Nous vous remercions de l’intérêt que vous portez à la Fondation Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Si vous avez des questions, nous vous invitons à prendre contact avec notre équipe.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation is an independent, non-partisan Canadian registered charity. It was created in 2001 as a living memorial to the late former prime minister. The Foundation supports cutting-edge research in the humanities and social sciences, ensuring concrete tie-ins with issues that affect our everyday lives. It supports students pursuing a PhD, honours top researchers and establishes strong connections with leading figures in the professional field. By fostering collaboration between the Scholars, Fellows and Mentors who receive our support, the Foundation brings together exceptional leaders who work together to find tangible solutions to the key challenges of our time.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation/Fondation Pierre Elliott Trudeau was created in 2001 under Part II of the Canada Corporations Act. On May 30, 2014, the Foundation was continued under section 211 of the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. The Foundation is registered as a charitable organization with the Canada Revenue Agency. Its registration number is 895438919RR0001.
In 2024, the Foundation implemented important governance changes to enhance its independence. The bylaws were updated, and representatives of both the family of Pierre Elliott Trudeau and the Government of Canada formally ended their roles in the Foundation’s governance.
The Foundation has been subject to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act since 1 April 2007. The Foundation submits its reports on these matters to Parliament through the Minister of Industry Canada.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation supports the advancement of outstanding, cutting-edge PhD students, researchers and public intellectuals. Our goal is to position our Scholars, Fellows, and Mentors to have meaningful impacts in their communities, institutions and beyond. For over two decades, the Foundation has promoted advanced studies in the humanities and social sciences and supported outstanding PhD students and researchers, encouraging critical reflection and action.
Through its scholarship, fellowship, mentorship, and public interaction programs, the Foundation supports critical thinkers who make a significant contribution to solving crucial public issues. Since being established, the Foundation has granted hundreds of major awards to top researchers and highly accomplished individuals, 327 Scholarships, has appointed 98 Fellows and has nominated 169 Mentors.
The Foundation is governed by a highly distinguished Board of up to 18 directors. The directors oversee the endowment, and they set policies and program directions for the Foundation.
All awards granted by the Foundation follow a rigorous and at arm’s length nomination and selection review process. The Foundation’s website contains additional information at www.trudeaufoundation.ca
The Foundation is dedicated to the delivery of four core programs: three funding programs targeted towards Scholars, Fellows, and Mentors, and a Public Interaction Program, intended to achieve knowledge acquisition, transfer, and exchange among our program beneficiaries and the public. The Foundation’s annual activity cycle revolves around these four main programs.
Up to sixteen Scholarships are awarded each year to support doctoral candidates pursuing research of compelling present-day concern that touches on one or more of the Foundation’s four themes. Trudeau Scholars are highly gifted individuals who are actively engaged in their fields and who are poised to become national and international figures. They are encouraged to work with Mentors and Fellows.
Interaction with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau community, non-academic spheres, and the general public is an essential aspect of the Scholarship Program.
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship program was put on hold in 2024-2025 for one year to allow a rigorous review process. The program had been modified repeatedly over the past 20 years. Our 2024-2025 strategic planning process revealed that a program review was essential. The new Fellowship program will be announced in time for the 2026 nomination process. Up to four Fellows will be chosen for a sharper, clearer and more impactful program than any of its previous iterations. It holds the potential to become a central and transformative dimension of public life and academic research in social sciences and humanities in Canada.
Up to 8-10 Mentors are appointed each year. The Mentorship Program seeks to forge intellectual and personal bonds between renowned Canadians with extensive experience in public life and talented doctoral students. Mentors are drawn from an array of professional backgrounds, including business, public service, law, arts, journalism, and advocacy. They enjoy a nationwide and international reputation based on achievements in their own particular field, and, most importantly, are able to introduce scholars to their networks.
The Public Interaction Program (PIP) is the centrepiece that brings the three grant-giving programs together. With the new 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, the PIP was entirely rebuilt and defined. The PIP will again come to life through a number of annual events, some of which are open to the general public, such as the bi-annual Conference on Public Policy and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Talks; others, such as a Summer School and a Mentors-Scholars Retreat are limited to our active community members.
The PIP events and the travel and research allowance provide unique opportunities to learn and exchange research, ideas, and proposals that focus on specific questions and to share relevant knowledge with colleagues from different disciplines and varied life and cultural backgrounds.
The following contains a brief summary over the arborescence of records registered in relation to the Foundation’s work.
In general, the files contain all working documents related to our award programs and activities. Records in the files consist of the following and usually separating between active and alumni cohorts:
Nomination and selection process information: candidates’ application files, selection committee work, statistics across all stages of the selection process (Scholars/Fellows/Mentors); personal information may include the individual’s full name, contact information, year of birth, gender, language(s), signature, citizenship, biographical information, academic and/or professional qualifications, educational information, references, university attending, discipline and field of interest, proof of citizenship information, passport or visa information, photograph(s), Social Insurance Number (SIN), and financial institution information.
