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{{Short description|Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993}} | ||
{{pp-move}} | |||
| honorific-prefix= ] | |||
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2019}} | |||
| name=Brian Mulroney | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} | |||
| honorific-suffix= ] ] ] | |||
{{Infobox officeholder | |||
| image=Mulroney 2011.JPG | |||
| honorific-prefix = ] | |||
| caption=Mulroney in February 2011 | |||
| name = Brian Mulroney | |||
| order=] | |||
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CC|GOQ|size=100%}} | |||
| office=Prime Minister of Canada | |||
| image = Mulroney.jpg | |||
| term_start=September 17, 1984 | |||
| caption = Mulroney in 1984 | |||
| term_end=June 25, 1993 | |||
| order = 18th | |||
| monarch=] | |||
| office = Prime Minister of Canada | |||
| governor_general=]<br>] | |||
| term_start = September 17, 1984 | |||
| deputy=] <small>(1984–1986)</small><br>] <small>(1986–1993)</small> | |||
| term_end = June 25, 1993 | |||
| predecessor=] | |||
| monarch = ] | |||
| successor=] | |||
| governor_general = {{Unbulleted list|]|]}} | |||
| office2=] | |||
| deputy = {{Unbulleted list|]|]}} | |||
| term_start2=August 29, 1983 | |||
| predecessor = ] | |||
| term_end2=September 17, 1984 | |||
| successor = ] | |||
| monarch2=Elizabeth II | |||
| office1 = ] | |||
| primeminister2={{Plainlist| | |||
| term_start1 = August 29, 1983 | |||
* ] | |||
| term_end1 = September 17, 1984 | |||
* John Turner}} | |||
| |
| predecessor1 = Erik Nielsen | ||
| |
| successor1 = John Turner | ||
| |
| office2 = Leader of the {{awrap|]}} | ||
| |
| term_start2 = June 11, 1983 | ||
| |
| term_end2 = June 13, 1993 | ||
| |
| predecessor2 = Erik Nielsen (interim) | ||
| |
| successor2 = Kim Campbell | ||
{{Collapsed infobox section begin |cont = yes |House of Commons constituencies | |||
| birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1939|3|20}} | |||
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder | |||
| birth_place=], Canada | |||
| embed = yes | |||
| birthname=Martin Brian Mulroney | |||
| riding7 = ] | |||
| |
| parliament7 = Canadian | ||
| term_start7 = November 21, 1988 | |||
| death_date = | |||
| term_end7 = October 25, 1993 | |||
| death_place = | |||
| majority7 = | |||
| party=] | |||
| predecessor7 = ] | |||
| religion=] | |||
| successor7 = ] | |||
| residence=], Canada <br> ], U.S. | |||
| riding8 = ] | |||
| spouse={{marriage|]|1973}} | |||
| parliament8 = <!-- Canadian --> | |||
| signature=Brian Mulroney Signature.svg | |||
| term_start8 = September 4, 1984 | |||
| relations = | |||
| term_end8 = November 21, 1988 | |||
| children=], Mark, Nicolas, ] | |||
| majority8 = | |||
| alma_mater=]<br/>] | |||
| predecessor8 = ] | |||
| occupation = | |||
| successor8 = ] | |||
| profession=Lawyer<br/>Businessman | |||
| parliament9 = <!-- Canadian --> | |||
| constituency_MP4=] | |||
| riding9 = ] | |||
| term_start4=August 29, 1983 | |||
| term_start9 = August 29, 1983 | |||
| term_end4=September 4, 1984 | |||
| term_end9 = September 4, 1984 | |||
| majority4= | |||
| |
| predecessor9 = ] | ||
| successor9 = Elmer MacKay{{Collapsed infobox section end}} }} | |||
| successor4=Elmer M. MacKay | |||
| birth_name = Martin Brian Mulroney | |||
| constituency_MP5=] | |||
| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|3|20}} | |||
| term_start5=September 4, 1984 | |||
| birth_place = ], Quebec, Canada | |||
| term_end5=November 21, 1988 | |||
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|29|1939|3|20}} | |||
| majority5= | |||
| death_place = ], U.S. | |||
| predecessor5=] | |||
| resting_place = ], Montreal, Quebec | |||
| successor5=] | |||
| party = {{Unbulleted list|] (1955–2003)|] (from 2003)}} | |||
| constituency_MP6=] | |||
| spouse = {{marriage|]|1973}} | |||
| term_start6=November 21, 1988 | |||
| children = 4, including ] and ] | |||
| term_end6=September 8, 1993<ref name="Parliament">{{cite web|url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=1335c5d9-2c4e-4ed4-b8d2-c85f1099e8d8|title=Parliament of Canada|publisher=.parl.gc.ca|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
| relatives = ] (daughter-in-law) | |||
| majority6= | |||
| education = {{Unbulleted list|] (])|] (no degree)|] (])}} | |||
| predecessor6=] | |||
| signature = Brian Mulroney Signature.svg | |||
| successor6=] | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Martin Brian Mulroney''' (born March 20, 1939), ], ], ], is a ] politician who served as the ] from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993. His tenure as prime minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the ] and the ], and the rejection of constitutional reforms such as the ] and the ]. Prior to his political career, he was a prominent lawyer and businessman in Montreal. | |||
'''Martin Brian Mulroney'''{{efn|{{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CC|GOQ}} ({{IPAc-en|m|ʊ|l|ˈ|r|uː|n|i}} {{respell|muul|ROO|nee}})}} (March 20, 1939 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th ] from 1984 to 1993. | |||
==Early life== | |||
Mulroney was born on March 20, 1939, in ], a remote and isolated town in the eastern part of the province. He is the son of ] ] parents, Mary Irene (née O'Shea) and Benedict Martin Mulroney,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdnirish.concordia.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79|title=School of Canadian Irish Studies - Irene Mulroney Scholarship|publisher=Cdnirish.concordia.ca|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> who was a paper mill electrician. As there was no English-language Catholic high school in Baie-Comeau, Mulroney completed his high school education at a ] boarding school in ] operated by ] (in 2001, St. Thomas University named its newest academic building in his honour). Benedict Mulroney worked overtime and ran a repair business to earn extra money for his children's education, and he encouraged his oldest son to attend university.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991</ref> | |||
Born in the eastern Quebec city of ], Mulroney studied ] and law. He then moved to ] and gained prominence as a ]yer. After placing third in the ], he was appointed president of the ] in 1977. He held that post until ], when he became leader of the ]. He led the party to a ] in the ], winning the second-largest percentage of seats in Canadian history (at 74.8 percent) and receiving over 50 percent of the popular vote. He later won a second ] in ]. | |||
Mulroney would frequently tell stories about newspaper publisher ], whose company had founded Baie-Comeau. Mulroney would sing ] for McCormick,<ref>], '']: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister.'' Random House Canada, 2005, p. 54.</ref> and the publisher would slip him $50.<ref>], ''The Prime Ministers of Canada'', (Toronto: Doubleday Canada Limited, 1997), p. 309.</ref> He grew up speaking English and French fluently.<ref name="Donaldson310">Donaldson, p. 310.</ref> | |||
Mulroney's tenure as prime minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the ], the ] (GST) that was created to replace the manufacturers' sales tax, and the privatization of 23 of 61 ] including ] and ]. However, he was unsuccessful in reducing Canada's chronic ]. Mulroney sought Quebec's endorsement of the ] by first introducing the ] and then the ]. Both proposed recognizing Quebec as a ], extending ] powers, and extensively changing the constitution. Both of the accords failed to be ratified, and the Meech Lake Accord's demise revived ], leading to the rise of the ]. In foreign policy, Mulroney strengthened ] and opposed the ] regime in South Africa, leading an effort within the ] to sanction the country. Mulroney's tenure was marked by the ] bombing, the largest ] in Canadian history, though his response to the attack came under criticism. Mulroney made ] a priority by securing ], making Canada the first ] to ratify the ], adding significant national parks, and passing the '']'' and the '']''. | |||
==Family== | |||
On May 26, 1973, he married ], the daughter of a ] doctor, Dimitrije Mita Pivnički, from ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://san.ba/index.php?id=1818|title=SAN Dnevne novine|publisher=San.ba|date=2008-03-14|accessdate=2010-06-07}}{{dead link|date=December 2011}}</ref> The Mulroneys have four children: Caroline, ], Mark and Nicolas. Ben is a CTV media personality and a host of '']''. | |||
The unpopularity of the GST and the controversy surrounding its passage in the ], combined with the ], the collapse of the Charlottetown Accord, and growing ] that triggered the rise of the ], caused a stark decline in Mulroney's popularity, which induced him to resign and ] to his cabinet minister ] in June 1993. In ], the Progressive Conservatives were reduced from a majority government of 156 seats to two, with its support being eroded by the Bloc and Reform parties. In his retirement, Mulroney served as an international business consultant and sat on the board of directors of multiple corporations. Although he places above average in ], his legacy remains controversial. He was criticized for his role in the resurgence of ] and accused of corruption in the ], a scandal that came to light only several years after he left office. | |||
On September 16, 2000, Caroline Mulroney married Andrew Lapham, the son of magazine editor ]. Among the 400 guests were many dignitaries and business leaders, including former US President ] and ], ] of Jordan, ] and his wife Katherine, ] and Ontario Lieutenant-Governor ], U.S. television personality ], and media magnate ]. Caroline Mulroney is currently associate director of the ]'s Center for Law and Business, having graduated from NYU with a law degree in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1D91038F934A2575AC0A9669C8B63|work=The New York Times|title=WEDDINGS; Caroline Mulroney, Andrew Lapham|date=September 17, 2000|accessdate=April 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/emplibrary/2003.pdf|title=189526-Annual Rep_pdf_layout|format=PDF|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
== Early life (1939–1955) == | |||
Mulroney is the grandfather of Lewis H. Lapham III, and twins Pierce Lapham and Elizabeth Theodora Lapham, and Miranda Brooke Lapham from daughter, Caroline, and twins Brian Gerald Alexander and John Benedict Dimitri by son Ben. | |||
Mulroney was born on March 20, 1939, in ], Quebec, a remote and isolated town of the ] region, in the eastern part of the province. He was the son of ] ] parents, Mary Irene (née O'Shea) and Benedict Martin Mulroney,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdnirish.concordia.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79|title=School of Canadian Irish Studies – Irene Mulroney Scholarship|publisher=Cdnirish.concordia.ca|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706173454/http://cdnirish.concordia.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79|archive-date=July 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> who was a ] electrician. As there was no English-language Catholic high school in Baie-Comeau, Mulroney completed his high school education at a ] boarding school in ], operated by ]. In 2001, St. Thomas University named its newest academic building in his honour. Benedict Mulroney worked overtime and ran a repair business to earn extra money for his children's education, and he encouraged his oldest son to attend university.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991</ref> | |||
Mulroney would frequently tell stories about newspaper publisher ], whose company had founded Baie-Comeau. Mulroney would sing ] for McCormick,<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Peter C. Newman |first=Peter C. |last=Newman |title-link=The Secret Mulroney Tapes |title=The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister |publisher=Random House Canada |date=2005 |page=54}}</ref> and the publisher would slip him $50.<ref>], ''The Prime Ministers of Canada'', (Toronto: Doubleday Canada Limited, 1997), p. 309.</ref> Mulroney grew up speaking English and French fluently.<ref name="Donaldson310">Donaldson, p. 310.</ref> | |||
==Education== | |||
Mulroney had not been involved in politics at any level prior to entering ] in the fall of 1955 as a 16-year-old freshman. His political life began when he was recruited to the campus ] group by ] and others, early in his first year. Murray would become a close friend, mentor, and adviser who was appointed to the ] in 1979. Other important, lasting friendships made there by Mulroney included ], ], ], and ]. Mulroney enthusiastically embraced political organization, and assisted the local PC candidate in his successful 1956 Nova Scotia provincial election campaign; the PCs, led provincially by ], swept to a surprise victory.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> | |||
== Family == | |||
Mulroney became a youth delegate and attended the 1956 leadership convention in ]. While initially undecided, Mulroney was captivated by ]'s powerful oratory and easy approachability. Mulroney joined the "Youth for Diefenbaker" committee which was led by ], a future ] of Canadian business. Mulroney struck an early friendship with Diefenbaker (who won the leadership) and received telephone calls from him.<ref name="Donaldson310"/> | |||
On May 26, 1973, Mulroney married ], the daughter of a ]-Canadian doctor, {{Interlanguage link|Dimitrije Pivnički|sr|3=Димитрије Пивнички|lt=Dimitrije Pivnički}}, from ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://san.ba/index.php?id=1818|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630000121/http://san.ba/index.php?id=1818|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 30, 2018|title=SAN Dnevne novine|publisher=San.ba|date=March 14, 2008|access-date=June 7, 2010}}</ref> Many PC campaign buttons featured both Mulroney's face and hers, and Ontario ] ] commented to Brian, "Mila will get you more votes for you than you will for yourself."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217113920/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19840904&id=NhgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nqUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5252,662170 |date=December 17, 2020 }}, '']'', September 4, 1984</ref> | |||
The Mulroneys have four children: ], ], Mark and Nicolas. Caroline unsuccessfully ran for the ] and represents the party in the provincial legislature as the member for ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/caroline-mulroney-named-ontario-pc-candidate-in-york-simcoe-riding/article36224460/|title=Caroline Mulroney named Ontario PC candidate in York-Simcoe riding|date=September 10, 2017|work=The Globe and Mail|access-date=May 2, 2018|archive-date=September 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911090654/https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/caroline-mulroney-named-ontario-pc-candidate-in-york-simcoe-riding/article36224460/|url-status=live}}</ref> She served as ] and ]. She moved from transportation to being ] while continuing on as the minister of Francophone affairs.<ref name="Ford Cabinet Shuffle">{{cite news |last1=Ferguson |first1=Rob |last2=Rushowy |first2=Kris |title=Premier Doug Ford forced to shuffle cabinet after housing minister Steve Clark resigns |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/premier-doug-ford-forced-to-shuffle-cabinet-after-housing-minister-steve-clark-resigns/article_983f0b87-1a81-57b3-b6f2-851b5209f1a5.html |access-date=March 17, 2024 |work=Toronto Star |date=September 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221220302/https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/premier-doug-ford-forced-to-shuffle-cabinet-after-housing-minister-steve-clark-resigns/article_983f0b87-1a81-57b3-b6f2-851b5209f1a5.html |archive-date=February 21, 2024 | url-status = live}}</ref> Ben was the host of the CTV morning show '']'' from June 2016 to October 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ben Mulroney leaving CTV's Your Morning to pursue 'a lifelong dream' |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/ben-mulroney-leaving-ctv-s-your-morning-to-pursue-a-lifelong-dream-1.5605015 |access-date=September 30, 2021 |work=CTV News |agency=Canadian Press |date=September 29, 2021 |archive-date=September 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929220628/https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/ben-mulroney-leaving-ctv-s-your-morning-to-pursue-a-lifelong-dream-1.5605015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ben is married to stylist ], and their three children served as page boys and bridesmaids during the ] on May 19, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 16, 2018 |title=Mulroney children to be bridesmaid, page boys at royal wedding |url=https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/mulroney-children-to-be-bridesmaid-page-boys-at-royal-wedding-1.3932401 |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=] |agency=The Canadian Press |archive-date=September 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928061107/https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/mulroney-children-to-be-bridesmaid-page-boys-at-royal-wedding-1.3932401 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mark and Nicolas both work in the financial industry in Toronto.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Meet The Mulroneys |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/meet-the-mulroneys/article18151174/ |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-date=December 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217121452/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/meet-the-mulroneys/article18151174/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney won several public speaking contests at ], was a star member of the school's ] team, and never lost an interuniversity debate. He was also very active in campus politics, serving with distinction in several ]s, and was campus prime minister in a grandiose ]-wide Model Parliament in 1958.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> | |||
== Education (1955–1964) == | |||
Mulroney also assisted with the 1958 national election campaign at the local level in Nova Scotia; a campaign that led to the then-largest majority in Canadian history.<ref>''The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991</ref> After graduating from St. Francis Xavier with a degree in political science in 1959, Mulroney at first pursued a law degree from ] in ]. It was around this time that Mulroney also cultivated friendships with the Tory premier of Nova Scotia, ], and his chief adviser ]. In his role as an 'advance man', Mulroney significantly assisted with Stanfield's successful 1960 re-election campaign. Mulroney neglected his studies, then fell seriously ill during the winter term, was hospitalized, and, despite getting extensions for several courses because of his illness, flunked out of Dalhousie his first year.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> He then applied to ] in Quebec City, and restarted first-year law there the next year. | |||
Mulroney entered ] in the fall of 1955 as a 16-year-old first-year student. His political life began when he was recruited to the campus Progressive Conservative group by ] and others early in his first year. Murray, who was appointed to the ] in 1979, became Mulroney's close friend, mentor, and adviser. Mulroney made other important, lasting friendships with ], ], ], and ]. Mulroney enthusiastically embraced political organization and assisted the local PC candidate in his successful 1956 Nova Scotia provincial election campaign; the PCs, led provincially by ], won a surprise victory.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
Mulroney became a youth delegate and attended the 1956 leadership convention in ]. While initially undecided, Mulroney was captivated by ]'s powerful oratory and easy approachability. Mulroney joined the Youth for Diefenbaker committee, which was led by ], a future ] of Canadian business. Mulroney struck an early friendship with Diefenbaker (who won the leadership) and received telephone calls from him.<ref name="Donaldson310" /> | |||
In ], Mulroney befriended future Quebec ] ], and frequented the provincial legislature, making connections with politicians, aides, and journalists. At Laval, Mulroney built a network of friends, including ], ], ], ], and ], that would play a prominent role in Canadian politics for years to come.<ref>H. Graham Rawlinson and ], ''The Canadian 100: The 100 Most Influential Canadians of the 20th century,'' Toronto: McArthur & Company, 1997, pp. 19–20.</ref> During this time, Mulroney was still involved in the Conservative youth wing and was acquainted with the President of the Student Federation, ].{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}} | |||
Mulroney won several public speaking contests at St. Francis Xavier University, was a star member of the school's ] team, and never lost an inter-university debate. He was also very active in campus politics, serving with distinction in several ]s, and was campus prime minister in a ]-wide Model Parliament in 1958.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
Mulroney secured a plum temporary appointment in Ottawa during the summer of 1962, as the executive assistant to ], minister of agriculture. Then a federal election was called, and Prime Minister Diefenbaker appointed Hamilton as the acting prime minister for the rest of the campaign. Hamilton took Mulroney with him on the campaign trail, where the young organizer gained valuable experience.<ref>''The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991, pp. 129–135</ref> | |||
Mulroney assisted with the 1958 national election campaign at the local level in Nova Scotia. This campaign led to the largest majority in the history of the Canadian House of Commons.<ref>''The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991</ref> After graduating from St. Francis Xavier with a degree in political science in 1959, Mulroney at first pursued a law degree from ] in ]. It was around this time that Mulroney also cultivated friendships with the Tory ], ], and his chief adviser ]. In his role as an advance man, Mulroney assisted with Stanfield's successful 1960 re-election campaign. Mulroney neglected his studies, fell seriously ill during the winter term, was hospitalized, and, despite getting extensions for several courses because of his illness, left his program at Dalhousie after the first year.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> He then applied to ] in Quebec City and continued his legal studies there later in 1960.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Le très honorable Martin Brian Mulroney, Biographie 1939–" |url=http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/primeministers/h4-3456-f.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20020220000000/http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/primeministers/h4-3456-f.html |archive-date=February 20, 2002 |access-date=March 1, 2024 }}</ref> | |||
==Builds reputation, gains publicity== | |||
After graduating from Laval in 1964, Mulroney joined the ] law firm now known as ], which at the time was the largest law firm in the ]. Mulroney twice failed his bar exams, but the firm kept him due to his charming personality.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> After ultimately passing his bar exams, Mulroney was admitted to the Quebec bar in 1965, and became a labour lawyer, which was then a new and exciting field of law in Quebec. Mulroney's superb political skills of conciliation and negotiation, with opponents often polarized and at odds, proved ideal for this field. He was noted for ending several strikes along the Montreal waterfront where he met fellow lawyer ] of ], who would later become a valuable fundraiser for his campaigns. | |||
In ], Mulroney befriended future Quebec ] ] and frequented the provincial legislature, making connections with politicians, aides, and journalists. At Laval, Mulroney built a network of friends, including ], ], ], ], and ], that would play a prominent role in Canadian politics for years to come.<ref>H. Graham Rawlinson and ], ''The Canadian 100: The 100 Most Influential Canadians of the 20th century,'' Toronto: McArthur & Company, 1997, pp. 19–20.</ref> | |||
In 1966, ], who by then was president of the Progressive Conservative Party, ran for re-election in what many believed to be a referendum on Diefenbaker's leadership. Diefenbaker had reached his 70th birthday in 1965. Mulroney joined with most of his generation in supporting Camp and opposing Diefenbaker, but due to his past friendship with Diefenbaker, he attempted to stay out of the spotlight. With Camp's narrow victory, Diefenbaker called for a ] in Toronto. Mulroney joined with ] and others in supporting former Justice minister ]. Once Fulton dropped off the ballot, Mulroney helped in swinging most of his organization over to ], who won. Mulroney, then 28, would soon become a chief adviser to the new leader in Quebec. | |||
Mulroney secured a temporary appointment in Ottawa during the summer of 1962 as the executive assistant to ], minister of agriculture. Then, a federal election was called. Hamilton took Mulroney with him on the campaign trail, where the young organizer gained valuable experience.<ref>''The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991, pp. 129–135</ref> | |||
Mulroney's professional reputation was further enhanced when he ended a strike that was considered impossible to resolve at the Montreal newspaper ]. In doing so, Mulroney and the paper's owner, Canadian business mogul ], became friends. After his initial difficulties, Mulroney's reputation in his firm steadily increased, and he was made a partner in 1971.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
== Labour lawyer (1964–1976) == | |||
Mulroney's big break came during the ] in 1974,<ref name="Lotz">Jim Lotz, ''Prime Ministers of Canada'', Bison Books, 1987, p. 144.</ref> which was set up by Quebec premier ] to investigate the situation at ], Canada's largest ] project. Violence and dirty tactics had broken out as part of a union accreditation struggle. To ensure the commission was non-partisan, Bourassa, the Liberal premier, placed ], a former leader of the provincial ] in charge. Cliche asked Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative and a former student of his, to join the commission. Mulroney asked ] to join as counsel. The committee's proceedings, which showed ] infiltration of the unions, made Mulroney well known in Quebec, as the hearings were extensively covered in the media.<ref name="Lotz" /> The Cliche Commission's report was largely adopted by the Bourassa government. A notable incident included the revelation that the controversy may have involved the office of the Premier of Quebec. Although Bouchard favoured calling in Robert Bourassa as a witness, Mulroney refused, deeming it a violation of 'executive privilege'.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney and Bourassa would later cultivate a friendship that would turn out to be extremely beneficial when Mulroney ran for re-election in 1988. | |||
After graduating from Laval in 1964, Mulroney moved to ] to join the law firm ]<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=http://films.nfb.ca/media/pl_pm/bios/18th_pm_Brian_Mulroney.pdf |title=Martin Brian Mulroney |publisher=] |location=Canada |access-date=March 1, 2024 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709162642/http://films.nfb.ca/media/pl_pm/bios/18th_pm_Brian_Mulroney.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The firm at the time was the largest law firm in the ]. Despite twice failing his bar exams, the firm kept him due to his charming personality.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney finally passed the exam and was admitted to the Quebec bar in 1965, after which he began practising as a labour lawyer.<ref name=":1" /> He worked on ]'s ] on the ].<ref name=":1" /> He was noted for ending several strikes along the Montreal waterfront, where he met fellow lawyer ] of ], who would later become a valuable fundraiser for his campaigns.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lives Shattered – Damage from Florida scam is more than just financial|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/432448067|page=D3|date=June 15, 1993|access-date=February 29, 2024|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Montreal|id={{ProQuest|432448067}}|via=]}}</ref> In addition, he met fellow then Stikeman Elliott lawyer ], who later played a vital role assisting him during his political career as Mulroney's Chief of Staff.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/stanley-hartt-80-was-an-articulate-advocate-for-canada/article37597751/|title=Stanley Hartt, 80, was 'an articulate advocate for Canada'|access-date=May 4, 2018|archive-date=April 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415204344/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/stanley-hartt-80-was-an-articulate-advocate-for-canada/article37597751/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In 1966, ], who by then was president of the Progressive Conservative Party, ran for re-election in what many believed to be a referendum on Diefenbaker's leadership.<ref name=camp/> Diefenbaker had reached his 70th birthday in 1965. Mulroney joined with most of his generation in supporting Camp and opposing Diefenbaker, but due to his past friendship with Diefenbaker, he attempted to stay out of the spotlight. With Camp's narrow victory, Diefenbaker called for a ] in Toronto.<ref name=camp/> Mulroney joined with Joe Clark and others in supporting former Justice minister ]. Once Fulton dropped off the ballot, Mulroney helped in swinging most of his organization over to ], who won. Mulroney, then 28, would soon become a chief adviser to the new leader in Quebec.<ref name=camp>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/03/01/brian-mulroney-canada-prime-minister-conservative/|title=Brian Mulroney, controversial Canadian Tory prime minister who came unstuck on Quebec – obituary|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=March 1, 2024|date=March 1, 2024|archive-date=March 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301205316/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/03/01/brian-mulroney-canada-prime-minister-conservative/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Loses first leadership race, 1975–76== | |||
The Stanfield-led Progressive Conservatives lost the ] to the ]-led Liberals. Following the party's third consecutive loss, Stanfield decided to resign the leadership. Mulroney, despite never having run for elected office, was encouraged to run in the leadership race to replace Stanfield, and entered the contest. Mulroney and provincial rival ] were both seen as potentially able to appeal to Quebec, which had supported the federal Liberals for decades. Ironically, it had been Mulroney who had played the lead role in recruiting Wagner to the PC party a few years earlier, and the two wound up as rivals for Quebec delegates, most of whom were snared by Wagner, who even blocked Mulroney from becoming a voting delegate.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> In the leadership race, Mulroney would spend an estimated $500,000, at that time an incredible sum, far more than the other candidates and earning himself the nickname 'Cadillac candidate'. At the ], Mulroney placed second on the first ballot behind Wagner. However, his expensive campaign, slick image, lack of parliamentary experience, and vague policy positions did not endear him to many delegates, and he was unable to build upon his base support, being overtaken by eventual winner ] on the second ballot. Mulroney was the only one of the eleven leadership candidates who did not provide full financial disclosure on his campaign expenses, and his campaign finished deeply in debt.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Following the convention, Mulroney turned down the offer of a shadow cabinet portfolio in Clark's caucus. | |||
Mulroney's professional reputation was further enhanced when he ended a strike that was considered impossible to resolve at the Montreal newspaper ]. In doing so, Mulroney and the paper's owner, Canadian business mogul ], became friends. After his initial difficulties, Mulroney's reputation in his firm steadily increased, and he was made a partner in 1971.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
==Business leadership== | |||
Mulroney took the job of executive vice president of the ], a joint subsidiary of three major U.S. steel corporations. Mulroney earned a salary well into the six-figure range. In 1977, he was appointed company president. Drawing upon his labour law experience, he instituted improved labour relations, and, with commodity prices on the rise, company profits soared during the next several years. In 1983 Mulroney successfully negotiated the closing of the ] mine, winning a generous settlement for the affected workers.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1469-9795/politics_economy/brian_mulroney/clip5|publisher=CBC News|title=Private life after public loss - Television - CBC Archives}}</ref> Under his leadership, the company was sold off to foreign interests. In the wake of his loss in the 1976 leadership race, Mulroney battled alcohol abuse and depression for several years; he credits his loyal wife Mila with helping him recover. In 1979, he permanently became a teetotaler. During his IOC term, he made liberal use of the company's executive jet, frequently flying business associates and friends on fishing trips.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney also maintained and expanded his extensive political networking among business leaders and conservatives across the country. As his business reputation grew, he was invited onto several corporate boards. He declined an offer to run in a Quebec by-election as a federal Liberal. | |||
Mulroney's big break came during the ] in 1974,<ref name="Lotz">Jim Lotz, ''Prime Ministers of Canada'', Bison Books, 1987, p. 144.</ref> which was set up by Quebec premier ] to investigate the situation at the ], Canada's largest ] project. Violence and dirty tactics had broken out as part of a union accreditation struggle. To ensure the commission was non-partisan, Bourassa, the Liberal premier, placed Robert Cliche, a former leader of the provincial ] in charge. Cliche asked Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative and a former student of his, to join the commission. Mulroney asked ] to join as counsel. The committee's proceedings, which showed ] infiltration of the unions, made Mulroney well known in Quebec, as the hearings were extensively covered in the media.<ref name="Lotz" /> The Cliche Commission's report was largely adopted by the Bourassa government. A notable incident included the revelation that the controversy may have involved the office of the Premier of Quebec when it emerged that Paul Desrochers, Bourassa's special executive assistant, had met with the union boss ], known as the "King of Construction," to ask for his help with winning a by-election in exchange guaranteeing that only companies employing workers from his union would work on the James Bay project.<ref>Sawatsky, John ''Mulroney: the politics of ambition'', Toronto: Mcfarlane Walter & Ross, 1991 page 257.</ref> Although Bouchard favoured calling in Robert Bourassa as a witness, Mulroney refused, deeming it a violation of 'executive privilege.'<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney and Bourassa would later cultivate a friendship that would turn out to be extremely beneficial when Mulroney ran for re-election in 1988.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM great leader: Bourassa – Federal Liberals are left seething by premier's praise of Mulroney|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/431574185|page=A1|first=Jennifer|last=Robinson|date=January 30, 1988|access-date=February 29, 2024|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Montreal|id={{ProQuest|431574185}}|via=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Brian Mulroney owes much to Robert Bourassa|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/431709560|page=B3|first=John|last=Yorston|date=November 25, 1988|access-date=February 29, 2024|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Montreal|id={{ProQuest|431709560}}|via=]}}</ref> | |||
==Party leader== | |||
Joe Clark led the Progressive Conservative party to a minority government in the ] which ended 16 years of continuous Liberal rule. However his reputation as a leader had taken a beating when, as newly elected prime minister, he said, "I will lead Canada as if I have a majority government." His proclamation led to a no-confidence motion over his minority government's budget in December 1979, leading to the fall of his government. The PCs subsequently lost the federal election held two months later when Trudeau rescinded his announced retirement, and returned to lead the Liberals back into majority government. Many Tories were also annoyed with Clark over his slowness in dispensing patronage appointments after he became prime minister in June 1979. By late 1982, Joe Clark's leadership of the Progressive Conservatives was being questioned in many party circles and among many Tory members of Parliament, despite his solid national lead over Prime Minister ] in opinion polls, which stretched to 19 percent in summer 1982. | |||
].]] | |||
Mulroney, while publicly endorsing Clark at a press conference in 1982, organized behind the scenes to defeat him at the party's ]. Clark's key Quebec organizer Rodrigue Pageau was in fact a double agent, working for Mulroney, undermining Clark's support.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> When Clark received an endorsement by only 66.9 per cent of delegates at the party convention in January 1983 in ], he resigned and ran to regain his post at the ]. Despite still not being a member of Parliament, Mulroney ran against him, campaigning more shrewdly than he had done seven years before. Mulroney had been criticized in 1976 for lacking policy depth and substance, a weakness he addressed by making several major speeches across the country in the early 1980s, which were collected into a book, ''Where I Stand'', published in 1983.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney also avoided most of the flash of his earlier campaign, for which he had been criticized. Mulroney was elected party leader on June 11, 1983, beating Clark on the fourth ballot, attracting broad support from the many factions of the party and especially from representatives of his native Quebec. Two months later, Mulroney entered Parliament as the MP for ] in Nova Scotia, winning a by-election in what was then considered a safe Tory seat, after ] stood aside in his favour. This is a common practice in most ]s. | |||
=== 1976 Progressive Conservative leadership election === | |||
Throughout his political career, Mulroney's fluency in English and French, with Quebec roots in both cultures, gave him an advantage that eventually proved decisive.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
The Stanfield-led Progressive Conservatives lost the ] to the ]-led Liberals, leading to Stanfield's resignation as leader. Mulroney, despite never having run for elected office, entered the contest to replace him. Mulroney and provincial rival ] were both seen as potentially able to improve the party's standing in Quebec, which had supported the federal Liberals for decades. Mulroney had played the lead role in recruiting Wagner to the PC party a few years earlier, and the two wound up as rivals for Quebec delegates, most of whom were snared by Wagner, who even blocked Mulroney from becoming a voting delegate at the convention.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> In the leadership race, Mulroney spent an estimated $500,000, far more than the other candidates, and earned himself the nickname 'Cadillac candidate.' At the ], Mulroney placed second on the first ballot behind Wagner. His expensive campaign, slick image, lack of parliamentary experience, and vague policy positions did not endear him to many delegates, and he was unable to build upon his base support, being overtaken by eventual winner Joe Clark on the second ballot. Mulroney was the only one of the eleven leadership candidates who did not provide full financial disclosure on his campaign expenses, and his campaign finished deeply in debt.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
== Business leadership (1976–1983) == | |||
Because of health problems shortly after becoming party leader, Mulroney quit smoking in 1983. | |||
