathalysers. With these additional functions to the bill, this idea is fundamentally liberal because society has a better chance to be contemporary as Trudeau pointed out.
When Trudeau mentioned the idea of abortion and how it can affect women psychological it caught my attention once more. Trudeau mentioned that with the revision on the abortion law, he was concerned that pregnant mothers would be endangered emotionally, physically. This idea of which he speaks is actually true because once the women gives birth to her child, and decides to give the baby up, she could develop (name the disease). This causes the mother to regret thus ruining her mental state, an example is movie called “Juno”. This movie depicted of a youth being pregnant and making the choice of abortion or life. Even though she chosen life in the end, she went through the suffering of conceiving her child. All these problems could have been avoided if she had an abortion. Even though most people would debate on this issue of abortion, without it this will cause economic problems of how these babies would be raised in society. More or less Trudeau wanted to point out that women do have the option to have abortion despite the intention that people will argue if these women are actually killing lives or not. In conclusion Trudeau did not open a can of worms but instead open a door for Canada to be a contemporary society.
-John Schokman-
The times of Trudeau are not to different of the times of today when we are talking about social beliefs and problems. The people and its government needed a change, they needed an update of laws to fit their society. Some people believe that laws should not be changed because it is showing weakness and that the laws are lenient. If this was the fact then we would still have the laws of Hammurabi, who believed in an eye for an eye. You steal i cut off your hand, you speak blasphomey i cut out your tounge. So in my personal opinion i strongly believe that Trudeau was correct when he said that the Criminal Code needed an update.
As time moves on society changes, it will never stop changing so everything involved in the society must also be changed. Even though Trudeau's bill caused alot of controversy i still think he was right in his beliefs. What people do in the privacy of their home should not be against any law, even it being sam sex relationships, having different beliefs or anything else that is frowned upon by society. Trudeau was not in anyway saying that he supported homosexuality be he said what ever is done in private is none of his business as long as they dont make it public. Which is therefore not really decriminalizing homosexuality.
I also did agree with him on the idea of abortion, we are a world filled with sex and drugs so somewhere down the line we are all bound to make our mistakes. One of them being pregnant at a very young age. How can the government put all this stuff in the media and expect us not to mess up? There basically saying that all this stuff is ok because we give you methods of preventing it. What happens when these methods fail? Many women do not want to go on birth control because it could really damage things. And a condom is very gentle so theres always the possibility of it ripping or having a hole. Therefore i agree with Trudeau that abortion should be aloud aslong as it is with good reasons. Trudeau said that if the police had good reason to have set up a breathalizer test then it is totally legal as long as they can backup their reason for this. By changing all these things he is giving us more freedom in our choices which is basically what everyone wants. So this is why i think Trudeau was right in what he has said.
In my opinion, Trudeau was absolutely right. Trudeau's idea of bringing the "laws of the land to contemporary society" was a smart one. He indeed changed the political and social landscape in Canada. Since Canada was undergoing a sexual revolution, why not make things better, adapt to what was going on in Canadian society? What better way than to overwrite some taboos. Trudeau did the correct thing even though I don't personally agree with one revision(the one about abortion). Furthermore, his justifications for his revisions of the criminal code, which was the 72 page omnibus bill, in 1967 were liberal but fair!
To start off, he mentioned the issue with homosexuality. Trudeau believes that "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." Like he said, what is done in private between two full grown adults( age 21 and over) is totally their personal business even if it means engaging in homosexual acts. I think he was right when he pointed out that this issue isn't related to or concerns the criminal code(its totally private business between adults, just because someone is a homosexual that doesn't or shouldn't mean they are a criminal). Of course the "homosexuality" topic was probably a very different and not yet very heavily touched upon subject matter back in 19 67. However, I believe Trudeau came across the topic very cleverly and adequately. He made it clear that the state should not get involved in personal business of the individuals in society, and what they did on their own time is totally up to them. (liberal for ya!) Furthermore, i agree with the fact that even though the bill wasn't criminalizing homosexuality, it gave a clear distinction between public and private sexual acts. The bill allowed this act in private, but when public (as in the presence of more than two people) it was still illegal. Trudeau was being fair in not restraining it, however he didn't want to legalize public displays probably because it was still uncommon in that time. He approached this issue the right way, slowly paving the way to more contemporary freedoms.