The information contained in these records is used to determine the eligibility of candidates nominated for a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship. It is also used to control and monitor disbursements to award recipients in accordance with the Scholarship Funding Agreement, to select assessors and committee members, to create transaction files for payments to award holders and, for administrative and financial control and reporting purposes. The SIN is collected under the authority of the Income Tax Act and is used by the Canada Revenue Agency for data matching purposes, including income verification and the issuance of T4A slips.
Scholars: Administration (including contracts), Resources, Payments, Archives (ordered by year of reception; active vs. alumni cohorts)
Fellows: Administration (including contracts), Resources, Payments, Archives (including Reports from Fellows)
Mentors: Administration (including contracts), Resources, Payments, Archives (including Reports from Mentors)
Document Types: personal and research-related information; correspondence; media clippings, calendars, templates.
Record Number: TF-004
Information may be used and disclosed in the following ways: As part of peer review, applications are disclosed to review and selection committees (internal and external), to site visit interviewers recruited from the academic, private and public sectors, and to the Board members responsible for the examination and approval of the nominations. The Foundation may also use personal information included with an application to identify prospective committee members and reviewers for future use in the course of its programs-related selection activities.
The Foundation routinely publishes and disseminates certain details about successful applications. These include name of the applicant, gender, institution and department and field of research. Files and databases containing personal information may also serve for program planning, evaluation and review, in audits, for research, and for generating statistics for these activities. The information is also used to maintain mailing lists, which are used to disseminate the Foundation’s application forms, guidelines, and public relations information. Information may be kept for future referral by the Foundation for its selection and review committees. The SIN and other information are disclosed to the Canada Revenue Agency (Information Returns (Infodec), Databank no. CRA PPU 150) and the Province of Quebec for income tax purposes.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Under development.
RDA Number: TBD
Related Record Number: TF-004
TBS Registration: 20090470
Bank Number: TF PPU 100
TBS Registration: 20090473
Bank Number: TF PPU 200
TBS Registration: 20090471
Bank Number: TF PPU 300
The records contain all information about previous, current and up-coming events.
Records containing information include outlines of service(s), agreements and signed contracts, working papers or other documents relevant to the event, correspondence, memoranda, event proposals, travel expenses, honoraria, description of expenses and anticipated costs, list of potential participants, and budget and other accounting reports. Personal information may include name, contact information, language, citizenship, biographical information, academic or professional qualifications, opinions and comments, management’s recommendations and decision, and service provider information.
The personal information is used to document, monitor and administer each and every event held by or with the Trudeau Foundation within the scope and guidelines of its Public Interaction Program (PIP).
Information may be used to communicate with all individuals involved with the planning and the management of each PIP event. It is used to maintain mailing lists for the distribution of information by the Foundation. Information may also be used for referral purposes in the organization of future events to be held by or co-sponsored by the Foundation. Information may be used for audit, evaluation, research, and / or statistical purposes.
TBS Registration: 20090472
Bank Number: TF PPU 400
In addition to the program, internal services files are differentiated in the following records: Accounting, Administration, Communication, Fund Development, Governance and Human Resources. Many of these files are confidential files, only accessible to selected staff members.
Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of the organization. Internal Services include those activities and resources that apply across the organization.
Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.
Communication records involve activities undertaken to ensure that communications are effectively managed, well-coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public.
The Foundation’s assets are comprised of two separate funds: the cumulative growth of the Advanced Humanities and Human Sciences Fund and the Private Donations Fund.
Files contain ongoing confidential working papers pertaining to fundraising scenarios and activities. These are internal files, which are used and discussed among the President of the Foundation and its Board of Directors. Records contained in these files may include strategies for fundraising, business plans and business cases pertaining to donor support, correspondence and memorandums in general, and listings of potential and active donors.
The purpose of this bank is to administer the information collected from individuals and organizations that have made a donation, the amount donated, and to update information on past, current and potential donors.
The information is used for solicitation purposes, issuance of tax receipts and the gift recognition program. Information may be used for audit, evaluation, research, and / or statistical purposes.
Related Record Number: TF-002
TBS Registration: 20090469
Bank Number: TF PPU 500
Governance records are related to all work with governance entities, such as the Board of Directors and the Members. They involve activities undertaken to determining strategic direction, and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and/or plans.
Records involve activities related to staffing, compensation and benefits, HR planning, health and safety reviews, team building and retreats and professional development.
Each request made to The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, under the Access to Information Act, must be accompanied by an application fee of $5.00, cheque or money order made payable to The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
For additional information about the programs and activities of The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, please contact:
The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation
600 – 1980, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montréal (Québec) Canada H3H 1E8
Telephone: 514 938.0001
Fax: 514 938.0046
E-mail: info@trudeaufoundation.ca
Internet: www.trudeaufoundation.ca
In accordance with the Access to Information Act, an area on the premises of this institution has been designated as a public reading room. The address is:
600 – 1980, Sherbrooke Street West
Montréal, QC
