Gérard Pelletier

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The Honourable
Gérard Pelletier
PC, CC
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Hochelaga
In office
1965 – 1975
Preceded by Raymond Eudes
Succeeded by Jacques Lavoie
Personal details
Born (1919-06-21)June 21, 1919
Montreal, Quebec
Died June 22, 1997(1997-06-22) (aged 78)
Political party Liberal
Occupation Journalist, Politician

Gérard Pelletier, PC, CC (June 21, 1919 – June 22, 1997) was a Canadian journalist and politician.

Pelletier initially worked as a journalist for Le Devoir, a French-language newspaper in Montreal, Quebec. In 1961 he became editor-in-chief of the Montreal daily and North America's largest French circulating newspaper, La Presse. Pelletier, with other French-Canadian intellectuals, Pierre Elliott Trudeau included, founded the journal Cité Libre. First elected to Parliament in 1965, he served as a member of the cabinet of Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

Pelletier met Trudeau while studying in France and worked with him and Jean Marchand during the Asbestos Strike of 1949 in Quebec. Dubbed the "Three Wise Men" in English and Les trois colombes (The three doves) in French, they entered politics at the same time in the federal election of 1965. The trio was recruited by Liberal prime minister Lester Pearson to help derail the rising Quebec separatist movement.

He served in various cabinet posts in the Trudeau government until 1975 (Secretary of State: 1968-1973, Minister of Communications: 1973-5), when he left the Liberal caucus and became ambassador to France and then ambassador to the United Nations (1981–1984). In 1978 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

External links[edit]

Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
Raymond Eudes
Member of Parliament for Hochelaga
1965–1975
Succeeded by
Jacques Lavoie
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Joseph Alphonse Léo Cadieux
Canadian Ambassador to France
1975–1981
Succeeded by
Michel Dupuy
Preceded by
Michel Dupuy
Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
1981–1984
Succeeded by
Stephen Lewis