Brian Mulroney, the last gentleman prime minister
He was the consummate statesman
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney will be remembered for many things. He won an election on free trade and opened new economic opportunities for Canadians. He convinced U.S. President Ronald Reagan to sign the acid rain treaty to curb industrial emissions that were devastating Canadian forests. He convinced U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to take up the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He tried twice to bring Quebec into the Constitution “with honour and enthusiasm.” And he enacted the GST, which while unpopular, was a necessary replacement for the Manufacturer’s Sales Tax which hampered the growth of Canadian businesses.
Those who knew him personally, however, remember him for something else: his humanity. Mulroney was a politician who genuinely cared about people. He was the leader who would take the time to comfort a colleague, or even a foe, if they were grieving the loss of a loved one. He was the loyal friend who famously said, “ya gotta dance with the one that brung ya.” He was the Prime Minister who made time for young people, not just to hold signs, but to talk with them and inspire them.
I first met Mulroney as a teenager, when his big blue wave washed over Quebec in 1984, sweeping a host of eager young politicos in its wake. We surfed the greatness of the next nine years: two majority governments, the heady buzz of power. There were dizzying highs, but also crushing lows. The failure of the Meech Lake Accord stung, as did the defeat of the Charlottetown Accord. The exit of Lucien Bouchard, one of Mulroney’s close friends, split the Quebec conservative family and birthed the Bloc Québécois.
But whatever troubles plagued “the boss” at home, on the world stage, Mulroney stood tall. Under his leadership, Canada was a respected ally of the United States, Great Britain, and other NATO nations. Canada stood shoulder to shoulder with our partners in the face of the Cold War and the Soviet threat. Again, Mulroney’s humanity made the difference. He was able to connect with his fellow leaders, earn their respect, and build relationships that served his country’ interest, and the world’s.
Prediction. Trudeau will attempt to ‘inject’ himself into the funeral in a major, and carefully scripted way to distract from the raging wildfire of corruption and incompetence that he and his government are being exposed for being guilty of. Wait for it….