Trudeau’s ‘Gallery’ A Great Success

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32298, 16 May 1970, Page 3

Trudeau’s ‘Gallery’ A Great Success

Thursday evening’s “Gallery” interview crowned with triumph New Zealand television’s role in the visit of the Canadian Prime Minister to this country. The N.Z.B.C. showed foresight and insight when it purchased as an hors d’oeuvre to the fare it proposed,to serve during Mr Trudeau’s visit the Canadian documentary showing him “Under Attack” from at Carleton University, Ottawa. This taste of Mr Trudeau was so appetising it gave New Zealand viewers an appetite for more.

From his arrival in this country N.Z.B.C. cameras were in attendance to record formal and informal occasions. All were successful. Even Mr Trudeau's minor “blues” at the reception at Wellington Airport were good as “blues” go, and his reference to our “Blacks” (for All Blacks) would be specially appealing (to some) in prevailing circumstances, and earned our Prime Minister’s jesting admonition to Mr Trudeau not to mention them again while in the country. The “Gallery” interview was a satisfying piece de resistance. By generous answer, Mr Trudeau gave us insight into his career, and especially to his meteoric rise to the top of Canadian affairs. He gave us personal views on practical politics—national and international—and upon the philosophy of some political questions. He was ready to speak, a little, about his private affairs and to say rather more about his views on the relationship of the private and public lives of a politician. Altogether, it was an interview in which a picture of Mr Trudeau as an engaging man and one of integrity and outstanding ability came clearly across to viewers.

Brian Edwards was responsible for not a little of the success of the interview. He had prepared for this interview carefully and well. He had prepared—provided his

subject was co-operative—a i series of questions that would give to viewers a full, rounded picture. And he was sufficiently informed to ask the “follow-up” question when it was called for. Mr Trudeau was infinitely more co-opera-tive than the immediatelyprevidus international celebrity interviewed by Mr Edwards. He answered a

question, and waited for the next. Canadian friends with whom we watched the telecast told us that in the interview we saw Mr Trudeau at his best. We turned the compliment New Zealand’s way and told them that they had seen Brian Edwards at his best—as indeed they had. —PANDORA.