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Liam O’Brien: ‘Brian Mulroney spent his political capital to get things done’

Mar 3, 2024 | Opinion, Politics

  • Liam O’Brien: ‘Brian Mulroney spent his political capital to get things done’

(Liam O’Brien is a former Haligonian who was active in the PC Youth. He is a political consultant who served as a senior advisor to ministers in the Harper and Ford governments. While originally from Newfoundland he now resides in New Brunswick.)

By Liam O’Brien

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney has passed away. As Prime Ministers go, I think Canada is a better place thanks to his leadership.

The Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and ultimately NAFTA would be reasons enough to place Brian Mulroney on any list of Canada’s greatest Prime Ministers.

Few if any other agreements have contributed more to our prosperity and resilience. He led enough of us to look out at the rest of the world and see opportunity. And given the situation he inherited, that’s no small accomplishment.

Canada had largely slid away from any strong international presence or role among its primary allies.

Brian Mulroney changed that. Canada had been polarized due to the choices of one of his predecessors – polarized almost to the point of fracturing Confederation.

While not successful in his constitutional efforts, it was completely commendable to take not just one but two runs at bringing Canada back together. The effort also sent the message to provinces as different as Quebec, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador that Canada was not a unitary state.

A distant government in Ottawa could not and should not dictate how provinces managed their resources or many other things. The world didn’t end from the effort.

Newfoundland and Labrador in particular did very well by Brian Mulroney. The Atlantic Accord ensured the benefits from the resources of the Continental Shelf we brought into Confederation would flow to our province.

Peckford (with the agreement of most Premiers) correctly stated it was the most important document for our province beyond the Terms of Union. Its significance cannot be overstated, and it is also another example of how two orders of government can jointly manage a resource. It wasn’t just about revenue.

It was about responsibility.

He put together a very high-quality senior cabinet leading an impressive coalition. He won one of the biggest majorities but didn’t see politics as the quest for popularity.

He spent his political capital to get things done. He also didn’t mind putting in time with every single backbench MP. I know from staff from his era that even government MPs were at liberty to ask some of the toughest questions of the government.

I am most proud of his leadership – even into an election – on Free Trade. In a lifetime we don’t see more than a handful of leaders who set out not just to go with what’s popular but try to lead and convince people to come along with him to do the right thing.

He also so very rightly pulled the federal government out of so many things where the government never belonged. Privatizing 20+ crown corporations, including Air Canada and Petro Canada.

I remember during his final speech as Prime Minister, much like Reagan, he cited the deficit as an area of regret… That more wasn’t done. (I would agree). But in fairness, his government did inherit the largest (pre-current-PM) inflation-adjusted deficit, representing almost a tenth of Canada’s GDP.

Also in fairness, his government did arrest a lot of the snowballing of the size of government in many areas.

This was forgotten as high interest and program side expenditure eclipsed the efforts.

History has proven countless times over that replacing the 11% manufacturer’s tax with something on the wider consumption side, while not popular, was the right move. Even when there was a mistake, (and his government made plenty – some on the ultimate party/movement unity front), usually you would see a minister take responsibility. That’s oddly not even expected lately.

He’s the first Prime Minister I remember watching on TV as a kid. And I don’t think it’s just because I was a kid that it seemed to me his era was one of the last times when the “grown-ups” were in charge.

I know he wasn’t popular near the end of his final term. I really don’t care. I don’t put much value on that. I respect and support leaders who do the right thing. On the big stuff, even at the expense of short-term popularity – Brian Mulroney led an impressive government in its ambition and accomplishment. He also made us proud on the world stage.

Brian Mulroney with former Haligonian, Liam O’Brien.

His passing feels very much like we’re watching the passing of an era. I am grateful to have met him and shook his hand. And where apt, I’ll gladly debunk the myths and give him his due as long as I can. He will be missed.

Brian MacLeod, with former PM Brian Mulroney and Irene MacLeod. The two Brians and Irene MacLeod are now deceased. (Facebook).

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