'We'll meet again': Scenes from Brian Mulroney's state funeral
Canadians had the oppor‐ tunity Saturday to witness the final official goodbye to the late Brian Mulroney, who as prime minister led Canada from 1984 to 1993.
His time in office coin‐ cided with the end of the Cold War and he helped to lead the fight against apartheid in South Africa. His government enacted a series of important environmental accords, introduced the GST and launched the modern era of free trade in North America.
Here are a few moments you may have missed:
A star-studded event
Mulroney's state funeral in Montreal was attended by roughly 1,300 people, includ‐ ing some of the most promi‐ nent figures in Canadian politics, culture and business.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre and the heads of Canada's other fed‐ eral parties were in atten‐ dance, along with numerous provincial leaders. Former prime ministers Stephen Harper, Jean Chretien and Joe Clark were there, along with
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and several former governors general.
Numerous other cele‐ brated Canadians filled the pews in Notre-Dame Basilica, including actor Ryan Reynolds, media baron Pierre Karl Péladeau (who delivered a eulogy), Loblaw head Galen Weston and founder of the Bloc Québécois Lucien Bouchard.
As they waited for the cer‐ emony to begin, political al‐ lies and rivals shook hands and exchanged words - in‐ cluding former Parti Québé‐ cois leader Pauline Marois, former Quebec Liberal leader Philippe Couillard and lead‐ ing figures in the modern Conservative Party and the Progressive Conservative party it replaced, among them MP Andrew Scheer and Peter MacKay.
Mulroney's singing voice The funeral featured a mix of classical music, reli‐ gious songs and more mod‐ ern compositions, including a rendition of Danny Boy by The Tenors and Mais qu'estce que j'ai?, sung by Mul‐ roney's granddaughter Eliza‐ beth Theodora Lapham.
One of the more poignant moments happened during a performance of When Irish Eyes are Smiling by Lapham and Marc Hervieux, when the assembly heard a recording of Mulroney singing the final verse.
WATCH: Mourners hear Mulroney's voice during emotional tribute
A recording of the late prime minister singing We'll Meet Again in his famous baritone was played as mourners filed out of the basilica at the end of the ser‐ vice.
Mulroney, who loved to sing, recorded a CD of 18 songs for his 16 grandchil‐ dren, his son Ben Mulroney told CBC earlier this week.
Caroline Mulroney's moving eulogy
Mulroney's funeral fea‐ tured a number of eulogies, including words from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Prime Minister Trudeau. Former Progressive Conserv‐ ative leader Jean Charest spoke about his experience working with the late prime minister as a cabinet mem‐ ber, and a representative of former U.S. secretary of state James Baker discussed Mul‐ roney's free trade legacy.
Caroline Mulroney, the late prime minister's daugh‐ ter, delivered the first eulogy. The Ontario provincial minis‐ ter touched on both Mul‐ roney's experiences in politics and his role as father and husband.
"He gave me love, confi‐ dence and strength," she said.
WATCH: Caroline Mul‐ roney describes her fa‐ ther's last moments
She also shared the story of Brian Mulroney's final words to his wife, Mila Mul‐ roney.
"We will not have enough [time in] our lifetime to hear all the stories about when he reached out to friends, oppo‐ nents and people he had never met," Charest said.
Memories of phone calls
Many guests interviewed by CBC News on Saturday morning spoke of their own experiences with Mulroney, which often began with a phone call.
Prime Minister Trudeau said during his eulogy that his thoughts were with Mul‐ roney's family and that he understood some of what they were going through. The last time he spoke in NotreDame Basilica in Montreal, he noted, was during the fu‐
neral of his own father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
He also told mourners that, during one of the many phone conversations he had with his predecessor, he learned that Mulroney also kept in touch with his moth‐ er, Margaret Trudeau.
Trudeau said that while he hadn't known the two had talked, he wasn't surprised, given Mulroney's many con‐ tacts with Canadians from all walks of life.
WATCH: Trudeau pays tribute to Brian Mulroney