Mulroney took the job of executive vice president of the ], a joint subsidiary of three major U.S. steel corporations. Mulroney earned a salary well into the six-figure range. In 1977, he was appointed company president. Drawing upon his labour law experience, he instituted improved labour relations, and, with commodity prices on the rise, company profits soared during the next several years. In 1983, Mulroney successfully negotiated the closing of the ] mine, winning a generous settlement for the affected workers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1469-9795/politics_economy/brian_mulroney/clip5|publisher=]|title=Private life after public loss – Television – CBC Archives|access-date=April 26, 2006|archive-date=December 21, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221235721/http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-1469-9795/politics_economy/brian_mulroney/clip5|url-status=live}}</ref> In the wake of his loss in the 1976 leadership race, Mulroney battled alcohol abuse and depression for several years; he credits his loyal wife Mila with helping him recover. In 1979, he permanently became a teetotaller. During his IOC term, he made liberal use of the company's executive jet, frequently flying business associates and friends on fishing trips.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Mulroney also maintained and expanded his extensive political networking among business leaders and conservatives across the country. As his business reputation grew, he was invited onto several corporate boards.<ref name=camp/> | |||
== Opposition leader (1983–1984) == | |||
By the start of 1984, as Mulroney began learning the realities of parliamentary life in the House of Commons, the Tories took a substantial lead in opinion polling. It was almost taken for granted that Trudeau would be heavily defeated by Mulroney in the general election due no later than 1985. Trudeau announced his retirement in February, and the Liberal Party chose ], previously the Minister of Finance under Trudeau in the 1970s, as its new leader. The Liberals then surged in the polls, to take a lead, after trailing by more than 20 percentage points. Only four days after being sworn in as Prime Minister, Turner called a general ]. In so doing, he had to postpone a planned Canadian summer visit by ], who makes it her policy to not travel abroad during foreign election campaigns. But the Liberal election campaign machinery was in disarray, leading to a weak campaign.<ref>''The Insiders: Government, Business, and the Lobbyists,'' by ], 1987</ref> | |||
Joe Clark led the Progressive Conservative party to a minority government in the ], which ended 16 years of continuous Liberal rule. The government fell after a successful no-confidence motion over his minority government's budget in December 1979. The PCs subsequently lost the federal election held two months later to Trudeau and the Liberals. Many Tories were also annoyed with Clark over his slowness in dispensing patronage appointments after he became prime minister in June 1979. By late 1982, Joe Clark's leadership of the Progressive Conservatives was being questioned in many party circles and among many Tory members of Parliament, despite his solid national lead over Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in opinion polls.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lotz |first=Jim |title=Prime Ministers of Canada |publisher=Bison Books |year=1987 |isbn=0-86124-377-3 |location=London |pages=139 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
Mulroney, while publicly endorsing Clark at a press conference in 1982, organized behind the scenes to defeat him at the party's ]. Clark's key Quebec organizer, Rodrigue Pageau, was, in fact, a double agent, working for Mulroney, undermining Clark's support.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> When Clark received an endorsement by only 66.9 percent of delegates at the party convention in January 1983 in ], he resigned and ran to regain his post at the ]. Despite still not being a member of Parliament, Mulroney ran against him, campaigning more shrewdly than he had done seven years before. Mulroney had been criticized in 1976 for lacking policy depth and substance, a weakness he addressed by making several major speeches across the country in the early 1980s, which were collected into a book, ''Where I Stand'', published in 1983.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
Mulroney also avoided most of the flash of his earlier campaign, for which he had been criticized. Mulroney was elected party leader on June 11, 1983, beating Clark on the fourth ballot, attracting broad support from the many factions of the party and especially from representatives of his native Quebec. Pundits noted that a poll of delegates on the final ballot showed that Mulroney had won a bare majority of Clark's home province of Alberta and that Clark had won a bare majority in Mulroney's home province of Quebec.{{sfn|Martin, Gregg, Perlin|p=237}} Mulroney's strong showing amongst Ontario delegates (65 percent to 35 percent) seemed to account for most of his margin of victory.{{sfn|Martin, Gregg, Perlin|p=237}} A ''New York Times'' article from 1984 argued that Mulroney was elected from "the right-wing elements" within the party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/06/world/man-in-the-news-a-modern-centrist-in-canada-martin-brian-mulroney.html|title=Man in the News; a Modern Centrist in Canada: Martin Brian Mulroney|date=September 6, 1984|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 26, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828202859/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/06/world/man-in-the-news-a-modern-centrist-in-canada-martin-brian-mulroney.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ], writing in ''La Presse'', argued that "Brian Mulroney's injuries to Joe Clark in 1983 took more than 15 years to heal, as various factions continued to compete for leadership roles in the field and youth wings."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/47bc0cb5-ead9-4989-8f3a-ea08a0017b56__7C___0.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729143132/https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/47bc0cb5-ead9-4989-8f3a-ea08a0017b56__7C___0.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 29, 2020|title=Le Parti conservateur n'ira nulle part avec Scheer|date=November 7, 2019|website=La Presse+|language=fr|access-date=November 25, 2019}}</ref> | |||
The campaign is best remembered for Mulroney's attacks on a raft of Liberal ] appointments. In his final days in office, Trudeau had controversially appointed a flurry of ], judges, and executives on various governmental and ] boards, widely seen as a way to offer 'plum jobs' to loyal members of the Liberal Party. Upon assuming office, Turner, who had been out of politics for nine years while he earned a lucrative salary as a Toronto lawyer, showed that his political instincts had diminished. He had been under pressure to cancel the appointments, but chose not to, and instead proceeded to appoint several more Liberals to prominent political offices, per a signed, legal agreement with Trudeau.<ref>Donaldson, p. 320; Newman, p. 71.</ref> | |||
Two months later, Mulroney entered Parliament as the MP for ] in Nova Scotia, winning a by-election in what was then considered a safe Tory seat after ] stood aside in his favour. The Progressive Conservatives only had one seat in Mulroney's home province of Quebec at the time.<ref name="plamo">{{cite book |last1=Plamondon |first1=Bob |title=Full Circle: Death and Resurrection In Canadian Conservative Politics |date=2014 |publisher=eBookIt.com |isbn=9781456623166 |author-link1=Bob Plamondon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Patriquin |first=Martin |date=May 29, 2015 |title=The amazingly malleable MacKay |url=https://macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/the-amazingly-malleable-mackay/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=] |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924025027/https://macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/the-amazingly-malleable-mackay/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Maloney |first=Ryan |date=August 8, 2018 |title=Jagmeet Singh Follows Path Of Other Leaders By Seeking Seat Far From Home |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/jagmeet-singh-burnaby_ca_5cd55f5ce4b07bc7297780a6 |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=HuffPost Canada |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004201648/https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/jagmeet-singh-burnaby_ca_5cd55f5ce4b07bc7297780a6 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Ironically, Turner had planned to attack Mulroney over the patronage machine that the latter had set up in anticipation of victory. In a televised leaders' debate, Turner launched what appeared to be the start of a blistering attack on Mulroney by comparing his patronage machine to that of the old ] in Quebec. However, Mulroney successfully turned the tables by pointing to the recent raft of Liberal patronage appointments.<ref name="Secret7172">Newman, pp. 71–72.</ref> He demanded that Turner apologize to the country for making "these horrible appointments." Turner replied that "I had no option" except to let the appointments stand. Mulroney famously responded: | |||
Throughout his political career, Mulroney's fluency in English and French, with Quebec roots in both cultures, gave him an advantage that eventually proved decisive.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> | |||
:"]. You could have said, 'I am not going to do it. This is wrong for Canada, and I am not going to ask Canadians to pay the price.' You had an option, sir--to say 'no' — and you chose to say 'yes' to the old attitudes and the old stories of the Liberal Party."<ref name="Secret7172" /> | |||
By the start of 1984, as Mulroney began learning the realities of parliamentary life in the House of Commons, the Tories took a substantial lead in opinion polling. It was almost taken for granted that Trudeau would be heavily defeated by Mulroney in the general election due no later than 1985. Trudeau announced his retirement in February and ] as Liberal leader and prime minister by his former finance minister, ], in June. The Liberals then surged in the polls to take a lead after trailing by more than 20 percentage points. Only four days after being sworn in as prime minister, Turner called ]. But the Liberal election campaign machinery was in disarray, leading to a weak campaign.<ref>''The Insiders: Government, Business, and the Lobbyists,'' by ], 1987</ref> | |||
Turner froze and wilted under this withering riposte from Mulroney.<ref name="Secret7172" /> He could repeat only, "I had no option." A visibly angry Mulroney called this "an avowal of failure" and "a confession of non-leadership." The exchange led most papers the next day, with most of them paraphrasing Mulroney's counterattack as "You had an option, sir--you could have said 'no.'" Many observers believe that at this point, Mulroney assured himself of becoming prime minister.<ref name="Secret7172" /> | |||
In the early days of the campaign, Mulroney made several gaffes regarding patronage, including the reference to Ambassador ] as "there's no whore like an old whore".<ref name="mackasey">Hamovitch, Eric, Rae Murphy, Robert Chodos. ''Selling Out: Four Years of the Mulroney Government'', 1988. Page 115.</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Douglas |title=LEADER OF TORIES TAKES CAMPAIGN TO QUEBEC |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/07/world/leader-of-tories-takes-campaign-to-quebec.html |website=New York Times |access-date=July 8, 2022 |date=August 7, 1984 |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708194243/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/07/world/leader-of-tories-takes-campaign-to-quebec.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the campaign is best remembered for his attacks on a raft of Liberal patronage appointments. In his final days in office, Trudeau had controversially appointed a flurry of ], judges, and executives on various governmental and ] boards, widely seen as a way to offer 'plum jobs' to loyal members of the Liberal Party. Upon assuming office, Turner had been under pressure to advise Governor General ] to cancel the appointments—which convention would then have required Sauvé to do. Turner did not, instead appointing several more Liberals to prominent political offices per a signed legal agreement with Trudeau.<ref>Donaldson, p. 320; Newman, p. 71.</ref> | |||
On September 4, Mulroney and the Tories won the largest majority government in Canadian history. They took 211 seats, three more than their previous record in ]. The Liberals won only 40 seats, which, at the time was their worst performance ever and the worst defeat for a governing party at the federal level in Canadian history. The Conservatives won just over half of the ] (compared to 53.4 percent in 1958) and led in every province, emerging as a national party for the first time since 1958. Especially important was the Tories' performance in Mulroney's home province, Quebec. The Tories had only won the most seats in that province once since ] - the 1958 Tory landslide. However, largely due to anger at Trudeau, and Mulroney's promise of a new deal for Quebec, the province swung over dramatically to support him. The Tories had only won one seat out of 75 in 1980 but took 58 seats in 1984. Mulroney yielded Central Nova back to MacKay and instead ran in the eastern Quebec riding of ], which included Baie-Comeau. | |||
Ironically, Turner had planned to attack Mulroney over the patronage machine that the latter had set up in anticipation of victory. In a televised leaders' debate, Turner launched what appeared to be the start of a blistering attack on Mulroney by comparing his patronage machine to that of the old ] in Quebec. Mulroney successfully turned the tables by pointing to the recent raft of Liberal patronage appointments.<ref name="Secret7172">Newman, pp. 71–72.</ref> He demanded that Turner apologize to the country for making "these horrible appointments." Turner replied that, "I had no option" except to let the appointments stand. Mulroney famously responded: | |||
In 1984, the ] named Mulroney "]" for the second straight year, making him only the second prime minister to have received the honour both before becoming prime minister and when prime minister (the other being ]). | |||
<blockquote>]. You could have said, 'I am not going to do it. This is wrong for Canada, and I am not going to ask Canadians to pay the price.' You had an option, sir—to say 'no'—and you chose to say 'yes' to the old attitudes and the old stories of the Liberal Party. That, sir, if I may say respectfully, is not good enough for Canadians.<ref name="Secret7172" /></blockquote> | |||
==Prime minister (1984-1993)== | |||
Turner froze and wilted under this withering riposte from Mulroney.<ref name="Secret7172" /> He could repeat only, "I had no option." A visibly angry Mulroney called this "an avowal of failure" and "a confession of non-leadership." The exchange led most papers the next day, with most of them paraphrasing Mulroney's counterattack as "You had an option, sir—you could have said 'no.'" Many observers believe that at this point, Mulroney assured himself of becoming prime minister.<ref name="Secret7172" /> | |||
===First mandate (1984-1988)=== | |||
] | |||
The first Conservative majority government in 26 years—and only the second in 54 years—initially seemed to give Mulroney a very formidable position. The Tories had won just over half the popular vote, and no other party crossed the 50-seat mark. On paper, he was free to take Canada in any direction he wanted. However, his position was far more precarious than his parliamentary majority would suggest. His support was based on a 'grand coalition' of ] ] from the West, ], and fiscal conservatives from Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Such diverse interests became difficult for Mulroney to juggle.<ref>David Bercuson et al. ''Sacred Trust? Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power'' (1987)</ref> | |||
On September 4, Mulroney and the Tories won the second largest majority government (in terms of percentage of seats) in Canadian history, winning 74.8 percent of seats in the House of Commons (behind the Tories' ] in which they won 78.5 percent of seats). They took 211 seats, three more than their previous record in 1958 and the highest number of seats ever won by any party in Canadian history. The Liberals won only 40 seats, which, at the time, was their worst performance ever and the worst defeat for a governing party at the federal level in Canadian history. The Progressive Conservatives won just over half of the ] (compared to 53.4 percent in 1958) and led in every province, emerging as a national party for the first time since 1958. Especially important was the Tories' performance in Mulroney's home province, Quebec. The Tories had only won the most seats in that province once since ] – the 1958 Tory landslide. Largely out of anger at Trudeau and Mulroney's promise of a new deal for Quebec, the province swung over dramatically to support him. The Tories had only won one seat out of 75 in 1980 but took 58 seats in 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=The Canadian Press |date=February 29, 2024 |title=Former prime minister Brian Mulroney dead at 84 |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/02/29/news/former-prime-minister-brian-mulroney-dead |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=Canada's National Observer |language=en |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301030036/https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/02/29/news/former-prime-minister-brian-mulroney-dead |url-status=live }}</ref> Mulroney yielded Central Nova back to MacKay and instead ran and won in the eastern Quebec riding of ], which included Baie-Comeau.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
He attempted to appeal to the Western provinces, whose earlier support had been critical to his electoral success, by cancelling the ] and including a large number of Westerners in his Cabinet (including Clark as minister of external affairs). However, he was not completely successful, even aside from economic and constitutional policy. For example, he moved ] servicing from Manitoba to Quebec in 1986, even though the Manitoba bid was lower and the company was better rated,<ref>Newman, p. 116.</ref> and received death threats for exerting pressure on Manitoba over French language rights.<ref name="Newman427">Newman, p. 427.</ref> | |||
In 1984, the ] named Mulroney "]" for the second straight year, making him only the second prime minister to have received the honour both before becoming prime minister and when prime minister (the other being ]).<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 19, 2023 |title=The Canadian Press Newsmaker of the Year: from 1946 to 2023 |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/12/19/the-canadian-press-newsmaker-of-the-year-from-1946-to-2023/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=] |agency=] |archive-date=December 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226124149/https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/12/19/the-canadian-press-newsmaker-of-the-year-from-1946-to-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Many of Mulroney's ministers had little government experience, resulting in conflicts of interest and embarrassing scandals. Many Tories expected ] appointments due to the long time out of government.<ref>Newman, p. 91, quoting "Mulroney's friend Arthur Campeau."</ref> Indeed, Mulroney made a number of unscripted gaffes regarding patronage, including the reference to Ambassador ] as "there's no whore like an old whore".<ref name="mackasey">Hamovitch, Eric, Rae Murphy, Robert Chodos. ''Selling Out: Four Years of the Mulroney Government'', 1988. Page 115.</ref> The new Prime Minister's handlers were concerned by apparent unpredictability and rumours of drinking. | |||
== Prime Minister (1984–1993) == | |||
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] --> | |||
The first Conservative majority victory in 26 years—and only the second in 54 years—initially seemed to give Mulroney a very formidable position. The Tories had won just over half the popular vote, and no other party crossed the 50-seat mark. He had wide discretion to take Canada in virtually any direction he wanted. His position was far more precarious than his parliamentary majority would suggest. Mulroney's support was based on a grand coalition of ] ] from the West, ], and fiscal conservatives from Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Such diverse interests became difficult for him to juggle.<ref>David Bercuson et al. ''Sacred Trust? Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power'' (1987)</ref> | |||
Most of Mulroney's ministers had little government experience, resulting in conflicts of interest and embarrassing scandals. Many Tories expected patronage appointments due to the long time out of government.<ref>Newman, p. 91, quoting "Mulroney's friend Arthur Campeau."</ref> Mulroney included a large number of Westerners in his Cabinet (including Clark as ]). He was not completely successful, even aside from economic and constitutional policy. For example, he moved ] servicing from Manitoba to Quebec in 1986, even though the Manitoba bid was lower and the company was better rated.<ref>Newman, p. 116.</ref> Mulroney also received death threats for exerting pressure on Manitoba over French language rights.<ref name="Newman427">Newman, p. 427.</ref> | |||
] in September 1984]] | ] in September 1984]] | ||
One of Mulroney's main priorities, at least publicly, was to lower the ], which was running into the billions of dollars. However, the country's debt increased substantially through his term. His attempts to reduce spending limited his ability to deliver on many promises. Also impeding his progress was the Senate, where the Liberals had a large majority due to their previous long tenure in power. Led by ], the Senate took a very assertive role in legislation, forcing the government to compromise on several points despite its considerable House majority. | |||
=== Economic policy === | |||
A major undertaking by Mulroney's government was an attempt to resolve the divisive issue of national unity. Quebec was the only province that did not sign the new ] negotiated by Prime Minister ] in 1982, and Mulroney wanted to include Quebec in a new agreement with the rest of Canada. In 1987, he negotiated the ] with the ], a package of constitutional amendments designed to satisfy Quebec's demand for recognition as a "]" within Canada, and to devolve some powers to the provinces. | |||
==== Social programs and spending ==== | |||
Another of Mulroney's priorities was the privatization of many of Canada's ]s. In 1984, the Government of Canada held 61 different crown corporations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG169.pdf|title=Lessons from the North: Canada's Privatization of Military Ammunition Production|format=PDF|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> It sold off 23 of them including Air Canada which was completely privatized by 1989, although the Air Canada Public Participation Act<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-10.1/FullText.html|title=Air Canada Public Participation Act|publisher=Laws.justice.gc.ca|date=2010-05-31|accessdate=2013-04-16}}</ref> continued to make certain requirements of the airline. ] was also later privatized. | |||
Despite Mulroney referring to social programs as a "sacred trust" when he was Opposition leader in 1983,<ref name="Making medicare – Brian Mulroney">{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title=Making medicare – Brian Mulroney|url=https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/medicare/medic-7k05e.html|website=Canadian Museum of History|access-date=April 23, 2022|archive-date=June 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605082808/https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/medicare/medic-7k05e.html|url-status=live}}</ref> he began to reduce expenditures on the programs when he came into office. In terms of ], Mulroney's government gradually reduced its benefits at middle-income levels and above. Mulroney's government cut spending for ] (UI) and reduced the range of workers covered by the benefits from the program. In their ], the Mulroney government announced that ] (RHOSP) contributions would not be deductible if made after May 22, 1985, (funds left in the RHOSP after this date could be withdrawn tax-free, "regardless of the use"{{efn|Withdrawals made prior to May 22, 1985, must meet usage requirements to be received tax-free.}}<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126210836/https://www.budget.gc.ca/pdfarch/1985-pap-eng.pdf |date=January 26, 2022 }}, May 22, 1985. pp. 76–77.</ref>{{sfn|S.C. 1986, ch. 6|loc=s 82}}) and no contribution could be made after December 31, 1985;{{efn|They would otherwise be reincluded in the taxpayer's income if made between May 22, 1985, and December 31, 1985.}}{{sfn|S.C. 1986, ch. 6|loc=s 82(10)}} the government also announced that income earned in an RHOSP after December 31, 1985, was to be included in the owner's taxable income, effectively ending the last desirable feature of RHOSPs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fellows |first1=Patrick |title=Savings bonds are always cashable |work=Toronto Star |date=July 8, 1986 |page=E4 |language=en}}</ref> In 1990, the government limited cost-sharing under the ] in three provinces in response to their concerns that unemployed workers would apply for cost-shared provincial social assistance (as a result of rising unemployment).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moscovitch |first1=Allan |title=Welfare State |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/welfare-state |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=April 22, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=November 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117125820/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/welfare-state |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in 1990, Mulroney's government eliminated its financial contribution to UI, making all UI costs covered by worker and employer contributions.<ref name="CanadianLabourUI">{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Passage of the unemployment insurance act |url=https://canadianlabour.ca/passage-of-the-unemployment-insurance-act/#:~:text=1971%20%E2%80%93%20Prime%20Minister%20Pierre%20Trudeau,of%2020%20hours%20per%20week. |website=Canadian Labour Congress |date=August 5, 2018 |access-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423181650/https://canadianlabour.ca/passage-of-the-unemployment-insurance-act/#:~:text=1971%20%E2%80%93%20Prime%20Minister%20Pierre%20Trudeau,of%2020%20hours%20per%20week. |url-status=live }}</ref> In Spring 1993, the government lowered benefits for unemployed Canadians and eliminated benefits for the unemployed who failed to prove the reason they left their job. | |||
The ] bombing, which originated in Montreal, happened during Mulroney's first term. This was the largest terrorist act before ], with the majority of the 329 victims being Canadian citizens. Mulroney sent a letter of condolence to then ] ], which sparked an uproar in Canada since he did not call families of the actual victims to offer condolences. Gandhi replied that he should be the one providing condolences to Mulroney, given that the majority of victims were Canadian or lived in Canada. Many Indo-Canadians considered this to be a racist act because they felt Mulroney did not consider them to be true Canadian citizens as they were not of European descent.{{citation needed|date=December 2008}} Furthermore, there were several warnings from the ] to the Mulroney government about terrorist threats towards Air India flights. Questions remain as to why these warnings were not taken more seriously and whether the events leading to the bombing could have been prevented.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=90d8bfad-8bd6-43d6-9899-ad8f0649db87&k=79609|title=story|publisher=Canada.com|date=2006-06-19|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060925/airindia_inquiry_060925/20060925?hub=TopStories|title=ctv story|publisher=Ctv.ca|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|agency=The Canadian Press|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/11/07/air-india.html|title=CBC website November 7, 2007|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2006-11-07|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> The ] in 2006 appointed the former ] Justice ] to conduct a commission of inquiry. His report was completed and released on 17 June 2010. | |||
In 1985, Mulroney's government introduced a four-year plan to restructure family benefits. Starting in 1986, ]s were partially ] to the ]. For three years, from 1986 to 1988, the refundable ]s were increased to $549 per year. Starting in 1989, the tax credits were partially indexed in the same manner as family allowances. That same year, as part of the government's program to target social benefits to low or middle-income Canadians, universal family allowances ended as high-income parents were required to repay all of their benefits at tax-filing time. This system maintained and increased a tax deduction for childcare expenses, benefiting high-income families the most. In 1992, the government replaced family allowances with a new Child Tax Benefit that included the family allowance, the Refundable Child Tax Credit, and a non-refundable child tax credit. The new benefit paid a maximum of $85 per month per child up to the age of 18 and was tax-free. It was income-tested on the net family income reported in the preceding year's income tax returns.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guest |first1=Dennis |title=Family Allowance |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/family-allowance |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=April 23, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=April 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423185042/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/family-allowance |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Near the end of his first term, Mulroney gave a formal apology and a $300 million compensation package to the families of the 22,000 ] who had been divested of their property and ]. | |||
Mulroney's government reduced the federal workforce by 1 percent each year from 1986 to 1991, resulting in the laying off of 11,000 federal employees. Mulroney's government transferred the costs of ] and ] to the provinces, breaking the tradition of the two levels of government splitting the costs. As a result, some provinces had to drop insurance coverage for certain medical procedures and drugs. Mulroney's government eliminated subsidies to government-owned passenger rail and postal services, resulting in the closing of post offices in some small towns and the elimination of certain train routes. The government also introduced fees for forwarding misdirected letters. Under Mulroney, military spending growth was reduced to 1.5 percent per year and foreign aid growth was reduced to 3 percent per year.<ref name="LATimes" /> Mulroney also put spending limits on ].<ref name="Making medicare – Brian Mulroney"/> | |||
====Foreign policy==== | |||
Mulroney's government opposed the ] regime in South Africa and he met with many of the regime's opposition leaders throughout his tenure. His position put him at odds with the American and British governments, but also won him respect elsewhere. Also, external affairs minister ] was the first foreign affairs minister to land in previously isolated ] to lead the Western response to the ]; Clark landed in ] so quickly he had not even seen the ] report that had created the initial and strong public reaction. Canada's response was overwhelming and led the U.S.A. and Britain to follow suit almost immediately — an unprecedented situation in foreign affairs at that time, since Ethiopia had a ] regime and had previously been isolated by Western governments. | |||
==== Deficit ==== | |||
The Mulroney government also took a strong stand against the U.S. ] in Nicaragua under Reagan, and accepted ]s from El Salvador, Guatemala, and other countries with repressive regimes supported directly by the ]. | |||
One of Mulroney's priorities was to lower the ], which under Pierre Trudeau had increased from $667 million in the ] to $37.2 billion in the ]. By ], Mulroney's government cut the deficit to $28 billion, though it would never decrease beyond that point and the deficit would instead increase. The Progressive Conservatives' ] produced a deficit of $38.5 billion, about the same level that it was when Trudeau left office. As a percent of GDP, the deficit was reduced from 8.3 percent to 5.6 percent during Mulroney's tenure.<ref name=":CBCgraph">{{cite web|title=Canada's deficits and surpluses, 1963–2014|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/canada-deficit/|website=CBC News|publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada|access-date=May 27, 2023|archive-date=January 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122103957/http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/canada-deficit/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Michael |title=The Politics of Austerity: A Recent History |page=160}}</ref> | |||
====Free trade==== | |||
During his tenure as prime minister, Brian Mulroney's close relationship with U.S. President ] helped secure a landmark treaty on ] and the ratification of a ] under which all ]s between the two countries would be eliminated by 1998.<ref>Stephen Clarkson. ''Canada and the Reagan Challenge: Crisis and Adjustment, 1981-85'' (2nd ed. 1985) ch 5, 8</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
Critics noted that Mulroney had originally professed opposition to ] during the 1983 leadership campaign.<ref name="autogenerated1">Donaldson, p. 334.</ref> This agreement was controversial, and the Senate demanded an election before proceeding to a ratification vote. The ] was the central issue of the ], with the Liberals and NDP opposing it. With the Liberals gaining the initial momentum, a successful counterattack by ] resulted in the PCs being re-elected with a solid but reduced majority and 43 percent of the popular vote. Mulroney thus became the only Conservative, in the 20th century, to lead his party to consecutive majority governments during peacetime. In this election, Mulroney transferred to another eastern Quebec seat, ], after an electoral redistribution saw its boundary shift to include Baie-Comeau. | |||
|+ List of budgets passed by the Mulroney government | |||
<br />'''''$ represent ] billions of ] dollars''''' | |||
|- | |||
! Budget !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] !! ] | |||
|- | |||
| '''Deficit''' || $33.389 || $29.842 || $29.017 || $27.947 || $29.143 || $33.899 || $32.319 || $39.019 || $38.5 | |||
|} | |||
The ] significantly damaged the government's financial situation. Mulroney's inability to improve the government's finances, as well as his use of tax increases to deal with it, were major factors in alienating the Western conservative portion of his power base – this contrasted with his tax cuts earlier as part of his 'pro-business' plan which had increased the deficit. At the same time, the ] began to raise interest rates in order to meet a ] target; the experiment was regarded as a failure that exacerbated the effect of the recession in Canada. Annual budget deficits ballooned to record levels, reaching $42 billion in his last year of office. These deficits grew the national debt dangerously close to the psychological benchmark of 100 percent of GDP, further weakening the ] and damaging Canada's international credit rating.<ref name="Blake 2007">Blake, ed., ''Transforming the Nation: Canada and Brian Mulroney'' (2007)</ref> | |||
On election day, November 21, 1988, Mulroney made a controversial order in council which allowed the establishment of the AMEX Bank of Canada (owned by ]). | |||
=== |
==== Taxation ==== | ||
]", when the two leaders sang "]."]] | |||
Mulroney's government de-indexed ] ] and eliminated open corporate tax loopholes. The government also increased taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gasoline.<ref name="LATimes">{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Mary |title=America From Abroad : Canadian Budget Plan Cuts to the Quick : Mulroney's nine years of taxes and trims have stemmed the red ink but drawn political blood. Watch out, Bill Clinton! |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-23-wr-519-story.html |access-date=May 1, 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 23, 1993 |archive-date=May 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502005747/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-23-wr-519-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1988, Mulroney's government reduced the corporate income tax from 36 percent to 28 percent.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Canada's failed experiment with corporate income tax cuts |url=https://monitormag.ca/articles/canadas-failed-experiment-with-corporate-income-tax-cuts |website=Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives |access-date=May 1, 2022 |date=September 9, 2015 |archive-date=June 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611112506/https://monitormag.ca/articles/canadas-failed-experiment-with-corporate-income-tax-cuts |url-status=live }}</ref> That year, his government increased the ] inclusion rate from 50 percent to 66.67 percent before increasing it to 75 percent in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=A primer on capital gains taxes in Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/a-primer-on-capital-gains-taxes-in-canada-1.231145 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 8, 2023 |date=October 18, 2000 |archive-date=May 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508063633/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/a-primer-on-capital-gains-taxes-in-canada-1.231145 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney's second term was marked by an economic recession. He proposed the introduction of a national ], the ] (GST), in 1989. When it was introduced in 1991, it replaced the ] (MST) that had previously been applied at the wholesale level on goods manufactured in Canada. A bitter Senate battle ensued, and many polls showed that as many as 80% of Canadians were opposed to the tax. Mulroney had to use Section 26 (the Deadlock Clause), a little known Constitutional provision, allowing him in an emergency situation to ask the Queen to appoint 8 new Senators. Although the government argued that the tax was not a tax increase, but a tax shift, the highly visible nature of the tax was extremely unpopular, and many resented Mulroney's use of an "emergency" clause in the constitution.<ref>Raymond B. Blake, ed., ''Transforming the Nation: Canada and Brian Mulroney'' (2007)</ref> | |||
Mulroney's government passed a major tax reform bill, Bill C-139, which was made effective on January 1, 1988. It included reforms for personal and corporate income taxes. The bill expanded the tax base for personal and corporate income; lowered rates applicable to taxable income; supplanted exemptions with credits; and removed certain deductions for personal income tax. The bill replaced the 1987 rate schedule of 10 brackets (with rates ranging from 6 to 34 percent) with a schedule of only three brackets (with rates of 17 percent, 26 percent, and 29 percent). The bill also limited the lifetime capital gains exemption to $100,000; lowered capital cost allowances; established limitations on deductible business expenses; and cut the dividend tax credit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carter |first1=George |title=Taxation in Canada |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/taxation |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=January 28, 2007 |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707210253/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/taxation |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The Meech Lake Accord also met its doom in 1990. It was not ratified by the provincial governments of Manitoba and ] before the June ratification deadline. This failure sparked a revival of ],<ref>Rawlinson and Graham, p. 22.</ref> and led to another round of meetings in ] in 1991 and 1992. These negotiations culminated in the ], which outlined extensive changes to the constitution, including recognition of Quebec as a distinct society. However, the agreement was overwhelmingly defeated in a national referendum in October 1992. Many blamed the GST battle and Mulroney's unpopularity for the fall of the Accord.<ref name="Blake 2007">Blake, ed., ''Transforming the Nation: Canada and Brian Mulroney'' (2007)</ref> | |||
