Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark made history on this date in 1979 when he handed Pierre Trudeau the only political defeat on his career. Clark and his Tories earned a firm minority mandate from Canadians, winning 136 seats with the Liberals only coming out on top in 114 ridings.
While Prime Minister Clark would be defeated by Trudeau only nine months later, his political career was far from over. Clark remained in politics, serving with great distinction as Secretary of State for External Affairs and Minister of Constitutional Affairs in the cabinet of Brian Mulroney.
