Environmental Aspirations in an Unsettled Time: Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the Club of Rome, and Canadian Environmental Politics in the 1970s

Abstract

Plagued by economic, energy, and national unity troubles, the 1970s were a tumultuous time in Canadian federal politics. Much less is known about Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s environmental aspirations. This article provides an account of the ideas, policies, and actions in Canadian federal politics 1968–1982. This account demonstrates that Canadian leaders aspired to a transformative environmental agenda, including a systems approach, a critique of economic growth in favour of alternative visions of prosperity, and a shift in societal values from consumerism and greed toward sufficiency and well-being. The onslaught of problems in the mid-1970s was a significant turning point in Canadian environmental politics. Although Trudeau did not discard his holistic environmental vision, he was unable to move from environmental rhetoric to action. This analysis contributes important insights into the pitfalls of navigating unsettled times such as the 1970s and has important implications for current prospects and opportunities for change.