Solid Achievements, Soiled

The 1999 publication, Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders, by historians Norman Hillmer and Jack Granatstein was generously congratulatory toward former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. According him, through what has been termed his "solid policy record of achievement within Canada and internationally" a fairly high score as an effective leader. He was rated eighth, just ahead of Jean Chretien, and three back of Pierre Trudeau.

There are certainly many Canadians who still wince at the thought of those Right Honourables, while many more hold them in high regard. You just cannot please all the people all the time. There will always be some drawback in character or values or historical performance of one kind or another that people will remember about past leaders. Since those three go back not so far in the past as leaders of the country, memories of their qualities are still fairly resonant.

Prime Minister Trudeau had flair and his sometimes-outrageous personal style, aligned with his sabre-sharp wit and intelligence gained him admirers and detractors, both. His antics and his foibles are mostly what people recall about him, along with his "just watch me" handling of the October crisis in Quebec facing up to the threat posed by the Front de liberation du Quebec. And, of course, his sterling relations with Western Canada and their energy resources, and his repatriation of the Canadian Constitution.

Most of us did not detest him, however; his good qualities seemed to outweigh his lapses. And he never, to anyone's knowledge, tried to advantage himself materially through his public office. Whereas the same thing simply cannot be said for his protege Jean Chretien who, when he was prime minister, was not above manipulating underlings to act on his behalf to further his economic interests. The little guy from Shawinigan burnished his home reputation at taxpayer expense, then went on to line his retirement potential with China contacts.

And then, smack in the middle was the deep-baritoned, deep-chinned, smarmily-inclined Brian Mulroney, famous for his "Irish Eyes" duo with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Mr. Mulroney was so inordinately self-besotted that his oiled presence grated on all sensibilities. His public record? If we can steer past the visceral dislike so many Canadians had for the man, he did some fairly innovative and honourable things. Like challenging Apartheid South Africa, and teaching the U.S. what acid rain meant to the environment.

He actually, despite himself, was well on his way to building a solid legacy, as an honourable man lurking behind the persona of a greaseball politician. And then he unaccountably soiled himself. Revealing himself for the tawdry personality many people knew in their gut was there all the time. His actions revealed him for what he was, giving people the opportunity to view an open window into the man's character.

Preparing to retire from office and from 24 Sussex, eager to 'sell' the furniture back to the country. Preparing to retire from high office pre-arranging a special deal to earn himself a few hundred thousand dollars. Guess he didn't count on law firms lining up to hire him for his name-recognition value. Guess he overlooked the potential in huge fees on the speaking circuit. He wanted, he said, to be able to provide for his family in the manner to which they had become accustomed and were, he felt, quite entitled to.

So he would rent himself out as a lobbyist for a German munitions and military vehicle manufacturer, enabling them first to set up business in Canada. Sometimes all the ducks don't feel like lining up in the row they're supposed to, and they begin quacking, and people realize hey, those ducks are sending a pretty nasty message. Quite aside from the still-resonant quacks about kickbacks on Airbus planes to Air Canada.

It'll be fascinating to see and hear and learn of Judge Jeffrey Oliphant's conclusion reached in his report on those secret, so unfortunate, so lapsed, so innocent of ill intent, cash under-the-table dealings with Karl-Heinz Schreiber.

Regardless of the conclusion, the stench remains.