Gérard Pelletier

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	June 21, 1919(1919-06-21) 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) 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

• Gérard Pelletier - Parliament of Canada biography

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