Next, Trudeau mentioned the breathalyzer test. He made this law more liberal. I agree with his idea about giving the police officer the right to test an individual as long as he has reasonable and probable cause of impairment. This is still the matter today, when a cop thinks you might have been drinking, it is close to certain that he will have you blow in the breathalyzer. This law probably made it a lot safer in society when it was passed, since it most likely had the effect of reducing the risk of drunk divers. It is certainly making a difference nowadays too! I have to admit, it was funny when he said that it wouldn't make sense to put a breathalyzer test in front of every cocktail party and to get everyone who happens to come out, that's to much. Ultimately, the law permitting officers (aslong as they have reasonable and probable cause of impairment) to give an individual the breathalyzer test has been successful till this day.
Finally he touched upon a topic that today is still causing a lot of controversy in society and in my head too! That is of course, the decriminalizing of abortion. He believes that it should be the doctors responsibility to decide if abortion is fit. That is, if not having an abortion endangers the womans life or health then it was completely legal to abort the baby. Therefore he is saying that it should be up to the doctors, not lawyers or judges or anyone else but the doctor to decide. I think that abortion, taking away a life is so wrong but it should still be legal for that woman to decide, given their circumstances. So I partially agree with that one because i'm against abortion but for reasonable justifications. Everyone has different problems and so on that having a baby may cause. It is kinda understandable why some women might want to have an abortion, but nowadays it is going just to far. Maybe that law should of stayed the way it was. Today, you can go to abortion clinic and have an abortion done no problem. Its like done as frequently as people going to buy something at the corner store.
The Omnibus Bill introduced by Pierre Trudeau, consisted of 109 clause revisions to the Criminal Code including: legislation's of lotteries, gun ownership restrictions, breathalysers tests and most controversy homosexuality and abortion laws. Some may have believed that this chiasmic minister "opened a big can of worms," when in reality he has just opened the eyes of the public. The aspects that the Omnibus Bill addresses aims to create a more liberated Canada.
Canada is a Christian majority country, (more-so in 1967 then now), therefore aspects such as sexuality and birth control are ultimately frowned upon. The public was overwhelmed by the statement "There's now place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation," as they interrupted this statement negatively. The omnibus Bill did not explicitly state the legalization for homosexual affairs, but only states the "certain sexual acts between consenting adults aged 21 or older, when preformed in private were legal." Private affairs do not concern any other party other than the two consenting individuals, therefore the state should not take it upon themselves to dictate actions in an individuals "bedroom".
In addition the most up springing issue under the Omnibus Bill was the legalization of abortion under certain circumstances. Now if a "committee of 3 doctors felt that a pregnancy endangered the mental, emotional, or physical well-being of a mother" an abortion would be permitted. Before, birth control or abortion could result with a 2 year jail sentence as it was seen to corrupt morals, but with the amendment on the Omnibus bill it now contradicted this Christian morality natural law as well as the human right, to life. The public may have not agreed with this amendment, but had failed to recognize that issues of abortion also included birth control, a long everlasting controversial topic that has faced our nation long before 1967.
The first birth control clinic was opened on Canadian soil in Hamilton as far back as 1932, and after WWII the public stated to be more accepting to birth control. In 1963 the Canadian Federation of Societies for Population Planning arranged for the membership with the International Planned Parenthood Federation, having the intention to promote responsible parenthood with birth control. In 1967 this federation changed its name to the Family Planning Federation of Canada and now was first granted government funding from the British Columbia government for their institutions. Then in 1971 this organization obtained grants from the Health and Welfare Canada, which resulted in some provincial government funding for this organization as well as beginning their own programs that were similar.