In August 1989, Mulroney's government announced the introduction of a nine percent national sales tax, the ] (GST), to replace the hidden 13.5 percent manufacturers' sales tax (MST). The government argued that the MST damaged the Canadian economy's competitiveness as it only applied to domestically manufactured goods, as opposed to the new GST, which applied to domestic and imported goods. The GST did not apply to basic groceries, prescription drugs, health and dental care, educational services, daycare, and legal aid. Following public backlash, Mulroney's government changed the tax rate to seven percent. Although the government argued the tax was not a tax increase, but a tax shift, the highly visible nature of the tax was extremely unpopular, and many polls showed that as many as 80 percent of Canadians were opposed to the tax. Two Progressive Conservative MPs from Alberta, ] and ], left the party in protest of the tax.<ref name="LA Times Canada's 9% Sales Tax">{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=September 19, 1989 |title=Canada's 9% Sales Tax Proposal Stirs Discontent |language=en-US |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-19-fi-332-story.html |access-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-date=October 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015175855/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-19-fi-332-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Brian Mulroney looks back at GST with no regrets |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/brian-mulroney-looks-back-at-gst-with-no-regrets-1.590073 |website=CTV News |access-date=July 4, 2022 |date=December 28, 2010 |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706014215/https://www.ctvnews.ca/brian-mulroney-looks-back-at-gst-with-no-regrets-1.590073 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Raymond B. Blake 2007" /> The ] with a Liberal majority refused to pass the GST. Mulroney used Section 26 (the Deadlock Clause), a little-known Constitutional provision, allowing him in an emergency situation to ask the Queen to appoint eight new senators. On September 27, 1990, at the Queen's approval, Mulroney added the eight new senators, thus giving the Tories their first majority in the Senate in nearly 50 years. In December 1990, the GST was passed in the Senate and was made effective on January 1, 1991. Mulroney's use of an "emergency" clause in the constitution was controversial and contributed to his decline in popularity.<ref name="Raymond B. Blake 2007" /><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=When Brian Mulroney upsized the Senate to pass the GST |url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/when-brian-mulroney-upsized-the-senate-to-pass-the-gst-1.4839649 |website=CBC |access-date=July 4, 2022 |date=September 27, 2018 |archive-date=July 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706014218/https://www.cbc.ca/archives/when-brian-mulroney-upsized-the-senate-to-pass-the-gst-1.4839649 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In 1990 Mulroney nominated ], an MP from ] and a former Cabinet minister, to be ] (1990–1995). | |||
One of the causes of the early 1990s recession was several tax increases instituted by Mulroney's government between 1989 and 1991. The introduction of the goods and services tax and increases related to excise and payroll taxes were modelled to have reduced real GDP growth by 1.6, 2.4 and 5.1 percentage points in 1990, 1991 and 1992, respectively. Had these tax increases had not been implemented, the national debt would have increased significantly.<ref name="Wilson, Dugan and Murphy">Wilson, Thomas, Dungan, Peter, and Murphy, Steve {{citation|title=The Sources of the Recession in Canada: 1989–1992 |url=http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/aec7/921e41844189816ed79117f4d812e6195184.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302032502/http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/aec7/921e41844189816ed79117f4d812e6195184.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 2, 2019 |work=University of Toronto |s2cid=17318693 }}</ref> | |||
The worldwide ] of the early 1990s significantly damaged the government's financial situation. Mulroney's inability to improve the government's finances, as well as his use of tax increases to deal with it, were major factors in alienating the western conservative portion of his power base - this contrasted with his tax cuts earlier as part of his 'pro-business' plan which had increased the deficit. At the same time, the ] began to raise interest rates in order to meet a ] target; the experiment was regarded as a failure that exacerbated the effect of the recession in Canada. Annual budget deficits ballooned to record levels, reaching $42 billion in his last year of office. These deficits grew the national debt dangerously close to the psychological benchmark of 100% of GDP, further weakening the ] and damaging Canada's international credit rating.<ref name="Blake 2007"/> | |||
==== Privatizations ==== | |||
Mulroney supported the United Nations coalition during the 1991 ] and when the UN authorized full use of force in the operation, Canada sent a ] squadron with support personnel and a field hospital to deal with casualties from the ground war as well as a company of ] to safeguard these ground elements calling Canada's participation ]. In August he sent the destroyers ] and ] to enforce the trade blockade against Iraq. The supply ship ] was also sent to aid the gathering coalition forces. When the air war began, Canada's planes were integrated into the coalition force and provided air cover and attacked ground targets. This was the first time since the fighting on Cyprus in 1974 that Canadian forces participated directly in combat operations. | |||
Mulroney's government privatized many of Canada's ]. In 1984, the ] held 61 crown corporations. Under Mulroney, it sold off 23 of them,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG169.pdf|title=Lessons from the North: Canada's Privatization of Military Ammunition Production|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-date=June 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624111426/http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG169.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> including ], which was completely privatized by 1989,<ref>{{cite news | title=Indepth: Air Canada Timeline | date=June 20, 2005 | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aircanada/timeline.html | publisher=] | access-date=July 29, 2022 | url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421035635/http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/aircanada/timeline.html |archive-date=April 21, 2006}}</ref> although the ''Air Canada Public Participation Act'' continued to make certain requirements of the airline.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-10.1/FullText.html |title=Air Canada Public Participation Act |publisher=Laws.justice.gc.ca |date=May 31, 2010 |access-date=April 16, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507092239/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-10.1/FullText.html |archive-date=May 7, 2013 }}</ref> Mulroney's government also privatized ] in 1984 through two public issues (one in 1984 and one in 1987)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=William |title=Connaught Labs — the greatest mistake ever made by a Canadian government |url=https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/local-niagara-falls/opinion/columnists/2021/02/22/connaught-labs-the-greatest-mistake-ever-made-by-a-canadian-government.html |website=St. Catherine's Standard |access-date=July 29, 2022 |date=February 22, 2021 |archive-date=July 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729221320/https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/local-niagara-falls/opinion/columnists/2021/02/22/connaught-labs-the-greatest-mistake-ever-made-by-a-canadian-government.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=History fuels nationalism-global trade debate|last=Enchin|first=Harvey|date=September 30, 1989|work=The Globe and Mail|page=B1|issn=0319-0714}}</ref> and ] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yusufali |first1=Sasha |last2=Pratt |first2=Larry |title=Petro-Canada |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/petro-canada |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=July 29, 2022 |date=November 16, 2009 |archive-date=July 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729221537/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/petro-canada |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
For the ], the Mulroney years began with hope but ended with disappointment. Most members of the CF welcomed the return to distinctive uniforms for the three services, replacing the single green uniform worn since unification (1967–70). A White Paper proposed boosting the CF's combat capability, which had, according to Canadian Defence Quarterly, declined so badly that Canada would have been unable to send a brigade to the Gulf War had it desired to. The CF in this period did undergo a much-needed modernization of a range of equipment from trucks to a new family of small arms. Many proposed reforms, however, failed to occur, and according to historian ], Mulroney "raised the military's hopes repeatedly, but failed to deliver." In 1984, he had promised to increase the military budget and the regular force to 92,000 troops, but the budget was cut and the troop level fell to below 80,000 by 1993. This was, however, in step with other NATO countries after the end of the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/mr112-e.htm|title=Defence Policy Review (MR-112E)|publisher=Parl.gc.ca|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> The Mulroney government undertook a defence policy review, publishing a new statement in late 1991, but political considerations meant that no comprehensive policy for the ] was arrived at before the government's defeat in 1993. According to Granatstein, this meant that Canada was not able to live up to its post-Cold War military commitments. | |||
==== Energy policy ==== | |||
The decline of ] stocks in Atlantic Canada led the Mulroney government to impose a ] on the cod fishery there, putting an end to a large portion of the Newfoundland fishing industry, and causing serious economic hardship. The government instituted various programmes designed to mitigate these effects but still became deeply unpopular in the Atlantic provinces. | |||
On June 1, 1985, Mulroney's government negotiated the ] Accord on Energy with the governments of the ] provinces. It permitted the full deregulation of oil prices and allowed the market forces of international and local supply and demand to determine prices. This accord abolished the ], which was a policy of Trudeau's Liberal government that was highly unpopular in the Western provinces.<ref name=OilFreedomDay>{{cite news |url=https://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2009/06/oil-freedom-day/ |title=June 1, 1985, marks the day the Western Accord on Energy – and an open market – took over |author=Staff writers |work=Alberta Oil Magazine |date=June 1, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623121257/https://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2009/06/oil-freedom-day/ |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Budget_1985">{{citation |url=https://www.budget.gc.ca/pdfarch/1985-pap-eng.pdf |title=Budget 1985 |date=May 23, 1985 |access-date=October 22, 2019 |first=Michael H. |last=Wilson |publisher=Department of Finance Canada |location=Ottawa, ON |archive-date=January 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126210836/https://www.budget.gc.ca/pdfarch/1985-pap-eng.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|12–15}} | |||
The environment was a key focus of Mulroney's government, as Canada became the first industrialized country to ratify both the biodiversity convention and the climate change convention agreed to at the UN Conference on the Environment. His government added significant new national parks (], ], and ]), and passed the ] and ].<ref name="Blake 2007"/> | |||
=== |
=== Environmental policy === | ||
Widespread public resentment of the ], an economic slump, the fracturing of his political coalition, and his lack of results regarding the Quebec situation caused Mulroney's popularity to decline considerably during his second term. An ominous sign was a 1989 by-election in the Alberta riding of ]. In this election, called when Tory MP ] died before ever having a chance to attend a sitting, ] candidate ] won by a hefty 4,200 votes after finishing fourth in the general election just five months earlier. This was perhaps, the first sign that Mulroney's grand coalition was fracturing; the PCs had dominated Alberta's federal politics since the ]. Another sign came before ] was finalized, when Bouchard resigned from both the cabinet and the party over changes to the proposal that he felt diluted its spirit. After the failure of Meech, Bouchard convinced several other Tories to break with the party and join him to form the ], a pro-] (i.e. ''independentist'') party. Years later, Mulroney said that his biggest error as Prime Minister had been trusting his former university friend; indeed, he and Bouchard have not spoken to each other in over two decades. | |||
The environment was a key focus of Mulroney's government. His government added eight new national parks (including ] and ]), and passed the '']'' and '']''.<ref name="Raymond B. Blake 2007">Raymond B. Blake, ed., ''Transforming the Nation: Canada and Brian Mulroney'' (2007)</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hillmer |first1=Norman |title=Brian Mulroney |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-mulroney |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=May 27, 2022 |date=April 22, 2013 |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527050606/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-mulroney |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney entered 1993 facing a ] (under Canadian law, federal governments can have a maximum duration of five years, but they often have lesser duration as they must enjoy the confidence of the House of Commons in order to continue in office). By this time, his approval ratings had dipped into the teens, and were at 11% in a 1992 ], making him one of the most unpopular prime ministers since opinion polling began in Canada in the 1940s.<ref>Russell Ash, ''The Top 10 of Everything 2000'', Montreal: The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., 1999, p. 80.</ref> There was a consensus that Mulroney would be heavily defeated by ] and the Liberals if he led the Tories into the next election—ironically, the same situation that led to Trudeau's departure from the scene nine years earlier. He announced his retirement from politics in February and was replaced as Prime Minister by ] ] in June. The last Gallup Poll taken before his retirement, in February 1993, showed his approval ratings had rebounded to 21%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca/news.php?id=61 |title=Home | Waterloo News |website=Newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca |date= |accessdate=2016-02-16}}</ref> | |||
In 1987, Mulroney hosted an international climate conference in ], Quebec. There, 46 nations signed the ] to limit the use and production of ] (CFCs); this agreement came after the discovery that CFCs were burning a hole through the ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Montpetit |first1=Jonathan |title=That time conservatives saved the planet from climate change |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/conservatives-ozone-montreal-protocol-1.4409482 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 25, 2022 |date=November 19, 2017 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525234734/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/conservatives-ozone-montreal-protocol-1.4409482 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In his final days in office, Mulroney made several decisions that hampered the Tory campaign later that year. He took a lavish international "farewell" tour<ref>Donaldson, p. 349.</ref> mostly at taxpayers' expense, without transacting any official business. Also, by the time he handed power to Campbell, there were only two-and-a-half months left in the Tories' five-year mandate. Further compounding the problem, Mulroney continued to live at ] for some time after Campbell was sworn in as Prime Minister. Brian and Mila Mulroney's new private residence in Montreal was undergoing renovations, and they did not move out of 24 Sussex until their new home was ready. Instead, Campbell took up residence at ], the Prime Minister's official summer retreat across the river in ]. | |||
Mulroney secured the ], an ] on ], with United States President ] in 1991. Both nations committed to reducing the emissions of the air pollutants (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide) that caused acid rain through a ] system.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parry |first1=Tom |title=Years ago, Canada and the U.S. came together to end the acid rain threat. What changed? |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/acid-rain-bush-climate-change-mulroney-1.4934402 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 25, 2022 |date=December 6, 2018 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525042755/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/acid-rain-bush-climate-change-mulroney-1.4934402 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Elliott |first1=Josh |title=How George H.W. Bush and Brian Mulroney teamed up to curb acid rain |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4731021/george-bush-brian-mulroney-acid-rain/ |website=Global News |access-date=May 25, 2022 |date=December 5, 2018 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525042754/https://globalnews.ca/news/4731021/george-bush-brian-mulroney-acid-rain/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Negotiations began in 1986 when Mulroney first discussed the issue with then-president ]. Mulroney repeatedly pressed the issue in public meetings with Reagan in 1987<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1315355.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106001539/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1315355.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012|title=Mulroney Presses Reagan;Canadian Wants Acid Rain Treaty|date=April 6, 1987|access-date=May 25, 2022}}</ref> and 1988.<ref>{{cite news |author=PHILIP SHABECOFF, Special to the New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/29/world/canada-sees-acid-rain-talks.html |title=Canada Sees Acid-Rain Talks |location=Canada; United States |newspaper=NYTimes.com |date=April 29, 1988 |access-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525042756/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/29/world/canada-sees-acid-rain-talks.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The 1993 election was a disaster for the Tories. The oldest party in Canada was reduced from a majority with 151 seats to two seats in the worst defeat ever suffered for a governing party at the federal level. The 149-seat loss far exceeded the 95-seat loss the Liberals suffered in 1984. The Tories were no longer recognized as an official caucus in the House of Commons, since the required minimum number of seats for ] is 12. As an example of the antipathy toward Mulroney, his former riding fell to the Bloc by a lopsided margin; the Tory candidate finished a distant third, with only 6,800 votes—just a few votes shy of losing his electoral deposit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esm.ubc.ca/CA93/results.html|title=1993 Canadian Federal Election Results (Detail)|publisher=Esm.ubc.ca|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> In her memoirs, '']'', and in her response in the '']'' to '']'', Campbell said that Mulroney left her with almost no time to salvage the Tories' reputation once the bounce from the leadership convention wore off. Campbell went as far as to claim that Mulroney knew the Tories would be defeated regardless of who led them into the election, and wanted a "scapegoat who would bear the burden of his unpopularity" rather than a true successor. | |||
Under Mulroney, Canada became the first industrialized country to ratify the 1992 ] at the ] in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Conference experts claimed that Canada's signing of the treaty motivated the United Kingdom and Germany to pledge their support and thus avoid the convention's defeat. The conference also introduced the ], which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to an environmentally friendly level; Canada was the first ] (G7) nation to sign the treaty. At the convention, Mulroney pledged $260 million from Canada toward advancing sustainable development for developing nations; this included an offer to forgive $145 million in debts owed to Canada by Latin American nations on the condition that the sum of money be used for sustainable development and social programs. At the end of the conference, Mulroney stated, "I leave this conference believing we have a better chance of saving the world than we had when we came here."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Mark |title=Progress in Rio |url=https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1992/6/22/progress-in-rio |website=Maclean's |access-date=May 27, 2022 |date=June 22, 1992 |archive-date=June 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612150931/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1992/6/22/progress-in-rio |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hrvatin |first1=Vanessa |title=A brief history of Canada's climate change agreements |url=https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/a-brief-history-of-canadas-climate-change-agreements/ |website=Canadian Geographic |access-date=May 27, 2022 |date=May 30, 2016 |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516183849/https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/a-brief-history-of-canadas-climate-change-agreements/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Airbus/Schreiber affair=== | |||
{{main|Airbus affair}} | |||
In 1997, Mulroney settled a ] ] he had brought against the ] two years previously. Mulroney received an apology and a $2.1 million reimbursement for legal and public relations costs. At issue were allegations that Mulroney had accepted bribes in the "]" concerning government contracts. The government said the charges could not be substantiated. The principal ] (RCMP) investigator on the case retired a year later. The government later dropped the investigation entirely. | |||
By 1992, Newfoundland and Labrador cod of breeding age dropped to one percent of its estimated peak. Concerned about the ] of cod stocks off the coast of the province, Mulroney's government, in the summer of that year imposed a ] on cod fishing; they initially set the ban for a minimum of two years, but later expanded it indefinitely.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Crosbie calls cod moratorium his hardest political moment |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/crosbie-calls-cod-moratorium-his-hardest-political-moment-1.1214175 |website=CBC News |access-date=February 5, 2022 |date=June 27, 2012 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205083742/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/crosbie-calls-cod-moratorium-his-hardest-political-moment-1.1214175 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title="I didn't take the fish from the God damn water" |url=https://parli.ca/i-didnt-take-the-fish-out-of-the-god-damn-water/ |website=Parli.ca |date=March 4, 2021 |access-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205083747/https://parli.ca/i-didnt-take-the-fish-out-of-the-god-damn-water/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CodEncyclopedia">{{cite web |last1=Berry |first1=David |title=Cod Moratorium of 1992 |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cod-moratorium-of-1992 |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=May 27, 2022 |date=August 6, 2020 |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527053912/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cod-moratorium-of-1992 |url-status=live }}</ref> This resulted in the layoff of 30,000–40,000 workers. Mulroney's government introduced the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program (NCARP) that provided ] payments and retraining to workers; most of the workers viewed this as insufficient. In the first decade of the ban, Newfoundland and Labrador's population fell by 10 percent as people left to search for work.<ref name="CodEncyclopedia" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Dixit |first1=Prajwala |title=What does 2020's pandemic have in common with the 1992 cod moratorium? More than you think |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/pandemic-cod-moratorium-1992-1.5710693 |website=CBC News |access-date=May 27, 2022 |date=September 6, 2020 |quote=She added that the moratorium also resulted in the largest mass industrial layoff in Canadian history. As a proportion of the provincial population, she said, 30,000 to 40,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians... |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527053913/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/pandemic-cod-moratorium-1992-1.5710693 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
But a key fact was unknown in 1997, and had not been elicited under sworn testimony in which Mulroney had denied business dealings or significant meetings with a business associate: Mulroney later confirmed that he had personally accepted cash payments from his business associate ], a German-Canadian businessman who had been a paid broker for Airbus and other companies. The cash changed hands in three secret meetings in hotels in Montreal and New York City, in brown paper bags of $1000 bills totaling either $225,000 (according to Mulroney) or $300,000 (according to Schrieber). The payments occurred over an 18-month period, beginning in 1993 when Mulroney had stepped down as Prime Minister but was still a member of Parliament. In 2007, Mulroney stated that he had kept the cash paid in New York in a New York safe deposit box (thus implying that he had not illegally carried it undeclared across the US-Canada border) and in a safe in his Montreal home. The cash payments had not then been declared as income for tax purposes. | |||
=== Social policy === | |||
Schreiber had at his disposal $20 million from Airbus for the payment of secret commissions. ] reported on February 8, 2006<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-questions-raised-over-mulroney-s-ties-with-german-businessman-1.615664|title=New questions raised over Mulroney's ties with German businessman|publisher=CBC News|date=February 8, 2008|accessdate=2014-04-08}}</ref> that the money Schreiber paid to Mulroney originated in a Swiss bank account code-named "Frankfurt". Schreiber used the same account to pay the secret Airbus commissions. Schreiber transferred $500,000 from "Frankfurt" to an account in Zürich code-named "Britan" on July 26, 1993 and used these funds to make the three cash payments to Mulroney in 1993 and 1994. | |||
On September 22, 1988, Mulroney issued an official apology on behalf of the Canadian government for ] during World War II. Mulroney's government provided a 300 million dollar compensation package, which included $21,000 to each of the remaining 13,000 survivors, $12 million for a Japanese community fund, and $24 million to create a Canadian race relations foundation.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Government apologizes to Japanese Canadians in 1988 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/government-apologizes-to-japanese-canadians-in-1988-1.4680546 |website=CBC |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=September 22, 1988 |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527213926/https://www.cbc.ca/archives/government-apologizes-to-japanese-canadians-in-1988-1.4680546 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Five years after the payments began, Mulroney and Schreiber met again in a suite at the Hotel Savoy in ], Switzerland. Schreiber claims Mulroney tried to extract a promise: Schreiber would never reveal the payments. Schreiber also claims Mulroney's attorneys later tried to induce him into ] by asking that he sign an ] falsely stating that he had never paid any money to Mulroney. Mulroney denies this, and also denies Schreiber's claim that the payments totaled $300,000. | |||
Mulroney argues he set up the ] of inquiry on Nazi war criminals soon after he was first elected in 1984, even though it was controversial among "communities where Nazi criminals posed as respectable citizens."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cjnews.com/news/criticism-israel-not-necessarily-antisemitic-mulroney|title=Criticism of Israel is not necessarily antisemitic: Mulroney|last1=Arnold|first1=Janice|last2=Reporter|first2=Staff|date=May 13, 2013|website=The Canadian Jewish News|access-date=November 12, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112200408/https://www.cjnews.com/news/criticism-israel-not-necessarily-antisemitic-mulroney|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Testifying before the House of Commons Ethics Committee on December 13, 2007, Mulroney said the cash payments were for lobbying foreign leaders to buy armored vehicles from ] industries, a company Schreiber represented. Mulroney said Schreiber had paid him as a consultant for this task only, in the context of the potential ], which had actually been canceled three years prior to his accepting payment. Mulroney said he never had a written contract, made written reports, or issued receipts for the cash payments. Mulroney said he had destroyed records related to the transactions and received the payments in cash. Mulroney denied any illegal wrongdoing. He admitted to errors in judgment and apologized for the impropriety. Mulroney described the public revelation of his wrongdoing as "a near death experience" and said his family had suffered greatly. | |||
On issues of ], Mulroney declared he was opposed to "abortion on demand" but gave no details on what that meant legally.<ref>"Silence broken: PM is opposed to abortion on demand." Heather Bird. ''Toronto Star.'' August 3, 1988. pg. A.1</ref> In the Spring of 1988, the Mulroney government offered a compromise solution that would give easy access to abortion in the early stages of pregnancy and criminalize late-term ones. The law in the House of Commons was defeated 147 to 76 in a ], voted against by both MPs who opposed easy access to abortions and those who opposed adding any abortion rules to the Criminal Code. Some pro-life social conservatives who played a role in Mulroney's 1984 landslide were disappointed by this move, as they were in favour of outlawing abortion completely, regardless of the circumstance. In 1989, the government introduced a much stricter bill. If enacted, it would ban all abortions unless a doctor ruled the woman's life or health would be threatened. Anyone found in violation of the law could be imprisoned for up to two years.<ref>"Turner admits abortion bill may be 'best we can get'" Iain Hunter. ''The Ottawa Citizen.'' November 9, 1989. pg. A.1.FRO</ref> In another free vote, the House of Commons passed the new bill by nine votes.<ref>"Abortion law passes by nine votes amid protests." Peggy Curran. ''The Gazette.'' May 30, 1990. pg. A.1.FRO</ref> A few months later, the bill failed in the Senate on a tie vote. Under the rules of the Senate, a tie meant the measure was defeated.<ref>"Bill's loss may be blessing for Tories." Joan Ramsay. ''The Ottawa Citizen.'' February 2, 1991. pg. A.7</ref> This was the last time the federal government attempted to enact abortion laws. Today, abortion in Canada remains completely legal at all stages of pregnancy, regardless of the reason.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Abortion in Canada |url=https://nafcanada.org/history-abortion-canada/ |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=National Abortion Federation Canada |language=en-US |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119120701/https://nafcanada.org/history-abortion-canada/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
For many years, Mulroney had not acknowledged receiving money from Schreiber. The payments were concealed in Mulroney's 1995 lawsuit against the Government of Canada. Mulroney falsely testified under oath that he "never had any dealings" with Schreiber, knew him only "peripherally" and they had a cup of coffee "once or twice." In his 2004 book ''A Secret Trial'', former law professor ] describes Mulroney's testimony as evasive, incomplete and misleading. | |||
In 1991, '']'' magazine ran a satirical advertisement for a contest inviting young Tories to "Deflower ]." Her father was incensed and threatened physical harm toward those responsible before joining several women's groups in denouncing the ad as an incitement to rape on national television. Frank's editor ], called the spoof, intended to mock her unpopular father for bringing her to public adult-oriented events, "clumsy" but had no regrets. Bate also shared sympathy toward her father's reaction over the spoof.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/07/05/to-be-perfectly-frank/7621f45a-de22-4384-abad-d072b4b511b5/|title=TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK ...|last=Trueheart|first=Charles|date=July 5, 1993|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=May 2, 2018|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=February 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224052814/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/07/05/to-be-perfectly-frank/7621f45a-de22-4384-abad-d072b4b511b5/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In his testimony, Schreiber made allegations that described "...a Canadian party leader subverted and deposed by foreign interests, of federal contracts being used to funnel money back to those interests, of bid-rigging and kickbacks."<ref>(] in '']'', January 14, 2008, p. 27).</ref> | |||
=== Attempted constitutional reform === | |||
Mulroney and Schreiber question each other's truthfulness and credibility. In his testimony to the ] Ethics Committee on December 13, 2007, Mulroney pointed out contradictory statements Schreiber has made over the years, including statements made under oath. Mulroney also stated that the work he had performed for his arms-trading business associate Schreiber was out-of-country, rather than lobbying his own Canadian government – such as lobbying the late President ] that ''Russia'' buy arms yet to be made in Canada. Schreiber had been incarcerated in Canada following his 1999 arrest on a German warrant for tax evasion, and is currently (June 2008) free on bail. Mulroney did not declare the income or pay taxes on it until years later, when Schreiber had come under criminal investigation in Germany. ], former Deputy Prime Minister for Mulroney, stated disbelief in Mulroney's account, and denied his credibility: "I think there was a phrase that attached to Brian years ago where he was known as Lyin' Brian, and for my own part, I believe that they're both in the same boat — Schreiber and Mulroney."<ref>{{cite news|author=Canada|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071215.wmulroney15/BNStory/National/home|title=Former deputy doubts Mulroney's testimony|work=The Globe and Mail|date=December 15, 2007|accessdate=2010-06-07|location=Toronto}}</ref> | |||
==== Meech Lake Accord ==== | |||
Canadian Prime Minister ] had called a public inquiry in November 2007, and appointed future Governor General ] as a special adviser, to study the matter and prepare terms of reference for the inquiry. Johnston had once reported directly to Mulroney during his term as prime minister. Johnston reported to Harper on January 11, 2008 that he had found 16 significant questions which required further examination. Harper accepted the report, and stated that a limited public inquiry process would begin once the House of Commons Ethics Committee finished its work.<ref>'']'', January 11, 2008, p. A1</ref> | |||
{{Main|Meech Lake Accord}} | |||
A major undertaking by Mulroney's government was an attempt to resolve the divisive issue of national unity. In 1981, Quebec Premier ], leader of the Quebec nationalist ] government, had been the only provincial premier not to agree to the package of constitutional amendments which ] the ].<ref>Peter Hogg and Wade K. Wright, ''Constitutional Law of Canada'' (5th ed., supplemented; loose-leaf current to 2022), §4:1 : Imperial Amendments.</ref> In the ], the Parti Québécois government suffered a landslide defeat to the ] led by ]. Some believed that the new Quebec government's moderate stance on nationalism would allow the province to formally endorse the constitution. Mulroney wanted Quebec to endorse the constitution and wanted to include Quebec in a new agreement with the rest of Canada.<ref name="MeechLakeEncyclopedia">{{cite web |last1=Gall |first1=Gerald |title=Meech Lake Accord |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/meech-lake-accord |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 22, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=June 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624201231/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/meech-lake-accord |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 1986, Mulroney met with ] in Edmonton, Alberta, where the ministers agreed to the "Edmonton Declaration". It stated that a "Quebec Round" of constitutional talks based on Bourassa's five conditions that would have to be met for Quebec's endorsement of the constitution (recognition of Quebec's distinct character (as primarily Catholic and French-speaking); a veto for Quebec in constitutional matters; input from Quebec into the appointment of Supreme Court justices; entrenchment of Quebec's role in immigration; and a limit on the federal spending power{{sfn|MacDonald|p=249}}) would occur before further reforms would be undertaken.{{sfn|MacDonald|p=251–252}} | |||
Mulroney called a ] with the ten provincial premiers for April 30, 1987, at Willson House, located on the shores of ], Quebec, in the ].{{sfn|MacDonald|p=253}} During the conference, Mulroney negotiated the ], a package of constitutional amendments designed to satisfy Quebec's demand for recognition as a "]" within Canada. The Accord also devolved some powers to the provinces such as giving provinces a role in nominating people to serve in some federal institutions (e.g. the ] and ]); allowing provinces to withdraw from federally-financed social programs on the conditions that the province establish its own program that meets national standards; giving constitutional status to federal–provincial immigration agreements; and mandating annual First Ministers' conferences (the Accord also required that ] and ] be discussed at the conferences), which made the federal-provincial consultative process constitutional.<ref name="MeechLakeEncyclopedia" /> At a final roll call at 4:45 a.m. on June 3, 1987, hours before the signing ceremony, Mulroney knowingly breached convention by taking the vote in reverse order around the table instead of the traditional order of a province's entry into confederation.{{sfn|MacDonald|p=280}} At the symbolic signing ceremony, the premiers signed the Accord.{{sfn|MacDonald|p=281}} The agreement would have changed the ]. It therefore needed to be ratified by the ] and the legislatures of all ten provinces.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-41.html#h-57 |title=''Constitution Act, 1982'', s. 41. |date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210221832/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-41.html#h-57 |url-status=live }}</ref> As well, other parts of the Accord were made under the general amendment provision.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-38.html#h-57 |title=''Constitution Act, 1982'', s 38. |date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210222214/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-38.html#h-57 |url-status=live }}</ref> That meant that there was a three-year deadline for those amendments to pass.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-39.html#h-57 |title=''Constitution Act, 1982'', s. 39. |date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210222512/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-39.html#h-57 |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 23, 1987, Quebec became the first province to approve of the Accord, triggering the three-year time limit provided for by the Section 39(2) of the ''Constitution Act, 1982''; this meant that June 22, 1990, would be the last possible day the Accord could pass.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cohen |first1=Andrew |title=A Deal Undone: The Making and Breaking of the Meech Lake Accord |date=1990 |publisher=Douglas & McIntyre |location=Vancouver/Toronto |isbn=0-88894-704-6 |page=287}}</ref> | |||
Schreiber lost his fight against extradition to Germany, where he is at the center of a political bribery scandal that helped bring down a government and damaged the legacy of former Chancellor ]. He appeared before the House of Commons Ethics Committee three times in late November and early December 2007, and again in February 2008, and will likely be called upon to testify at the future limited ]. Mulroney appeared before the Ethics Committee on December 13, 2007. Six weeks later, his lawyers submitted a letter to ], the Ethics Committee chairman, indicating that their client would not appear again before the committee because of his "unfair" treatment on December 13.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=261289|title=Probe 'Unfair': Mulroney|work=National Post|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> On February 26, 2008, two days before that scheduled appearance, ] reported that Mr. Mulroney's lawyer had reiterated Mulroney's refusal to reappear before the Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080226/mulroney_parliament_080226/20080226?hub=TopStories|title=Mulroney won't appear before committee: lawyer|publisher=CTV.ca|date=2008-02-26|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
