The 1980 referendum campaign: a shining Canadian moment
Given the turbulence in the world over the last four decades, of war, genocide, recession, and now, COVID-19, only the smallest of minds think Quebec and Canada would have been better off with a 'Oui' in 1980.
Former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau pictured delivering a speech during the 1980 referendum. The 'Non' campaign won because we weren’t afraid to show a passion for Canada to counter the fervour of the indépendentistes, and we found compromises between the positions of a wide variety of parties, writes Andrew Caddell. Photographs courtesy of the Library and Archives Canada/Robert Cooper