Seeing how the public was accepting to Birth control but not abortion demonstrates how hypocritical individuals are, especially the Christian majority. If they believe that abortion is "bad," but having intercourse for purposes other than reproduction, they are following their religion to a certain extent but then are ignoring other aspects. The Omnibus Bill clearly did not open a "big can of worms," but instead merely demonstrated the government acceptance and stand point on these issues. The public was well aware of homosexuality and birth control including abortion but thanks to the Omnibus bill now took it upon themselves to feel offended by the matter.
Works Consulted:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0000779
In Trudeau's speech, he touches upon three main topics: homosexuality, abortion, and drunk driving. Trudeau was correct in saying that the "state does not belong in the bedrooms of the nation", because it is very true. If two consenting adults wish to be homosexuals, or to have any type of sexual relation, it is their business, and not the government's. Trudeau himself said that "it may seem a little too liberal", however it is up to the people to decide who they sleep with, if it is done in private. When it is out in public is when it becomes a problem because people might feel uncomfortable. In response to Trudeau's view on abortion, i am simply going to say that he left church and state seperate, because that's what he felt he should have done to help the people of Canada. I, myself, disagree with abortions, because i am pro-life. When Pierre Trudeau speaks of pregnancy being a problem for women emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially, i believe that he should not be saying anything because he is a man, and cannot possibly know what that is like.
However, in the 1960s and 70s, birth control and abortion became very big issues in Canada, and therefore Trudeau did what he felt was right.
Also, Pierre Trudeau spoke of drunk driving and the breathalyzer test. He claimed that police officers have the right to isse the breathalyzer test when they feel there is cause for it, not hold up traffic or set up booths outside a cocktail party. I agree with this because sometimes police officers tend to abuse their rights.
In conclusion, i agree with most of what Trudeau said, and i think he was correct in adressing these situations the way he did; because the people of Canada needed a rude awakening during those times.
"There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." What people do in private and on their own should not influence the state. In 1967 a young Pierre Trudeau introduced his controversial Omnibus bill in the House of Commons. The bill calls for massive changes to the Criminal Code of Canada. It included the decimalization of ‘homosexual acts’, abortion laws, legalization of lotteries, new gun ownership restrictions, and Breathalyzer tests. This bill was introduced during the sexual revolution, which made it have more of an affect on the people of Canada. In a way this bill gave Canadians sexual freedom to do what they liked to an extent. When this bill was passed it modernized the laws for Canadian people, because women could have abortions and homosexuals could do what they liked without being put in jail. Pierre Trudeau’s quote "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation," is in direct affiliation to homosexuals and their rights and freedoms. What people do in private is there own business and it should not be illegal. As goes for abortion you have the freedom to do what you like, but it is your morals and religious values that will sway that decision. Also for some women bearing the child could cause mental or emotion harm for both mother and child therefore giving the mother the choice of keeping the baby or having an abortion. These laws gave Canadians freedom when they needed it the most although some people would not completely agree with them, especially the abortion bill. Even though Trudeau's bill caused a lot of controversy I still think he was right in his beliefs. I agree with Ariel when he says this because it is very much the truth. People didn’t like what Trudeau was doing, but it need to be done. This was a time when Canada needed something more helpful due to the sexual revolution and they received that from Mr. Pierre Trudeau, with his Omnibus bill that would change Canada’s out look forever.
I believe that Trudeau was very right to introduce the omnibus bill and modernize the criminal code. This was an important legislation because the 1960s brought out the need for political and social reform. Trudeau's "Omnibus Bill" was much influenced by the sexual revolution of the 1960s and sought to deal with issues such as homosexuality, abortion and birth control. Addressing these issues made society more liberalized because previously it would have been unheard of a justice minister to talk about decriminalizing homosexuality since much of our laws were still influenced by church doctrine during that time period.
