The two Prime Minister's have both made some policies that have created controversy and dissension. For example, on February 27, 1995, Chrétien and his Finance Minster, Paul Martin, deliver a stunning budget which included huge spending cuts, including a massive decrease in transfer payments to the provinces. The Globe and Mail described it as "controversial, bold, and dangerous."" Among all the controversy and dissension, both have managed to win people over time and time again (Peritz F8). Although Chrétien and Trudeau have both impacted the lives of Canadians in ways unimagined for the past four decades, Trudeau's time as Prime Minister has proven to be even more significant in leaving a legacy than that of Chrétien's.
The ultimate high point of Pierre Trudeau's career came on the morning of April 17, 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II made her mark on the Constitution Act finally gaining Canada the independence they had longed for. The Constitution Act quickly became one of the most critical moments in Canadian history, having achieved nationhood without revolution, rebellion, or bloodshed (Internet 2). By patronizing the Constitution Act, it meant that the government of Canada would no longer have to go through the formality of asking Westminster to make changes in the British North America Act (BNA Act) for them (Internet 4). Trudeau and his cabinet also entrenched the Charter of Rights and Freedoms into the Constitution Act. The Charter stipulated the fundamental freedoms and rights that all Canadian citizens have (Internet 13). .
Patriating the Constitution, in itself, was child's play. The task of amending it, however, was the challenging part. The provinces, especially Québec, had always held that an amendment required the unanimous consent of the provinces (Internet 7). Three weeks after the 1980 Québec Referendum, Trudeau invited all the premiers to Ottawa for an informal discussion on the Constitution.
