I am deeply saddened by the passing of Brian Mulroney on February 29th. Between 1984 and 1993, Mr. Mulroney left a memorable mark on our nation through his hard work and contributions as a true statesman and Canada’s 18th Prime Minister.
Born in Quebec on March 20th, 1939, to Irish immigrants, including a father who worked as an electrician, the Mulroney family had a typical Canadian story. Though starting with very little, through years of hard work, the Mulroney family was able to make a better life for themselves. Brian himself spent many years working through junior college, university, and then law school, where he became involved in conservative politics. Practicing law and then getting involved in business, where his hard work resulted in him leading a large mining company, Brian continued to be very involved in politics. This eventually led him to run for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1976, coming in second. When he was successful in becoming leader of the party in 1983 and then winning two majority Conservative Governments in the 1980s, Mr. Mulroney, through grit and hard work, brought Canada back to the world stage after decades of Liberal decline. While the conclusion of his time as Prime Minister in 1993 saw its fair share of controversies, there is no question that Mr. Mulroney left Canada a changed nation. Since leaving politics, his opinion has been sought by those of all political stripes, his influence has come to be highly respected in hindsight, and he proudly saw family members carry on his legacy of service.
A tribute is about much more than facts about one's life; it is about the impact one has on people. Shortly after Mr. Mulroney’s passing, I received a text message sharing how exciting it was to be at the 1983 convention when Mulroney won the PC leadership. Many other messages were received, highlighting how deeply he cared for the people he worked with and for, and how, even despite frustrations with his political positions, one could not help but respect his willingness to pursue what he thought was right. I also felt it fitting to hear from one of my predecessors who represented Crowfoot during Mr. Mulroney’s time as Prime Minister—although there is not nearly enough space to outline the very thoughtful exchange I had with Mr. Arnold Malone here, I was struck most by how genuine Mr. Malone’s respect is for his former leader. Many stories were shared of how Brian Mulroney cared deeply for those he served with and the country he led, which so often was shown through his ability to articulate a vision for the country that focused on future hopes. Mr. Malone followed up after our conversation by sharing the following line from Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem If: “[If] you can... walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch.” This line reminded him of a story from the late Prime Minister’s time in business where, as CEO, he made a point of eating lunch with his employees from a lunch kit just like everyone else to remember those who made the company a success.
While I didn’t have a chance to meet the now late Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, personally, I feel like these past days in getting to know more about his life, I better understand Canada. From things such as free trade, Canada’s ability to punch above our weight on the world stage, and the boldness to tackle constitutional reform to the care one can show for those you work with, Brian Mulroney’s impact is far-reaching. Lastly, I can’t help but think of the famous picture of Brian Mulroney with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan, and think that, with his passing, the last of the Conservative titans that shaped much of the post-Soviet world are gone.
Danielle and I, on behalf of the people of Battle River—Crowfoot, offer our prayers and deepest condolences to Mr. Mulroney’s family and friends during this difficult time. May they find comfort in the knowledge that the world benefited from such a life being shared with our nation.