Trudeau's "Omnibus Bill" brought laws to what they are today. He decriminalized private homosexual acts and said that what two adults (aged over 21) did in private did not concern the criminal code. Trudeau introduced the approach that "the state had no place in the bedrooms of the nation" which allowed people not to be legally prosecuted for the type of lifestyle that they led.
Another concept introduced by Trudeau's omnibus bill was that abortions should be legalized and available to a woman whenever a pregnancy would endanger her physical and mental health. What I particularly found interesting about Trudeau's abortion law was that even though it was legal it was restricted abortions could not be performed for whatever reason and that three doctors had to agree that a abortion was the only answer to the problem. This was a very smart move because it still allowed women to terminate a pregnancy but only for a valid reason. Nowadays we have misinterpreted Trudeau's purpose in introducing this law because abortions have become far too trivial in today's society and once again we must place limits on it because women are choosing to end the life of their unborn children for no reason at all. Personally, I believe that Trudeau's approach was the lesser of two evils because it appeased pro-choice supporters while maintaining the importance of human life.
Lastly, the Omnibus bill stated that it was legal for breathalyzer tests to be carried out if the police officer had reasonable grounds to suspect that a person was driving under the influence and poses a safety risk to other individuals on the road. However, Trudeau stated that police could not use the breathalyzer test in a manner that infringed upon individual rights by setting up random checkpoints and stopping traffic. This created a balance between public safety and the respect for individual rights.
I believe that the contents of Trudeau's omnibus bill are very contemporary issues that still are in the political spotlight even today. Therefore it is possible to argue that Trudeau modernized Canadian law and made it in to what it is today. After all, society now is much more liberal and tolerant than it was before him. So no, Trudeau did not open up a can of worms but instead did what he thought was best for Canada.
Trudeau made the right desicion in making revisions to the Criminal Code in 1967 because he gave Canadian citzens the modern spin on how our government should be run when it came to the sexual revloution. By introducing the Omnibus Bill he showed not only the citzens of Canada, but he showed the rest of the world that his idea of Canada was a country that would not judge or discriminate a person based on their sexual orientation , and a country that gave women equal rights in society.Im also surprised to say that I agree also wiht the abortion act because he is not saying that every women who gets pregnant and wants and abortion can get one he basically was saying that if the pregnancy is endangering the womans life and that a commitee of three doctors feel that an abortion is the safest way to go then it should be legal. Also allowing the police to perform breathalyzers on suspected drunk drivers has saved the lives of many. Trudeau created this bill based on the people, his modern thinking of the way how our government should be run has benefited our society greatly. In conclusion i personally think that Trudeau opened a "GOOD" can of worms.
Trudueas omnibus bill passed in the house of commons caused many changes in the criminal code of canada. I completly agree with the changes he proposed because he created these additions with the intention to keep society modernized. Many things changed in the omnibus law; homosexual laws, breathalyzers and abortion.He made an appeal to the decriminaliztion of homosexual acts performed in private. Trudeau said that whats done in private between adults doesnt affect the crimnal code. i strongly agree with this becuase everyone has the right to do what they want behind closed doors. He also says that there is no room for the state in the bedroom of nations. Breathalyzer tests is also something which is changed in the omnibus code. it became a more liberal factor. a breathalyzer can be premecable when the police has a reasonable judge that there is imparemnt. a police caqnt just go up to random people leaving a party and force them to take a breathalyzer. i strongly agree with this becuase everyone has the freedom to drink but under the circumstances that one shouldnt be physically impaired. Abortion is changed for the sake of the women. If a women feels the want of an abortion a committee of 3 doctors has to agree that the pregnancy has damaged the women mentally, emootionally and physicaly. i agree with this change because it doesnt allow any women pregnant to get an abortion, only if it is completly necessary and doctors see a reason for it. in the end i think trudeau was right in making these changes because he realizes society is changing and he is leaving us witht the room to grow.
