Brian Mulroney (1939–2024), Canadian PM who improved ties with U.S.
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2 min readBrian Mulroney was a former Canadian prime minister who played an integral role in strengthening economic relations with the United States.
- Died: February 29, 2024 (Who else died on February 29?)
- Details of death: Died after taking a fall in his home in Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 84.
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Brian Mulroney’s legacy
Born in Quebec, Mulroney went to boarding school in Chatham, New Brunswick, and first took an active interest in politics while attending St. Francis Xavier University. There, he joined the Progressive Conservative movement, becoming a youth delegate and public speaker, and assisting with campaigns.
Mulroney earned his law degree from Université Laval and practiced labor law until 1976 before taking an executive position in the steel industry. After a failed attempt at ascending to the top of the Progressive Conservative party in 1976, he tried again in 1983, this time successfully. His party won the majority in Canadian government, and Mulroney became Prime Minister in 1984.
Once in office, Mulroney’s main priority was establishing closer economic ties with the U.S. and forging a good relationship with then President Ronald Reagan (1911–2004). He roared into the office with huge approval ratings, but the public’s view of him plummeted in his second term, and he resigned in 1993 with record lows. After leaving office, Mulroney remained involved in politics, and sat on the boards of multiple corporations.
Notable quote
“You'd like to change your mistakes. You'd like to change attitudes if you could. You can see circumstances where, had you acted differently – had I acted differently, maybe I'd have provoked a better response.”—from a June 1993 interview for C-SPAN
Tributes to Brian Mulroney
Full obituary: The Washington Post
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