Since his death, praise has been pouring in for Brian Mulroney. A great prime minister. A visionary. The man of reconciliation with Quebec, free trade and the fight against apartheid.
A caring leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, he mastered English and French brilliantly. A Canadian in love with his country and proud of his Quebec roots. A charming, generous and funny man.
What struck me most about him was his willingness and courage to even risk failure when it was really worth it. Mr. Mulroney was of an extremely rare political breed. A leader of convictions, ready to face headwinds, polls and the harshest attacks.
Ditto for former Prime Minister Jacques Parizeau. Two destinies crossed in the wake of the Meech Lake agreement. The two men even had in common the fact that they had each experienced a heartbreaking failure which, for a long time, left them deeply wounded.
Mr. Mulroney, with the death of Meech in June 1990. Mr. Parizeau, with the narrow defeat of the Yes vote in the 1995 referendum.
With Robert Bourassa, Brian Mulroney had nevertheless negotiated an innovative agreement. Objective: to repair the affront of the unilateral patriation of the Constitution in 1982 by Pierre Elliott Trudeau by bringing Quebec back into the Canadian fold with “honor and enthusiasm”.
Two noble visions
Trudeau Sr. aimed to isolate Quebec, which was too “nationalist” in his eyes. Brian Mulroney sought to accommodate it to better strengthen Canadian unity.
Jacques Parizeau’s vision was just as noble: an independent Quebec free of its choices. But did they really fail personally? I do not believe.
The reality is that they were trapped by circumstances beyond their control.
During the Meech saga, Mr. Mulroney found himself trapped by the amending formula of the Constitution Act, 1982.
To enshrine the Meech Lake Accord, it required the unanimous consent of all governments in Canada within a maximum period of three years. In short, the impossible.
Thought up by Trudeau senior, this formula aimed to cement “his” Constitution. A real straitjacket. Over the course of three years, everything changed.
Everything changed
Governments have changed. Canadian public opinion, initially favorable, would end up being convinced by Trudeau Sr. that Meech’s distinct society clause would allow Quebec to oppress its minorities.
In 1995, Jacques Parizeau saw himself trapped in his turn. This time, by the lack of respect for the referendum rules by the federal government of Jean Chrétien, a disciple of the same Trudeau father.
During the referendum campaign, federal money will flow freely into Quebec. The debate will be completely distorted.
Despite these powerful headwinds, Brian Mulroney and Jacques Parizeau gave everything of themselves. It was first and foremost because they were trapped that they failed.
In fact, the real failures lie elsewhere. The first, in 1990, was that of a Constitution voluntarily locked by the amendment formula of Trudeau senior. The second, in 1995, was that of a total absence of scruples on the part of Jean Chrétien.
Who will be surprised that, since then, no one, here or in English Canada, even dares to dream of the day when Quebec will return to the Canadian family with “honor and enthusiasm”?