Pierre Trudeau helped in changing the way society is run, for he revolutionised how sexuality and freedoms should be viewed. He posed more open minded opinions on what was considered to be against the law in Canadian culture during his time period. He allowed for freedom of expression in the sense that he allowed there to be change in how our lives are run in the ominous bill. I personally agree with Trudeau’s political stand points for it was something that was needed to help Canada move forward. The revisions of the criminal code consisted of legalizing abortions, breathalyser tests and lotteries. Gun ownership restrictions were implicated and there was the acceptance of homosexuality. These new regulations made our government into what it is today which is a better and healthier environment.
The most controversial topics of the 1960s and today must have been the ones dealing with homosexuality, abortion and birth control. Trudeau was one of the first to help in the broadening of the meaning of what a intimate couple could be. His quote “ There is not place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation”, was something that suggested how the people of the world should be able to do as they please. Homosexuality being something very frowned upon at the time was brought into a world as a positive thing. He accepted people for who they were and did not force them to hide what God made them to be. Although, Trudeau was right in legalizing consensual sexual acts done in private he caused many issues with the church. His open minded thoughts about what was right were criticized by many when he legalized abortion, if recommended by doctors. On one hand Trudeau was caring for his citizens who were pregnant and not ready to have children On the other he as allowing for murders of unborn children. Contraceptives were something that could prevent pregnancy for those who decided to be sexually active. Trudeau had only the best intentions in mind for woman because it was something that was more efficient and provided a sense of reassurance. He proved to be right but left a never ending debate if something like this is wrong or right These issues are always something that someone will go against, so he “opened a can of worms” in the sense that it is everlasting even if they are legal.
In the topics of gun regulations breathalyser tests , Trudeau brought forth issues that should have been addressed before his time. People have the right to be safe and will not be if irresponsible people are able to have guns. Several people would have been severely injured or murdered if the breathalyser tests were never allowed. These regulations allow for people to set aside wrong from right because they know there are more consequences. These issues being less controversial then thing dealing with intimacy absolutely needed to issued. Everyone needs help in making our economy a better place, so everyone needs to abide by rules. By placing more focus on these issues, the government made violence and drunk driving bigger issues for people to consider.
Personally, I believe Trudeau was right in what he enforced. He allowed for more freedoms and protects the people better. He fully revolutionized the criminal code and pushed Canadians to think outside of their close minded thoughts on others
What Trudeau did for the Criminal Code was right. Just like the Bible, the Criminal Code was not written for the times of the present society. It did not serve jsutice or fit the lives of people in society anymore. He rievised it to make it right. He was right by saying that the gov't had no concern in the bedrooms of the nation. What goes on is private and should be kept that way. If homosexuals want to do what they want then let them, why should it be agaisnt the law, and what I want to know is how would they've enforced this law? were they going to sit in everyones house to make sure they weren't doing anything wrong? he realized that adults can choose what they want to do in the privacy of their own homes, and he opened the door for homosexuals and eventually led to the laws we have today. Also his abortion solution seems to be still today the only half decent idea on how to decide if an abortion is necesary. He includes the knowledge and opinions of professionals, though i believe if the mother still wants the abortion after all the counselling, she should be granted it. Trudeau realized the times were changing, and that meant the laws needed to be changed. He was just as much in touch with society as he was with the gov't. He was modernizing with society and he saw what they needed/wanted. Trudeau not only chnaged the criminal code, but he changed society and the way we view poltics. He did it for the good of the people and the good of the nation. That is why he will always be considered one of Canada's greatest Prime Minsters.