Opinion polls showed that a majority of Canadians supported the Accord. Some believed the Accord would weaken ]. Critics believed the Accord would weaken the federal government's authority, and some from ] argued the "distinct society" clause would give Quebec special status and not make it equal to the other nine provinces. Mulroney told the '']'', "You can have the old style of warring federalism, or you can have genuine co-operative federalism, on which we're trying to build a new country."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/back-to-tackle-meech-lake|title=Pierre Trudeau comes back to tackle Meech Lake – CBC Archives|website=cbc.ca|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124072237/http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/back-to-tackle-meech-lake|archive-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref> As criticism grew, support for the Accord declined outside of Quebec; some there feared its failure would spark a backlash in the province and damage national unity.<ref name="MeechLakeEncyclopedia" /> | |||
==After politics== | |||
Since leaving office, Mulroney has served as an international business consultant and remains a partner with the law firm ]. He currently sits on the ], including ], ], ], TrizecHahn Corp. (Toronto), Cendant Corp. (New York), AOL Latin America, Inc. (New York) and Cognicase Inc. (]). He is a senior counselor to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, a global private equity fund in ], chairman of Forbes Global (New York), and was a paid consultant and lobbyist for ] beginning in 1993. He is also chairman of various international advisory boards and councils for many international companies, including Power Corp. (Montreal), Bombardier (Montreal), the China International Trust and Investment Corp. (Beijing), ] (New York), Violy, Byorum and Partners (New York), VS&A Communications Partners (New York), Independent Newspapers (]) and General Enterprise Management Services Limited (]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n23jn04a.htm|title=Mulroney-Harper alliance bad news for Canada's workers|publisher=Nupge.ca|date=2004-06-23|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
A commission headed by Mulroney's former cabinet minister, ], recommended a companion accord that would address the concerns of other provinces, assert that the distinct society clause would be subject to the ''Charter'', and would feature greater protections for minority language rights in the provinces.{{sfn|MacDonald|p=303}} Mulroney's ] and ], ], viewed the companion accord as a betrayal of Meech and subsequently praised the Parti Québécois in a telegram. Mulroney reportedly demanded Bouchard clarify the remark or resign, and Bouchard supplied a lengthy letter of resignation on May 22, 1990.{{sfn|MacDonald|pp=304–305}} Mulroney claimed he fired Bouchard. Bouchard left the Progressive Conservatives soon afterward. After the failure of the Accord, Bouchard convinced several other Tories and Liberals to join him to form the ], a pro-sovereigntist party.<ref name="CBCAug2014">{{cite news|title=Lucien Bouchard says 'wounds' remain with Brian Mulroney|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lucien-bouchard-says-wounds-remain-with-brian-mulroney-1.2742836|access-date=March 15, 2018|agency=The Canadian Press|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=August 21, 2014|archive-date=August 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820044421/http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lucien-bouchard-says-wounds-remain-with-brian-mulroney-1.2742836|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="G&MNov2015">{{Cite news |last=Galloway |first=Gloria |date=November 15, 2005 |title=Bouchard was fired in 1990, Mulroney insists on tapes |work=The Globe and mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bouchard-was-fired-in-1990-mulroney-insists-on-tapes/article20429938/ |access-date=December 9, 2020 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308175950/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bouchard-was-fired-in-1990-mulroney-insists-on-tapes/article20429938/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=CTV>{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/mulroney-i-ll-never-forgive-bouchard-s-betrayal-1.255259|title=Mulroney: I'll never forgive Bouchard's betrayal|publisher=]|date=September 6, 2007|access-date=May 1, 2020|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727043245/https://www.ctvnews.ca/mulroney-i-ll-never-forgive-bouchard-s-betrayal-1.255259|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In 1998, Mulroney was accorded Canada's highest civilian honour when he was made a Companion of the ]. | |||
] with former Soviet president ], former Japanese Prime Minister ] and former British Prime Minister ]]] | |||
In early June 1990, all premiers finally agreed to ratify the Accord{{efn|In June 1987, all ten premiers agreed to ratify the Accord. Between then and June 1990, three anti-Meech premiers took office; ] became ] in October 1987, ] became ] in 1988, and ] became ] in 1989. The three premiers refused to support the Accord until their concerns were met in June 1990.}} provided there be further constitutional discussions revolving around an elected Senate, the amending formula, equality, and Indigenous issues. Around that time, New Brunswick agreed to ratify the agreement. Manitoba and, Newfoundland, and Labrador remained the only provinces to have not ratified it; they only had a few weeks left. Unanimous support from every member of the ] was required to bypass the necessary public consultations in the assembly and proceed with ratification. On June 12, 1990, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba ] announced his opposition to the Accord on the grounds that ] had not been consulted. Harper's opposition prevented the amendment from proceeding; thus, the Accord failed to pass in the legislature.<ref name="MeechLakeEncyclopedia" /><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=25 years since Elijah Harper said 'no' to the Meech Lake Accord |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/25-years-since-elijah-harper-said-no-to-the-meech-lake-accord-1.3110439 |website=CBC News |access-date=June 24, 2022 |date=June 11, 2015 |archive-date=June 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624201231/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/25-years-since-elijah-harper-said-no-to-the-meech-lake-accord-1.3110439 |url-status=live }}</ref> This allowed the ], ] (who revoked the province's previous assent though reluctantly agreed to ratify the Accord in June 1990<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Clyde Kirby Wells |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clyde-kirby-wells |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 26, 2022 |date=February 14, 2008 |archive-date=June 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626015259/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clyde-kirby-wells |url-status=live }}</ref>), to excuse himself from bringing the Accord to a vote in the ]. The Accord failed to be ratified as Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador did not approve of it by the June 23, 1990, deadline.<ref name="MeechLakeEncyclopedia" /> | |||
In 2003, Mulroney received the ] from the ] of the ] at a ceremony in ]. The award was in recognition of his career in politics. | |||
==== Charlottetown Accord ==== | |||
In January 2004, Mulroney delivered a keynote speech in Washington, D.C. celebrating the tenth anniversary of the ]. In June 2004, Mulroney presented a eulogy for former U.S. President ] during the ]. Mulroney and former ] ] were the first foreign dignitaries to eulogize at a funeral for an American president. Two years later, at the request of Prime Minister ], Mulroney traveled to Washington, DC along with Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, as Canada's representatives at the ] of former president ]. | |||
{{Main|Charlottetown Accord}} | |||
Following the Meech Lake failure, Mulroney sought a second attempt to get Quebec's endorsement of the constitution. He appointed his foreign minister, ], as the first ] on April 21, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parliamentarian File – Clark, The Rt. Jon Charles Joseph|url=http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=a247d1d3-3b05-46ac-b9f3-6622ab25d695&Language=E&Section=ALL|website=PARLINFO|publisher=Parliament of Canada|accessdate=June 27, 2022|archive-date=April 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405074622/http://lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=a247d1d3-3b05-46ac-b9f3-6622ab25d695&Language=E&Section=ALL|url-status=live}}</ref> Clark was responsible for establishing a new accord to end the constitutional deadlock with Quebec. Mulroney's government appointed two Quebec bodies (the ] and the ]) and two national bodies (the Beaudoin-Edwards Committee and the ]) to engage in discussions regarding constitutional reform. These bodies generated various reports, including the federal document titled ''Shaping Canada's Future Together''. The Mulroney government then held five national conferences to discuss the proposals in the document. The conferences led to another federal report titled ''A Renewed Canada.''. Afterward, negotiations between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments occurred. Unlike the Meech Lake Accord, Indigenous peoples were included in the discussions. Quebec was included in the final stages. The negotiations culminated in the ], which was unveiled in ], Prince Edward Island, on August 28, 1992.<ref name="CharlottetownEncyclopedia">{{cite web |last1=Gall |first1=Gerald |title=Charlottetown Accord |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-charlottetown-accord |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 27, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714034454/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-charlottetown-accord |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The Accord gave provinces jurisdiction over ], ], ],{{efn|The federal government would still have power over national groups such as the ] (CBC) and the ].}} and other areas; required the federal government to negotiate policy with the provinces in certain areas such as telecommunications, labour and training, regional development, and immigration; abolished ] (which gives the federal ] power to overrule provincial legislation within one year of it being passed); and required provincial consent for the federal government gaining power over provincial infrastructure projects. The Accord allowed provinces to create their own social programs and mandated the federal government to compensate provinces as long as the provincial social programs met national standards. It also mandated the federal government to compensate provinces that withdrew from any constitutional amendment that transferred provincial powers to the federal government; the compensation would allow provinces to fund their own programs. In addition, the Accord addressed ] and contained the "Canada Clause" that determines Canadian values including egalitarianism, ], and recognition of Quebec as a distinct society. Finally, the Accord entrenched the structure and appointment process for the ] in the constitution; changed the Senate into a ] with reduced powers (such as requiring a majority of all senators and a majority of ] senators in certain votes); increased the number of seats in the ]; guaranteed Quebec at least a quarter of the Commons' seats; and increased the number of matters that require unanimous approval for a constitutional amendment.<ref name="CharlottetownEncyclopedia" /> | |||
In February 2005, as part of a physical examination, a CT scan revealed two small lumps in one of Mulroney's lungs. In his youth, Mulroney had been a heavy smoker. His doctors performed a biopsy, which ruled out cancer. (His surgery is sometimes cited as an example of the dangers of unnecessary testing.)<ref>, By JANE E. BRODY, ''The New York Times'', January 21, 2013</ref> He recovered well enough to tape a speech for the ]'s 2005 Policy Convention in ] in March, though he could not attend in person. He later developed ] and he remained in hospital for several weeks. It was not until April 19 that his son, ], announced he was recovering and would soon be released.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} | |||
The Accord was supported by the federal government and all ten provincial governments. Although it could have been ratified as a constitutional amendment, Mulroney's government insisted on holding a national ] to avoid a repetition of the criticism that the Meech Lake Accord was agreed upon without public approval. On October 26, 1992, two referendums, one national (without Quebec) and one in Quebec, were held, asking if Canadians agreed with the Charlottetown Accord. Nationally, 54.3 percent opposed the Accord. In Quebec, 56.7 percent opposed it. Many saw the Accord's defeat as a protest against Mulroney's government, which was heavily unpopular due to the failure of the previous Meech Lake Accord, the introduction of the GST, and the early 1990s recession.<ref name="CharlottetownEncyclopedia" /> | |||
On September 12, 2005, veteran writer and former Mulroney confidant ] released '']''. Based in large part on remarks from the former prime minister which Newman had taped with Mulroney's knowledge, the book set off national controversy. Newman had been given unfettered access to Mulroney for a thorough biography, and claims Mulroney did not honour an agreement to allow him access to confidential papers.<ref>Newman, p. 50.</ref> After the falling out, Mulroney began work on his autobiography, without Newman's help. Mulroney himself has declared that he showed poor judgement in making such unguarded statements, but he says that he will have to live with it. | |||
=== Foreign policy === | |||
This led Mulroney to respond at the annual Press Gallery Dinner, which is noted for comedic moments, in Ottawa, October 22, 2005. The former Prime Minister appeared on tape and very formally acknowledged the various dignitaries and audience groups before delivering the shortest speech of the night: "Peter Newman: Go fuck yourself. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, and good night."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfGx39FnlJU&NR=1|title=Video of Brian Mulroney's speech to the Press Gallery Dinner|publisher=YouTube|date=2006-12-12|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
As prime minister, Mulroney strengthened Canada's relations with the United States, moving away from Pierre Trudeau's ] policy of reducing American influence on Canada. Mulroney established a close relationship with U.S. President ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hillmer |first1=Norman |title=Third Option |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/third-option |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=July 8, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708191714/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/third-option |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 17 and 18, 1985, the "]" between Mulroney and Reagan was held in ]. The summit gained its name from the two leaders' Irish background, and because the meeting started on ].<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=History Through Our Eyes: March 17, 1985, the Shamrock Summit |url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/history-through-our-eyes/history-through-our-eyes-march-17-1985-the-shamrock-summit |website=Montreal Gazette |access-date=July 8, 2022 |date=March 14, 2022 |archive-date=March 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314141034/https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/history-through-our-eyes/history-through-our-eyes-march-17-1985-the-shamrock-summit |url-status=live }}</ref> In the summit, Mulroney and Reagan sang '']''; this signified the camaraderie between the two leaders and a turning point in ].<ref>{{cite book| last=Ferguson| first=Will| authorlink=Will Ferguson| title=Why I Hate Canadians| year=1997| publisher=Douglas & McIntyre| location=Vancouver, BC, Canada| isbn=1-55054-600-7| pages=| chapter=11| chapter-url-access=registration| chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/whyihatecanadian00ferg/page/112}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Steele | first=Andrew | title=Mr. Angry and Mr. Happy | publisher=] | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/andrew-steele/mr-angry-and-mr-happy/article1312681/ | accessdate=July 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Larkin |first1=Janet |title=REAGAN, MULRONEY ENJOYED A RARE PERSONAL BOND |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/reagan-mulroney-enjoyed-a-rare-personal-bond/article_3957749b-0616-5390-bdc8-95ce392024cd.html |website=Buffalo News |access-date=July 8, 2022 |date=June 20, 2004 |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708191635/https://buffalonews.com/news/reagan-mulroney-enjoyed-a-rare-personal-bond/article_3957749b-0616-5390-bdc8-95ce392024cd.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Thirteen years after leaving office, Mulroney was named the "greenest" Prime Minister in Canadian history by a 12-member panel at an event organized by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060420/mulroney_green_cp_060419/20060420?hub=TopStories|title=Mulroney praised for his green record as PM|publisher=CTV.ca|date=2006-04-20|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
The ] bombing, which originated in ], occurred on June 23, 1985. This was the largest terrorist act before the ], with the majority of the 329 victims being Canadian citizens. Mulroney sent a letter of condolence to Indian Prime Minister ], sparking an uproar in Canada since he did not call the families of the actual victims to offer condolences. Furthermore, there were several warnings from the ] to the Mulroney government about terrorist threats toward Air India flights. Questions remain as to why these warnings were not taken more seriously and whether the events leading to the bombing could have been prevented.<ref name="story">{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=90d8bfad-8bd6-43d6-9899-ad8f0649db87&k=79609 |title=story |publisher=Canada.com |date=June 19, 2006 |access-date=June 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109115600/https://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=90d8bfad-8bd6-43d6-9899-ad8f0649db87&k=79609 |archive-date=November 9, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="ctv story">{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060925/airindia_inquiry_060925/20060925?hub=TopStories |title=ctv story |publisher=Ctv.ca |access-date=June 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206080041/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060925/airindia_inquiry_060925/20060925?hub=TopStories |archive-date=December 6, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|agency=The Canadian Press|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mulroney-worried-about-country-s-image-after-air-india-documents-1.570101|title=CBC website November 7, 2007|publisher=]|date=November 7, 2006|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-date=October 21, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021053236/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/11/07/air-india.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In 2014, Mulroney became the chairman of ] and defused tensions resulting from the continuing influence of former President and CEO ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/peladeaus-political-exit-raises-questions-for-quebecor/article29829458/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/peladeaus-political-exit-raises-questions-for-quebecor/article29829458/|title=Péladeau’s political exit raises questions for Quebecor|website=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> | |||
In November 1984, Mulroney sent his newly appointed ], ], to the ] in New York City to persuade the ] to take action against ]. Days later, the UN and ] launched an effort to save seven million starving Ethiopians and 22 million others in Africa. The Mulroney government's efforts to aid Ethiopia differed Canada from the United States and the United Kingdom, two Western nations which avoided taking action against the famine due to Ethiopia's ] regime. Mulroney's foreign affairs minister, ], became the first senior Western official to visit Ethiopia during the famine, ahead of UN officials. Mulroney's government spent tens of millions of dollars to match private donations to combat the famine. Canada contributed to over 10 percent of international aid to Ethiopia. After the famine, Mulroney's government increased aid and development funding to Africa.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Brian |title=When Brian Mulroney was great |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/when-brian-mulroney-was-great-1.859343 |website=CBC News |access-date=June 29, 2022 |date=May 14, 2009 |archive-date=June 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629220037/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/when-brian-mulroney-was-great-1.859343 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Current political affiliation=== | |||
Mulroney joined the ] following its creation in 2003 by the merger of the Progressive Conservatives and the ]. According to press reports his membership lapsed in 2006. In early 2009, Mulroney "called a high-ranking person in the party and asked that his name be removed from all party lists" due to his anger at the continued inquiry into his financial affairs,<ref>, Campbell Clark, '']'', April 1, 2009</ref> although he denies this claim.<ref>, Brian Laghi, ''The Globe and Mail'', April 8, 2009</ref> | |||
], Canada, on March 18, 1985, the second day of the "]."]] | |||
===Legacy=== | |||
], US President ], Prime Minister Mulroney, (Seated) ], ], ].]] | |||
On December 2, 1991, Canada became the first Western nation to recognize Ukraine as an independent country, next day after the ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Goncharova|first=Olena|date=August 24, 2021|title=How Canada became first in West to recognize Ukraine's independence|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/how-canada-became-first-in-west-to-recognize-ukraines-independence.html|access-date=July 7, 2022|website=Kyiv Post|archive-date=August 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824130306/https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/how-canada-became-first-in-west-to-recognize-ukraines-independence.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Mulroney's legacy is complicated and even emotional. Mulroney makes the case that his once radical policies on the economy and free trade were not reversed by subsequent governments, and regards this as vindication.<ref>Newman, p. 361.</ref> His Deputy Prime Minister ] said that his greatest accomplishment will be seen as, "Dragging Canada kicking and screaming into the 21st century." Mulroney's legacy in Canada is associated mostly with the 1988 Free Trade Agreement<ref name="autogenerated1" /> and the ] (GST). | |||
==== Apartheid ==== | |||
Although the Tories were re-elected in 1988 campaigning on free trade, they won with only 43% of the popular vote, compared to 52% of the vote which went to the ] and the ] who campaigned mostly against the agreement. However, when the Liberals under ] came to office in 1993 promising to re-negotiate key parts of the agreement, they continued the deal with only slight changes, and signed the ] which expanded the free trade area to include Mexico. | |||
Mulroney's government opposed the ] regime in South Africa. Beginning in 1985, Mulroney led an effort within the ] to ] the South African government with the goal of pressuring them to end apartheid and release ] activist ] from prison. This put Mulroney at odds with British Prime Minister ], who opposed apartheid but believed the sanctions would hurt Britain (which had economic ties with South Africa) and that the measures would hurt South Africans and cause job losses. United States President Ronald Reagan also opposed sanctions, believing that Mandela and other leaders of the ] were communists.<ref name="NaPoapartheid">{{cite news |title=How Brian Mulroney spearheaded Canadian push to end apartheid in South Africa and free Nelson Mandela |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/how-brian-mulroney-spearheaded-canadian-push-to-end-apartheid-in-south-africa-and-free-nelson-mandela |website=National Post |access-date=May 28, 2022 |date=December 5, 2013 |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003184459/https://nationalpost.com/news/world/how-brian-mulroney-spearheaded-canadian-push-to-end-apartheid-in-south-africa-and-free-nelson-mandela |url-status=live }}</ref> At an October 23, 1985, ] meeting, Mulroney stated, "if there is no progress in the dismantling of apartheid, 's relations with South Africa]] may have to be severed completely"; he restored this line in his speech after he originally removed it at the advice of External Affairs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Valpy |first1=Michael |title=Brian Mulroney and Stephen Lewis on principled leadership in foreign affairs |url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/brian-mulroney-and-stephen-lewis-principled-leadership-foreign-affairs |website=University of Toronto |access-date=May 28, 2022 |date=April 15, 2014 |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422193710/https://www.utoronto.ca/news/brian-mulroney-and-stephen-lewis-principled-leadership-foreign-affairs |url-status=live }}</ref> After an August 1986 meeting in London, Canada, along with other Commonwealth nations, implemented 11 new sanctions on South Africa including bans on new air links, new investment, promotion of ],<ref name="NaPoapartheid" /> and imports of South African coal, metals and agricultural goods.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Apartheid and diplomacy |url=https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1987/8/24/apartheid-and-diplomacy |website=Maclean's |access-date=May 28, 2022 |date=August 24, 1987 |archive-date=May 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528224208/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1987/8/24/apartheid-and-diplomacy |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
The visibility of the GST proved to be very unpopular. The GST was created to help eliminate the ever-growing deficit and to replace the hidden Manufacturer's sales tax, which Mulroney argued was hurting business. Mulroney's usage of a rare Constitutional clause to push the tax through,<ref>Donaldson, p. 344.</ref> prices not falling very much with the MST removed, and the "in your face" nature of the tax infuriated politicians and the public. The succeeding Liberal government of ] campaigned in 1993 on a promise to eliminate the GST (as per the Red Book), but ultimately backed away from that promise. This prompted two of their members ] and ] to resign or be expelled in protest. Mulroney's supporters argue that the GST helped the subsequent government eliminate the deficit, and that the visible nature of the tax kept politicians more accountable. | |||
The day after Mandela was released on February 11, 1990, he spoke with Mulroney through the telephone, thanking him for his efforts to end apartheid. Mandela made the ] his first legislature in the world to make a speech. On June 18 that year, Mandela spoke in the ], where he thanked Mulroney and Canadians. The two remained in contact after they left politics; during his annual business trips to South Africa, Mulroney visited Mandela.<ref name="NaPoapartheid" /> | |||
Mulroney's intense unpopularity at the time of his resignation led many Conservative politicians to distance themselves from him for some years. His government had flirted with 10 percent approval ratings in the early 1990s, when Mulroney's honesty and intentions were frequently questioned in the media, by Canadians in general and by his political colleagues.<ref>Donaldson, p. 327.</ref> During the 1993 election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced to just two seats, which was seen as partially due to a backlash against Mulroney, as well as due to the fracturing of his "Grand Coalition". | |||
==== Free trade and 1988 re-election ==== | |||
]s found fault with Mulroney's government in a variety of areas. These include Mulroney's opposition to capital punishment<ref name="Newman427" /> and an attempted compromise on ].<ref>Donaldson, p. 356.</ref> ]s likewise didn't appreciate his tax increases and his failure to curtail expansion of "]" programs and political ]. | |||
Critics noted that Mulroney had originally professed opposition to ] during the 1983 leadership campaign<ref name="autogenerated1">Donaldson, p. 334.</ref> though the 1985 report of the ] suggested free trade as an idea to him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/royal-commission-on-economic-union-and-development-prospects-for-canada/|title=Royal Commission on Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada|last=Banting|first=Keith G.|work=The Canadian Encyclopedia|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-date=January 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114030330/http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/royal-commission-on-economic-union-and-development-prospects-for-canada/|url-status=live}}</ref> Negotiations between Canada and the United States for a ] started in May 1986. In October 1987, a deal was reached;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilkinson |first1=Bruce |title=Free Trade |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/free-trade |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 5, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=June 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605235306/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/free-trade |url-status=live }}</ref> the ] (CUSFTA) stated that all ]s between the two countries would be eliminated by 1998. This deal was achieved not least because of Mulroney's close relationship with U.S. President Ronald Reagan.<ref>Stephen Clarkson. ''Canada and the Reagan Challenge: Crisis and Adjustment, 1981–85'' (2nd ed. 1985) ch 5, 8</ref> This agreement was controversial; while Mulroney used his massive majority in the House of Commons to pass the bill, the ]-dominated ] demanded an election before proceeding to a ratification vote.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Farnsworth |first1=Clyde |title=Canadian Pact Voted By Senate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/20/business/canadian-pact-voted-by-senate.html |website=New York Times |access-date=May 29, 2022 |date=September 20, 1988 |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311155826/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/20/business/canadian-pact-voted-by-senate.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This induced Mulroney to ask ] ] on October 1 to dissolve ] and call ].<ref name="1988CanadianElection">{{cite web |last1=Azzi |first1=Stephen |title=Election of 1988 |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/election-1988-feature |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=May 29, 2022 |date=September 28, 2008 |archive-date=May 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524075945/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/election-1988-feature |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
], US President ], Prime Minister Mulroney, (Seated) ], ], ].]] | |||
The trade deal was the main issue of the election, with the Liberals and ] (NDP) opposing it; Liberal leader ] (who was preparing for his second campaign after Mulroney defeated him in ]) believed that the agreement would "Americanize" Canada and cost many Canadian jobs. A week after the October 25 debate, the Liberals were six points ahead of the PCs. To combat this Liberal surge, the PCs began running a more negative campaign, capitalizing on the perceived lack of public confidence in Turner, his perceived inability to lead the Liberal Party, and arguing that he only opposed free trade because of political opportunism. The Progressive Conservatives poll numbers began to rebound, and they were re-elected with a greatly reduced majority, winning 169 out of 295 seats and 43 percent of the popular vote.<ref name="1988CanadianElection" /> Mulroney became the first and only federal Canadian Conservative party leader since ] to lead his party to a second majority government.{{efn|] Prime Minister ] won two majority governments; the second majority he won in ] was when he was the leader of the ], a party composed of pro-conscription Conservatives and Liberals.}} The trade deal gained the support of Quebec Premier ], which helped the PCs maintain their standing in Quebec.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parisella |first1=John |title=Robert Bourassa: vision and resilience |url=https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/the-best-premier-of-the-last-40-years/robert-bourassa-vision-and-resilience/ |website=Policy options |access-date=July 1, 2022 |date=June 1, 2012 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004134151/https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/the-best-premier-of-the-last-40-years/robert-bourassa-vision-and-resilience/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In this election, Mulroney transferred to another eastern Quebec seat, ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Profile |url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=13477 |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=lop.parl.ca |archive-date=June 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608102457/https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Profile?personId=13477 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Also on November 21, Mulroney made a controversial ] which allowed the establishment of the AMEX Bank of Canada (owned by ]), despite Finance Minister ] rejecting AMEX's application to open a Canadian bank in 1986. The Amex Bank of Canada started operating on July 1, 1990. ] chairman Richard Thomson accused Mulroney's government of favouritism toward Amex as its Chief Executive Officer, James Robinson, supported free trade.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Newman |first1=Peter |title=The brash new kid on the block |url=http://archive.macleans.ca/article/1990/7/30/the-brash-new-kid-on-the-block |website=Maclean's |access-date=June 9, 2022 |date=July 30, 1990 |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104233155/http://archive.macleans.ca/article/1990/7/30/the-brash-new-kid-on-the-block |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
In the 1993 election, nearly all of the Tories' Western support transferred into Reform, which replaced the PCs as the major right-wing force in Canada. The Tories only won two seats west of Quebec in the next decade and recovered only upon reunification the elements that had split from the party in the late 1980s. The Canadian right was not reunited until they merged with Reform's successor, the ], in December 2003 to form the new ]. Mulroney played an influential role by supporting the merger at a time when former PC leaders ], ] and ] either opposed it or expressed ambivalence. | |||
The government implemented the deal; it was made effective on January 1, 1989. In 1994, CUSFTA was replaced by the ] (NAFTA), which now included Mexico.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fina-nafi.org/eng/integ/chronologie.asp?langue=eng&menu=integ |title= NAFTA Timeline |publisher= Fina-nafi |access-date= July 4, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110114130328/http://www.fina-nafi.org/eng/integ/chronologie.asp?langue=eng&menu=integ |archive-date= January 14, 2011 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
Military historians ] and ] ranked Mulroney eighth among Canada's prime ministers in their 1999 book ''Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders''. | |||
====Gulf War==== | |||
On March 31, 2009 it was reported by various news outlets that a Conservative official claimed Mulroney was no longer a member of the party. They claimed his membership expired in 2006 and was not renewed. Additionally, Mulroney allegedly "called a senior party official two months ago to ask that his name be pulled off all party lists and materials and that communications with him cease." However, a Mulroney confidante, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the party's claims preposterous. 'He's part of the history of this party, you can't rewrite history. If they're worried about branding, then shut the inquiry down. They're the ones who called the inquiry.' "<ref>. March 31, 2009, CTV.ca</ref> | |||
In the early 1990s, Mulroney played a vital part in upholding international law to stop ]'s aggression in ].<ref name="dewing00">{{cite news |last1=Dewing |first1=Michael |last2=McDonald |first2=Corinne |title=INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF CANADIAN FORCES: PARLIAMENT'S ROLE |url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection-R/LoPBdP/PRB-e/PRB0006-e.pdf |agency=Library of Parliament |issue=PRB 00-06E |publisher=PARLIAMENTARY INFORMATION AND RESEARCH SERVICE |date=September 14, 2004 |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-date=September 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220919035137/https://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection-R/LoPBdP/PRB-e/PRB0006-e.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="hampson">{{cite news |last1=Hampson |first1=Fen Osler |title=Master of Persuasion: Brian Mulroney's Global Legacy |url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/book-excerpt-the-unknown-mulroney-how-the-former-pm-helped-shape-the-mideast |publisher=National Post |date=June 5, 2018 |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003184414/https://nationalpost.com/opinion/book-excerpt-the-unknown-mulroney-how-the-former-pm-helped-shape-the-mideast |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Hampson|2018}} Along with Ambassador ],<ref name=hampson/> Mulroney was instrumental in drafting ] which later led to the war when Iraq failed to heed the resolution,{{sfn|Newman|2005|p=10}} and Canada supported the ] during the 1991 ] through Operation SCIMITAR and through Operation FRICTION.<ref name="oscim">{{cite news |title=Gulf War – SCIMITAR |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/past-operations/middle-east/scimitar.html |agency=Government of Canada |publisher=Department of National Defence |date=December 11, 2018 |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816143018/https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/past-operations/middle-east/scimitar.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |agency=Government of Canada |publisher=Department of National Defence |title=Gulf War – FRICTION |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/past-operations/middle-east/friction.html |date=December 11, 2018 |access-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816143017/https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/past-operations/middle-east/friction.html |url-status=live }}</ref> When the UN authorized full use of force in the operation, Canada sent a ] squadron with support personnel and a field hospital to deal with casualties from the ground war as well as a company of ] to safeguard these ground elements. The ] code-named Canada's participation ]. In August, Mulroney sent the destroyers ] and ] to enforce the trade blockade against Iraq. The supply ship ] was also sent to aid the gathering coalition forces. When the air war began, Canada's planes were integrated into the coalition force and, provided air cover and attacked ground targets. This was the first time since the fighting on Cyprus in 1974 that Canadian forces participated directly in combat operations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gimblett |first1=Robert |title=Persian Gulf War, 1990–91 |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/persian-gulf-war-1990-91 |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=July 7, 2022 |date=January 11, 2016 |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707233628/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/persian-gulf-war-1990-91 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Unpopularity and retirement === | |||
==Memoir== | |||
] | |||
Mulroney's '']'' was released on September 10, 2007. Mulroney criticizes Trudeau for avoiding military service in ], and favourably references sources that describe the young Trudeau as holding ] nationalist views and having an admiration for fascist dictators.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2007/09/05/mulroney-trudeau.html|publisher=CBC News|title=Mulroney slams Trudeau as lacking moral fibre to lead|date=September 5, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Post|first=National|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=ea44c2a3-bbd4-49bd-bac7-3cbf450d6037|title=National Post: Repairing Trudeau's mistakes|publisher=Canada.com|date=2007-09-05|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> ], a prominent Liberal strategist, responded that Trudeau should be judged on his mature views. Historian and former MP and Trudeau biographer ] said "I don't think it does any good to do this kind of historical ransacking to try to destroy reputations".<ref> at ] (June 28, 2007).</ref><ref>{{dead link|date=June 2010}}</ref> | |||
