Listen Up! We can learn from Brian Mulroney

The death of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney this past week marks the end of an era in Canadian politics, and that to me is regrettable.

The man, like any political leader, was not perfect. He made his mistakes and sometimes his ego got away from him, but he will go down in history as one of our greatest Prime Ministers. 

Years ago, I was a delegate to the convention that elected Brian Mulroney as Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. I didn’t vote for him. I supported Joe Clark, in part because he had a Huntsville connection and in part because he was the only leadership candidate who phoned me personally and asked for my vote. 

I don’t regret that vote, but as the years went on, I quickly realized that Brian Mulroney was a remarkable leader with an unquenched belief in the strength of Canada both domestically and on the world stage. There was nothing shy and retiring about him. He was not afraid to take risks and some of them blew up in his face. As Toronto Star journalist Martin Regg Cohn wrote in a recent article, “Mulroney always swung for the fences, seeking triumph while risking failure.”

While tributes for Brian Mulroney came from all parts of the world in recent days, the one that summed up his public life most succinctly came from former Prime Minister Joe Clark, often a man who was a competitor of Mulroney’s. This is what he said:  “Brian was one of Canada’s great change-makers—determined to move this country forward and with an instinct to respect differences and an extraordinary capacity to reconcile. He was bold, a big dreamer and an unparalleled negotiator and persuader both at home in Canada and in the wider world.” 

One of Brian Mulroney’s greatest assets was his humanity. It quite likely was the saving grace that kept him in government when his popularity was in decline. He knew how to manage his caucus in a manner, unlike any other federal political leader I have seen since. No birthday, no achievement, no crisis or failure occurred without a personal and comforting phone call from the Prime Minister. Not from one of his honchos, but from the man himself.

At one point the child of one of his backbencher’s children was very sick in hospital.  Brian Mulroney and his wife Mila spent several evenings at her bedside.  Another time, Brian Mulroney was campaigning in Western Canada when Parry Sound-Muskoka Member of Parliament Stan Darling’s wife Mona died. Brian Mulroney cancelled his plans, got on a plane and attended Mona Darling’s funeral in Burk’s Falls. It is little wonder that Mulroney had unconditional support and loyalty from his caucus. 

Brian Mulroney was my kind of Conservative and he governed at a time when civility was still in vogue, when politicians of all stripes could talk to each other and sometimes, even find common ground. A time when one didn’t have to wait until their opponents were dead before saying something nice about them. As a result, it was also a time when things actually got done and when Canada was very big on the world stage. 

Today, a lot of that has changed. John Manley, a former Liberal Minister of Foreign Affairs, has recently observed that Canada is no longer useful in world affairs. What a sad statement that is from someone who should know. 

Politics in Canada has become so divisive, so self-serving and so nasty that it has become a completely different solitude to that of former years. Preston Manning, founder of the right-wing and now-defunct Reform Party noted that “the humanity of Brian Mulroney has been lost in Canadian politics.” On that, and likely on that alone, I agree with him.

Even the Toronto Star’s Susan Delacourt, normally a Liberal apologist, put it this way in an article today:  “Why has Canadian politics become so stupid? Our federal political parties believe their best chances of power can be found on the path that is shallower, dumber, angrier and more hysterical.”

She is right about that. Civility, facts, and respectful disagreement seem to be a thing of the past in Canadian politics. 

Canada in my view, has seldom, if ever, been as divided as it is now. More importantly, politicians at the federal level, of all stripes, are catering to this divisiveness rather than attempting to unify this country, despite what they may otherwise claim. 

We also live in a time of unchecked spending with interest alone on government debt costing Canadians $81.8 billion a year. And a Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister who thinks it is okay to spend nearly $6,000.00 per month on the public dime, for personal grooming expenses including hairdressers, spa treatments, personal trainers and gym memberships. Top that off with one scandal after another, including SNC Lavalin, the WE Charity and now ArriveCan, and man, things are getting out of control.

It is little wonder that people want change. But the big question is what should that change be? Few people want to jump from the frying pan into the fire. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is likely to win the next federal election especially if there is no change in the current Liberal leadership. But can he bring back civility to federal politics? Will he be flexible enough in his policies to unite Canadians rather than divide them? What is his plan to deal with Canada’s national debt? Will he stay the hell out of the bedrooms of the Nation, and can he restore Canada’s status as a world power? These are questions many Canadians are seeking answers to. They do not want the same old, same old. 

In my view, the time for punchouts and divisive politics is over. We can learn from Brian Mulroney. He was known for swinging to the fence and getting things done with courage and in a manner that underlined both his determination and his humanity. Those qualities are extremely important in a leader.

Whoever leads Canada into the future, should aim for nothing less.

Hugh Mackenzie

Publisher

Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.

Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.

In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.

Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.

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