Editing Pierre Trudeau (section)

== After politics (1984–2000) ==
Trudeau joined the Montreal law firm [[Heenan Blaikie]] as counsel and settled in the historic [[Maison Cormier]] in Montreal following his retirement from politics.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Adams|first1=Annmarie|last2=Macdonell|first2=Cameron|title=Making Himself at Home: Cormier, Trudeau, and the Architecture of Domestic Masculinity|journal=Winterthur Portfolio|date=2016|volume=50|issue=2/3|pages=151–189|doi=10.1086/689984|s2cid=164255409}}</ref> Though he rarely gave speeches or spoke to the press, his interventions into public debate had a significant impact when they occurred. Trudeau wrote and spoke out against both the [[Meech Lake Accord]] and [[Charlottetown Accord]] proposals to amend the Canadian constitution, arguing that they would weaken federalism and the Charter of Rights if implemented. The Meech Lake Accord granted Quebec the constitutional right to be a "distinct society" within Canada, which theoretically could have been the basis of a wide-ranging devolution of power to Quebec. The Quebec government potentially could have been allowed to pass any law short of secession to protect Quebec's constitutional right to be a "distinct society". Trudeau claimed in his speeches that giving Quebec the constitutional status of a "distinct society" would lead to the Quebec government deporting members of Quebec's English-speaking minority.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Newman |first1=Peter C. |title=t's time for Trudeau to muzzle himself |url=https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1991/10/21/its-time-for-trudeau-to-muzzle-himself |access-date=November 1, 2021 |publisher=Maclean's |date=October 21, 1991 |archive-date=March 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326233149/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1991/10/21/its-time-for-trudeau-to-muzzle-himself |url-status=dead }}</ref> His opposition to both accords was considered one of the major factors leading to the defeat of the two proposals.

He also continued to speak against the Parti Québécois and the sovereignty movement with less effect.

Trudeau also remained active in international affairs, visiting foreign leaders and participating in international associations such as the [[Club of Rome]]. He met with Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] and other leaders in 1985; shortly afterwards Gorbachev met U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] to discuss easing world tensions.

He published his reminiscences in <nowiki>''Memoirs''</nowiki> in 1993.{{sfn|Trudeau (1993)|p=1}} The book sold hundreds of thousands of copies in several editions, and became one of the most successful Canadian books ever published.

In his [[old age]], Trudeau was afflicted with [[Parkinson's disease]] and [[prostate cancer]], and became less active, although he continued to work at his law practice until a few months before his death at the age of 80. He was devastated by the death of his youngest son, [[Michel Trudeau]], who was killed in an avalanche on November 13, 1998.