Mulroney family members take part in a moment of silence prior to tributes to the late prime minister Brian Mulroney in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 18.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Brian Mulroney’s sons expressed thanks on Monday to national party leaders who paid tribute to their father in the House of Commons and to Canadians who have offered their support for the family since the former prime minister died last month.
Ben, Mark and Nicolas Mulroney all spoke to the media at the House of Commons after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and other party leaders spoke in the Commons about their father.
Mr. Mulroney, Canada’s prime minister from 1984 to 1993, died on Feb. 29 at the age of 84. His remains are to lie in state in Ottawa this week ahead of a state funeral in Montreal on Saturday.
Mark Mulroney noted Monday that his father came to the Commons as a 17-year-old to attend a youth event in support of John Diefenbaker, who went on to become the prime minister.
“He, kind of, was eager to get back here, and he did, and he enjoyed every minute of the back and forth parliamentary process, the debate,” he said.
“For us, sitting up in the gallery and hearing everybody speak so positively – probably not what he was used to. But he would have loved it, and we did as well, and everybody taking the time to think through and say these positive words. We can’t be more thankful.”
Nicolas Mulroney, the youngest of the four children of Mr. Mulroney and his wife, Mila Mulroney, said it has been humbling to hear the outpouring of support of friends and former foes, and quite special for Mr. Mulroney’s grandchildren to experience the tributes.
“I just want to thank everybody on behalf of the family,” he said.
Mr. Mulroney’s family – including his daughter, Caroline Mulroney, the Treasury Board President in Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government – were scheduled to meet privately with Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Poilievre on Monday.
In the Commons, the two party leaders, and others, saluted Mr. Mulroney’s mix of humility, consideration and grand political ambition.
Mr. Trudeau called him “one of the lions of Canadian politics” and said Mr. Mulroney loved Canada with his whole heart.
“He knew we were capable of great things. He saw that the greatest strength of this country was our shared values. ‘Opportunity, fairness and justice for all’ was one of the ways he put it, but he also understood that success was not automatic, that it took hard work,” the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Trudeau said negotiating a free-trade agreement with the United States – establishing one of the largest such deals in the world – was one of his greatest legacies.
And he also thanked Mr. Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative in office, for using his contacts in Washington to help Mr. Trudeau, a politician from a rival party.
“It mattered a lot to me, but even more so to Canada, that Brian vouched to the American Republican class that they could trust this Liberal Prime Minister, and even given partisan political pressure at home, he always knew that the most important thing was getting a good deal for Canada and for Canadians,” Mr. Trudeau said.
He will not be forgotten, the Prime Minister added: “It is not just his booming baritone that will forever echo in this chamber, but his values and leadership.”
Mr. Poilievre said Mr. Mulroney’s rise from modest means as the son of a working-class electrician from a small Quebec town to being prime minister was an inspiration to him and many other young people of similar means.
In addition to praising his policy successes, Mr. Poilievre saluted Mr. Mulroney’s outreach, through telephone, to people facing the worst days of their lives because of such challenges as the loss of a loved one.
“Suddenly the phone would ring, and it would be that melliferous baritone on the other end of the line. ‘It’s Brian Mulroney.’ He would console, joke and maybe even throw in the odd curse about the unfairness of it all, and his friend’s turmoil melted in astonishment that one of the country’s greatest prime ministers had offered love and laughter.”
Mr. Poilievre described once asking Mr. Mulroney about how he dealt with the challenges of the job, and the former prime minister said he surmounted worry by relying on Mila, his wife of more than 50 years.
“His half-century-long love affair with Mila was one for the ages,” he said.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May saluted Mr. Mulroney’s accomplishments in environmental policy, noting such moves as standing up to U.S. president Ronald Reagan on acid rain and banning lead in gasoline.
But she also mentioned something on the lighter side to the Commons: Mr. Mulroney’s humour.
“There was never a joke at anyone’s expense. There was never a cruel joke. If there was ever a joke at somebody’s expense, it was his own self-depreciating humour at his own expense.”
Do you have a favourite memory from meeting Brian Mulroney?
The Globe and Mail wants to hear from readers about their stories and meetings with Mr. Mulroney, who was known as much for his charm as his political savvy. Where and when did you meet him? What do you remember most about that experience? Share your experience below.
Ian Bailey