Artist's depiction of the Trudeau salute.
The Trudeau salute (AKA the Salmon Arm salute) refers to an incident of 8 August 1982, in which Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Elliott Trudeau responded to hecklers by giving them the finger.
History[]
Trudeau had arrived in Salmon Arm, British Columbia in 1982 after having dealt with the Patriation of the Constitution, with his three sons, Alexandre, Michel, and Justin.[1] The four of them had arrived looking to go on vacation and had borrowed the Governor-General's train car. Protestors arrived at the train to complain about its perceived opulence while unemployment levels were high. Trudeau flipped them the bird and lowered the blinds.[2] Trudeau was caught on camera.[3]
Aftermath[]
Trudeau's train car was dubbed the Caesar Salad Special from being subjected to being hit by produce by angered mobs,[1] including 500 protesters who pelted it with rocks, eggs, and tomatoes during a stop in Sudbury en route to Toronto.[4]
Another stop in Chapleau proved more peaceful as the townsfolk gifted him eggs instead.[5]
Legacy[]
Trudeau would later jokingly reference the event after having been asked about Penticton on another trip to British Columbia.[6]
Over two decades later, the National Film Board of Canada would reclassify giving the finger as an act that would push a film towards PG classification rather than G.[3]
In 2017 Trudeau's son Justin, who had gone on to become Prime Minister himself, was asked why his father had extended the finger to Western Canada. Trudeau dodged the question, defending his father by saying "My father had an approach to politics that not everyone agreed with," and that "He made a mark on this country that shapes us to this day."[7]
Photographic record[]
The photograph of the event appears not to have been uploaded to the internet. A post on the r/Canada subreddit was posted in 2016 asking for the image to be shared but the photo has yet to be found.[8]
Popular Culture[]
Appearances[]
Variants[]
The following list is of various mentions of the Trudeau salute in fiction and popular culture.
| Year | Name | Appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Truedough's Middle Finger |
|
|
| 2003 | Pierre Trudeau salute |
|
|
Links[]
- Trudeau salute on Wiktionary
See also[]
- Fuddle Duddle
- Just watch me
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A B.C. museum says it’s preserved the railcar from which Pierre Trudeau gave the finger to protesters - Tristin Hopper - 22 August 2016 - The National Post - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau faced demonstrators heaving tomatoes and protesting his extravagence during a holiday in Rockies - 9 August 1982 - UPI - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 One-finger salute crude to Ont. Film Review Bd. - 7 February 2009 - CTV News - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Around The World; Trudeau Rail Car Pelted With Rocks and Food - 21 August 1982 - The New York Times - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau received 'feed of eggs' during 1982 train stop in Chapleau presented by Ernest Lepine - Michael J. Morris 7 May 2016 - The Michael J. Morris Report - Blogger - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Webster! Clip December 3, 1982 - Royal BC Museum - 21 July 2017 - YouTube - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Student asks Justin Trudeau why his father gave western Canada ‘the middle finger’ - Rahul Kalvapalle - 26 January 2017 - Global News - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Does anyone have the photo of Pierre Elliot Trudeau flipping off a photographer on a train? - u/DarkFiction - 17 October 2016 - r/Canada - Reddit - Retrieved 10 March 2021
- ↑ Graham, Paul - Truedough's Middle Finger b/w Sitting Bull's Lament (picture sleeve) - Citizen Freak - Retrieved 10 March 2021