-Daniel Listi
In this clip one sees that Trudeau is a very intelligent man. He is not to speak his mind and voice his opinion no matter if it is against the norm. This specific clip is about two major points that did not only concern Canadians in that particular time but also in are daily lives today. The bill that Trudeau that is trying to pass is the controversial Omnibus bill in the House of Commons. The bill calls for massive changes to the Criminal Code of Canada. Trudeau makes an appeal for the decriminalization of 'homosexual acts' performed in private. So basically he believes that what ever adults do in there bed room in private is up to them. "There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation." I feel what he has done took a lot of courage especially in that particular time, because not even to this day gay marriage is not accepted imagine at that particular era. Strongly agree with Trudeau’s revisions to the Criminal code in 1967.
The bill’s statements that only “certain sexual acts between consenting heterosexual and/or homosexual adults aged 21 years or older,” is a clear and very sensible law that cannot in any way offend nor segregate against any minority, except for the age factor. However, I feel that the government is contradicting it self because they say it’s okay to be homosexual but they are making it seem it is not okay in a sense because they make it as you must be an adult when in any other “normal” relation ship one must not be an adult and they say that it must be private like as in a sense that it is not accepted.
I am not one that supports abortion I find it murder like any other. But I see the point that Trudeau is trying to make when he states Trudeau stated that he is accepting of abortion because an unwanted pregnancy can possibly lead to physical, emotional and mental problems for the woman. For example if women gets rapped why she would want to bear that mans child that would cause harmufful effects on that individual. People in society today often say that if you take the responsibility to have a child then you must go all the way through I agree totally and abortion should not be the solution except for the fact if indeed that the women did not have consent with the man to have relations and only then when abortion should be permitted. And the bill also calls for the legalization of lotteries, new gun ownership restrictions and would allow police to perform breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers if they have reasonable and probable cause. I also feel that this is a good idea that he had because it clearly states “reasonable and probable cause” that they must have a reason to perform this test they may not do this just because they feel like to this would help reduce drunk driving and will make people think twice to sit behind a wheal while being intoxicated.
nefty Gonzalez
What Trudeau did was right. I usually do not agree with the things the Liberals have to say, but in this matter I believe that he did the right thing. Just like many things in this country, our laws have not been updated. The fact that it is wrong to be gay is completely retarded. People have the right to love whom ever they want. Whoever people chose to live their lives with is no business of the governments. What is wrong with being gay? Absolutely nothing. Being gay does not mean you have a disability, or in capable to do things that straight people do. It means they just like the same sex. And as long as they are not hitting on you at work, or any place it is no place of anyone to question someone’s sexual orientation. And what I think is even more wrong about that is the way people criticized Trudeau for standing up for the homosexuals in our society. I also have to agree with him on the abortion laws; I think he had as much right as he wanted to legalize abortion. A fifteen year old girl is not capable to have a child; she clearly proved that she is incapable of taking care of herself. And even if she was to give it up for adoption, think of the humiliation she would undergo in high school. Another example of where abortion should be used is with rape victims. Why would this innocent girl want to be reminded everyday of the horrible act put on her? Every time she looks at the child she’s going to see what that awful person did to her. It just seems that in many cases with abortions, the baby is not wanted, so why bother? I think Trudeau was ahead of his times, even though most people didn’t agree with what he believed in, he stuck to his guns and it rewarded him in the end because he is now considered one of Canada’s greatest Prime Ministers.
-Maria-Christina
Canada constantly changing and growing, in order for us to continue growing we must adapt to the customs of the new age. Personally i am liberal, i believe that what Trudeau did was for the good of our nation. He was right when he said that the state should stay our of the beds of the nation. By disallowing discrimination of homosexuality, Trudeau has merely adapted to the new age at a much faster rate. No one should be persecuted because of their lifestyle, beliefs, or religion. Everyone is treated equally. I also believe that buy adding the age factor into the bill, he is making sure that no one makes mistakes that they will regret in the future. As long as you are 21, it doesn't matter hetero or homo, the state stays out of your sexual relations.
As a citizen, i would not want to be stopped at a random roadblock and be forced to blow into a breathalyser. I agree one hundred percent that only if police have good reason to believe that you are impaired, should they test you. Trudeau was once again adapting to the new age, it was perfectly rational of him to propose this and personally i agree with him.
