Brian Mulroney praises Trudeau's leadership, omits any mention of Poilievre
Brian Mulroney praises Trudeau's leadership, omits any mention of Poilievre
ANTIGONISH, N.S -
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is basking in the praise of Brian Mulroney after the former prime minister said "trash" talk against the Liberal leader will be forgotten in light of historic achievements.
The former Progressive Conservative prime minister made the comments on Monday night to delegates attending the Atlantic Economic Forum, at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, N.S. Mulroney said history will not be concerned with "the trivia and trash" or with the "rumours and gossip" that are heard in Parliament.
Trudeau will instead be remembered for handling the pandemic as well as any other world leader, and for negotiating the The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement with former U.S. president Donald Trump, Mulroney, who was prime minister from 1984 to 1993, told delegates.
"The pandemic (was) the greatest challenge any prime minister has had to deal with for Canada in 156 years," he said. "This is remarkable and everybody says that our prime minister and premiers conducted themselves as well as anyone around the world."
Mulroney, who advised the federal cabinet during the trade talks with Trump, said Trudeau showed vision and a steady hand during negotiations and helped preserve the country's economy.
Trump was "out to sabotage Canada" during the trade talks and was difficult to negotiate with, Mulroney said. "I saw the prime minister because he invited me in as an adviser to his cabinet and I saw the big decisions he had to take at crucial moments, and I saw the end result of this incredibly challenging negotiation. The end result was a significant victory."
"History is only concerned with the big ticket items that have shaped the future of Canada," he said.
Noticeably absent from Mulroney's speech was any mention of Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Meanwhile, Trudeau seemed to criticize Poilievre, the Opposition leader, when he gestured to Mulroney and said, "There seems to be two kinds of politicians today: those that want to burn things down, and those more like you were, constantly who want to build things up."
Lori Turnbull, director of the school of public administration at Dalhousie University, said in an interview that Mulroney's speech appeared to encourage a return to more informed public debate, rather than as a subtle attack on Poilievre's abrasive style.
She said it's not surprising Mulroney has adopted a collegial approach to the Trudeau government, as have other members of the former Progressive Conservative party.
"I don't take these to be partisan comments," Turnbull said. "I think actually he's talking about a style of politics and what it means to be prime minister. He's praising how the prime minister has handled things, by staying out of the noise of Parliament and taking on his responsibilities."
"Others would say Trudeau has not been present and visible enough on Parliament Hill."
Turnbull said it's possible the former prime minister's comments were an attempt to build Trudeau's support by reminding Canadians that the Liberal government has had noted accomplishments.
"To be fair, (Mulroney) has also interacted with Poilievre," said Turnbull, referring to a dinner that the Opposition leader hosted for Mulroney and his wife, Mila, last fall.
"It's not like he (Mulroney) is icing him," she added.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2023.
A New Democrat MP is trying to convince his colleagues to change the rules that govern the House of Commons in a series of ways he says would instill 'democratic controls' on the prime minister's 'unfettered' powers.
Monday morning, the Public Service Alliance of Canada announced it had reached a 'tentative' agreement with the federal government for the 120,000 picketing Treasury Board workers who, since April 19, had been engaged in one of the largest strikes in Canadian history. Here's a rundown of the developments from Parliament Hill as they happened.
The House committee studying foreign election interference heard from top 2019 and 2021 Liberal and Conservative campaign directors on Tuesday, with party officials from both camps speaking about the need for politicians to come together to address any "legislative gaps" ahead of the next vote.
In the 2023 federal budget, the government is unveiling continued deficit spending targeted at Canadians' pocketbooks, public health care and the clean economy.
Voters in four byelections delivered status quo results on Monday that show, if you squint hard enough, that the severely tainted Liberal brand has staying power while the Conservatives aren’t resurging enough to threaten as a majority-government-in-waiting, writes Don Martin in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Danielle Smith's win in the Alberta election hands her the most starkly divided province confronting any premier in Canada, writes commentator Don Martin.
Special rapporteur David Johnston didn't recommend public inquiry knowing it was a pathetically insufficient response for a foreign democratic assault of this magnitude, writes Don Martin in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
To frame a few new illustrations on pages tucked inside a passport as proof of a Liberal plot to purge the Canadian historical record seems like a severe stretch, writes Don Martin in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is a bright former federal prosecutor, who was destined to be a star in Justin Trudeau's cabinet. But in an opinion column on CTVNews.ca, Don Martin argues Mendicino has taken a stunning fall from grace, stumbling badly on important issues just 18 months into the job.
The search continues for the two missing crew members of a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter that went down near Garrison Petawawa early Tuesday morning, hours after the prime minister in Ottawa said the military members were killed.
A missing submersible headed for the Titanic may only have less than 40 to 41 hours of oxygen left, officials said Tuesday afternoon as a search effort continues off the coast of Newfoundland.