==== Fracturing of electoral coalition ==== | |||
An earlier book expressing Brian Mulroney's own opinions and aims, is ''Where I Stand'' (McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1983), which, on its front paperback cover, emblazons the words "The new Tory leader speaks out". | |||
{{Clear}} | |||
In late 1987, the Western Canada-based ] ] was founded. The creation of the party was motivated by Western Canadian discontent with Mulroney's government and the Progressive Conservatives in general. The Reform Party opposed the Mulroney government's promotion of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords as well as their introduction of the goods and services tax. Although the party won only 2 percent of the popular vote and no seats in the 1988 election, it won its first seat in the Commons on ] in the Alberta riding of ], where Reform candidate ] defeated Progressive Conservative candidate ] by a nearly 20 percent margin. This was the first sign that Mulroney's coalition was fracturing; the PCs had dominated Alberta's federal politics since the ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Trevor |title=Preston Manning |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/preston-manning |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 13, 2008 |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630214410/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/preston-manning |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Trevor |title=Reform Party of Canada |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/reform-party-of-canada |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 7, 2006 |archive-date=June 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609001251/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/reform-party-of-canada |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
==Honours== | |||
According to Canadian protocol, as a former Prime Minister, he is styled "]" for life. | |||
In June 1991, the pro-Quebec sovereigntist ] was founded by Mulroney's former ] and ], ]. The party's foundation was motivated by the collapse of the ], which would have benefited Quebec if it had been ratified. The party attracted a few other PC and Liberal members of parliament.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marsh |first1=James |title=Lucien Bouchard |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lucien-bouchard |website=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 13, 2008 |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630214409/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lucien-bouchard |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<center> | |||
] | |||
==== Resignation ==== | |||
<br> | |||
] | |||
Widespread public resentment of the goods and services tax, the early 1990s recession, the fracturing of his political coalition, and his lack of results regarding the Quebec situation caused Mulroney's popularity to decline severely during his second term. Mulroney entered 1993 facing ]. By this time, his approval ratings had dipped into the tens, and were at 12 percent in a 1992 ], making him the most unpopular prime minister since opinion polling began in Canada in the 1940s.<ref>Russell Ash, ''The Top 10 of Everything 2000'', Montreal: The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., 1999, p. 80.</ref> | |||
] | |||
]<br> | |||
On February 24, 1993, Mulroney announced his intention to resign as prime minister and retire from politics. In his announcement, Mulroney stated, "Whether you agree with our solutions or not, none will accuse us, I think, of having chosen to evade our responsibilities by sidestepping the most controversial issues of our time." Mulroney claimed his resignation was not related to the consensus that he would be heavily defeated by ]'s Liberals if he led the Tories into the next election and rather argued he could defeat the Liberals if he sought another term.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Trueheart |first1=Charles |title=MULRONEY DECLARES INTENTION TO RESIGN |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/02/25/mulroney-declares-intention-to-resign/94ede77d-83d7-4f69-bc54-fea49b346d28/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 25, 1993}}</ref><ref name="MulroneyLATimes">{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Mary Williams |title=Canadian Leader Mulroney Quits After 8 Years |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-25-mn-747-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=February 25, 1993 |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701001946/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-25-mn-747-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The last Gallup Poll taken before Mulroney's announcement of resignation showed the PCs' polling numbers had rebounded to 21 percent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca/news.php?id=61 |title=Home | Waterloo News |website=Newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca |date=June 26, 2012 |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527134748/http://newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca/news.php?id=61 |archive-date=May 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In his final days in office, Mulroney conducted a European "farewell" tour using Canadian federal funds.<ref>Donaldson, p. 349.</ref><ref name="APNov1993">{{Cite news |date=November 6, 1993 |title=Controversial Mulroney Tour Costs Canadian Taxpayers |work=The Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/b0ac1cff1f85a23a36112393c5632972 |access-date=December 9, 2020 |archive-date=October 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028125707/https://apnews.com/article/b0ac1cff1f85a23a36112393c5632972 |url-status=live }}</ref> On ], Mulroney was replaced as leader of the Progressive Conservatives by Defence Minister ]. On June 25, 1993, Mulroney resigned as prime minister and chose not to run for reelection at the Commons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brian Mulroney |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-mulroney |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |language=en |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527050606/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/brian-mulroney |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
] | |||
] | |||
==== Aftermath ==== | |||
] | |||
] {{ubl| Red: Liberals (177)| Blue: Bloc Québécois (54) | Green: Reform (52) | Orange: New Democratic Party (9) | Mauve: Progressive Conservatives (2) | Grey: Independent (1)}}]] | |||
<br> | |||
</center> | |||
In the October 25, 1993, election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced from 156 seats to two seats in the worst defeat ever suffered for a governing party at the federal level in Canada. The Tories were no longer recognized as an official caucus in the House of Commons since the required minimum number of seats for ] is 12. As an example of the antipathy toward Mulroney, his former riding fell to the Bloc by a lopsided margin; the Tory candidate finished a distant third, with only 6,800 votes out of nearly 40,000 cast.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esm.ubc.ca/CA93/results.html|title=1993 Canadian Federal Election Results (Detail)|publisher=Esm.ubc.ca|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-date=August 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830154131/http://esm.ubc.ca/CA93/results.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The more right-wing Reform Party won over ] and replaced the PCs as the major conservative party in Canada; they won 52 seats and 18.7 percent of the popular vote, which was greater than the PCs (which won 16 percent of the popular vote). The Bloc replaced Mulroney's voting base in Quebec, becoming the ] (at 54 seats). In the election, Chrétien's Liberals won a strong majority government. Mulroney claimed he was not responsible for the obliteration of the PCs, and instead blamed Campbell and her relationship with her boyfriend. In '']'', it was revealed Mulroney said of Campbell, "Throughout the whole goddam thing she's been screwing around with this Russian guy. The guy was sneaking into hotel rooms and the campaign bus"; he also said it was "the most incompetent campaign I've seen in my life."<ref>{{cite web |last1=McIlroy |first1=Anne |title=Life of Brian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/26/worlddispatch.annemcilroy |website=The Guardian |access-date=June 30, 2022 |date=September 26, 2005 |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701001946/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/26/worlddispatch.annemcilroy |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MulroneyG&M">{{cite web |last1=Macgregor |first1=Roy |title=Years later, 'he bugs us still' |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/years-later-he-bugs-us-still/article738737/ |website=Globe and Mail |access-date=July 1, 2022 |date=September 12, 2005 |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701035551/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/years-later-he-bugs-us-still/article738737/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the following ] and ] elections, the Progressive Conservatives would continue being the smallest party in the House of Commons, holding on to fifth-place status though regaining official party status. In 2003, the party merged with Reform's successor, the ], to create today's ].<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2024 |title=Conservative Party of Canada {{!}} History, Beliefs, & Values {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Conservative-Party-of-Canada |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=February 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240202235549/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Conservative-Party-of-Canada |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== After politics (1993–2024) == | |||
After leaving office, Mulroney served as an international business consultant and was a partner with the law firm ]. He, up until his death in 2024, sat on the board of directors of multiple corporations, including ], ], ], ], Cendant Corp. (New York), AOL Latin America, Inc. (New York), Cognicase Inc. (]) and Acreage Holdings, one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis companies in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/brian-mulroney-joins-board-of-directors-of-new-york-based-pot-company-1.4137726|title=Brian Mulroney joins board of directors of New York-based pot company {{!}} CTV News|website=www.ctvnews.ca|date=October 17, 2018|access-date=December 28, 2018|archive-date=December 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228130753/https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/brian-mulroney-joins-board-of-directors-of-new-york-based-pot-company-1.4137726|url-status=live}}</ref> He was a senior counsellor to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, a global private equity fund in ], chairman of Forbes Global (New York), and was a paid consultant and lobbyist for ] beginning in 1993. He was also chairman of various international advisory boards and councils for many international companies, including Power Corp. (Montreal), Bombardier (Montreal), the China International Trust and Investment Corp. (Beijing), ] (New York), Violy, Byorum and Partners (New York), VS&A Communications Partners (New York), Independent Newspapers (]) and General Enterprise Management Services Limited (]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n23jn04a.htm|title=Mulroney-Harper alliance bad news for Canada's workers|publisher=Nupge.ca|date=June 23, 2004|access-date=June 7, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928000917/http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n23jn04a.htm|archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> | |||
In 1998, Mulroney was accorded Canada's highest civilian honour when he was made a ] of the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teneo.com/person/the-right-honourable-brian-mulroney-p-c/|title=The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, P.C.|publisher=Teneo|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=December 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206015438/https://www.teneo.com/person/the-right-honourable-brian-mulroney-p-c/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
] with former Soviet president ], former Japanese Prime Minister ] and former British Prime Minister ]]] | |||
In 2003, Mulroney received the ] from the ] of the ] at a ceremony in Montreal.<ref name=woodrow/> The award was in recognition of his career in politics.<ref name=woodrow>{{cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/canada-institute-mourns-passing-brian-mulroney|title=The Canada Institute Mourns the Passing of Brian Mulroney|publisher=Wilson Center|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=March 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302060838/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/canada-institute-mourns-passing-brian-mulroney|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In January 2004, Mulroney delivered a keynote speech in Washington, D.C., celebrating the tenth anniversary of the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/nafta-10-wilson-center-sponsors-conference-celebrating-tenth-anniversary-the-historic-trade|title=NAFTA at 10: Wilson Center Sponsors Conference Celebrating Tenth Anniversary of the Historic Trade Agreement|publisher=Wilson Center|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818113443/https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/nafta-10-wilson-center-sponsors-conference-celebrating-tenth-anniversary-the-historic-trade|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2004, Mulroney presented a eulogy for former U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mulroneyinstitute.ca/node/341|title=Eulogy for President Ronald Reagan|publisher=Mulroney Institute|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=February 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240217135259/https://www.mulroneyinstitute.ca/node/341|url-status=live}}</ref> Two years later, at the request of Prime Minister ], Mulroney travelled to Washington, D.C., along with Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, as Canada's representatives at the ] of former president ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/mulroney-to-represent-canada-at-fords-funeral/article973730/|title=Mulroney to represent Canada at Ford's funeral|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=December 30, 2006|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=March 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302070840/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/mulroney-to-represent-canada-at-fords-funeral/article973730/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In February 2005, as part of a physical examination, a CT scan revealed two small lumps in one of Mulroney's lungs. In his youth, Mulroney had been a heavy smoker. His doctors performed a biopsy, which ruled out cancer (his surgery is sometimes cited as an example of the dangers of unnecessary testing).<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121065210/http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/a-check-on-physicals/ |date=January 21, 2013 }}, By JANE E. BRODY, ''The New York Times'', January 21, 2013</ref> He recovered well enough to tape a speech for the ]'s 2005 Policy Convention in Montreal in March, though he could not attend in person. He later developed ], and he remained in hospital for several weeks. It was not until April 19 that his son, Ben Mulroney, announced he was recovering and would soon be released.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pancreatitis-keeps-mulroney-in-hospital-1.524167 |accessdate=November 14, 2021 |title=Pancreatitis keeps Mulroney in hospital |website=CBC |date=March 25, 2005 |archive-date=October 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030083817/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/pancreatitis-keeps-mulroney-in-hospital-1.524167 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
On September 12, 2005, veteran writer and former Mulroney confidant ] released '']''. Based largely on remarks from the former prime minister, which Newman had taped with Mulroney's knowledge, the book set off national controversy. Newman had been given unfettered access to Mulroney for a thorough biography and claims Mulroney did not honour an agreement to allow him access to confidential papers.<ref>Newman, p. 50.</ref> This led Mulroney to respond at the annual Press Gallery Dinner, which is noted for comedic moments, in Ottawa on October 22, 2005. The former prime minister appeared on tape and very formally acknowledged the various dignitaries and audience groups before delivering the shortest speech of the night: "Peter Newman: Go fuck yourself. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and good night."<ref>Archived at {{cbignore}} and the {{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfGx39FnlJU&NR=1|title=Video of Brian Mulroney's speech to the Press Gallery Dinner|via=YouTube|date=December 12, 2006|access-date=June 7, 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | |||
In 2014, Mulroney became the chairman of ] and defused tensions resulting from the continuing influence of former president and CEO ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/peladeaus-political-exit-raises-questions-for-quebecor/article29829458/|title=Péladeau's political exit raises questions for Quebecor|website=The Globe and Mail|access-date=May 4, 2016|archive-date=May 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504120311/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/peladeaus-political-exit-raises-questions-for-quebecor/article29829458/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On December 5, 2018, Mulroney presented a eulogy for former U.S. President George H. W. Bush during the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-brian-mulroney-eulogy-for-former-president-george-hw-bush-funeral/|title=Transcript: Brian Mulroney's eulogy for former President George H.W. Bush|date=December 6, 2018|publisher=CBS News|accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=March 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301132641/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-brian-mulroney-eulogy-for-former-president-george-hw-bush-funeral/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Airbus/Schreiber affair === | |||
{{Main|Airbus affair}} | |||
On September 29, 1995, the Canadian Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the RCMP, sent a Letter of Request to the Swiss Government asking for information related to allegations that Mulroney was involved in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the Government of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mulroney Launches Suit|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mulroney-launches-suit/|website=The Canadian Encyclopedia|access-date=December 5, 2017|archive-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219033533/http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mulroney-launches-suit/|url-status=live}}</ref> The investigation pertained to "improper commissions" allegedly paid to German-Canadian businessman ] (or to companies controlled by him), Brian Mulroney and former Newfoundland premier ] in exchange for three government contracts.<ref name="oliph">{{Cite web |url=http://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpublications.gc.ca%2Fcollections%2Fcollection_2010%2Fbcp-pco%2FCP32-92-2-2010-1-eng.pdf |title=Government of Canada website – Oliphant Commission p. 54 |access-date=December 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205194727/http://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpublications.gc.ca%2Fcollections%2Fcollection_2010%2Fbcp-pco%2FCP32-92-2-2010-1-eng.pdf |archive-date=December 5, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> These contracts involved the purchase of Airbus Industrie aircraft by Air Canada; the purchase of helicopters by the Canadian Coast Guard from Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) in 1986; and the establishment of a manufacturing plant for Thyssen Light Armoured Vehicles (Bear Head Project) in the province of Nova Scotia, a project which Mulroney as prime minister had cancelled.<ref name="oliph" /> | |||
This Letter of Request (LOR) "and its contents were to be kept confidential" but the letter was leaked to the media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/bcp-pco/CP32-92-3-2010-eng.pdf|date=May 31, 2010|title=Report of the Oliphant Commission|author=((Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business and Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney))|website=publications.gc.ca|access-date=January 18, 2021|archive-date=April 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413235902/https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/bcp-pco/CP32-92-3-2010-eng.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, Mulroney launched a $50 million libel lawsuit against the Government of Canada and the RCMP on November 20, 1995.<ref>{{cite web|title=Superior Court exhibit|url=http://www.williamkaplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/exhibit-26.pdf|website=William Kaplan|access-date=December 5, 2017|archive-date=December 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205194648/http://www.williamkaplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/exhibit-26.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 5, 1997, Mulroney agreed to an out-of-court settlement of $2.1 million with the Government of Canada and the RCMP.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mulroney Wins Apology|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mulroney-wins-an-apology/|website=The Canadian Encyclopedia|access-date=December 5, 2017|archive-date=December 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221031601/http://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mulroney-wins-an-apology/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Oliphant Commission Report in 2010 stated that Mulroney accepted $225 000 from Schreiber, and former justice minister ] said he would have used a different litigation strategy in the libel case had he known about these payments.<ref name="CBC Jun 2010">{{Cite news |last=CBC News |date=June 2, 2010 |title=Mulroney deserved libel settlement: spokesman |language=en-US |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulroney-deserved-libel-settlement-spokesman-1.960549 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025741/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulroney-deserved-libel-settlement-spokesman-1.960549 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney did not disclose that he had received money from Schreiber (which Schreiber alleges was a total of $300,000 in instalments of $100,000 in three separate occurrences between 1993 and 1994 given to Mulroney under the code name "Britan" in brown paper envelopes/bags in denominations of $1,000 during secret hotel exchanges). Later, on February 2, 1998, Schreiber met with Mulroney at Mulroney's invitation to the hotel Savoy in Zurich, where, before a spread of smoked salmon and appetizers, Mulroney tried to get Schreiber to verify that nothing could connect Mulroney to the money.<ref>"The Payments and the Taxman." The Globe and Mail, Greg McArthur, October 31, 2007,</ref> Later on, when further information was leaked to the public, Mulroney stated that there was nothing wrong with accepting envelopes of $1,000 bills (which he put into safes and safe deposit boxes without reporting tax on it as income for years after).<ref>"Mulroney: nothing wrong accepting envelopes of $1,000 bills", The Hamilton Spectator, Friday, May 15, 2009</ref> The Oliphant Commission, presided over by Justice Jeffrey Oliphant, reported on May 31, 2010, that Mulroney "failed to live up to the standard of conduct that he himself adopted in the 1995 ethics code. Oliphant J. said he could not accept Mulroney's testimony that his acceptance of $225,000 cash was an error in judgment. Rather, it was an attempt to hide the transactions.<ref>"Brian Mulroney acted inappropriately in accepting cash, inquiry finds" The Toronto Star, May 31, 2010, Les Whittington, Richard J. Brennan, Ottawa Bureau</ref> | |||
=== Conservative Party of Canada === | |||
Mulroney played an influential role by supporting the merger of the ] (successor of the Reform Party) with the Progressive Conservatives to form the ]; Mulroney joined the new party upon its formation in 2003.<ref name=merger>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/12/18/opinion/right-wing-merger-was-tragedy-stephen-harper?page=1|title=This right-wing merger was a tragedy|date=December 18, 2023 |publisher=National Observer|accessdate=March 1, 2024}}</ref> This distinguished him from other prominent PC politicians, such as former prime ministers Joe Clark and Kim Campbell, who became ] as they believed that the Conservative Party was too right-wing and drifting toward social conservatism.<ref name=merger/> | |||
According to press reports, Mulroney's membership lapsed in 2006. In early 2009, Mulroney "called a high-ranking person in the party and asked that his name be removed from all party lists" due to his anger at the continued inquiry into his financial affairs,<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404042431/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090331.wparty01sb/BNStory/politics/home |date=April 4, 2009 }}, Campbell Clark, '']'', April 1, 2009,</ref> although he denies this claim.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411033829/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090408.wPOLharper0408/BNStory/politics/home |date=April 11, 2009 }}, Brian Laghi, ''The Globe and Mail'', April 8, 2009,</ref> A Mulroney confidant, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the party's claims preposterous. "He's part of the history of this party; you can't rewrite history. If they're worried about branding, then shut the inquiry down. They're the ones who called the inquiry."<ref>. March 31, 2009, CTV.ca</ref> | |||
Months before the ], Mulroney endorsed Prime Minister Stephen Harper.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Brian Mulroney shelves criticism of PM Harper in rare stump speech |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/brian-mulroney-shelves-criticism-of-pm-harper-in-rare-stump-speech-1.2417516 |website=CTV News |access-date=December 2, 2021 |date=June 11, 2015 |archive-date=December 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202041600/https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/brian-mulroney-shelves-criticism-of-pm-harper-in-rare-stump-speech-1.2417516 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mulroney campaigned for Conservative Leader ] in the run-up of the ].<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920213012/https://www.cp24.com/news/mulroney-campaigns-for-o-toole-in-quebec-comparing-now-to-time-before-1984-win-1.5586556 |date=September 20, 2021 }} September 15, 2021, cp24.com</ref> Just a month and a bit later, Mulroney criticized him on the matter of ], stating that he should show "leadership" and expel unvaccinated MPs from the Conservative caucus.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Aiello |first1=Rachel |title=O'Toole should show 'leadership' and show unvaccinated Conservative MPs the door: Former PM Mulroney |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/o-toole-should-show-leadership-and-show-unvaccinated-conservative-mps-the-door-former-pm-mulroney-1.5644326 |website=CTV News |access-date=November 7, 2021 |date=October 31, 2021 |archive-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107055342/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/o-toole-should-show-leadership-and-show-unvaccinated-conservative-mps-the-door-former-pm-mulroney-1.5644326 |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2022, Mulroney said he supported the Conservatives' new leader, ], but urged him to move closer to the ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Van Dyk |first1=Spencer |title=Mulroney backing Conservatives' Poilievre, but cautions he won't win going 'extreme right' |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulroney-backing-conservatives-poilievre-but-cautions-he-won-t-win-going-extreme-right-1.6102069 |website=CTV News |access-date=October 9, 2022 |date=October 9, 2022 |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009163138/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulroney-backing-conservatives-poilievre-but-cautions-he-won-t-win-going-extreme-right-1.6102069 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Other political interventions === | |||
In 2003, Mulroney criticized the Chrétien government's foreign policy. He expressed his disappointment with the Liberals strengthening relations with China, Russia, and Germany. Instead, he voiced his support for the United States, stating, "I want to stick with my old friends and allies." He also voiced his support for the ] and said Canada would have supported the United States in Iraq if he was still prime minister.<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Mulroney would've helped "old friends" in Iraq war |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mulroney-would-ve-helped-old-friends-in-iraq-war-1.406315 |website=CBC News |access-date=December 27, 2021 |date=May 9, 2003 |archive-date=December 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227015442/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mulroney-would-ve-helped-old-friends-in-iraq-war-1.406315 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In June 2023, Mulroney praised Liberal Prime Minister ]'s handling of negotiations of the ] (USMCA) and Trudeau's handling of the ]. Mulroney also criticized former US President ], saying that he "was out to sabotage Canada."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tutton |first1=Michael |title=Brian Mulroney praises Trudeau's leadership, omits any mention of Poilievre |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/brian-mulroney-praises-trudeau-s-leadership-omits-any-mention-of-poilievre-1.6448422 |website=CTV News |access-date=June 20, 2023 |date=June 20, 2023 |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620224714/https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/brian-mulroney-praises-trudeau-s-leadership-omits-any-mention-of-poilievre-1.6448422 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 21, 2023 |title=Opinion: Brian Mulroney and Justin Trudeau: A Conservative-Liberal love-in like no other |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-brian-mulroney-and-justin-trudeau-a-conservative-liberal-love-in-like/ |access-date=July 9, 2023 |archive-date=July 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709034119/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-brian-mulroney-and-justin-trudeau-a-conservative-liberal-love-in-like/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Memoir === | |||
], speaking about his memoirs.]] | |||
Mulroney's '']'' was released on September 10, 2007. Mulroney criticizes Pierre Elliot Trudeau for avoiding military service in ], and favourably references sources that describe the young Trudeau as holding ] nationalist views and having an admiration for fascist dictators.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mulroney-slams-trudeau-as-lacking-moral-fibre-to-lead-1.653081|publisher=]|title=Mulroney slams Trudeau as lacking moral fibre to lead|date=September 5, 2007|access-date=October 7, 2011|archive-date=April 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130417030039/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2007/09/05/mulroney-trudeau.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=ea44c2a3-bbd4-49bd-bac7-3cbf450d6037 |title=National Post: Repairing Trudeau's mistakes |publisher=Canada.com |date=September 5, 2007 |access-date=June 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604105917/https://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=ea44c2a3-bbd4-49bd-bac7-3cbf450d6037 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> ], a prominent Liberal strategist, responded that Trudeau should be judged on his mature views. Historian and former MP and Trudeau biographer ] said, "I don't think it does any good to do this kind of historical ransacking to try to destroy reputations."<ref>{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{dead link|date=June 2010}}</ref> | |||
=== Death and state funeral === | |||
{{main|Death and state funeral of Brian Mulroney}} | |||
Mulroney had suffered several years of declining health leading up to his death. He had been hospitalized as the result of a fall at his home in ], and died on February 29, 2024, at the age of 84.<ref name="CP-March-15">{{cite news|title=Here's what you need to know about the state funeral for former PM Brian Mulroney|agency=]|date=March 15, 2023|newspaper=]|url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-state-funeral-for-former-pm-brian-mulroney/article_1f219c48-9f3b-5a5e-af3d-f2969d5e3bcb.html|access-date=March 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/world/canada/brian-mulroney-former-canadian-prime-minister-is-dead-at-84.html|title = Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister Who Led Canada Into NAFTA, Dies at 84|last = Cowell|first = Alan|date = February 29, 2024|accessdate = February 29, 2024|newspaper = ]|url-access = limited|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240229233923/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/world/canada/brian-mulroney-former-canadian-prime-minister-is-dead-at-84.html|archive-date = February 29, 2024|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
Mulroney's remains were repatriated on March 8, 2024, at ]. A tribute in the House of Commons of Canada was held on March 18, after MPs agreed to suspend sitting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Body of former prime minister Brian Mulroney arrives back in Canada|last=Goldrick|first=Hayley|agency=]|date=March 9, 2024|work=]|location=Toronto, Ontario|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/03/09/body-of-former-prime-minister-brian-mulroney-arrives-back-in-canada/|access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref> Mulroney lay in state at the ] in Ottawa on March 19–20, before laying in repose at ] on March 21–22. A state funeral was held at the ] on March 23 and was attended by Prime Minister ] as well as former prime ministers ], ], ] and ], hockey player ], former UK Prime Minister ], ], and actor ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/mulroney-canada-state-funeral-prime-minister-6f917202d1a60f6f0b11267bf729c2a8 |title=Canada holds a state funeral to honor Brian Mulroney, one of its most consequential prime ministers |date=March 23, 2023|website=]|access-date=March 23, 2023}}</ref> He was buried at ] in Montreal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cimetierenotredamedesneiges.ca/fr/recherche-personne-defunte|title=Recherche d'une personne défunte: Brian Mulroney (T01213)|year=2024|website=]|location=Montreal, Quebec|language=fr|access-date=March 27, 2024|archive-date=March 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327102044/https://www.cimetierenotredamedesneiges.ca/fr/recherche-personne-defunte|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
== Legacy == | |||
Mulroney's legacy as prime minister is considered to be mixed. Mulroney made the case that his once-radical policies on the economy and free trade were not reversed by subsequent governments and regarded this as vindication.<ref name="Newman, p. 361">Newman, p. 361.</ref> His deputy prime minister, ], said that his greatest accomplishment would be seen as "dragging Canada kicking and screaming into the 21st century". His legacy in Canada is associated mostly with the 1989 Free Trade Agreement<ref name="autogenerated1" /> and the ] (GST). Mulroney argued his government's economic policies helped the subsequent government eliminate the deficit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blackwell |first1=Richard |title=Mulroney calls for 'dramatic' tax cuts |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mulroney-calls-for-dramatic-tax-cuts/article4149503/ |website=Globe and Mail |access-date=July 1, 2022 |date=June 19, 2001 |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701073427/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mulroney-calls-for-dramatic-tax-cuts/article4149503/ |url-status=live }}</ref> During his announcement of his intention to resign as prime minister, Mulroney responded to criticism of his policies: "I tried to do what I thought would be right for Canada in the long term, not what I thought would be politically popular in the short term."<ref name="MulroneyLATimes" /> In '']'', it was revealed he said of his accomplishments: "You cannot name a Canadian prime minister who has done as many significant things as I did, because there are none."<ref name="MulroneyG&M" /> | |||
Mulroney's intense unpopularity at the time of his resignation led many Conservative politicians to distance themselves from him for some years. His government had flirted with 10 percent approval ratings in the early 1990s when Mulroney's honesty and intentions were frequently questioned in the media, by Canadians in general and by his political colleagues.<ref>Donaldson, p. 327.</ref> In the 1993 election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced to two seats, which was seen as partially due to a backlash against Mulroney, as well as due to the fracturing of his "Grand Coalition." In the 1993 election, nearly all of the Tories' Western support shifted to Reform, which replaced the PCs as the major right-wing force in Canada. The Tories only won two seats west of Quebec in the next decade and kept remaining in fifth (last) place. The Canadian right was not reunited until the PCs merged with Reform's successor, the Canadian Alliance, in December 2003 to form the new Conservative Party of Canada.<ref name="britannica.com"/> | |||
In her memoirs, '']'', and in her response in the '']'' to ''The Secret Mulroney Tapes'', Kim Campbell said that Mulroney left her with almost no time to salvage the Tories' reputation once the bounce from the leadership convention wore off. Campbell claimed Mulroney knew the Tories would be defeated regardless of who led them into the election and wanted a "scapegoat who would bear the burden of his unpopularity" rather than a true successor. In a 2019 interview with '']'', Campbell described Mulroney as "a pragmatist, not an ideologue."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/brian-mulroney-from-scandal-adjacent-elitist-to-magnanimous-statesman/|title=Brian Mulroney: From scandal-adjacent elitist to magnanimous statesman – Macleans.ca|website=Maclean's|access-date=November 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112214043/https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/brian-mulroney-from-scandal-adjacent-elitist-to-magnanimous-statesman/|archive-date=November 12, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Former ] ], who supported both of Mulroney's attempts at constitutional reform while premier, told journalist ] of Mulroney, "I would never trust or respect him. He is a pathological liar. In fairness, I don't believe he knows he's lying ... Oh God, you couldn't take anything he said at face value. His essential Achilles heel is his baloney."<ref name="MulroneyG&M" /> | |||
