Eric Kierans
A fiercely independent Quebec minister who championed economic nationalism and resigned on principle over federal energy policy.
1914–2004 (age 90)·Canadian politician·Birthday: February 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Eric Kierans was a man who moved between the worlds of academia, business, and politics with a restless intellect. Born in Montreal, he first made his mark as a professor of economics at McGill University and later as the president of the Montreal and Canadian Stock Exchanges. His entry into politics was driven by a deep concern for Quebec's place within Canada. Serving as a minister in the Quebec government of Jean Lesage during the Quiet Revolution, he pushed for greater provincial control over natural resources and economic levers. His most defining political act, however, came at the federal level. As a cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, he resigned in protest over the 1974 budget, which he believed ceded too much power to the federal government in energy pricing, a stance that cemented his reputation as a principled maverick. In his later years, he became a vocal critic of free trade and globalization, arguing for a more self-reliant Canadian economy.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Eric was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eric Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Eric's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Died at 90
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Served as Minister of Revenue and later Minister of Health in Quebec's transformative Lesage government during the Quiet Revolution.
- Resigned from the federal cabinet of Pierre Trudeau in 1974 in a high-profile protest against energy policy.
- Authored the influential book 'Globalism and the Nation-State', critiquing free trade and economic integration.
- Held the presidency of both the Montreal Stock Exchange and the Canadian Stock Exchange.
Did You Know?
He was a talented athlete in his youth and played semi-professional baseball.
Kierans was originally a staunch federalist but grew increasingly critical of central Canadian power.
He ran for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party in 1968, finishing behind Pierre Trudeau and Robert Winters.
“We are not here to manage the decline of Canada but to build its future.”
