44th Parl. 1st Sess.

March 18, 2024 11:00AM

Context: House Hansard - 290 - Mar/18/24

Mr. Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, NDP)

Mar/18/24 3:53:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere condolences, on behalf of all New Democrats, to the family and friends of late prime minister Brian Mulroney. It is never easy to lose someone you love, and our thoughts are with you. To Canadians, he was a prime minister, but to those closest to him, he was a father, a grandfather and a husband. I hope his loved ones can find some comfort in the many memories that people have shared about him as they grieve this loss. Prime Minister Mulroney will be remembered as someone who took big chances while he was in office. While there are a great many issues that, of course, he and I would not agree on, I want to acknowledge the legacy that he leaves behind after a long career of dedicated public service. I would be remiss not to point out that Mr. Mulroney was a Progressive Conservative. He respected our democracy and the role of the media in a way that was not remarkable at the time but is no doubt noteworthy today. He was also a great human rights advocate on the international stage. Brian Mulroney strongly condemned the injustices of apartheid in South Africa at a time when many world leaders remained silent. His strong stance reminds us that we must never turn a blind eye to the difficulties that people throughout the world are facing. Thousands of Canadians will always remember that Mr. Mulroney did not ignore that blatant violation of human rights. He chose to use his voice to help those who were suffering under apartheid, not for his own political gain, but because it was the right thing to do. I also want to note Prime Minister Mulroney's environmental advocacy. He listened to the concerns raised by scientists about the hole in the ozone layer and the impacts it would have on Canadians, including higher rates of cancer. He responded to scientists' warnings about acid rain and the damage it would do to our soil and our ability to grow food. Mr. Mulroney understood that if there was no responsible stewardship of our environment, Canadians' health would suffer. He understood that the government played a significant role in ensuring that people have clean water to drink and clean air to breathe for generations to come. In addition to his dedication to environmental advocacy, the late prime minister was also a champion for Quebec and Quebeckers, as many have shared. It was important for him that the people of Quebec be recognized. He valued Quebeckers' culture, heritage and distinct society as an integral part of this country. He stood up for the language rights of francophones, unlike some other prime ministers before him. Mr. Mulroney worked hard to build a bridge between anglophones and francophones. He fought so that francophones would not feel like second-class citizens but like an integral part of the country's social fabric. Having grown up in Quebec, he recognized that the diversity of our country makes us a richer and stronger nation. At a time of more heightened divisions, when some political leaders try to score points by pitting one group of people against another, Mr. Mulroney will be remembered as someone who tried to build unity. Since he passed away, I heard a media interview with former prime minister Kim Campbell, his cabinet colleague and successor. The thing that really stands out is the way she spoke about his willingness to change his mind, to hear other points of view and to adjust his actions. That Mr. Mulroney had this flexibility and open-mindedness is a testament to his leadership style and his character. Ultimately, Canadians expect this of their political leaders. There are bound, of course, to be disagreements between people with different life experiences and different perspectives, but truly listening to and respecting one another should be a baseline for people in political life, and that is a standard that Mr. Mulroney upheld and exceeded. I want to share a story about the late prime minister that illustrates my point. Just a couple of months ago, our party lost a legend in our former leader, Ed Broadbent. His passing hit us hard. Ed was, of course, a champion for disenfranchised people, a principled leader and a wonderful friend. Even though, at the time, Mr. Mulroney was in hospital, dealing with his own health issues, he still made time to speak to the media about his former political rival. He spoke of Ed, from the hospital, with tremendous respect and kindness, when he could have just as easily decided not to do any interviews at all, and it would have been understandable. That was so generous of him, to honour an opponent. It says a lot about him as a leader and as a person. I want to close by reiterating my condolences to the late prime minister's loved ones and to thank them all for sharing him with this country.

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House Hansard - 290