In 2006, Mulroney was named the "greenest" Prime Minister in Canadian history by a 12-member panel at an event organized by '']'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060420/mulroney_green_cp_060419/20060420?hub=TopStories |title=Mulroney praised for his green record as PM |publisher=CTV.ca |date=April 20, 2006 |access-date=June 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023075138/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060420/mulroney_green_cp_060419/20060420?hub=TopStories |archive-date=October 23, 2007 }}</ref> Military historians Norman Hillmer and ] ranked Mulroney eighth out of 20 among Canada's prime ministers in their 1999 book ''Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders''. In 2018, ] ] and then ] journalist, ], referred to Mulroney as a political influence when criticizing the relatability of progressive decisions made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2018/03/22/trudeau-a-fait-de-moi-un-conservateur|title=Trudeau a fait de moi un conservateur|last=Lévesque|first=Sylvain|website=Le Journal de Québec|date=March 22, 2018|access-date=November 13, 2019|archive-date=November 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110055033/https://www.journaldequebec.com/2018/03/22/trudeau-a-fait-de-moi-un-conservateur|url-status=live}}</ref> In that same year, former Bloc Québécois leader ] said he considered Mulroney to be the greatest prime minister of the last 50 years.<ref name="lapresse.ca">{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-canadienne/201805/11/01-5181588-michel-gauthier-se-joint-aux-conservateurs.php|title=Michel Gauthier se joint aux conservateurs|date=May 12, 2018|website=La Presse|language=fr|access-date=November 13, 2019|last1=Bellavance|first1=Joël-Denis|archive-date=October 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015051718/https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-canadienne/201805/11/01-5181588-michel-gauthier-se-joint-aux-conservateurs.php|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia inaugurated the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, a $100-million initiative designed to provide undergraduates with degrees in public policy and governance.<ref name="G&M Sept 2019">{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Laura |date=September 18, 2019 |title=$100-million Brian Mulroney Institute of Government opens at former prime minister's alma mater St. Francis Xavier |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-100-million-brian-mulroney-institute-of-government-opens-at-former/ |access-date=December 9, 2020 |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923174229/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-100-million-brian-mulroney-institute-of-government-opens-at-former/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== Supreme Court appointments == | |||
Mulroney chose the following jurists to be appointed by the ] to be ] of the ], one of whom, Beverley McLachlin, was subsequently elevated to ]: | |||
* ] (January 16, 1985 – September 30, 1997)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stewartmckelvey.com/people/la-forest-gerard/|title=La Forest, Gérard|website=Stewart McKelvey|language=en-CA|access-date=October 19, 2019|archive-date=October 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003032958/https://www.stewartmckelvey.com/people/la-forest-gerard/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ] (April 15, 1987 – July 1, 2002)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/supreme-court-pays-tribute-to-colourful-contentious-judge/article4136393/|title=Supreme Court pays tribute to colourful, contentious judge|last=Bailey|first=Sue|date=June 11, 2002|work=]|access-date=December 17, 2017|archive-date=September 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928133553/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/supreme-court-pays-tribute-to-colourful-contentious-judge/article4136393/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ] (May 24, 1988 – November 24, 1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/justices-of-the-supreme-court-of-canada-1.788206 |title=Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada |date=January 5, 2009 |work=CBC News |publisher=] |access-date=January 18, 2010 |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721120210/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/01/05/f-supreme-court-who.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ] (February 1, 1989 – August 1, 2003)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/court-cour/ju/gonthier/index-eng.asp|title=The Honourable Mr. Justice Charles Doherty Gonthier|publisher=Supreme Court of Canada|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523001922/http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/court-cour/ju/gonthier/index-eng.asp |accessdate=March 1, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
* ] (February 1, 1989 – June 1, 1999)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-1236|title= The Honourable Peter de C. Cory | |||
|publisher= The Governor General of Canada |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200502185342/https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-1236 |archive-date= May 2, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ] (March 30, 1989 – December 15, 2017; subsequently appointed Chief Justice of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, from January 7, 2000)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scc-csc.ca/judges-juges/bio-eng.aspx?id=beverley-mclachlin|title=Beverley McLachlin|date=July 6, 2018|access-date=January 14, 2020|archive-date=July 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722214153/https://scc-csc.ca/judges-juges/bio-eng.aspx?id=beverley-mclachlin|url-status=live|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
* ] (September 17, 1990 – June 5, 1992)<ref>{{cite web |title=William Alexander Stevenson – Obituary |url=https://edmontonjournal.remembering.ca/obituary/william-stevenson-1082770401 |access-date=July 23, 2021 |publisher=Edmonton Journal |date=July 10, 2021}}</ref> | |||
* ] (January 7, 1991 – June 30, 2004)<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, CC, QC, LLD, LSM {{!}} historyproject.law.ubc.ca|url=https://historyproject.allard.ubc.ca/law-history-project/profile/honourable-frank-iacobucci-cc-qc-lld-lsm|access-date=July 26, 2020|website=historyproject.allard.ubc.ca}}</ref> | |||
* ] (November 13, 1992 – December 25, 2005)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Current and Former Judges |url=https://www.scc-csc.ca/judges-juges/cfpju-jupp-eng.aspx |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=] |date=January 2001 |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604230631/https://scc-csc.ca/judges-juges/cfpju-jupp-eng.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney also advised the appointment of ] (as Chief Justice, July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000. Lamer had been appointed a ] on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, March 28, 1980).<ref name=":2" /> | |||
== Honours == | |||
According to Canadian protocol, as a former Prime Minister, he was styled "]" for life. | |||
<br /> | |||
{{center| | |||
] ] ] | |||
<br /> | |||
] ] ] | |||
<br /> | |||
] ] ] | |||
<br /> | |||
}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- |
|- style="background:silver; text-align:center;" | ||
|Ribbon || Description || Notes | |Ribbon || Description || Notes || Ref | ||
|- | |- | ||
|] | |||
|] || Companion of the ] (C.C.) || | |||
|Grand Cross of the ] (Haiti) | |||
| | |||
* Awarded 1994 | |||
* For "highest recognition for his leadership in vital matters affecting the nation" of Haiti. | |||
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=M. Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, LLD (The Right Honourable) {{!}} Senior Partner {{!}} Global law firm {{!}} Norton Rose Fulbright |url=https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/121012 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website=www.nortonrosefulbright.com |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930094207/https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/121012 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] || Companion of the ] (C.C.) || | |||
* Awarded on May 6, 1998 | * Awarded on May 6, 1998 | ||
* Invested on October 22, 1998 | * Invested on October 22, 1998 | ||
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=3844&t=12&ln=Mulroney |title=The Governor General of Canada > Find a Recipient |website=Gg.ca |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190548/http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=3844&t=12&ln=Mulroney |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || Grand Officer of the ] || | |] || Grand Officer of the ] || | ||
* 2002 | * 2002 | ||
* Honouring "Quebec residents for conspicuous achievement in any field". | |||
* https://www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca/membres/membre.asp?id=1735 | |||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca/membres/membre.asp?id=1735|title=Brian Mulroney – Ordre national du Québec|date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011002/https://www.ordre-national.gouv.qc.ca/membres/membre.asp?id=1735|archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || ] || | |] || ] || | ||
* 1993 | * 1993 | ||
* As the ] and an elected Member of the ], the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney would be awarded the medal as a member of the ].<ref name="dominionofcanada1">{{cite web|url=http://dominionofcanada.com/commemorative_medals/index.html |title=Commemorative Medals of The |
* As the ] and an elected Member of the ], the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney would be awarded the medal as a member of the ]. | ||
|<ref name="dominionofcanada1">{{cite web |url=http://dominionofcanada.com/commemorative_medals/index.html |title=Commemorative Medals of The Queen's Reign in Canada |website=Dominionofcanada.com |date=December 10, 2011 |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207135820/http://dominionofcanada.com/commemorative_medals/index.html |archive-date=February 7, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || ] for Canada|| | |] || ] for Canada|| | ||
* |
* 2002 | ||
* As a former ] and having been awarded |
* As a former ] and having been awarded the Order of Canada, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney was awarded the medal as a member of the ].<ref name="dominionofcanada1" /> | ||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=7&t=6&ln=Mulroney|title = Recipients|date = June 11, 2018|access-date = December 7, 2015|archive-date = March 4, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190537/http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=7&t=6&ln=Mulroney|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
* http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=7&t=6&ln=Mulroney | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || ] for Canada|| | |] || ] for Canada|| | ||
* 2012 | * 2012 | ||
* As a former ] and having been awarded |
* As a former ] and having been awarded the Order of Canada, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney was awarded the medal as a member of the ].<ref name="dominionofcanada1" /> | ||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=670&t=13&ln=Mulroney|title = Recipients|date = June 11, 2018|access-date = December 7, 2015|archive-date = March 4, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190208/http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=670&t=13&ln=Mulroney|url-status = live}}</ref> | |||
* http://gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=670&t=13&ln=Mulroney | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || Grand Cross with Collar of the ] (Ukraine)|| | |] || Grand Cross with Collar of the ] (Ukraine)|| | ||
* 2007 | |||
* <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.ua/canada/en/publication/content/10964.htm|title=Embassy of Ukraine in Canada - Publications|publisher=Mfa.gov.ua|accessdate=2010-06-07}}</ref> | |||
* Awarded to Mulroney for cementing Canada as the first Western Nation to legitimize ], only a day after ], in 1991. | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.ua/canada/en/publication/content/10964.htm|title=Embassy of Ukraine in Canada – Publications|publisher=Mfa.gov.ua|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521224925/http://www.mfa.gov.ua/canada/en/publication/content/10964.htm|archive-date=May 21, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] || Grand Cordon of the ]|| | |] || Grand Cordon of the ] (Japan)|| | ||
* 2011 | |||
* <ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/JapanCanada/mulroney_order_rising_sun_2011.html| title=Investiture Ceremony for the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ| year=2011| publisher=Embassy of Japan in Canada}}</ref> | |||
* Awarded for Mulroney's signing of The Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement, acknowledging the Canadian government's wrongful actions against the Japanese ]. Mulroney's actions to strengthen ] business-wise in the 2000s further complimented the previous reason. | |||
|<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/JapanCanada/mulroney_order_rising_sun_2011.html| title=Investiture Ceremony for the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ| year=2011| publisher=Embassy of Japan in Canada| access-date=June 1, 2013| archive-date=January 5, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105152143/http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/JapanCanada/mulroney_order_rising_sun_2011.html| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Museum |first=Royal British Columbia |date=June 21, 2023 |title=From Racism to Redress: The Japanese Canadian Experience |url=https://learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ePubFaShRacRedJap.pdf |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website=learning.royalbcmuseum.ba.ca |archive-date=November 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111072440/https://learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ePubFaShRacRedJap.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| || ]|| | |] || ] (South Africa)|| | ||
* 2015 | |||
* <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/news/127961/brian-mulroney-honoured-with-the-order-of-the-companions-of-or-tambo-in-south-africa|title=Brian Mulroney honoured with the order of the companions of or tambo in south africa|publisher=Norton Rose Fulbright|date=2015-04-20|accessdate=2015-05-21}}</ref> | |||
* Awarded for exceptional contribution to the liberation movement of South Africa (aiding to eliminate ] and free ]) as well as contributing to a ]. | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/news/127961/brian-mulroney-honoured-with-the-order-of-the-companions-of-or-tambo-in-south-africa|title=Brian Mulroney honoured with the order of the companions of or tambo in south africa|publisher=Norton Rose Fulbright|date=April 20, 2015|access-date=May 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123134008/http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/news/127961/brian-mulroney-honoured-with-the-order-of-the-companions-of-or-tambo-in-south-africa|archive-date=January 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] || Commander of the National Order of the ] (France)|| | |||
* 2016 | |||
* Awarded for having served France of the ] it upholds. The reward was made specifically for French nationals, but is occasionally given to "]s". | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2016/2016-11-26/html/gh-rg-eng.php|title=AWARDS TO CANADIANS|date=November 26, 2016|access-date=December 20, 2016|archive-date=March 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331052902/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2016/2016-11-26/html/gh-rg-eng.php|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|} | |} | ||
===Honorary |
=== Honorary degrees === | ||
Brian Mulroney received several honorary degrees, including: | |||
Brian Mulroney Has Received Many ] In Recognition of His Political Career. These Include | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" | |||
;Honorary Degrees | |||
! style="width:20%;"| Location | |||
{| border="1" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%; margin:0.5em 1em 0.5em 0; border:1px #056 solid; border-collapse:collapse;" | |||
! style="width:20%;"| Date | |||
! style="width:40%;"| School | |||
! style="width:20%;"| Degree | |||
|- | |||
| {{Flag|Newfoundland and Labrador}} || '''October 1980''' || ] || ] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary graduates of memorial University of Newfoundland 1960–Present |url=https://www.mun.ca/senate/honorary_degrees_by_convo.pdf |access-date=October 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215162823/http://www.mun.ca/senate/honorary_degrees_by_convo.pdf |archive-date=February 15, 2016 }}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| {{Flag|Maryland}} || '''May 21, 1992''' || ] || ] (DHL)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.jhu.edu/commencement/honorees/alpha.html |title=Honorary Degrees Awarded (Alphabetical Order) | Johns Hopkins University Commencement |website=Web.jhu.edu |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231081949/http://web.jhu.edu/commencement/honorees/alpha.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| {{Flag|Connecticut}} || '''April 26, 1994''' || ] || ] (D.S.Sc) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{Flag|Israel}} || '''1994''' || ] || Honorary Doctor of Philosophy<ref name="TAU">{{Cite news |title=Honorary Degrees – Honorary Degrees |work=Tel Aviv University |url=http://www3.tau.ac.il/honorary/ |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=June 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629212356/http://www3.tau.ac.il/honorary/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
! style="background:#f5f5f5; width:20%;"| <span style="color:dimGrey;">Country</span> !! style="background:#f5f5f5; width:20%;"| <span style="color:dimGrey;">Date</span> !! style="background:#f5f5f5; width:40%;"| <span style="color:dimGrey;">School</span> !! style="background:#f5f5f5; width:20%;"| <span style="color:dimGrey;">Degree</span> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{ |
| {{Flag|Missouri}} || '''May 1998''' || ] || ](LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.umsl.edu/commencement/commencementtraditions/honorary_degrees.html |title=Honorary Degree Recipients |website=Umsl.edu |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053905/http://www.umsl.edu/commencement/commencementtraditions/honorary_degrees.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| {{ |
| {{Flag|Quebec}} || '''December 2005''' || ] || ] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.concordia.ca/mulroney |title=Honorary Degree Citation – Brian Mulroney | Concordia University Archives |website=Archives.concordia.ca |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-date=October 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002114930/http://archives.concordia.ca/mulroney |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| {{Flag|Massachusetts}} || '''May 21, 2007''' || ] || ] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://at.bc.edu/2007honors/ |title=@BC » Feature Archive » 2007 honors |website=At.bc.edu |date=May 16, 2007 |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110618/http://at.bc.edu/2007honors/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
| {{Flagu|Connecticut}} || '''26 April 1994''' || ] || ] (D.S.Sc) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{ |
| {{Flag|Ontario}} || '''June 15, 2007''' || ] || ] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/senate/honorary/honorary_degrees_by_year.pdf |title=The University of Western Ontario : Honorary Degrees Awarded, 1881 – present |website=Uwo.ca |access-date=February 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308072745/https://uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/senate/honorary/honorary_degrees_by_year.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| {{Flag|Quebec}} || '''June 16, 2007''' || ] ||<ref>{{Cite web|title=M. Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, LLD (The Right Honourable) {{!}} Senior Partner {{!}} Global law firm {{!}} Norton Rose Fulbright|url=https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/121012|access-date=December 1, 2020|website=nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/imported/2018/07/18/05|language=en|archive-date=September 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930094207/https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/121012|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| {{Flagu|Quebec}} || '''December 2005''' || ] || ] (LL.D) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.concordia.ca/mulroney |title=Honorary Degree Citation - Brian Mulroney | Concordia University Archives |website=Archives.concordia.ca |date= |accessdate=2016-02-16}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|{{Flag|Quebec}} | |||
| {{Flagu|Massachusetts}} || '''21 May 2007''' || ] || ] (LL.D)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://at.bc.edu/2007honors/ |title=@BC » Feature Archive » 2007 honors |website=At.bc.edu |date=2007-05-16 |accessdate=2016-02-16}}</ref> | |||
|'''June 3, 2016''' | |||
|{{Lang|fr|]|italic=no}} | |||
|Unspecified Doctorate (PhD)<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 18, 2020|title=article|url=https://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/article/2016/06/01/udem-to-present-honorary-doctorates-to-brian-mulroney-elizabeth-cannon-and-calvin/|access-date=December 1, 2020|website=nouvelles.umontreal.ca|language=en|archive-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116121946/https://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/article/2016/06/01/udem-to-present-honorary-doctorates-to-brian-mulroney-elizabeth-cannon-and-calvin/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|{{Flag|Quebec}} | |||
| {{Flagu|Ontario}} || '''15 June 2007''' || ] || ] (LL.D) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/senate/honorary/honorary_degrees_by_year.pdf |format=PDF |title=The University of Western Ontario : Honorary Degrees Awarded, 1881 - present |website=Uwo.ca |accessdate=2016-02-16}}</ref> | |||
|'''June 6, 2017''' | |||
|] | |||
|Doctor of Laws<ref name="McGill Doc of Laws">{{Cite news |date=April 25, 2017 |title=McGill Honorary Doctorates 2017 |language=en |work=McGill University Newsroom |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/mcgill-honorary-doctorates-2017-267838 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330170419/https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/mcgill-honorary-doctorates-2017-267838 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{Flag|New Brunswick}} || '''May 15, 2018''' || ] || Unspecified Doctorate<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://w3.stu.ca/stu/News/161090 |title=St. Thomas University to award honorary degrees to the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney and Mila Mulroney at Spring Convocation on May 15 – St. Thomas University – Fredericton, NB Canada |access-date=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142017/http://w3.stu.ca/stu/News/161090 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
| {{Flagu|Quebec}} || '''16 June 2007''' || ] || | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{Flag|Ontario}} ||'''June 25, 2021''' ||] ||Doctor of Laws<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney and Mrs. Mila Mulroney |url=https://ontariotechu.ca/convocation/about/honorary-degrees/2021/the-right-honourable-brian-mulroney-and-mrs.-mila-mulroney.php |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=ontariotechu.ca |language=en |archive-date=February 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208040548/https://ontariotechu.ca/convocation/about/honorary-degrees/2021/the-right-honourable-brian-mulroney-and-mrs.-mila-mulroney.php |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
| {{Flagu|Nova Scotia}} || '''3 May 2015''' || ] || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stfx.ca/news/view/17356/ |title=StFX celebrates Class of 2015, former Canadian Prime Minister delivers address to graduates | St. Francis Xavier University |website=Stfx.ca |date=2015-05-03 |accessdate=2016-02-16}}</ref> | |||
|} | |} | ||
{{Incomplete list|date=October 2015}} | |||
=== Order of Canada Citation === | |||
{{Expand list|date=October 2015}} | |||
Mulroney was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada on May 6, 1998. His citation reads:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=3844 |title=Order of Canada |publisher=Archive.gg.ca |date=April 30, 2009 |access-date=August 28, 2012 |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714034400/http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=3844 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Order of Canada Citation=== | |||
Brian Mulroney was appointed a Companion of the ] on May 6, 1998. His citation reads:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=3844 |title=Order of Canada |publisher=Archive.gg.ca |date=2009-04-30 |accessdate=2012-08-28}}</ref> | |||
<blockquote>As the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada, he led the country for nine consecutive years. His accomplishments include, among others, the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and the United States, and the Acid Rain Treaty. In other international activities, he assumed the leadership of the Commonwealth countries against apartheid in South Africa and was appointed Co-chair of the United Nations' World Summit for Children. Fiscal reform, important environmental initiatives and employment equity were also highlights of his political career.</blockquote> | <blockquote>As the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada, he led the country for nine consecutive years. His accomplishments include, among others, the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and the United States, and the Acid Rain Treaty. In other international activities, he assumed the leadership of the Commonwealth countries against apartheid in South Africa and was appointed Co-chair of the United Nations' World Summit for Children. Fiscal reform, important environmental initiatives and employment equity were also highlights of his political career.</blockquote> | ||
{{Clear}} | {{Clear}} | ||
=== Other awards === | |||
==Supreme Court appointments== | |||
In 2018, Mulroney was inducted into the ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Canadian Disability Hall of Fame |url=https://www.cfpdp.com/canadian-disability-hall-of-fame/ |website=Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons |access-date=October 30, 2018 |archive-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415021024/https://www.cfpdp.com/canadian-disability-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and was awarded the ].<ref name="GB Award">{{Cite news |last=George Bush Presidential Library Foundation |date=October 1, 2018 |title=2018 George Bush Award For Excellence In Public Service Presented To Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney |language=en |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2018-george-bush-award-for-excellence-in-public-service-presented-to-former-canadian-prime-minister-brian-mulroney-300722136.html |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815144316/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2018-george-bush-award-for-excellence-in-public-service-presented-to-former-canadian-prime-minister-brian-mulroney-300722136.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Mulroney chose the following jurists to be appointed as justices of the ] by the ]: | |||
* ] (January 16, 1985 – September 30, 1997) | |||
* ] (April 15, 1987 – July 1, 2002) | |||
* ] (May 24, 1988 – November 24, 1997) | |||
* ] (February 1, 1989 – August 1, 2003) | |||
* ] (February 1, 1989 – June 1, 1999) | |||
* ] (March 30, 1989 – present) | |||
* ] (as Chief Justice, July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000; appointed a ] under Prime Minister ], March 28, 1980) | |||
* ] (September 17, 1990 – June 5, 1992) | |||
* ] (January 7, 1991 – June 30, 2004) | |||
* ] (November 13, 1992 – December 25, 2005) | |||
==Notable cabinet ministers== | |||
{| border="0" | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
| | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
|} | |||
== |
== Coat of arms == | ||
{{Infobox COA wide | {{Infobox COA wide | ||
|image=Brian Mulroney Arms.svg | |image=Brian Mulroney Arms.svg | ||
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}} | }} | ||
== Electoral record == | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Main|Electoral history of Brian Mulroney}} | |||
{{Portal|Canadian politics|Canada}} | |||
* ] | |||
== See also == | |||
{{Portal|Canada|Politics|Biography}} | |||
* ] | |||
* '']'' | * '']'' | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
== |
== Footnotes == | ||
{{Notelist}} | |||
== References == | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | {{Reflist|30em}} | ||
=== Works cited === | |||
==Further reading== | |||
{{refbegin|2}} | |||
{{main|List of books about Prime Ministers of Canada}} | |||
* {{cite book |last=MacDonald |first=L. Ian |title=From Bourassa to Bourassa: Wilderness to Restoration |location=Montreal |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn=0-7735-2392-8 |ref={{sfnRef|MacDonald}} |year=2002 |edition=2nd}} | |||
* {{cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Patrick |last2=Gregg |first2=Alan |last3=Perlin |first3=George |title=Contenders: The Tory Quest for Power |url=https://archive.org/details/contenderstoryqu00mart |url-access=registration |location=Toronto |publisher=Prentice Hall |isbn=978-0-13-171349-9 |ref={{sfnRef|Martin, Gregg, Perlin}} |year=1983}} | |||
* {{wikicite |ref={{harvid|S.C. 1986, ch. 6}} |reference={{Cite canlaw |short title=An Act to amend the Income Tax Act and related statutes, and to amend the Canada Pension Plan, the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1971, the Financial Administration Act and the Petroleum and Gas Revenue Tax Act1 |abbr=S.C. |year=1986 |chapter=6 |link=https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1986v01cana/page/358/mode/2up}} }} | |||
{{refend}} | |||
== Further reading == | |||
{{see also|List of books about Prime Ministers of Canada}} | |||
{{refbegin}} | {{refbegin}} | ||
=== |
=== Archives === | ||
*{{cite archive |collection=Brian Mulroney fonds |date=1942–1998 |institution=] |location=Ottawa, Ontario |collection-url=http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=106868&lang=eng}} | |||
* Bercuson, David J., J. L. Granatstein and W. R. Young. ''Sacred Trust?: Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power'' (1987) | |||
* Blake, Raymond B. ed. '''' (McGill-Queen's University Press), 2007. 456pp; ISBN 978-0-7735-3214-4 | |||
=== Scholarly studies === | |||
* Clarkson, Stephen. ''Canada and the Reagan Challenge: Crisis and Adjustment, 1981-85'' (2nd ed. 1985) | |||
* Bercuson, David J., J. L. Granatstein and W. R. Young. ''Sacred Trust?: Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power'' (1987) | |||
* Blake, Raymond B. ed. '' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003184410/https://books.google.com/books?id=f6KiHZe3KVgC |date=October 3, 2023 }}'' (McGill-Queen's University Press), 2007. 456pp; {{ISBN|978-0-7735-3214-4}} | |||
* Clarkson, Stephen. ''Canada and the Reagan Challenge: Crisis and Adjustment, 1981–85'' (2nd ed. 1985) {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323233635/https://www.amazon.com/Canada-Reagan-Challenge-Adjustment-1981-85/dp/0888627904 |date=March 23, 2017 }} | |||
* Donaldson, Gordon. ''The Prime Ministers of Canada'' (Toronto: Doubleday Canada Limited, 1997) | * Donaldson, Gordon. ''The Prime Ministers of Canada'' (Toronto: Doubleday Canada Limited, 1997) | ||
* Hall, Tony. "Self-government or self-delusion?: Brian Mulroney and Aboriginal rights," ''Canadian Journal of Native Studies'' (1986) 6#1 pp. 77–89. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129071136/https://cjns.brandonu.ca/wp-content/uploads/6-1-hall.pdf |date=January 29, 2024 }} | |||
* ] and ]. ''Prime Ministers: Rating Canada's Leaders'', (1999). {{ISBN|0-00-200027-X}}. | |||
* ] ''Master of Persuasion: Brian Mulroney's Global Legacy'' (Signal, 2018) {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302061409/https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HIFXDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Brian+Mulroney+&ots=yeydbNtLwR&sig=aGk2ImdNIQzGEZd6iGr727UNh6c#v=onepage&q=Brian%20Mulroney&f=false |date=March 2, 2024 }}. | |||
* Veugelers, John W. P. "State-Society Relations in the Making of Canadian Immigration Policy during the Mulroney Era." ''Canadian Review of Sociology/Revue canadienne de sociologie'' 37.1 (2000): 95–110. | |||
===Popular books=== | === Popular books === | ||
* ''Winners, Losers'', by ], Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1976. | * ''Winners, Losers'', by ], Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1976. | ||
* ''Where I Stand'', by Brian Mulroney, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1983, ISBN |
* ''Where I Stand'', by Brian Mulroney, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1983, {{ISBN|0-7710-6671-6}} | ||
* ''Discipline of Power: the Conservative Interlude and the Liberal Restoration'', by ], Macmillan of Canada, 1984, ISBN |
* ''Discipline of Power: the Conservative Interlude and the Liberal Restoration'', by ], Macmillan of Canada, 1984, {{ISBN|0-920510-24-8}}. | ||
* ''Brian Mulroney: The Boy from Baie Comeau'', by ], Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1984. | * ''Brian Mulroney: The Boy from Baie Comeau'', by ], Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1984. | ||
* ''Mulroney: The Making of the Prime Minister'', by ], 1984. | * ''Mulroney: The Making of the Prime Minister'', by ], 1984. | ||
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* ''Spoils of Power: the Politics of Patronage'', by Jeffrey Simpson, 1988. | * ''Spoils of Power: the Politics of Patronage'', by Jeffrey Simpson, 1988. | ||
* ''Friends in high places: politics and patronage in the Mulroney government'', by Claire Hoy, 1989. | * ''Friends in high places: politics and patronage in the Mulroney government'', by Claire Hoy, 1989. | ||
* ''Betrayal of Canada'', by Mel Hurtig, Stoddart Pub. Co., 1991, ISBN |
* ''Betrayal of Canada'', by Mel Hurtig, Stoddart Pub. Co., 1991, {{ISBN|0-7737-2542-3}} | ||
* ''Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991. | * ''Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition'', by ], 1991. | ||
* ''Right Honourable Men: the Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Mulroney'', by ], 1994. | * ''Right Honourable Men: the Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Mulroney'', by ], 1994. | ||
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* ''Promises, Promises: Breaking Faith in Canadian Politics'', by Anthony Hyde, 1997. | * ''Promises, Promises: Breaking Faith in Canadian Politics'', by Anthony Hyde, 1997. | ||
* ''Presumed Guilty: Brian Mulroney, the Airbus Affair, and the Government of Canada'', by ], 1998. | * ''Presumed Guilty: Brian Mulroney, the Airbus Affair, and the Government of Canada'', by ], 1998. | ||
* ''Prime Ministers: Rating Canada's Leaders'', by ] and ], 1999. ISBN 0-00-200027-X. | |||
* ''The Last Amigo: Karlheinz Schreiber and the Anatomy of a Scandal'', by ] and Harvey Cashore, 2001. | * ''The Last Amigo: Karlheinz Schreiber and the Anatomy of a Scandal'', by ] and Harvey Cashore, 2001. | ||
* ''Egotists and Autocrats: The Prime Ministers of Canada'', by ], 1999. | * ''Egotists and Autocrats: The Prime Ministers of Canada'', by ], 1999. | ||
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{{refend}} | {{refend}} | ||
==External links== | == External links == | ||
{{Wikiquote}} | |||
{{wikisource author|Brian Mulroney}} | |||
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=13477}} | |||
{{wikiquote}} | |||
* | |||
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=1335c5d9-2c4e-4ed4-b8d2-c85f1099e8d8}} | |||
* {{IMDb name|0612486}} | |||
* | |||
* {{C-SPAN|1750}} | |||
* | |||
* http://mulroneymediaroom.com/, Brian Mulroney's personal site for releasing documents and statements about his public activity. | |||
* | |||
* | |||
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Latest revision as of 20:43, 24 December 2024
Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993
The Right HonourableBrian MulroneyPC CC GOQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mulroney in 1984 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18th Prime Minister of Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office September 17, 1984 – June 25, 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governors General | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Turner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kim Campbell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office August 29, 1983 – September 17, 1984 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Erik Nielsen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | John Turner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office June 11, 1983 – June 13, 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Erik Nielsen (interim) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kim Campbell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Martin Brian Mulroney (1939-03-20)March 20, 1939 Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | February 29, 2024(2024-02-29) (aged 84) Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal, Quebec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party |
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Spouse |
Mila Pivnički (m. 1973) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 4, including Caroline and Ben | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relatives | Jessica Mulroney (daughter-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education |
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Martin Brian Mulroney (March 20, 1939 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993.
Born in the eastern Quebec city of Baie-Comeau, Mulroney studied political science and law. He then moved to Montreal and gained prominence as a labour lawyer. After placing third in the 1976 Progressive Conservative leadership election, he was appointed president of the Iron Ore Company of Canada in 1977. He held that post until 1983, when he became leader of the Progressive Conservatives. He led the party to a landslide victory in the 1984 federal election, winning the second-largest percentage of seats in Canadian history (at 74.8 percent) and receiving over 50 percent of the popular vote. He later won a second majority government in 1988.
Mulroney's tenure as prime minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement, the goods and services tax (GST) that was created to replace the manufacturers' sales tax, and the privatization of 23 of 61 Crown corporations including Air Canada and Petro-Canada. However, he was unsuccessful in reducing Canada's chronic budget deficit. Mulroney sought Quebec's endorsement of the 1982 constitutional amendments by first introducing the Meech Lake Accord and then the Charlottetown Accord. Both proposed recognizing Quebec as a distinct society, extending provincial powers, and extensively changing the constitution. Both of the accords failed to be ratified, and the Meech Lake Accord's demise revived Quebec separatism, leading to the rise of the Bloc Québécois. In foreign policy, Mulroney strengthened Canada's ties with the United States and opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa, leading an effort within the Commonwealth to sanction the country. Mulroney's tenure was marked by the Air India Flight 182 bombing, the largest mass killing in Canadian history, though his response to the attack came under criticism. Mulroney made environmental protection a priority by securing a treaty with the United States on acid rain, making Canada the first industrialized country to ratify the Convention on Biological Diversity, adding significant national parks, and passing the Environmental Assessment Act and the Environmental Protection Act.
The unpopularity of the GST and the controversy surrounding its passage in the Senate, combined with the early 1990s recession, the collapse of the Charlottetown Accord, and growing Western alienation that triggered the rise of the Reform Party, caused a stark decline in Mulroney's popularity, which induced him to resign and hand over power to his cabinet minister Kim Campbell in June 1993. In the election later that year, the Progressive Conservatives were reduced from a majority government of 156 seats to two, with its support being eroded by the Bloc and Reform parties. In his retirement, Mulroney served as an international business consultant and sat on the board of directors of multiple corporations. Although he places above average in rankings of Canadian prime ministers, his legacy remains controversial. He was criticized for his role in the resurgence of Quebec nationalism and accused of corruption in the Airbus affair, a scandal that came to light only several years after he left office.
Early life (1939–1955)
Mulroney was born on March 20, 1939, in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, a remote and isolated town of the Côte-Nord region, in the eastern part of the province. He was the son of Irish Canadian Catholic parents, Mary Irene (née O'Shea) and Benedict Martin Mulroney, who was a paper mill electrician. As there was no English-language Catholic high school in Baie-Comeau, Mulroney completed his high school education at a Roman Catholic boarding school in Chatham, New Brunswick, operated by St. Thomas University. In 2001, St. Thomas University named its newest academic building in his honour. Benedict Mulroney worked overtime and ran a repair business to earn extra money for his children's education, and he encouraged his oldest son to attend university.
Mulroney would frequently tell stories about newspaper publisher Robert R. McCormick, whose company had founded Baie-Comeau. Mulroney would sing Irish songs for McCormick, and the publisher would slip him $50. Mulroney grew up speaking English and French fluently.
Family
On May 26, 1973, Mulroney married Mila Pivnički, the daughter of a Serbian-Canadian doctor, Dimitrije Pivnički [sr], from Novi Bečej. Many PC campaign buttons featured both Mulroney's face and hers, and Ontario Premier Bill Davis commented to Brian, "Mila will get you more votes for you than you will for yourself."
