Turner Takes Charge

The new leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party, Toronto Lawyer John Turner, 55, became the nation's 17th Prime Minister last week, succeeding the retiring Pierre Trudeau, 64. Early Saturday morning, Trudeau drove from his official residence in Ottawa to Government House, where he offered his resignation. Scarcely half an hour later, Turner and his new 28-member Cabinet arrived to be sworn into office by Governor General Jeanne Sauve.

The star of the Cabinet, which has eight fewer members than under Trudeau, is Jean Chretien, who ran second to Turner in the party leadership fight last month. By offering the popular Chretien the important posts of Secretary of State for External Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Turner went a long way toward unifying the party and reinforcing the Liberals' traditionally strong position in Quebec. Turner's first task is to get his party re-elected over the Progressive Conservative Party led by Businessman Brian Mulroney. Elections could be called as early as Aug. 27.