By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
OTTAWA (Worthy News) – Canada was mourning Friday after its former prime minister Brian Mulroney, seen as a giant of Canadian politics, died at age 84.
The bilingual and gregarious leader, who led his North American nation through the closing days of the then Cold War and pioneered a historic trade treaty with the United States, passed away “peacefully, surrounded by family,” his daughter announced.
The conservative Mulroney, the 18th prime minister in Canada’s history, made arguably his most significant mark in foreign policy in the 1980s, tying the United States and Canadian economies closer together.
The accord became known as the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Mexico would later join.
Commentators said the death of Mulroney, who was in power from 1984 to 1993, leaves Ottawa “minus its go-to counsel” as Canada prepares for a possible bumpy ride with Donald J. Trump’s potential return as U.S. president.
Canada’s current government has criticized Trump, saying his perceived nationalistic “authoritarian” style could lead to political refugees and economic protectionism in one of the largest trading relationships in the world.
It would undermine Ottawa’s reliance on the U.S. for intelligence-sharing and scientific cooperation, though missile defense and military cooperation would continue, officials said.
MISSING ADVICE
Amid these and other tensions, Mulroney was often sought by prime ministers for advice. “He had the courage to do big things,” explained Canada’s current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “He shaped our past, but he shapes our present, and he will impact our future as well. He was an extraordinary statesman, and he will be deeply, deeply missed.”
The man known for his charm and Irish blarney — a gift for the gab — was an ardent advocate of stronger U.S.-Canadian relations.
He pushed the free trade deal forward in no small part due to his chumminess with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, according to sources familiar with their relationship.
“Few Canadians around during his reign have forgotten the widely broadcast Mulroney-Reagan duet of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” at the Shamrock summit in Quebec City in 1985,” commented The Associated Press news agency.
The duet was named after the pair’s Irish heritage and the fact that their meeting fell on St. Patrick’s Day. The 24-hour meeting opened the door to future free trade talks between the countries.
Along with a fan base of fellow conservative Margaret Thatcher, Mulroney also had an enduring friendship with former President George H.W. Bush.
Yet despite widespread praise, Mulroney’s administration was also hit by scandals, and his time as prime minister came crashing down in 1993 when voters delivered a historic election defeat to his Progressive Conservative Party.
DEPRESSED ECONOMY
His party was left with just two seats in the 295-member House of Commons.
The defeat came amid broad public anger over Canada’s then-depressed economy.
Canadians blamed Mulroney for a 3-year-old recession that left a record number of people out of work or bankrupt.
Under his leadership, a much-criticized 7 percent sales tax was pushed through, as well as the 1988 U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, after more than 100 years of tariff protection.
Mulroney, the Quebec-born, half-Irish “boy from Baie-Comeau” (a small town in the French-speaking province), leaves behind his longtime wife Mila and four children: Caroline, Ben, Mark, and Nicolas.
Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced for the man, leaving a nation now searching for a future without his counsel.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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