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Have students consult a dictionary to find the meaning of the terms “charisma,” and “Trudeaumania” (Note: a Canadian dictionary will be required to find the definition for the latter term). Students should then formulate definitions of these two terms using their own words.

Divide the class into groups of two students each in order to view as many of the video and audio clips in the Trudeaumania section of the Web site as possible. (If you wish, set a time limit appropriate to your students and your classroom structure.) One student in each group should focus on the term “charisma” and the other on “Trudeaumania.” Have the students browse the site, in any order they wish. Each student should focus on his or her term, and each should list as many examples as possible from the Trudeaumania Web site. Students should state why they think the examples they have chosen are applicable to the term they are researching.

Have all the students who focussed on the term “charisma” meet as one group and all those who focussed on the term “Trudeaumania” meet as a second group. Ask each of these groups to formulate a complete list of specific examples of its term,and to provide a detailed explanation of the term and how it applies to Pierre Trudeau and his impact on Canadian political life during the 1960s and beyond. The following questions may be used to assist students in focussing their inquiry:

1. In what ways could Pierre Trudeau be considered to possess political charisma? 2. When did “Trudeaumania” begin? When did it reach its highest point among the Canadian public? When did it end? 3. In what ways was Trudeau a figure of his time? 4. Does charisma in a politician change over time (for example, would a political figure of the early 21st century have a different kind of charisma from that of Trudeau)? 5. Are there certain qualities that any politician must possess in order to be considered charismatic, or is charisma something specific to an individual leader? 6. Give some examples of current political leaders, either in Canada or elsewhere in the world, that you consider charismatic.