Joe Coffey is preparing for something that doesn't normally happen in his small community. He owns Sneath-Strilchuk Funeral Services, one of two funeral homes in Dauphin, Man., a city of 8,600 that is preparing to say goodbye to 15 seniors killed last week in a fiery bus crash.
Sen. Marty Deacon hopes new legislation will push the government to regulate the 'torrent' of sports gambling advertisements she says Canadians are 'subjected to on a daily basis,' in an effort to avoid prevent young people and vulnerable groups from developing gambling addictions.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is basking in the praise of Brian Mulroney today after the former prime minister said 'trash' talk against the Liberal leader will be forgotten in light of historic achievements.
A five-person submersible vessel taking tourists on a US$250,000 trip to see the wreckage of the 1912 Titanic disaster 12,500 feet (3,800 metres) undersea is missing in the Atlantic off Canada. Here's what we know about who is on board.
No one knows exactly how a pig ended up at a rest stop on the side of the highway in northern B.C., where she survived mainly by sauntering up to strangers' cars and soliciting snacks before being rescued.
Joe Coffey is preparing for something that doesn't normally happen in his small community. He owns Sneath-Strilchuk Funeral Services, one of two funeral homes in Dauphin, Man., a city of 8,600 that is preparing to say goodbye to 15 seniors killed last week in a fiery bus crash.
Non-permanent residents (NPRs) represent a growing share of Canada's population, according to a new study by Statistics Canada based on the 2021 census.
The search continues for the two missing crew members of a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter that went down near Garrison Petawawa early Tuesday morning, hours after the prime minister in Ottawa said the military members were killed.
A missing submersible headed for the Titanic may only have less than 40 to 41 hours of oxygen left, officials said Tuesday afternoon as a search effort continues off the coast of Newfoundland.
The United States on Tuesday pressed its call for military communication channels with China and signaled concern over reports that China plans a military training facility in Cuba following Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing over the weekend.
A former CNN television producer who had pleaded guilty to luring a 9-year-old girl into illegal sexual acts was sentenced Tuesday to more than 19 years in prison and an additional 15 years of supervised release during a U.S. District Court hearing in Vermont.
Nine men suspected of crewing a migrant smuggling ship that sank off Greece leaving more than 500 missing appeared in court Tuesday for questioning, as new accounts emerged on the sinking and the appalling conditions on the trip from Libya towards Italy.
Transgender rights are taking center stage Tuesday in North Carolina as the GOP-controlled General Assembly considers legislation to restrict gender-affirming health care and trans participation in sports.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must make the first move and call an independent public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference.
If the Upper Chamber takes the concept of independence too far, senators may be setting themselves up to become a 'de facto opposition to the government,' non-affiliated Sen. Ian Shugart warned his colleagues on Tuesday.
Canadians should be on alert for more bad air quality days ahead this summer as wildfires continue to burn out of control in most provinces, national public health officials warned Monday.
Taking daytime naps may help maintain brain health as we age, according to a new study. However, prior research has shown that excess napping can also be harmful.
With ads popping up on TV, social media, giant billboards and at professional sports games, Canadians may be feeling bombarded by marketing for Ozempic and sister drug Rybelsus. Some doctors and medical ethics experts say the marketing campaign is too aggressive.
A former member of an OceanGate expedition to the to the wreckage of the Titanic is sharing what it was is like for those onboard the submersible, and says although training is provided, the deep dive is not without risk.
A team of researchers from four Canadian and American universities say artificial intelligence could replace humans when it comes to collecting data for social science research.
A Twitter video app for smart TVs is in the social media company's plans, owner Elon Musk said in a tweet on Saturday, a move that would be in line with the company's new plans to focus on growing video content on the platform.
Trevor Noah may have left hosting 'The Daily Show,' but he's not giving up the spotlight. It was announced Tuesday that he will be hosting a new Spotify podcast.
Gannett has filed a civil lawsuit against Google and its parent company Alphabet, claiming that they unlawfully hold monopolies in the advertising technology tools that publishers and advertisers use to buy and sell online ad space.
Elliot Page is in a bit of an odd position, he says, being one of the most visible transgender men in the world. He's in a better place than ever before. The Halifax-born actor is able to be his full self without reservation. But at the same time, he has publicly declared himself part of a group that is under attack.
A Rubens painting lost to history and misidentified for almost 300 years has re-emerged with the help of X-ray analysis and could now fetch up to US$7.7 million at auction next month.
Canada's Milos Raonic withdrew from the Cinch Championships on Tuesday shortly before his scheduled first-round match at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament.
Telus has signed a partnership with an Australian electric vehicle charging company, announcing plans to install up to 5,000 EV charging stations across Canada.
Multiple U.S. owners of Hyundai's popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, many after hearing a loud popping noise, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday.