The Mulroneys have four children: Caroline, Benedict (Ben), Mark and Nicolas. Caroline unsuccessfully ran for the 2018 Ontario PC leadership race and represents the party in the provincial legislature as the member for York—Simcoe. She served as Ontario's minister of transportation and minister of Francophone affairs. She moved from transportation to being President of the Treasury Board while continuing on as the minister of Francophone affairs. Ben was the host of the CTV morning show Your Morning from June 2016 to October 2021. Ben is married to stylist Jessica, and their three children served as page boys and bridesmaids during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. Mark and Nicolas both work in the financial industry in Toronto.
Education (1955–1964)
Mulroney entered St. Francis Xavier University in the fall of 1955 as a 16-year-old first-year student. His political life began when he was recruited to the campus Progressive Conservative group by Lowell Murray and others early in his first year. Murray, who was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1979, became Mulroney's close friend, mentor, and adviser. Mulroney made other important, lasting friendships with Gerald Doucet, Fred Doucet, Sam Wakim, and Patrick MacAdam. Mulroney enthusiastically embraced political organization and assisted the local PC candidate in his successful 1956 Nova Scotia provincial election campaign; the PCs, led provincially by Robert Stanfield, won a surprise victory.
Mulroney became a youth delegate and attended the 1956 leadership convention in Ottawa. While initially undecided, Mulroney was captivated by John Diefenbaker's powerful oratory and easy approachability. Mulroney joined the Youth for Diefenbaker committee, which was led by Ted Rogers, a future scion of Canadian business. Mulroney struck an early friendship with Diefenbaker (who won the leadership) and received telephone calls from him.
Mulroney won several public speaking contests at St. Francis Xavier University, was a star member of the school's debating team, and never lost an inter-university debate. He was also very active in campus politics, serving with distinction in several Model Parliaments, and was campus prime minister in a Maritimes-wide Model Parliament in 1958.
Mulroney assisted with the 1958 national election campaign at the local level in Nova Scotia. This campaign led to the largest majority in the history of the Canadian House of Commons. After graduating from St. Francis Xavier with a degree in political science in 1959, Mulroney at first pursued a law degree from Dalhousie Law School in Halifax. It was around this time that Mulroney also cultivated friendships with the Tory premier of Nova Scotia, Robert Stanfield, and his chief adviser Dalton Camp. In his role as an advance man, Mulroney assisted with Stanfield's successful 1960 re-election campaign. Mulroney neglected his studies, fell seriously ill during the winter term, was hospitalized, and, despite getting extensions for several courses because of his illness, left his program at Dalhousie after the first year. He then applied to Université Laval in Quebec City and continued his legal studies there later in 1960.
In Quebec City, Mulroney befriended future Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson Sr. and frequented the provincial legislature, making connections with politicians, aides, and journalists. At Laval, Mulroney built a network of friends, including Lucien Bouchard, Bernard Roy, Michel Cogger, Michael Meighen, and Jean Bazin, that would play a prominent role in Canadian politics for years to come.
Mulroney secured a temporary appointment in Ottawa during the summer of 1962 as the executive assistant to Alvin Hamilton, minister of agriculture. Then, a federal election was called. Hamilton took Mulroney with him on the campaign trail, where the young organizer gained valuable experience.
Labour lawyer (1964–1976)
After graduating from Laval in 1964, Mulroney moved to Montreal to join the law firm Howard, Cate, Ogilvy et al. The firm at the time was the largest law firm in the Commonwealth of Nations. Despite twice failing his bar exams, the firm kept him due to his charming personality. Mulroney finally passed the exam and was admitted to the Quebec bar in 1965, after which he began practising as a labour lawyer. He worked on Laurent Picard's Commission of Inquiry on the St. Lawrence Ports. He was noted for ending several strikes along the Montreal waterfront, where he met fellow lawyer W. David Angus of Stikeman Elliott, who would later become a valuable fundraiser for his campaigns. In addition, he met fellow then Stikeman Elliott lawyer Stanley Hartt, who later played a vital role assisting him during his political career as Mulroney's Chief of Staff.
In 1966, Dalton Camp, who by then was president of the Progressive Conservative Party, ran for re-election in what many believed to be a referendum on Diefenbaker's leadership. Diefenbaker had reached his 70th birthday in 1965. Mulroney joined with most of his generation in supporting Camp and opposing Diefenbaker, but due to his past friendship with Diefenbaker, he attempted to stay out of the spotlight. With Camp's narrow victory, Diefenbaker called for a 1967 leadership convention in Toronto. Mulroney joined with Joe Clark and others in supporting former Justice minister E. Davie Fulton. Once Fulton dropped off the ballot, Mulroney helped in swinging most of his organization over to Robert Stanfield, who won. Mulroney, then 28, would soon become a chief adviser to the new leader in Quebec.
Mulroney's professional reputation was further enhanced when he ended a strike that was considered impossible to resolve at the Montreal newspaper La Presse. In doing so, Mulroney and the paper's owner, Canadian business mogul Paul Desmarais, became friends. After his initial difficulties, Mulroney's reputation in his firm steadily increased, and he was made a partner in 1971.
Mulroney's big break came during the Cliche Commission in 1974, which was set up by Quebec premier Robert Bourassa to investigate the situation at the James Bay Project, Canada's largest hydroelectric project. Violence and dirty tactics had broken out as part of a union accreditation struggle. To ensure the commission was non-partisan, Bourassa, the Liberal premier, placed Robert Cliche, a former leader of the provincial New Democratic Party in charge. Cliche asked Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative and a former student of his, to join the commission. Mulroney asked Lucien Bouchard to join as counsel. The committee's proceedings, which showed Mafia infiltration of the unions, made Mulroney well known in Quebec, as the hearings were extensively covered in the media. The Cliche Commission's report was largely adopted by the Bourassa government. A notable incident included the revelation that the controversy may have involved the office of the Premier of Quebec when it emerged that Paul Desrochers, Bourassa's special executive assistant, had met with the union boss André Desjardins, known as the "King of Construction," to ask for his help with winning a by-election in exchange guaranteeing that only companies employing workers from his union would work on the James Bay project. Although Bouchard favoured calling in Robert Bourassa as a witness, Mulroney refused, deeming it a violation of 'executive privilege.' Mulroney and Bourassa would later cultivate a friendship that would turn out to be extremely beneficial when Mulroney ran for re-election in 1988.
1976 Progressive Conservative leadership election
The Stanfield-led Progressive Conservatives lost the 1974 election to the Pierre Trudeau-led Liberals, leading to Stanfield's resignation as leader. Mulroney, despite never having run for elected office, entered the contest to replace him. Mulroney and provincial rival Claude Wagner were both seen as potentially able to improve the party's standing in Quebec, which had supported the federal Liberals for decades. Mulroney had played the lead role in recruiting Wagner to the PC party a few years earlier, and the two wound up as rivals for Quebec delegates, most of whom were snared by Wagner, who even blocked Mulroney from becoming a voting delegate at the convention. In the leadership race, Mulroney spent an estimated $500,000, far more than the other candidates, and earned himself the nickname 'Cadillac candidate.' At the 1976 leadership convention, Mulroney placed second on the first ballot behind Wagner. His expensive campaign, slick image, lack of parliamentary experience, and vague policy positions did not endear him to many delegates, and he was unable to build upon his base support, being overtaken by eventual winner Joe Clark on the second ballot. Mulroney was the only one of the eleven leadership candidates who did not provide full financial disclosure on his campaign expenses, and his campaign finished deeply in debt.
Business leadership (1976–1983)
Mulroney took the job of executive vice president of the Iron Ore Company of Canada, a joint subsidiary of three major U.S. steel corporations. Mulroney earned a salary well into the six-figure range. In 1977, he was appointed company president. Drawing upon his labour law experience, he instituted improved labour relations, and, with commodity prices on the rise, company profits soared during the next several years. In 1983, Mulroney successfully negotiated the closing of the Schefferville mine, winning a generous settlement for the affected workers. In the wake of his loss in the 1976 leadership race, Mulroney battled alcohol abuse and depression for several years; he credits his loyal wife Mila with helping him recover. In 1979, he permanently became a teetotaller. During his IOC term, he made liberal use of the company's executive jet, frequently flying business associates and friends on fishing trips. Mulroney also maintained and expanded his extensive political networking among business leaders and conservatives across the country. As his business reputation grew, he was invited onto several corporate boards.
Opposition leader (1983–1984)
Joe Clark led the Progressive Conservative party to a minority government in the 1979 federal election, which ended 16 years of continuous Liberal rule. The government fell after a successful no-confidence motion over his minority government's budget in December 1979. The PCs subsequently lost the federal election held two months later to Trudeau and the Liberals. Many Tories were also annoyed with Clark over his slowness in dispensing patronage appointments after he became prime minister in June 1979. By late 1982, Joe Clark's leadership of the Progressive Conservatives was being questioned in many party circles and among many Tory members of Parliament, despite his solid national lead over Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in opinion polls.
Mulroney, while publicly endorsing Clark at a press conference in 1982, organized behind the scenes to defeat him at the party's leadership review. Clark's key Quebec organizer, Rodrigue Pageau, was, in fact, a double agent, working for Mulroney, undermining Clark's support. When Clark received an endorsement by only 66.9 percent of delegates at the party convention in January 1983 in Winnipeg, he resigned and ran to regain his post at the 1983 leadership convention. Despite still not being a member of Parliament, Mulroney ran against him, campaigning more shrewdly than he had done seven years before. Mulroney had been criticized in 1976 for lacking policy depth and substance, a weakness he addressed by making several major speeches across the country in the early 1980s, which were collected into a book, Where I Stand, published in 1983.
Mulroney also avoided most of the flash of his earlier campaign, for which he had been criticized. Mulroney was elected party leader on June 11, 1983, beating Clark on the fourth ballot, attracting broad support from the many factions of the party and especially from representatives of his native Quebec. Pundits noted that a poll of delegates on the final ballot showed that Mulroney had won a bare majority of Clark's home province of Alberta and that Clark had won a bare majority in Mulroney's home province of Quebec. Mulroney's strong showing amongst Ontario delegates (65 percent to 35 percent) seemed to account for most of his margin of victory. A New York Times article from 1984 argued that Mulroney was elected from "the right-wing elements" within the party. Tasha Kheiriddin, writing in La Presse, argued that "Brian Mulroney's injuries to Joe Clark in 1983 took more than 15 years to heal, as various factions continued to compete for leadership roles in the field and youth wings."
Two months later, Mulroney entered Parliament as the MP for Central Nova in Nova Scotia, winning a by-election in what was then considered a safe Tory seat after Elmer MacKay stood aside in his favour. The Progressive Conservatives only had one seat in Mulroney's home province of Quebec at the time.
Throughout his political career, Mulroney's fluency in English and French, with Quebec roots in both cultures, gave him an advantage that eventually proved decisive.
By the start of 1984, as Mulroney began learning the realities of parliamentary life in the House of Commons, the Tories took a substantial lead in opinion polling. It was almost taken for granted that Trudeau would be heavily defeated by Mulroney in the general election due no later than 1985. Trudeau announced his retirement in February and was succeeded as Liberal leader and prime minister by his former finance minister, John Turner, in June. The Liberals then surged in the polls to take a lead after trailing by more than 20 percentage points. Only four days after being sworn in as prime minister, Turner called a general election for September. But the Liberal election campaign machinery was in disarray, leading to a weak campaign.
In the early days of the campaign, Mulroney made several gaffes regarding patronage, including the reference to Ambassador Bryce Mackasey as "there's no whore like an old whore". Most of the campaign is best remembered for his attacks on a raft of Liberal patronage appointments. In his final days in office, Trudeau had controversially appointed a flurry of senators, judges, and executives on various governmental and crown corporation boards, widely seen as a way to offer 'plum jobs' to loyal members of the Liberal Party. Upon assuming office, Turner had been under pressure to advise Governor General Jeanne Sauvé to cancel the appointments—which convention would then have required Sauvé to do. Turner did not, instead appointing several more Liberals to prominent political offices per a signed legal agreement with Trudeau.
Ironically, Turner had planned to attack Mulroney over the patronage machine that the latter had set up in anticipation of victory. In a televised leaders' debate, Turner launched what appeared to be the start of a blistering attack on Mulroney by comparing his patronage machine to that of the old Union Nationale in Quebec. Mulroney successfully turned the tables by pointing to the recent raft of Liberal patronage appointments. He demanded that Turner apologize to the country for making "these horrible appointments." Turner replied that, "I had no option" except to let the appointments stand. Mulroney famously responded:
You had an option, sir. You could have said, 'I am not going to do it. This is wrong for Canada, and I am not going to ask Canadians to pay the price.' You had an option, sir—to say 'no'—and you chose to say 'yes' to the old attitudes and the old stories of the Liberal Party. That, sir, if I may say respectfully, is not good enough for Canadians.
Turner froze and wilted under this withering riposte from Mulroney. He could repeat only, "I had no option." A visibly angry Mulroney called this "an avowal of failure" and "a confession of non-leadership." The exchange led most papers the next day, with most of them paraphrasing Mulroney's counterattack as "You had an option, sir—you could have said 'no.'" Many observers believe that at this point, Mulroney assured himself of becoming prime minister.
On September 4, Mulroney and the Tories won the second largest majority government (in terms of percentage of seats) in Canadian history, winning 74.8 percent of seats in the House of Commons (behind the Tories' 1958 landslide in which they won 78.5 percent of seats). They took 211 seats, three more than their previous record in 1958 and the highest number of seats ever won by any party in Canadian history. The Liberals won only 40 seats, which, at the time, was their worst performance ever and the worst defeat for a governing party at the federal level in Canadian history. The Progressive Conservatives won just over half of the popular vote (compared to 53.4 percent in 1958) and led in every province, emerging as a national party for the first time since 1958. Especially important was the Tories' performance in Mulroney's home province, Quebec. The Tories had only won the most seats in that province once since 1896 – the 1958 Tory landslide. Largely out of anger at Trudeau and Mulroney's promise of a new deal for Quebec, the province swung over dramatically to support him. The Tories had only won one seat out of 75 in 1980 but took 58 seats in 1984. Mulroney yielded Central Nova back to MacKay and instead ran and won in the eastern Quebec riding of Manicouagan, which included Baie-Comeau.
In 1984, the Canadian Press named Mulroney "Newsmaker of the Year" for the second straight year, making him only the second prime minister to have received the honour both before becoming prime minister and when prime minister (the other being Lester Pearson).
Prime Minister (1984–1993)
The first Conservative majority victory in 26 years—and only the second in 54 years—initially seemed to give Mulroney a very formidable position. The Tories had won just over half the popular vote, and no other party crossed the 50-seat mark. He had wide discretion to take Canada in virtually any direction he wanted. His position was far more precarious than his parliamentary majority would suggest. Mulroney's support was based on a grand coalition of socially conservative populists from the West, Quebec nationalists, and fiscal conservatives from Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Such diverse interests became difficult for him to juggle.
Most of Mulroney's ministers had little government experience, resulting in conflicts of interest and embarrassing scandals. Many Tories expected patronage appointments due to the long time out of government. Mulroney included a large number of Westerners in his Cabinet (including Clark as minister of external affairs). He was not completely successful, even aside from economic and constitutional policy. For example, he moved CF-18 servicing from Manitoba to Quebec in 1986, even though the Manitoba bid was lower and the company was better rated. Mulroney also received death threats for exerting pressure on Manitoba over French language rights.
Economic policy
Social programs and spending
Despite Mulroney referring to social programs as a "sacred trust" when he was Opposition leader in 1983, he began to reduce expenditures on the programs when he came into office. In terms of old age security, Mulroney's government gradually reduced its benefits at middle-income levels and above. Mulroney's government cut spending for unemployment insurance (UI) and reduced the range of workers covered by the benefits from the program. In their first budget in 1985, the Mulroney government announced that Registered home ownership savings plan (RHOSP) contributions would not be deductible if made after May 22, 1985, (funds left in the RHOSP after this date could be withdrawn tax-free, "regardless of the use") and no contribution could be made after December 31, 1985; the government also announced that income earned in an RHOSP after December 31, 1985, was to be included in the owner's taxable income, effectively ending the last desirable feature of RHOSPs. In 1990, the government limited cost-sharing under the Canada Assistance Plan in three provinces in response to their concerns that unemployed workers would apply for cost-shared provincial social assistance (as a result of rising unemployment). Also in 1990, Mulroney's government eliminated its financial contribution to UI, making all UI costs covered by worker and employer contributions. In Spring 1993, the government lowered benefits for unemployed Canadians and eliminated benefits for the unemployed who failed to prove the reason they left their job.
In 1985, Mulroney's government introduced a four-year plan to restructure family benefits. Starting in 1986, family allowances were partially indexed to the cost of living. For three years, from 1986 to 1988, the refundable child tax credits were increased to $549 per year. Starting in 1989, the tax credits were partially indexed in the same manner as family allowances. That same year, as part of the government's program to target social benefits to low or middle-income Canadians, universal family allowances ended as high-income parents were required to repay all of their benefits at tax-filing time. This system maintained and increased a tax deduction for childcare expenses, benefiting high-income families the most. In 1992, the government replaced family allowances with a new Child Tax Benefit that included the family allowance, the Refundable Child Tax Credit, and a non-refundable child tax credit. The new benefit paid a maximum of $85 per month per child up to the age of 18 and was tax-free. It was income-tested on the net family income reported in the preceding year's income tax returns.
Mulroney's government reduced the federal workforce by 1 percent each year from 1986 to 1991, resulting in the laying off of 11,000 federal employees. Mulroney's government transferred the costs of universal health care and higher education to the provinces, breaking the tradition of the two levels of government splitting the costs. As a result, some provinces had to drop insurance coverage for certain medical procedures and drugs. Mulroney's government eliminated subsidies to government-owned passenger rail and postal services, resulting in the closing of post offices in some small towns and the elimination of certain train routes. The government also introduced fees for forwarding misdirected letters. Under Mulroney, military spending growth was reduced to 1.5 percent per year and foreign aid growth was reduced to 3 percent per year. Mulroney also put spending limits on medicare.
Deficit
One of Mulroney's priorities was to lower the deficit, which under Pierre Trudeau had increased from $667 million in the 1968 budget to $37.2 billion in the 1984 budget. By 1988, Mulroney's government cut the deficit to $28 billion, though it would never decrease beyond that point and the deficit would instead increase. The Progressive Conservatives' final budget in 1993 produced a deficit of $38.5 billion, about the same level that it was when Trudeau left office. As a percent of GDP, the deficit was reduced from 8.3 percent to 5.6 percent during Mulroney's tenure.
Budget | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
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Deficit | $33.389 | $29.842 | $29.017 | $27.947 | $29.143 | $33.899 | $32.319 | $39.019 | $38.5 |
The worldwide recession of the early 1990s significantly damaged the government's financial situation. Mulroney's inability to improve the government's finances, as well as his use of tax increases to deal with it, were major factors in alienating the Western conservative portion of his power base – this contrasted with his tax cuts earlier as part of his 'pro-business' plan which had increased the deficit. At the same time, the Bank of Canada began to raise interest rates in order to meet a zero inflation target; the experiment was regarded as a failure that exacerbated the effect of the recession in Canada. Annual budget deficits ballooned to record levels, reaching $42 billion in his last year of office. These deficits grew the national debt dangerously close to the psychological benchmark of 100 percent of GDP, further weakening the Canadian dollar and damaging Canada's international credit rating.
Taxation
Mulroney's government de-indexed personal income tax brackets and eliminated open corporate tax loopholes. The government also increased taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gasoline. In 1988, Mulroney's government reduced the corporate income tax from 36 percent to 28 percent. That year, his government increased the capital gains tax inclusion rate from 50 percent to 66.67 percent before increasing it to 75 percent in 1990.
Mulroney's government passed a major tax reform bill, Bill C-139, which was made effective on January 1, 1988. It included reforms for personal and corporate income taxes. The bill expanded the tax base for personal and corporate income; lowered rates applicable to taxable income; supplanted exemptions with credits; and removed certain deductions for personal income tax. The bill replaced the 1987 rate schedule of 10 brackets (with rates ranging from 6 to 34 percent) with a schedule of only three brackets (with rates of 17 percent, 26 percent, and 29 percent). The bill also limited the lifetime capital gains exemption to $100,000; lowered capital cost allowances; established limitations on deductible business expenses; and cut the dividend tax credit.
In August 1989, Mulroney's government announced the introduction of a nine percent national sales tax, the goods and services tax (GST), to replace the hidden 13.5 percent manufacturers' sales tax (MST). The government argued that the MST damaged the Canadian economy's competitiveness as it only applied to domestically manufactured goods, as opposed to the new GST, which applied to domestic and imported goods. The GST did not apply to basic groceries, prescription drugs, health and dental care, educational services, daycare, and legal aid. Following public backlash, Mulroney's government changed the tax rate to seven percent. Although the government argued the tax was not a tax increase, but a tax shift, the highly visible nature of the tax was extremely unpopular, and many polls showed that as many as 80 percent of Canadians were opposed to the tax. Two Progressive Conservative MPs from Alberta, David Kilgour and Alex Kindy, left the party in protest of the tax. The Senate with a Liberal majority refused to pass the GST. Mulroney used Section 26 (the Deadlock Clause), a little-known Constitutional provision, allowing him in an emergency situation to ask the Queen to appoint eight new senators. On September 27, 1990, at the Queen's approval, Mulroney added the eight new senators, thus giving the Tories their first majority in the Senate in nearly 50 years. In December 1990, the GST was passed in the Senate and was made effective on January 1, 1991. Mulroney's use of an "emergency" clause in the constitution was controversial and contributed to his decline in popularity.
One of the causes of the early 1990s recession was several tax increases instituted by Mulroney's government between 1989 and 1991. The introduction of the goods and services tax and increases related to excise and payroll taxes were modelled to have reduced real GDP growth by 1.6, 2.4 and 5.1 percentage points in 1990, 1991 and 1992, respectively. Had these tax increases had not been implemented, the national debt would have increased significantly.
Privatizations
Mulroney's government privatized many of Canada's crown corporations. In 1984, the Government of Canada held 61 crown corporations. Under Mulroney, it sold off 23 of them, including Air Canada, which was completely privatized by 1989, although the Air Canada Public Participation Act continued to make certain requirements of the airline. Mulroney's government also privatized Connaught Laboratories in 1984 through two public issues (one in 1984 and one in 1987) and Petro-Canada in 1991.
Energy policy
On June 1, 1985, Mulroney's government negotiated the Western Accord on Energy with the governments of the oil-producing provinces. It permitted the full deregulation of oil prices and allowed the market forces of international and local supply and demand to determine prices. This accord abolished the National Energy Program, which was a policy of Trudeau's Liberal government that was highly unpopular in the Western provinces.
Environmental policy
The environment was a key focus of Mulroney's government. His government added eight new national parks (including Bruce Peninsula and South Moresby), and passed the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
In 1987, Mulroney hosted an international climate conference in Montreal, Quebec. There, 46 nations signed the Montreal Protocol to limit the use and production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs); this agreement came after the discovery that CFCs were burning a hole through the ozone layer.
Mulroney secured the U.S.–Canada Air Quality Agreement, an environmental treaty on acid rain, with United States President George H. W. Bush in 1991. Both nations committed to reducing the emissions of the air pollutants (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide) that caused acid rain through a cap-and-trade system. Negotiations began in 1986 when Mulroney first discussed the issue with then-president Ronald Reagan. Mulroney repeatedly pressed the issue in public meetings with Reagan in 1987 and 1988.
Under Mulroney, Canada became the first industrialized country to ratify the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Conference experts claimed that Canada's signing of the treaty motivated the United Kingdom and Germany to pledge their support and thus avoid the convention's defeat. The conference also introduced the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to an environmentally friendly level; Canada was the first Group of Seven (G7) nation to sign the treaty. At the convention, Mulroney pledged $260 million from Canada toward advancing sustainable development for developing nations; this included an offer to forgive $145 million in debts owed to Canada by Latin American nations on the condition that the sum of money be used for sustainable development and social programs. At the end of the conference, Mulroney stated, "I leave this conference believing we have a better chance of saving the world than we had when we came here."
By 1992, Newfoundland and Labrador cod of breeding age dropped to one percent of its estimated peak. Concerned about the overfishing of cod stocks off the coast of the province, Mulroney's government, in the summer of that year imposed a moratorium on cod fishing; they initially set the ban for a minimum of two years, but later expanded it indefinitely. This resulted in the layoff of 30,000–40,000 workers. Mulroney's government introduced the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program (NCARP) that provided unemployment insurance payments and retraining to workers; most of the workers viewed this as insufficient. In the first decade of the ban, Newfoundland and Labrador's population fell by 10 percent as people left to search for work.
Social policy
On September 22, 1988, Mulroney issued an official apology on behalf of the Canadian government for Japanese Canadian internment during World War II. Mulroney's government provided a 300 million dollar compensation package, which included $21,000 to each of the remaining 13,000 survivors, $12 million for a Japanese community fund, and $24 million to create a Canadian race relations foundation.
Mulroney argues he set up the Deschênes Commission of inquiry on Nazi war criminals soon after he was first elected in 1984, even though it was controversial among "communities where Nazi criminals posed as respectable citizens."
On issues of abortion, Mulroney declared he was opposed to "abortion on demand" but gave no details on what that meant legally. In the Spring of 1988, the Mulroney government offered a compromise solution that would give easy access to abortion in the early stages of pregnancy and criminalize late-term ones. The law in the House of Commons was defeated 147 to 76 in a free vote, voted against by both MPs who opposed easy access to abortions and those who opposed adding any abortion rules to the Criminal Code. Some pro-life social conservatives who played a role in Mulroney's 1984 landslide were disappointed by this move, as they were in favour of outlawing abortion completely, regardless of the circumstance. In 1989, the government introduced a much stricter bill. If enacted, it would ban all abortions unless a doctor ruled the woman's life or health would be threatened. Anyone found in violation of the law could be imprisoned for up to two years. In another free vote, the House of Commons passed the new bill by nine votes. A few months later, the bill failed in the Senate on a tie vote. Under the rules of the Senate, a tie meant the measure was defeated. This was the last time the federal government attempted to enact abortion laws. Today, abortion in Canada remains completely legal at all stages of pregnancy, regardless of the reason.
In 1991, Frank magazine ran a satirical advertisement for a contest inviting young Tories to "Deflower Caroline Mulroney." Her father was incensed and threatened physical harm toward those responsible before joining several women's groups in denouncing the ad as an incitement to rape on national television. Frank's editor Michael Bate, called the spoof, intended to mock her unpopular father for bringing her to public adult-oriented events, "clumsy" but had no regrets. Bate also shared sympathy toward her father's reaction over the spoof.
Attempted constitutional reform
Meech Lake Accord
Main article: Meech Lake AccordA major undertaking by Mulroney's government was an attempt to resolve the divisive issue of national unity. In 1981, Quebec Premier René Lévesque, leader of the Quebec nationalist Parti Québécois government, had been the only provincial premier not to agree to the package of constitutional amendments which patriated the Constitution of Canada. In the 1985 Quebec provincial election, the Parti Québécois government suffered a landslide defeat to the Liberals led by Robert Bourassa. Some believed that the new Quebec government's moderate stance on nationalism would allow the province to formally endorse the constitution. Mulroney wanted Quebec to endorse the constitution and wanted to include Quebec in a new agreement with the rest of Canada. In August 1986, Mulroney met with provincial premiers in Edmonton, Alberta, where the ministers agreed to the "Edmonton Declaration". It stated that a "Quebec Round" of constitutional talks based on Bourassa's five conditions that would have to be met for Quebec's endorsement of the constitution (recognition of Quebec's distinct character (as primarily Catholic and French-speaking); a veto for Quebec in constitutional matters; input from Quebec into the appointment of Supreme Court justices; entrenchment of Quebec's role in immigration; and a limit on the federal spending power) would occur before further reforms would be undertaken.
Mulroney called a First Ministers' conference with the ten provincial premiers for April 30, 1987, at Willson House, located on the shores of Meech Lake, Quebec, in the Gatineau Hills. During the conference, Mulroney negotiated the Meech Lake Accord, a package of constitutional amendments designed to satisfy Quebec's demand for recognition as a "distinct society" within Canada. The Accord also devolved some powers to the provinces such as giving provinces a role in nominating people to serve in some federal institutions (e.g. the Senate and Supreme Court of Canada); allowing provinces to withdraw from federally-financed social programs on the conditions that the province establish its own program that meets national standards; giving constitutional status to federal–provincial immigration agreements; and mandating annual First Ministers' conferences (the Accord also required that Senate reform and fisheries be discussed at the conferences), which made the federal-provincial consultative process constitutional. At a final roll call at 4:45 a.m. on June 3, 1987, hours before the signing ceremony, Mulroney knowingly breached convention by taking the vote in reverse order around the table instead of the traditional order of a province's entry into confederation. At the symbolic signing ceremony, the premiers signed the Accord. The agreement would have changed the constitution's amending formula. It therefore needed to be ratified by the federal parliament and the legislatures of all ten provinces. As well, other parts of the Accord were made under the general amendment provision. That meant that there was a three-year deadline for those amendments to pass. On June 23, 1987, Quebec became the first province to approve of the Accord, triggering the three-year time limit provided for by the Section 39(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982; this meant that June 22, 1990, would be the last possible day the Accord could pass.
Opinion polls showed that a majority of Canadians supported the Accord. Some believed the Accord would weaken Quebec separatism. Critics believed the Accord would weaken the federal government's authority, and some from English Canada argued the "distinct society" clause would give Quebec special status and not make it equal to the other nine provinces. Mulroney told the Toronto Star, "You can have the old style of warring federalism, or you can have genuine co-operative federalism, on which we're trying to build a new country." As criticism grew, support for the Accord declined outside of Quebec; some there feared its failure would spark a backlash in the province and damage national unity.
A commission headed by Mulroney's former cabinet minister, Jean Charest, recommended a companion accord that would address the concerns of other provinces, assert that the distinct society clause would be subject to the Charter, and would feature greater protections for minority language rights in the provinces. Mulroney's environment minister and Quebec lieutenant, Lucien Bouchard, viewed the companion accord as a betrayal of Meech and subsequently praised the Parti Québécois in a telegram. Mulroney reportedly demanded Bouchard clarify the remark or resign, and Bouchard supplied a lengthy letter of resignation on May 22, 1990. Mulroney claimed he fired Bouchard. Bouchard left the Progressive Conservatives soon afterward. After the failure of the Accord, Bouchard convinced several other Tories and Liberals to join him to form the Bloc Québécois, a pro-sovereigntist party.
In early June 1990, all premiers finally agreed to ratify the Accord provided there be further constitutional discussions revolving around an elected Senate, the amending formula, equality, and Indigenous issues. Around that time, New Brunswick agreed to ratify the agreement. Manitoba and, Newfoundland, and Labrador remained the only provinces to have not ratified it; they only had a few weeks left. Unanimous support from every member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly was required to bypass the necessary public consultations in the assembly and proceed with ratification. On June 12, 1990, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Elijah Harper announced his opposition to the Accord on the grounds that Indigenous groups had not been consulted. Harper's opposition prevented the amendment from proceeding; thus, the Accord failed to pass in the legislature. This allowed the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Clyde Wells (who revoked the province's previous assent though reluctantly agreed to ratify the Accord in June 1990), to excuse himself from bringing the Accord to a vote in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. The Accord failed to be ratified as Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador did not approve of it by the June 23, 1990, deadline.
Charlottetown Accord
Main article: Charlottetown AccordFollowing the Meech Lake failure, Mulroney sought a second attempt to get Quebec's endorsement of the constitution. He appointed his foreign minister, Joe Clark, as the first minister responsible for constitutional affairs on April 21, 1991. Clark was responsible for establishing a new accord to end the constitutional deadlock with Quebec. Mulroney's government appointed two Quebec bodies (the Allaire Committee and the Belanger-Campeau Committee) and two national bodies (the Beaudoin-Edwards Committee and the Spicer Commission) to engage in discussions regarding constitutional reform. These bodies generated various reports, including the federal document titled Shaping Canada's Future Together. The Mulroney government then held five national conferences to discuss the proposals in the document. The conferences led to another federal report titled A Renewed Canada.. Afterward, negotiations between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments occurred. Unlike the Meech Lake Accord, Indigenous peoples were included in the discussions. Quebec was included in the final stages. The negotiations culminated in the Charlottetown Accord, which was unveiled in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on August 28, 1992.
