This series contains records created or accumulated in the period from September 1967 to September 1971, when Roméo LeBlanc was a press secretary to the Prime Minister. He first served as Press Secretary to Lester B. Pearson (1967 to 1968), and then to Pierre Elliott Trudeau (1968 to 1971).
Among other things, this series contains 12 notebooks maintained by Mr. LeBlanc between September 1967 and May 1970, which provide a record of his day-to-day activities in the PMO. It also contains letters sent and received by Mr. LeBlanc in the course of his everyday duties. Mr. LeBlanc replied to letters to the Prime Minister that concerned the media or requests for interviews or meetings. Copies of certain letters from the Prime Minister have also been preserved. One file contains memos exchanged between Mr. LeBlanc and the Prime Minister or other members of the PMO (like Marc Lalonde) on range of matters, including interviews given or yet to be given by the PM, meetings he must attend, relations with various journalists or media outlets, advice on topics raised during interviews, possible press conferences, etc.
A number of records in this series concern the 1970 October Crisis in Quebec. First of these is a comprehensive series of Canadian newspaper clippings (October 6, 1970 to November 10, 1971) shedding light on the opinion of Canadians about the situation and the actions of Prime Minister Trudeau. Mr. LeBlanc also collected foreign newspaper clippings on the subject. Lastly, one file contains various documents created or received by the PMO during this period (i.e. copies of FLQ press releases, draft copy of the October 16 announcement of the federal government's imposition of the War Measures Act, Operations Centre bulletins, chronology of events, tables on positive and negative themes addressed in the media, etc.).
In addition, the series contains analyses of newspaper coverage conducted by members of the Prime Minister's Office for PMO or Privy Council Office staff. Newspaper articles on federal politicians and policy are analyzed and discussed under various themes. The series also contains records of certain Prime Ministerial trips and visits in which Mr. LeBlanc took part, including a visit to Washington and meeting with President Nixon (March 1969) and a trip to Asia and Australia (Pacific Tour, May 1970). Lastly, certain records concern the 1968 to 1971 constitutional conferences and the January 1969 Commonwealth Conference.
