April 6, 1968
Ottawa Civic Centre
Chair: Senator John Nicol (party president)
The race to succeed Pearson produced one of the most dramatic conventions in Canadian political history. There was no shortage of potential replacements, including several ministers.
THE CONTENDERS
Robert Winters had resigned from cabinet and called for a balanced budget to fight growing inflation.
Paul Hellyer argued for more regional development, planned cities, and parliamentary reform.
John Turner spoke of modernizing government; Pierre Trudeau spoke of offering Canadians more freedom of choice, national unity, and keeping social security under financial control.
Paul Martin banked on his three decades in Parliament and recent work as external affairs minister; his team hoped for 650 first-ballot votes.
Trudeau was increasingly viewed as favourite before convention as Martin faded. Observers wondered who could stop him, and if an alliance could be successful.
Also running were Allen MacEachen, Joe Greene, Eric Kierans, and Lloyd Henderson.
THE CONVENTION
Mitchell Sharp withdrew and supported Trudeau right before the proceedings started. Other ministers supporting Trudeau included: Jean Marchand, Edgar Benson, Bryce Mackasey, Charles Drury, Jean-Luc Pépin, and Jean Chrétien. By Saturday, MacEachen, Greene and Maurice Sauvé were in his camp.
Newfoundland Premier Joey Smallwood also announced support for Trudeau as the convention began.
The opening prayer on the first day was delayed because Trudeau supporters were too boisterous.
Pearson followed with a speech, and than candidates spoke at length to various policy workshops.
Nearly 2,400 delegates registered to vote, with the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a sombre backdrop amidst the orchestras, folk singers, and parties.
THE VOTE
Seven hours were needed. The last-place finisher on each ballot was eliminated.
Martin was left “visibly shaken” after the first results were announced at mid-afternoon. He left the race without endorsing anyone.
Martin wrote “I have been caught in a generation gap” on the back of a scorecard, according to the Montreal Gazette. And his son Paul Jr. was emotional in talking to reporters.
MacEachen moved to Trudeau after the first ballot. He missed the deadline to actually withdraw from second ballot – thought to be a strategic move to keep Greene on the third ballot and sap strength from Hellyer. Kierans freed his delegates. Henderson got zero votes.
Greene went to Trudeau after refusing to leave after the second ballot and support Hellyer. There were no further deals before the second-ballot results.
Hellyer, confident after the first ballot, refused to cede to Winters afterwards, despite finishing eight votes behind for second place and holding several meetings.
Turner was seen as a possible compromise but would not budge, nor endorse Winters or Hellyer.
Trudeau's team lost some confidence after the second ballot. The outgoing telephone calls from his section increased.
But there were no early deals, which paved Trudeau's path to victory.
Prominent Liberal minister Judy LaMarsh, determined to see Trudeau lose, was caught on camera with Hellyer pleading for an alliance to stop the “bastard.”
A Winters-Hellyer alliance finally came after the third ballot when the latter withdrew. Trudeau, meanwhile, casually ate grapes while waiting for results.
The fourth ballot result came at 7:55pm after more than six hours of voting. Trudeau had a majority of just 20 votes, but enough to win.
The crowd erupted, with reporters describing a delirious scene inside the arena.
His speech gave the famous promise of a “Just Society” for Canadians, and ended by: “There’ll probably be some action tonight at the Skyline Hotel.” (About 5,000 people crowded the hotel lobby and street outside.)
MORE:
“There are always some scars,” Trudeau later told reporters. “Perhaps my top priority will be to make sure people in the other candidates’ camps are made to feel welcome in the renewed Liberal party.”
He said an election was not his top priority. But Parliament was dissolved later that month, and "Trudeaumania" led the Liberals to their first majority win since 1953.
- Trudeau’s volunteers called him “Victor” as a walkie-talkie code name.
- Ernst Zundel, a 29-year-old commercial artist, gave a speech but withdrew before voting began. He had barely enough signatures to run, called himself a nuisance candidate, denied being a neo-Nazi, and only one delegate listened to his address. He'd gain later notoriety as a Holocaust denier deported from Canada and jailed in Germany.