The Accord gave provinces jurisdiction over foresty, mining, cultural affairs, and other areas; required the federal government to negotiate policy with the provinces in certain areas such as telecommunications, labour and training, regional development, and immigration; abolished disallowance (which gives the federal Cabinet power to overrule provincial legislation within one year of it being passed); and required provincial consent for the federal government gaining power over provincial infrastructure projects. The Accord allowed provinces to create their own social programs and mandated the federal government to compensate provinces as long as the provincial social programs met national standards. It also mandated the federal government to compensate provinces that withdrew from any constitutional amendment that transferred provincial powers to the federal government; the compensation would allow provinces to fund their own programs. In addition, the Accord addressed Indigenous self-government and contained the "Canada Clause" that determines Canadian values including egalitarianism, multiculturalism, and recognition of Quebec as a distinct society. Finally, the Accord entrenched the structure and appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada in the constitution; changed the Senate into a Triple-E Senate with reduced powers (such as requiring a majority of all senators and a majority of Francophone senators in certain votes); increased the number of seats in the House of Commons; guaranteed Quebec at least a quarter of the Commons' seats; and increased the number of matters that require unanimous approval for a constitutional amendment.
The Accord was supported by the federal government and all ten provincial governments. Although it could have been ratified as a constitutional amendment, Mulroney's government insisted on holding a national referendum to avoid a repetition of the criticism that the Meech Lake Accord was agreed upon without public approval. On October 26, 1992, two referendums, one national (without Quebec) and one in Quebec, were held, asking if Canadians agreed with the Charlottetown Accord. Nationally, 54.3 percent opposed the Accord. In Quebec, 56.7 percent opposed it. Many saw the Accord's defeat as a protest against Mulroney's government, which was heavily unpopular due to the failure of the previous Meech Lake Accord, the introduction of the GST, and the early 1990s recession.
Foreign policy
As prime minister, Mulroney strengthened Canada's relations with the United States, moving away from Pierre Trudeau's Third Option policy of reducing American influence on Canada. Mulroney established a close relationship with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. On March 17 and 18, 1985, the "Shamrock Summit" between Mulroney and Reagan was held in Quebec City. The summit gained its name from the two leaders' Irish background, and because the meeting started on St. Patrick's Day. In the summit, Mulroney and Reagan sang When Irish Eyes are Smiling; this signified the camaraderie between the two leaders and a turning point in Canada–United States relations.
The Air India Flight 182 bombing, which originated in Montreal, occurred on June 23, 1985. This was the largest terrorist act before the September 11 attacks, with the majority of the 329 victims being Canadian citizens. Mulroney sent a letter of condolence to Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, sparking an uproar in Canada since he did not call the families of the actual victims to offer condolences. Furthermore, there were several warnings from the Indian government to the Mulroney government about terrorist threats toward Air India flights. Questions remain as to why these warnings were not taken more seriously and whether the events leading to the bombing could have been prevented.
In November 1984, Mulroney sent his newly appointed Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, Stephen Lewis, to the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City to persuade the General Assembly to take action against the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Days later, the UN and Red Cross launched an effort to save seven million starving Ethiopians and 22 million others in Africa. The Mulroney government's efforts to aid Ethiopia differed Canada from the United States and the United Kingdom, two Western nations which avoided taking action against the famine due to Ethiopia's Marxist regime. Mulroney's foreign affairs minister, Joe Clark, became the first senior Western official to visit Ethiopia during the famine, ahead of UN officials. Mulroney's government spent tens of millions of dollars to match private donations to combat the famine. Canada contributed to over 10 percent of international aid to Ethiopia. After the famine, Mulroney's government increased aid and development funding to Africa.
On December 2, 1991, Canada became the first Western nation to recognize Ukraine as an independent country, next day after the landslide referendum in favour of independence in Ukraine.
Apartheid
Mulroney's government opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa. Beginning in 1985, Mulroney led an effort within the Commonwealth to sanction the South African government with the goal of pressuring them to end apartheid and release anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela from prison. This put Mulroney at odds with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who opposed apartheid but believed the sanctions would hurt Britain (which had economic ties with South Africa) and that the measures would hurt South Africans and cause job losses. United States President Ronald Reagan also opposed sanctions, believing that Mandela and other leaders of the African National Congress were communists. At an October 23, 1985, United Nations General Assembly meeting, Mulroney stated, "if there is no progress in the dismantling of apartheid, 's relations with South Africa may have to be severed completely"; he restored this line in his speech after he originally removed it at the advice of External Affairs. After an August 1986 meeting in London, Canada, along with other Commonwealth nations, implemented 11 new sanctions on South Africa including bans on new air links, new investment, promotion of tourism, and imports of South African coal, metals and agricultural goods.
The day after Mandela was released on February 11, 1990, he spoke with Mulroney through the telephone, thanking him for his efforts to end apartheid. Mandela made the Parliament of Canada his first legislature in the world to make a speech. On June 18 that year, Mandela spoke in the House of Commons of Canada, where he thanked Mulroney and Canadians. The two remained in contact after they left politics; during his annual business trips to South Africa, Mulroney visited Mandela.
Free trade and 1988 re-election
Critics noted that Mulroney had originally professed opposition to free trade during the 1983 leadership campaign though the 1985 report of the MacDonald Commission suggested free trade as an idea to him. Negotiations between Canada and the United States for a free trade treaty started in May 1986. In October 1987, a deal was reached; the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) stated that all tariffs between the two countries would be eliminated by 1998. This deal was achieved not least because of Mulroney's close relationship with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. This agreement was controversial; while Mulroney used his massive majority in the House of Commons to pass the bill, the Liberal-dominated Senate demanded an election before proceeding to a ratification vote. This induced Mulroney to ask Governor General Jeanne Sauvé on October 1 to dissolve Parliament and call an election for November 21.
The trade deal was the main issue of the election, with the Liberals and New Democratic Party (NDP) opposing it; Liberal leader John Turner (who was preparing for his second campaign after Mulroney defeated him in 1984) believed that the agreement would "Americanize" Canada and cost many Canadian jobs. A week after the October 25 debate, the Liberals were six points ahead of the PCs. To combat this Liberal surge, the PCs began running a more negative campaign, capitalizing on the perceived lack of public confidence in Turner, his perceived inability to lead the Liberal Party, and arguing that he only opposed free trade because of political opportunism. The Progressive Conservatives poll numbers began to rebound, and they were re-elected with a greatly reduced majority, winning 169 out of 295 seats and 43 percent of the popular vote. Mulroney became the first and only federal Canadian Conservative party leader since John A. Macdonald to lead his party to a second majority government. The trade deal gained the support of Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa, which helped the PCs maintain their standing in Quebec. In this election, Mulroney transferred to another eastern Quebec seat, Charlevoix.
Also on November 21, Mulroney made a controversial Order in Council which allowed the establishment of the AMEX Bank of Canada (owned by American Express), despite Finance Minister Michael Wilson rejecting AMEX's application to open a Canadian bank in 1986. The Amex Bank of Canada started operating on July 1, 1990. Toronto-Dominion Bank chairman Richard Thomson accused Mulroney's government of favouritism toward Amex as its Chief Executive Officer, James Robinson, supported free trade.
The government implemented the deal; it was made effective on January 1, 1989. In 1994, CUSFTA was replaced by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which now included Mexico.
Gulf War
In the early 1990s, Mulroney played a vital part in upholding international law to stop Saddam Hussein's aggression in Kuwait. Along with Ambassador Yves Fortier, Mulroney was instrumental in drafting UNSCR 678 which later led to the war when Iraq failed to heed the resolution, and Canada supported the armed UN coalition during the 1991 Gulf War through Operation SCIMITAR and through Operation FRICTION. When the UN authorized full use of force in the operation, Canada sent a CF-18 squadron with support personnel and a field hospital to deal with casualties from the ground war as well as a company of The Royal Canadian Regiment to safeguard these ground elements. The Canadian Forces code-named Canada's participation Operation Friction. In August, Mulroney sent the destroyers HMCS Terra Nova and HMCS Athabaskan to enforce the trade blockade against Iraq. The supply ship HMCS Protecteur was also sent to aid the gathering coalition forces. When the air war began, Canada's planes were integrated into the coalition force and, provided air cover and attacked ground targets. This was the first time since the fighting on Cyprus in 1974 that Canadian forces participated directly in combat operations.
Unpopularity and retirement
Fracturing of electoral coalition
In late 1987, the Western Canada-based right-wing populist Reform Party of Canada was founded. The creation of the party was motivated by Western Canadian discontent with Mulroney's government and the Progressive Conservatives in general. The Reform Party opposed the Mulroney government's promotion of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords as well as their introduction of the goods and services tax. Although the party won only 2 percent of the popular vote and no seats in the 1988 election, it won its first seat in the Commons on the May 6, 1989, by-election in the Alberta riding of Beaver River, where Reform candidate Deborah Grey defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Dave Broda by a nearly 20 percent margin. This was the first sign that Mulroney's coalition was fracturing; the PCs had dominated Alberta's federal politics since the 1958 election.
In June 1991, the pro-Quebec sovereigntist Bloc Québécois was founded by Mulroney's former environment minister and Quebec lieutenant, Lucien Bouchard. The party's foundation was motivated by the collapse of the Meech Lake Accord, which would have benefited Quebec if it had been ratified. The party attracted a few other PC and Liberal members of parliament.
Resignation
Widespread public resentment of the goods and services tax, the early 1990s recession, the fracturing of his political coalition, and his lack of results regarding the Quebec situation caused Mulroney's popularity to decline severely during his second term. Mulroney entered 1993 facing a statutory general election. By this time, his approval ratings had dipped into the tens, and were at 12 percent in a 1992 Gallup poll, making him the most unpopular prime minister since opinion polling began in Canada in the 1940s.
On February 24, 1993, Mulroney announced his intention to resign as prime minister and retire from politics. In his announcement, Mulroney stated, "Whether you agree with our solutions or not, none will accuse us, I think, of having chosen to evade our responsibilities by sidestepping the most controversial issues of our time." Mulroney claimed his resignation was not related to the consensus that he would be heavily defeated by Jean Chrétien's Liberals if he led the Tories into the next election and rather argued he could defeat the Liberals if he sought another term. The last Gallup Poll taken before Mulroney's announcement of resignation showed the PCs' polling numbers had rebounded to 21 percent. In his final days in office, Mulroney conducted a European "farewell" tour using Canadian federal funds. On June 13, 1993, Mulroney was replaced as leader of the Progressive Conservatives by Defence Minister Kim Campbell. On June 25, 1993, Mulroney resigned as prime minister and chose not to run for reelection at the Commons.
Aftermath
In the October 25, 1993, election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced from 156 seats to two seats in the worst defeat ever suffered for a governing party at the federal level in Canada. The Tories were no longer recognized as an official caucus in the House of Commons since the required minimum number of seats for official party status is 12. As an example of the antipathy toward Mulroney, his former riding fell to the Bloc by a lopsided margin; the Tory candidate finished a distant third, with only 6,800 votes out of nearly 40,000 cast. The more right-wing Reform Party won over alienated Western Canadians and replaced the PCs as the major conservative party in Canada; they won 52 seats and 18.7 percent of the popular vote, which was greater than the PCs (which won 16 percent of the popular vote). The Bloc replaced Mulroney's voting base in Quebec, becoming the Official opposition (at 54 seats). In the election, Chrétien's Liberals won a strong majority government. Mulroney claimed he was not responsible for the obliteration of the PCs, and instead blamed Campbell and her relationship with her boyfriend. In The Secret Mulroney Tapes, it was revealed Mulroney said of Campbell, "Throughout the whole goddam thing she's been screwing around with this Russian guy. The guy was sneaking into hotel rooms and the campaign bus"; he also said it was "the most incompetent campaign I've seen in my life." In the following 1997 and 2000 elections, the Progressive Conservatives would continue being the smallest party in the House of Commons, holding on to fifth-place status though regaining official party status. In 2003, the party merged with Reform's successor, the Canadian Alliance, to create today's Conservative Party of Canada.
After politics (1993–2024)
After leaving office, Mulroney served as an international business consultant and was a partner with the law firm Norton Rose. He, up until his death in 2024, sat on the board of directors of multiple corporations, including The Blackstone Group, Barrick Gold, Quebecor Inc., Archer Daniels Midland, Cendant Corp. (New York), AOL Latin America, Inc. (New York), Cognicase Inc. (Montreal) and Acreage Holdings, one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis companies in the United States. He was a senior counsellor to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, a global private equity fund in Dallas, chairman of Forbes Global (New York), and was a paid consultant and lobbyist for Karl-Heinz Schreiber beginning in 1993. He was also chairman of various international advisory boards and councils for many international companies, including Power Corp. (Montreal), Bombardier (Montreal), the China International Trust and Investment Corp. (Beijing), J.P. Morgan Chase and Co. (New York), Violy, Byorum and Partners (New York), VS&A Communications Partners (New York), Independent Newspapers (Dublin) and General Enterprise Management Services Limited (British Virgin Islands).
In 1998, Mulroney was accorded Canada's highest civilian honour when he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.
In 2003, Mulroney received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution at a ceremony in Montreal. The award was in recognition of his career in politics.
In January 2004, Mulroney delivered a keynote speech in Washington, D.C., celebrating the tenth anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In June 2004, Mulroney presented a eulogy for former U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the latter's state funeral. Two years later, at the request of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mulroney travelled to Washington, D.C., along with Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, as Canada's representatives at the state funeral of former president Gerald Ford.
In February 2005, as part of a physical examination, a CT scan revealed two small lumps in one of Mulroney's lungs. In his youth, Mulroney had been a heavy smoker. His doctors performed a biopsy, which ruled out cancer (his surgery is sometimes cited as an example of the dangers of unnecessary testing). He recovered well enough to tape a speech for the Conservative Party of Canada's 2005 Policy Convention in Montreal in March, though he could not attend in person. He later developed pancreatitis, and he remained in hospital for several weeks. It was not until April 19 that his son, Ben Mulroney, announced he was recovering and would soon be released.
On September 12, 2005, veteran writer and former Mulroney confidant Peter C. Newman released The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister. Based largely on remarks from the former prime minister, which Newman had taped with Mulroney's knowledge, the book set off national controversy. Newman had been given unfettered access to Mulroney for a thorough biography and claims Mulroney did not honour an agreement to allow him access to confidential papers. This led Mulroney to respond at the annual Press Gallery Dinner, which is noted for comedic moments, in Ottawa on October 22, 2005. The former prime minister appeared on tape and very formally acknowledged the various dignitaries and audience groups before delivering the shortest speech of the night: "Peter Newman: Go fuck yourself. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and good night."
In 2014, Mulroney became the chairman of Quebecor and defused tensions resulting from the continuing influence of former president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau.
On December 5, 2018, Mulroney presented a eulogy for former U.S. President George H. W. Bush during the latter's state funeral.
Airbus/Schreiber affair
Main article: Airbus affairOn September 29, 1995, the Canadian Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the RCMP, sent a Letter of Request to the Swiss Government asking for information related to allegations that Mulroney was involved in a criminal conspiracy to defraud the Government of Canada. The investigation pertained to "improper commissions" allegedly paid to German-Canadian businessman Karlheinz Schreiber (or to companies controlled by him), Brian Mulroney and former Newfoundland premier Frank Moores in exchange for three government contracts. These contracts involved the purchase of Airbus Industrie aircraft by Air Canada; the purchase of helicopters by the Canadian Coast Guard from Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) in 1986; and the establishment of a manufacturing plant for Thyssen Light Armoured Vehicles (Bear Head Project) in the province of Nova Scotia, a project which Mulroney as prime minister had cancelled.
This Letter of Request (LOR) "and its contents were to be kept confidential" but the letter was leaked to the media. As a result, Mulroney launched a $50 million libel lawsuit against the Government of Canada and the RCMP on November 20, 1995. On January 5, 1997, Mulroney agreed to an out-of-court settlement of $2.1 million with the Government of Canada and the RCMP. The Oliphant Commission Report in 2010 stated that Mulroney accepted $225 000 from Schreiber, and former justice minister Allan Rock said he would have used a different litigation strategy in the libel case had he known about these payments.
Mulroney did not disclose that he had received money from Schreiber (which Schreiber alleges was a total of $300,000 in instalments of $100,000 in three separate occurrences between 1993 and 1994 given to Mulroney under the code name "Britan" in brown paper envelopes/bags in denominations of $1,000 during secret hotel exchanges). Later, on February 2, 1998, Schreiber met with Mulroney at Mulroney's invitation to the hotel Savoy in Zurich, where, before a spread of smoked salmon and appetizers, Mulroney tried to get Schreiber to verify that nothing could connect Mulroney to the money. Later on, when further information was leaked to the public, Mulroney stated that there was nothing wrong with accepting envelopes of $1,000 bills (which he put into safes and safe deposit boxes without reporting tax on it as income for years after). The Oliphant Commission, presided over by Justice Jeffrey Oliphant, reported on May 31, 2010, that Mulroney "failed to live up to the standard of conduct that he himself adopted in the 1995 ethics code. Oliphant J. said he could not accept Mulroney's testimony that his acceptance of $225,000 cash was an error in judgment. Rather, it was an attempt to hide the transactions.
Conservative Party of Canada
Mulroney played an influential role by supporting the merger of the Canadian Alliance (successor of the Reform Party) with the Progressive Conservatives to form the Conservative Party of Canada; Mulroney joined the new party upon its formation in 2003. This distinguished him from other prominent PC politicians, such as former prime ministers Joe Clark and Kim Campbell, who became independents as they believed that the Conservative Party was too right-wing and drifting toward social conservatism.
According to press reports, Mulroney's membership lapsed in 2006. In early 2009, Mulroney "called a high-ranking person in the party and asked that his name be removed from all party lists" due to his anger at the continued inquiry into his financial affairs, although he denies this claim. A Mulroney confidant, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the party's claims preposterous. "He's part of the history of this party; you can't rewrite history. If they're worried about branding, then shut the inquiry down. They're the ones who called the inquiry."
Months before the 2015 federal election, Mulroney endorsed Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mulroney campaigned for Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole in the run-up of the 2021 Canadian election. Just a month and a bit later, Mulroney criticized him on the matter of COVID-19 vaccinations, stating that he should show "leadership" and expel unvaccinated MPs from the Conservative caucus. In October 2022, Mulroney said he supported the Conservatives' new leader, Pierre Poilievre, but urged him to move closer to the political centre.
Other political interventions
In 2003, Mulroney criticized the Chrétien government's foreign policy. He expressed his disappointment with the Liberals strengthening relations with China, Russia, and Germany. Instead, he voiced his support for the United States, stating, "I want to stick with my old friends and allies." He also voiced his support for the Iraq War and said Canada would have supported the United States in Iraq if he was still prime minister.
In June 2023, Mulroney praised Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's handling of negotiations of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and Trudeau's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mulroney also criticized former US President Donald Trump, saying that he "was out to sabotage Canada."
Memoir
Mulroney's Memoirs: 1939–1993 was released on September 10, 2007. Mulroney criticizes Pierre Elliot Trudeau for avoiding military service in World War II, and favourably references sources that describe the young Trudeau as holding anti-Semitic nationalist views and having an admiration for fascist dictators. Tom Axworthy, a prominent Liberal strategist, responded that Trudeau should be judged on his mature views. Historian and former MP and Trudeau biographer John English said, "I don't think it does any good to do this kind of historical ransacking to try to destroy reputations."
Death and state funeral
Main article: Death and state funeral of Brian MulroneyMulroney had suffered several years of declining health leading up to his death. He had been hospitalized as the result of a fall at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, and died on February 29, 2024, at the age of 84.
Mulroney's remains were repatriated on March 8, 2024, at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport. A tribute in the House of Commons of Canada was held on March 18, after MPs agreed to suspend sitting. Mulroney lay in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa on March 19–20, before laying in repose at St. Patrick's Basilica, Montreal on March 21–22. A state funeral was held at the Notre-Dame Basilica on March 23 and was attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as former prime ministers Jean Chrétien, Joe Clark, Stephen Harper and Kim Campbell, hockey player Wayne Gretzky, former UK Prime Minister John Major, Sarah, Duchess of York, and actor Ryan Reynolds. He was buried at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
Legacy
Mulroney's legacy as prime minister is considered to be mixed. Mulroney made the case that his once-radical policies on the economy and free trade were not reversed by subsequent governments and regarded this as vindication. His deputy prime minister, Don Mazankowski, said that his greatest accomplishment would be seen as "dragging Canada kicking and screaming into the 21st century". His legacy in Canada is associated mostly with the 1989 Free Trade Agreement and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Mulroney argued his government's economic policies helped the subsequent government eliminate the deficit. During his announcement of his intention to resign as prime minister, Mulroney responded to criticism of his policies: "I tried to do what I thought would be right for Canada in the long term, not what I thought would be politically popular in the short term." In The Secret Mulroney Tapes, it was revealed he said of his accomplishments: "You cannot name a Canadian prime minister who has done as many significant things as I did, because there are none."
Mulroney's intense unpopularity at the time of his resignation led many Conservative politicians to distance themselves from him for some years. His government had flirted with 10 percent approval ratings in the early 1990s when Mulroney's honesty and intentions were frequently questioned in the media, by Canadians in general and by his political colleagues. In the 1993 election, the Progressive Conservative Party was reduced to two seats, which was seen as partially due to a backlash against Mulroney, as well as due to the fracturing of his "Grand Coalition." In the 1993 election, nearly all of the Tories' Western support shifted to Reform, which replaced the PCs as the major right-wing force in Canada. The Tories only won two seats west of Quebec in the next decade and kept remaining in fifth (last) place. The Canadian right was not reunited until the PCs merged with Reform's successor, the Canadian Alliance, in December 2003 to form the new Conservative Party of Canada.
In her memoirs, Time and Chance, and in her response in the National Post to The Secret Mulroney Tapes, Kim Campbell said that Mulroney left her with almost no time to salvage the Tories' reputation once the bounce from the leadership convention wore off. Campbell claimed Mulroney knew the Tories would be defeated regardless of who led them into the election and wanted a "scapegoat who would bear the burden of his unpopularity" rather than a true successor. In a 2019 interview with Maclean's, Campbell described Mulroney as "a pragmatist, not an ideologue." Former Ontario Premier David Peterson, who supported both of Mulroney's attempts at constitutional reform while premier, told journalist Peter C. Newman of Mulroney, "I would never trust or respect him. He is a pathological liar. In fairness, I don't believe he knows he's lying ... Oh God, you couldn't take anything he said at face value. His essential Achilles heel is his baloney."
In 2006, Mulroney was named the "greenest" Prime Minister in Canadian history by a 12-member panel at an event organized by Corporate Knights magazine. Military historians Norman Hillmer and J. L. Granatstein ranked Mulroney eighth out of 20 among Canada's prime ministers in their 1999 book Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders. In 2018, CAQ MNA and then Journal de Montreal journalist, Sylvain Lévesque, referred to Mulroney as a political influence when criticizing the relatability of progressive decisions made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In that same year, former Bloc Québécois leader Michel Gauthier said he considered Mulroney to be the greatest prime minister of the last 50 years. In 2019, St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia inaugurated the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, a $100-million initiative designed to provide undergraduates with degrees in public policy and governance.
Supreme Court appointments
Mulroney chose the following jurists to be appointed by the Governor-in-Council to be puisne justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, one of whom, Beverley McLachlin, was subsequently elevated to Chief Justice of Canada:
- Gérard La Forest (January 16, 1985 – September 30, 1997)
- Claire L'Heureux-Dubé (April 15, 1987 – July 1, 2002)
- John Sopinka (May 24, 1988 – November 24, 1997)
- Charles Gonthier (February 1, 1989 – August 1, 2003)
- Peter Cory (February 1, 1989 – June 1, 1999)
- Beverley McLachlin (March 30, 1989 – December 15, 2017; subsequently appointed Chief Justice of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, from January 7, 2000)
- William Stevenson (September 17, 1990 – June 5, 1992)
- Frank Iacobucci (January 7, 1991 – June 30, 2004)
- John C. Major (November 13, 1992 – December 25, 2005)
Mulroney also advised the appointment of Antonio Lamer (as Chief Justice, July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000. Lamer had been appointed a Puisne Justice on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, March 28, 1980).
Honours
According to Canadian protocol, as a former Prime Minister, he was styled "The Right Honourable" for life.
Ribbon | Description | Notes | Ref |
Grand Cross of the National Order of Honour and Merit (Haiti) |
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Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.) |
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Grand Officer of the Ordre national du Québec |
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125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal |
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Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for Canada |
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Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada |
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Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Kniaz Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine) |
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Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) |
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Supreme Companion of O. R. Tambo (Gold) (South Africa) |
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Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France) |
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Honorary degrees
Brian Mulroney received several honorary degrees, including:
Location | Date | School | Degree |
---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | October 1980 | Memorial University of Newfoundland | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
Maryland | May 21, 1992 | Johns Hopkins University | Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL) |
Connecticut | April 26, 1994 | Central Connecticut State University | Doctor of Social Science (D.S.Sc) |
Israel | 1994 | Tel Aviv University | Honorary Doctor of Philosophy |
Missouri | May 1998 | University of Missouri–St. Louis | Doctor of Laws(LL.D) |
Quebec | December 2005 | Concordia University | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
Massachusetts | May 21, 2007 | Boston College | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
Ontario | June 15, 2007 | University of Western Ontario | Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
Quebec | June 16, 2007 | Université Laval | |
Quebec | June 3, 2016 | Université de Montréal | Unspecified Doctorate (PhD) |
Quebec | June 6, 2017 | McGill University | Doctor of Laws |
New Brunswick | May 15, 2018 | St. Thomas University | Unspecified Doctorate |
Ontario | June 25, 2021 | Ontario Tech University | Doctor of Laws |
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2015) |
Order of Canada Citation
Mulroney was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada on May 6, 1998. His citation reads:
As the eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada, he led the country for nine consecutive years. His accomplishments include, among others, the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and the United States, and the Acid Rain Treaty. In other international activities, he assumed the leadership of the Commonwealth countries against apartheid in South Africa and was appointed Co-chair of the United Nations' World Summit for Children. Fiscal reform, important environmental initiatives and employment equity were also highlights of his political career.
Other awards
In 2018, Mulroney was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and was awarded the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service.
Coat of arms
Electoral record
Main article: Electoral history of Brian MulroneySee also
Footnotes
- PC CC GOQ (/mʊlˈruːni/ muul-ROO-nee)
- Withdrawals made prior to May 22, 1985, must meet usage requirements to be received tax-free.
- They would otherwise be reincluded in the taxpayer's income if made between May 22, 1985, and December 31, 1985.
- In June 1987, all ten premiers agreed to ratify the Accord. Between then and June 1990, three anti-Meech premiers took office; Frank McKenna became premier of New Brunswick in October 1987, Gary Filmon became premier of Manitoba in 1988, and Clyde Wells became premier of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1989. The three premiers refused to support the Accord until their concerns were met in June 1990.
- The federal government would still have power over national groups such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and the National Film Board.
- Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden won two majority governments; the second majority he won in 1917 was when he was the leader of the Unionist Party, a party composed of pro-conscription Conservatives and Liberals.
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Works cited
- MacDonald, L. Ian (2002). From Bourassa to Bourassa: Wilderness to Restoration (2nd ed.). Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 0-7735-2392-8.
- Martin, Patrick; Gregg, Alan; Perlin, George (1983). Contenders: The Tory Quest for Power. Toronto: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-171349-9.
- An Act to amend the Income Tax Act and related statutes, and to amend the Canada Pension Plan, the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1971, the Financial Administration Act and the Petroleum and Gas Revenue Tax Act1, S.C. 1986, c. 6
Further reading
See also: List of books about Prime Ministers of CanadaArchives
- Brian Mulroney fonds. Ottawa, Ontario: Library and Archives Canada.
Scholarly studies
- Bercuson, David J., J. L. Granatstein and W. R. Young. Sacred Trust?: Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power (1987)
- Blake, Raymond B. ed. Transforming the Nation: Canada and Brian Mulroney Archived October 3, 2023, at the Wayback Machine (McGill-Queen's University Press), 2007. 456pp; ISBN 978-0-7735-3214-4
- Clarkson, Stephen. Canada and the Reagan Challenge: Crisis and Adjustment, 1981–85 (2nd ed. 1985) excerpt and text search Archived March 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- Donaldson, Gordon. The Prime Ministers of Canada (Toronto: Doubleday Canada Limited, 1997)
- Hall, Tony. "Self-government or self-delusion?: Brian Mulroney and Aboriginal rights," Canadian Journal of Native Studies (1986) 6#1 pp. 77–89. online Archived January 29, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
- Hillmer, Norman and J.L. Granatstein. Prime Ministers: Rating Canada's Leaders, (1999). ISBN 0-00-200027-X.
- Hampson, Fen Osler. Master of Persuasion: Brian Mulroney's Global Legacy (Signal, 2018) online Archived March 2, 2024, at the Wayback Machine.
- Veugelers, John W. P. "State-Society Relations in the Making of Canadian Immigration Policy during the Mulroney Era." Canadian Review of Sociology/Revue canadienne de sociologie 37.1 (2000): 95–110.
Popular books
- Winners, Losers, by Patrick Brown (journalist), Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1976.
- Where I Stand, by Brian Mulroney, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1983, ISBN 0-7710-6671-6
- Discipline of Power: the Conservative Interlude and the Liberal Restoration, by Jeffrey Simpson, Macmillan of Canada, 1984, ISBN 0-920510-24-8.
- Brian Mulroney: The Boy from Baie Comeau, by Nick Auf der Maur, Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1984.
- Mulroney: The Making of the Prime Minister, by L. Ian MacDonald, 1984.
- The Insiders: Government, Business, and the Lobbyists, by John Sawatsky, 1987.
- Prime Ministers of Canada, by Jim Lotz, 1987.
- Selling Out: Four Years of the Mulroney Government, by Eric Hamovitch, Rae Murphy, and Robert Chodos, 1988.
- Spoils of Power: the Politics of Patronage, by Jeffrey Simpson, 1988.
- Friends in high places: politics and patronage in the Mulroney government, by Claire Hoy, 1989.
- Betrayal of Canada, by Mel Hurtig, Stoddart Pub. Co., 1991, ISBN 0-7737-2542-3
- Mulroney: The Politics of Ambition, by John Sawatsky, 1991.
- Right Honourable Men: the Descent of Canadian Politics from Macdonald to Mulroney, by Michael Bliss, 1994.
- On the Take: Crime, Corruption and Greed in the Mulroney Years, by Stevie Cameron, 1994.
- The Prime Ministers of Canada, by Gordon Donaldson (journalist), 1997.
- Promises, Promises: Breaking Faith in Canadian Politics, by Anthony Hyde, 1997.
- Presumed Guilty: Brian Mulroney, the Airbus Affair, and the Government of Canada, by William Kaplan, 1998.
- The Last Amigo: Karlheinz Schreiber and the Anatomy of a Scandal, by Stevie Cameron and Harvey Cashore, 2001.
- Egotists and Autocrats: The Prime Ministers of Canada, by George Bowering, 1999.
- Bastards and Boneheads: Canada's Glorious Leaders, Past and Present, by Will Ferguson, 1999.
- A Secret Trial: Brian Mulroney, Stevie Cameron, and the Public Trust, by William Kaplan, 2004.
- The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister, by Peter C. Newman, 2005.
External links
- Brian Mulroney – Parliament of Canada biography
- Article at The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Brian Mulroney at IMDb
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Brian Mulroney
- 1939 births
- 2024 deaths
- 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada
- 21st-century Canadian memoirists
- Accidental deaths from falls
- Accidental deaths in Florida
- Anglophone Quebec people
- Barrick Gold
- Burials at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery
- Businesspeople from Quebec
- Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
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- 20th-century Canadian lawyers
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- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec
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- St. Francis Xavier University alumni
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- Université Laval Faculté de droit alumni