The most appealing of these proposals to me is defiantly the abortion section. Up until I watched this clip i was really unsure of abortion, at times i said that woman should be able to abort babies if they didn't want them, and at other points i couldn't believe how disgusting and perverted the thought of even thinking of having an abortion. But now after watching the video, and looking much more further in depth, i truly believe that abortion should only be used in the case that the birth has a high chance of causing the mother damage. This is the only case that i would personally consider abortion. An unborn baby is a gift, humans, naturally are stupid. When given this opportunity, they take advantage of it and put it to full use. A child is a thought out process, and as Christians they only reason that we should be having intercourse is to procreate, not recreate. I agree with Trudeau when he mentions this bill, but i don't think he would agree with me if he were to read the last little bit of this paragraph. (:P)
In conclusion i believe that Trudeau proposing this bill was a step in the right direction, he did not open up a can of worms, instead he made way for the future and inspired many young and bright minds that will go on to achieve great things.
Mrs this blogger thing really doesnt work, Friday i tried to post it wouldn't let me, i went up north for the weekend and came back monday night, last night i tried to post again and it let me for my first posting but not this one...so i reposted today
Trudeau acted accordingly of the time, as new humanitarian issues concerning birth control and homosexuality arose. These issues have lead to further human rights issues such as gay marriage, but it is every citizens right to freedom of sexual orientation, association, and expression. THough these are the fundamental freedoms of the Canadian Charter and were not instituted until 1982, Pierre Trudeau enforced human rights and decreased the amount of discrimintation in Canadian society. His statement concerning the state having no place in the bedrooms of nations, extended the human rights of Canadian individuals to include practicing homosexuality and the use of birth control. These rights are necessary within a free and democratic society which lacks any influence of religion. Even though it was necessary to give these discriminatory issues a right on our constitution, many problems
can be seen in developed societies around the world that have adopted these same rights. Now its time for my controversial statement which is backed and proven by science, but fails to be recognized for technically discriminating against homosexuals and the safety around birth control pills. When women ingest birth control pills, the levels of estrogen and progesterone in a womens body increase greatly to trick the body into thinking it is already pregeant and therefore restricts the fertilization of the egg. These levels of these protetically induced hormones remain within the womens body for long periods of time even after the woman ceases to stop taking them. These female hormones attribute to more female chracteristics in women, such as occasional enhanced breasts and other changes ont he interior of the body. When women ingest these hormones a fair amount stays within their system while a significant amount is released into the water systems of cities through urination and the sewage systems. These excreted hormones are NOT filtered through conventional water filtering processes and these hormones return to all of us who drink the water. Two issues arise because of the contraceptive pill. Male Children whose mothers used excessive amounts of brith control for a long period of time, succumb to the increased levels of these hormones in the mother's body. This can offset the regular characteristics of a male child and produce more feminine characteristics. It is scientifically proven that these children have increased levels of female hormones, which can give children such "differences" as swelling of the breasts and lower levels of testosterone. THese homrones also bring about femanization of males and studies have shown that women that have used excessive amounts of Birth Control have had greater male children who grew up to be practicing homosexuals. THis increase in estrogen which also promotes development of some cancers occurs to all members of society, but it smaller doses from the hormones in our current water systems. This is a controversial issue that has not been recognized by governments with fundamental freedoms because it discriminates the sexual orientation of homosexual men as being nothing more then a learned behaviour induced by hormonal exposure and is therefore discriminatory. With every decision for increased freedom of individuals, issues will arise in which too many choices are the cause of negative issues within society. It just happens to be our problem to deal with these issues and one can only imagine how these decisions and this time will be viewed in the future through a historical perspective judging the actions of free and democratic societies.
