PRAISING MULRONEY
When famous people pass, others swiftly sing their praises. This has certainly — and deservedly — been the case for Brian Mulroney, whose death was announced Thursday. The former prime minister left a profound mark on Canada.
Canadians are fortunate to still have so many living former prime ministers among us — Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper remain. Like Mulroney, all have acted as mentors, and as storehouses of invaluable information about the federation. But they have also offered us something else: a reminder of a time when political culture could be different. That time seems to have passed.
Politicians in the '70s, '80s and '90s weren't models of impeccable behaviour; they had as much ego and as many shortcomings as today's leaders. But it was a culture of respect for democratic processes and for the key role political opponents play. Mulroney, a mix of charm and bluster, highly partisan and flinty-eyed in debate, nonetheless took care to not undermine the important institutions supporting that democracy. It was also an era of ministerial responsibility — yes, members of cabinet actually resigned when scandal or incompetence surfaced (think “tainted tuna” as one meme that survives from that time).
Nor would he have been likely to huddle behind the veil of social media, had it existed, to fire cheap shots and fungible factoids. Scrappy like Chrétien (he of the “Shawinigan handshake”), Mulroney would have delivered his attacks in person, prepared to be verbally pummelled in response. In fact, he once was, by a woman who told him to his face that if he went through with changes to Old Age Security it would be “good bye, Charlie Brown” to his government. He backed down.
Consider today, when politicians callously attack the integrity of the courts, the Bank of Canada, the professionalized news media and, of course, each other's personalities. Mulroney, partisan though he was, still appointed New Democrat Stephen Lewis ambassador to the UN. Long after politics, he still willingly advised Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on trade with the Americans.
The Airbus affair is part of his legacy, just as the sponsorship scandal is part of Chrétien's. The Meech and Charlottetown failures are his to wear, too. But Mulroney's record also includes free trade, robust environmental measures and a pivotal role in ending apartheid. He befriended and influenced U.S. presidents, for the good.
It is no surprise that Brian Mulroney's praises are sung, sincerely, from across the political spectrum. Perhaps there is a lesson there for today's politicians.