Louis Leger: Thank you, Prime Minister

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The late Brian Mulroney had a sixth sense for understanding moments in time. Relationships were lifelong. I can say from personal experience he always made a point of genuinely asking about how our family and community was doing. In our case, the Acadian community.

It was the same for his Miramichi Irish connections from attending high school in Chatham. He was certainly proud of his St. Thomas roots and he said it often. More importantly, he always went out of his way to speak about the values and aspirations that united us. He spoke about what we could accomplish by working together.

He surrounded himself with strong characters: Gerry Merrithew, Bernard Valcourt, Roger Clinch, Dennis Cochrane, Bud Bird, Greg Thompson, Robert Corbett, Bud Jardine, Albert Girard, Robert Howie and Fred McCain. Everyone worked together as one team. Especially when it came to projects that were provincial in scope.

Federal-provincial agreements were called “co-operation agreements.” He had one for every sector of our economy like agriculture, aquaculture, mining, forestry, innovation and culture, the latter of which funded in part the iconic abandoned Saint John Imperial Theater, the Moncton Capitol Theater and the building of Le pays de la Sagouine in Bouctouche.

As an anglophone Irish Quebecer he always seemed to understand Acadians’ aspirations – better, dare I say, than francophone Quebecers. I remember with pride being present at Rideau Hall when he enshrined equality of New Brunswick francophone rights in our constitution to ensure no one could play with fundamental rights later, which today is proving to be as important as it was at the time.

He appointed the first Acadian to the Supreme court. He gave Acadians their own seat internationally with la Francophonie.

He personally drove the expansion of the Department of National Defence’s Saint John frigate Program. The expectation at the time was three additional ships; it became six, double what was expected. I remember the room going wild when he made the announcement. The expanded frigate program contributed to the modernization of the port city’s industrial base.

He not only created the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) with a starting budget of $1 billion, but he also ensured decision-making powers would be decentralized to Moncton, instead of Ottawa. In 1987, $1 billion was more than all four Atlantic governments combined had for economic development.

The point is he knew Atlantic Canada needed a boost and he understood it because he walked in our shoes. He graduated from St. FX in Nova Scotia. He knew what was needed to get ahead. Like also helping Newfoundlanders make Hibernia happen – which turned N.L. into a surplus province – or getting a bridge of huge economic value to P.E.I. built, a lot more could be said.

He also took a lot of serious criticism. However, today, it would be hard to find anyone who would dare admit not supporting his free-trade agreement with the United States. Or the value of a modern fully transparent harmonized sales taxes (replacing hidden taxes). Many would remember the analogy often said: “that if Brian Mulroney crossed a river walking on water, people would have said he didn’t know how to swim!”

He came to New Brunswick on many occasions, too many to recount. They were not always easy trips, Centralizing the maintenance work resulting in the closure of the CN Shops was not a direct government decision, but it still fell on the prime minister’s lap. An aggressive economic transition plan was devised and today, the success of that transition speaks for itself with economic sectors geared towards the future.

A lot of pictures are being shared on social media because I would say there is tremendous pride in having been associated with Brian Mulroney through the good, the bad and the good again. Many want to show their pride for having been part of his big team.

It’s so wonderful to see the recognition of his work, his game-changing policies, and his lifelong caring for others.

We are all better because of Brian Mulroney.

He made New Brunswick shine. He made Canada shine.

For all this I say thank you. Rest in peace, Prime Minister.

Louis Leger was New Brunswick Progressive Conservative youth president in 1983, youth member on the 1984 national federal elections campaign team, and former special assistant to Honorable Gerald S. Merrithew.