MULRONEY, Brian

Remembering Brian Mulroney

Former Prime Minister the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q., passed away surrounded by his family on February 29, 2024. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Mila; his four children and sixteen grandchildren, Caroline and her husband Andrew Lapham (Lewis, Pierce, Theodora, Miranda), Ben and his wife Jessica (Brian, John, Isabel), Mark and his wife Vanessa (Maximilian, Dylan, Ronan, Mila, Axel), Nicolas and his wife Katy (Victoria, Serena, Grayson, Lily); along with countless friends and a country grateful for his lifetime of service.

Brian Mulroney was first and foremost a family man. He adored his wife and life partner, took great pride in the successes of his children, and cherished his latest role of “Papa.” Never more than a phone call away, he checked in on the eve of a big game or after a tough day and delighted in celebrating joyful moments with the entire family.

Born into a working-class family, Mr. Mulroney grew up on Quebec’s North Shore in the papermill town of Baie-comeau. Mr. Mulroney graduated from St. Thomas College high school, Chatham, N.B., and received his honours undergraduate degree from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, N.S. Blessed with a strong work ethic, Mr. Mulroney rose to the highest echelons of Montréal’s legal and business communities in the 1970s, becoming the CEO of a major corporation before the age of 40. Active from a young age in the political life of his province and his country, he forged lifelong friendships that crossed party lines, ideologies and strongly held views on la question nationale. Not satisfied to remain on the sidelines as his country faced evermore complex challenges, these friendships and his deep desire to help shape a modern Canada led him to enter public life and seek national office.

Mr. Mulroney led the Progressive Conservative Party to the largest electoral victory in Canadian history, becoming Canada’s eighteenth prime minister in 1984. He was re-elected with a majority government four years later, thereby becoming the first Canadian prime minister in 35 years to win successive majorities and only the second Conservative prime minister to do so since Confederation.

Mr. Mulroney’s government had the grand vision and courage to tackle major reforms to the Canadian economy, to our role in the world, and to our very conception of Canada as a country.

Initiatives such as the Canada–u.s. Free Trade Agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and historic tax reform through the GST were transformative. His government introduced a wave of privatizations of Crown corporations, instituted a low inflation policy, extensive deregulation, and expenditure reduction. These necessary policies continue to be the foundation for Canada’s economy and prosperity today.

His personal relationships with world leaders and his exceptional skills as a negotiator and consensus builder allowed Canada to shape global events in ways unmatched before or since. In its earliest days, Mr. Mulroney’s government played a leading role in the response to the 1984 Ethiopian Famine. Most notably, he led the campaign against apartheid in South Africa and the liberation of Nelson Mandela. And he ensured Canada took its rightful place as a leader of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). In 2006, in recognition of far-reaching initiatives such as the Canada–us Acid Rain Treaty and the Montréal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, he was chosen as Canada’s Greenest Prime Minister in history.

Brian Mulroney believed in a strong Quebec within a united Canada. His constitutional reforms—the Meech Lake (1987) and Charlottetown (1992) Accords—articulated a modern vision of Canada that recognized the unique character of Quebec society, celebrated the country’s linguistic duality, better protected minority language rights, promoted the diversity and strength of its regions, and acknowledged the need for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Throughout his time in politics, Mr. Mulroney cared deeply for the people he worked with and the people he served. He loved his caucus, admired their commitment and deeply respected their sacrifice. Their preoccupations became his priorities. He was singularly focused on favouring that which would improve the lives of Canadians in ten years, and not what would improve his party’s fortunes in ten days.

Mr. Mulroney received Canada’s highest honour, the Companion of the Order of Canada, (1998) and the highest honour of the Government of Québec, Grand officier de l'ordre national du Québec (2002). He also received the highest recognition that can be bestowed by the following nations: Haiti – Grand-croix de l'ordre national Honneur et Mérite (1994), Ukraine – Order of Kniaz (King) Yaroslav the Wise, First Class (2007), Japan – Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2011), South Africa – Supreme Companion of O.R. Tambo (Gold) (2015), and France – Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur (2016).

Upon retiring from public life in 1993, Mr. Mulroney rejoined the Montréal law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright as a Senior Partner. At the time of his death, Mr. Mulroney was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Québecor Inc. (Montréal) and served as a director of The Blackstone Group L.P. (New York). He also served as Chairman of the International Advisory Board of Barrick Gold Corporation (Toronto). and was a Trustee of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation and the International Advisory Board of HEC Montréal.

Brian Mulroney will be remembered as a distinguished statesman who had the courage to articulate a clear vision for the country he led and the determination to see it through. He was a trusted and loyal friend, respectful of and respected by his political adversaries, someone who always had time to lend an ear or share a wise word. But most importantly to him, he was a loving husband, father and grandfather who would move mountains to ensure the well-being and happiness of his loved ones.

He was 84 years old.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who wish to express sympathy consider making a donation to the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government at St. Francis Xavier University or to the Université Laval’s Carrefour international Brian-mulroney.

Canadians are invited to visit the Government of Canada's commemorative webpage at: (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/commemoration/brianmulroney.html) to learn more about the state funeral events that will be held from March 19 to 23, 2024, in Ottawa and Montréal. Messages may also be shared in the online book of condolences (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/com memoration/brian-mulroney/book.html).