My computer not having sound is pretty dumb but i was eventually able to watch the clip on the my Mom laptop. In this clip i was able anyone could realize that Trudeau is a very intellectual man. It is very evident mostly everyone knows Trudeau changed Canadian history. Pierre Trudeau was right to introduce the revisions to the Criminal Code; The Ominous Bill. I really do agree with him to an extent because the homosexual issue really never bothered me but i do have a problem with it. Especially when its being broadcast. But like nefty said i do believe he showed alot of courage to stand up to a issue like that. His perspective on abortion is a little bit skewed, maybe because I am totally against abortion but i don't believe him when he says he is accepting of abortion because an unwanted pregnancy can possibly lead to physical, emotional and mental problems for the woman. Like Christina stated, a women should not have any sexual relationships with anyone then if they do not want to be pregnant. Trudeau also put into practice the idea of police having probable cause to test individuals for impairment. What this allows is more freedom for a Canadian citizen in the society. Trudeau is a great mind and most likely inspired many. He is a person to be looked at for his achievements and what he has done for his country.
miss the posting thing is so messed up, but i'll show you at class what it does when i try to post. once again sorry for the lateness
Trudeau was right back then, just as he is right today. The Government has no place what i can do in my bedroom. As long as i don't infringe on the Criminal code or on the Canadian charter of human rights, I have every right as a Canadian to choose what I do. Just like i can chose want pair of pants i want to wear, i can choose my partner whether female or male.
On the abortion bit, it does get tricky. I say it's a personal choice, and therefore agree with Trudeau. However I just want to simply point out something to think about when the question is abortion murder? People are usually 50/50 on the subject should we kill a person who is on their deathbed to ease their pain? Surely because of cancer and other illnesses that period of time can range from weeks to months to years. This being a human being.
However fetuses are eh. to say say in polite terms not human yet. I wouldn't call it murder, Personally i don't know what I'd call it. The point being that i do not look down upon people who do decide that abortion is the plan of action. Each person has a choice and decisions to make, and i believe that this is one of them.
Props the Canada's favorite Pm of all time to decide that this law was beyond the descion of the govt, but the choice and will of the people
-N. paesano
sorry about the late, i kept it short,& sweet.
Internet was down for a week
I found Pierre Trudeau’s answer to the sexual revolution truly inspiring. Homosexuality was a big issue during that time and the way Trudeau went about talking about this issue was quite interesting. "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation” are very intelligent words said by Pierre Trudeau and I agree with that statement. Unless the acts of homosexuality are made public, the state should have no business with it. I personally don’t agree with the idea of having sexual intercourse with someone of the same sex BUT that does not mean that I believe in the State getting into the “private matters” of homosexuals. This man definatly changed the social and political landscape of Canada in 1967 because of the change he made to the code when it comes to homosexuality. This change in the code states that "certain sexual acts between consenting (homosexual or heterosexual) adults aged 21 years or older, when performed in private, were legal".
The next main issue that Trudeau brought up has to do with the breathalyzer test. I agree with his statement made that a police officer can give a test to a person under reasonable cause. Basically that means that police officers can only give the breathalyzer test to people according to the circumstance for example: obviously a person coming from a cocktail party can’t be tested by a police officer because they clearly have been drinking. This breathalyzer issue that Trudeau changed laws to is still used today. I just noticed, this man is extremely liberal and is always looking from a liberal standpoint!
Lastly, Trudeau changed the laws of abortion. He set limits of what a doctor performs as legal or not legal. Trudeau stated that if the baby disrupts the mother in any way, it can be aborted. I find that really disgusting and I hate Trudeau for that.
Overall, Trudeau solved many of Canada’s issues but made things worse when it comes to abortion. Billion(s) of children are dying and have died because of him mainly and that is a big issue that Canada is facing today.
Basically Trudeau was right in all other aspects of what he did for Canada BUT opened a can of worms when it comes to abortion laws. The reasons as to why he opened a can of worms when it comes to abortion is written in the paragraph above. It is mainly because of him that abortion is legal in Canada today which is a sad reality.
Post a Comment