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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised Mulroney's position in constructing a 'trendy, dynamic and affluent nation'.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who led his nation right into a sweeping free commerce settlement with the USA, has died. He was 84 years outdated.
Mulroney, who dominated Canada from 1984 to 1993, died peacefully surrounded by household, his daughter Caroline Mulroney stated Thursday.
“On behalf of my mom and our household, it’s with nice unhappiness that we announce the passing of my father, the Honorable Brian Mulroney, the 18th Prime Minister of Canada,” he stated in a put up on X.
Born within the French-speaking province of Quebec, Mulroney labored as a lawyer after which a enterprise govt earlier than efficiently difficult for the management of the centre-right Progressive Conservatives in 1983 and getting into Parliament later that 12 months.
Mulroney led the Conservatives to a historic victory over Pierre Trudeau's Liberals the next 12 months and retained energy within the 1988 election.
Throughout his nine-year tenure, Mulroney emulated the liberal financial insurance policies that had been prevalent within the US and Britain beneath Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher through the Eighties.
In one among his most vital achievements, he signed the Canada–United States Free Commerce Settlement with Reagan in 1988.
The deal, which was later expanded to incorporate Mexico because the North American Free Commerce Settlement (NAFTA), helped increase Canadian exports, however was later criticized for encouraging the outsourcing of jobs to cheaper places. It was criticized through the years.
“Usually talking, it's been profitable. It's not a panacea, however I've by no means seen it that means,” Mulroney stated in an interview with CBC in 2012.
Canada's final Chilly Battle chief, Mulroney additionally opposed apartheid in South Africa, struck a landmark treaty with Washington on acid rain and led efforts to answer the 1984 Ethiopian famine.
Mulroney resigned in 1993 with the bottom approval ranking in Canadian historical past amid rising separatist sentiment in Quebec.
Within the subsequent election, the Progressive Conservative Occasion suffered its worst defeat in trendy political historical past, dropping 154 out of 156 seats in parliament.
Brian Mulroney liked Canada. I’m shocked to find out about his demise.
He by no means stopped working for Canadians and he all the time tried to make this nation a greater place to name house. I’ll always remember the insights he shared with me through the years – he was beneficiant, tireless,…
– Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) 29 February 2024
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated Thursday he was “shocked” to listen to of Mulroney's demise.
“He by no means stopped working for Canadians, and he all the time tried to make this nation a fair higher place to name house. “I’ll always remember the insights he shared with me through the years – he was beneficiant, tireless and extremely passionate,” Trudeau stated on X.
“As we mourn his passing and maintain his household and pals in our ideas, allow us to additionally acknowledge – and have a good time – Mr Mulroney’s position in constructing the trendy, dynamic and affluent nation we all know at the moment. Are.”
After leaving politics, Mulroney confronted investigation over a leaked letter which revealed that police had accused him of accepting bribes from a German-Canadian arms vendor, Karlheinz Schreiber.
Mulroney sued the Liberal authorities and gained an apology and damages over the claims in 1997. Mulroney later apologized for taking funds from Schreiber, denying unlawful conduct, and stated that agreeing to introduce Schreiber was “the most important mistake of my life I ever made”.