Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to release "Memoirs: 1939-1993"
{{date|September 8, 2007}}

On Sunday [[w:Memoirs: 1939-1993|Memoirs: 1939-1993]] a [[w:memoir|memoir]] written by former [[w:Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister of Canada]] [[w:Brian Mulroney|Brian Mulroney]] will be released.  The 1,152 page tome outlines Mulroney's version of events during his time as prime minister.

[[w:CTV|CTV]] will broadcast a documentary on Brian Mulroney on the eve of his book launch.  In addition, the network plans to air ''Triumph & Treachery: The Brian Mulroney Story'' on Sunday, CTV says the 90-minute special will be the most complete interview the former prime minister has ever given and his first comprehensive interview since leaving office in [[w:1993|1993]].The [[w:Quebec|Quebec]] [[w:French language|French language]] [[w:TVA (TV network)|TVA]] network will air a similar documentary exclusively in French later that night.
[[Image:Mulroney.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[w:Brian Mulroney|Mulroney]] in 1984]]

Mulroney allocates a fair amount of text commenting on his antogonist the [[w:Death|late]] and former Prime Minister [[w:Pierre Elliot Trudeau|Pierre Elliot Trudeau]].  Mulroney believes that Trudeau lacked the moral fibre to be Prime Minister for not serving in the [[w:Canadian Forces|Canadian Forces]] during [[w:World War II|World War II]].  

{{cquote2|Pierre Trudeau was not among them. That's a decision he made. He's entitled to make that kind of decision. But it doesn't qualify him for any position of moral leadership in our society.
|Mulroney}}

Mulroney insinuates that the young Trudeau had [[w:anti-Semitic|anti-Semitic]] beliefs at that time , "This is a man who questioned the Allies when the [[w:Jew|Jews]] were being sacrificed and when the [[w:The Holocaust|great extermination program]] was on, he was marching around [[w:Outremont (borough)|Outremont, Quebec]] on the other side of the issue."

Mulroney also blames Trudeau for scuttling the [[w:Meech Lake Accord|Meech Lake Accord]], the [[w:1990|1990]] pact aimed at securing [[w:Quebec|Quebec]]'s signature on the [[w:Constitution of Canada|Constitution of Canada]].

The current Prime Minister [[w:Stephen Harper|Stephen Harper]] supported Mulroney's right to comment on Trudeau, "I think it's well known Mr. Mulroney was an opponent of Mr. Trudeau," Harper said. "He was his opposition leader and, as you know, came to power at the end of the Trudeau period when people wanted to make a change. I'll leave it to people who were there then to fight those battles. I think it's perfectly reasonable that they would comment. I think these are debates that are best left to some of the people who were around then and academics."

Trudeau's former piers and friends have rallied behind his legacy and made public comments to dampen Mulroney's accusations.

[[w:Stephane Dion|Stephane Dion]] responded to Mulroney critiques with a five paragraph statement posted on the [[w:Canadian Liberal Party|Liberal Party]] website, "It is regrettable that, after attending [[w:Death and state funeral of Pierre Trudeau|prime minister Trudeau’s state funeral]] and praising him as 'an exceptional individual who served his country effectively and well … a gallant political warrior who loved his country,' Mr. Mulroney would seem to be at such odds with his own views."

[[w:Tom Axworthy|Tom Axworthy]]'s, response to Mulroney was that Trudeau should be judged by his actions once his values matured and he entered public life, not by "ridiculous" thoughts he entertained briefly in his teens and early twenties.

[[w:John R. English|John R. English]] stated, Trudeau's youthful views must be put in the context of the times, when most Quebecers were so virulently anti-British and opposed to what they saw as a British war that they were blinded to the evils of [[w:Adolf Hitler|Hitler's]] [[w:Nazism|Nazism]].

{{haveyoursay}}
==Sources==
===Official homepage===
*[http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771065361 Memoirs: 1939-1993 Official homepage]

===News articles===
*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=9bd678e4-74f4-469f-943a-a528a20f9944|title='Brian, I need a friend to talk to'|author=Staff|pub=Ottawa Citizen|date=September 8, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=60416b44-7602-43ef-a0b8-37260ca98c7d&p=1|title=Two cheers for Brian Mulroney|author=Neil Cameron|pub=Montreal Gazette|date=September 8, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/07/harper-mulroney.html|title=A Mulroney-Trudeau fight? Dion rolls up sleeves, Harper takes a pass|author=Staff|pub=CBC|date=September 7, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-09-07T063250Z_01_N06378261_RTRIDST_0_CANADA-CANADA-MULRONEY-COL.XML|title=Mulroney lashes Trudeau, calls him a coward|author=David Ljunggren|pub=Reuters|date=September 7, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iA2NeBoAs3lBoCyZ4Zbdnimvyu2A|title=Liberals defend Trudeau from attack by 'sad' embittered Mulroney|author=Staff|pub=Canadian Press|date=September 7, 2007}}

*{{source|url= http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=715569eb-9ffd-46a7-9cbc-866361a391ac|title=Harper sees nothing wrong with critique of Trudeau|author=Staff|pub=CanWest News Service|date=September 7, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/254130|title=Mulroney feared for his nation|author=Allan Woods|pub=Toronto Star|date=September 7, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070905/dion_reax_070906/20070906?hub=Politics|title=Dion blasts Mulroney's comments about Trudeau|author=Staff|pub=CTV|date=September 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=1f94848b-27ed-48ea-887d-335c3b89fde4|title=The Mulroney I know|author=L. Ian MacDonald|pub=National Post|date=September 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070905.wmulro0905/BNStory/specialComment|title=Mulroney lashes out at Trudeau|author=Brian Laghi|pub=Globe and Mail|date=September 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.liberal.ca/story_13108_e.aspx|title=Statement by Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion on Comments by Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney About the Late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau|author=Staff|pub=Liberal Party of Canada|date=September 6, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070905/mulroney_intvu1_070905/20070905/|title=Mulroney says Trudeau to blame for Meech failure|author=Staff|pub=CTV|date=September 5, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070829/robertson_mulroney_070830/20070830/|title=My Summer Project: Brian Mulroney's Memoirs|author=Lloyd Robertson|pub=CTV|date=August 30, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gKlrbD1FM2PIu--GK05p4zmSp_VA|title=CTV to broadcast documentary on Brian Mulroney on the eve of his book launch|author=Staff|pub=Canadian Press|date=August 21, 2007}}

{{archive}}
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[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada]]
On Sunday Memoirs: 1939-1993 a memoir written by former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney will be released.  The 1,152 page tome outlines Mulroney's version of events during his time as prime minister.

CTV will broadcast a documentary on Brian Mulroney on the eve of his book launch.  In addition, the network plans to air Triumph & Treachery: The Brian Mulroney Story on Sunday, CTV says the 90-minute special will be the most complete interview the former prime minister has ever given and his first comprehensive interview since leaving office in 1993.The Quebec French language TVA network will air a similar documentary exclusively in French later that night.
Mulroney in 1984

Mulroney allocates a fair amount of text commenting on his antogonist the late and former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau.  Mulroney believes that Trudeau lacked the moral fibre to be Prime Minister for not serving in the Canadian Forces during World War II.  

Mulroney insinuates that the young Trudeau had anti-Semitic beliefs at that time , "This is a man who questioned the Allies when the Jews were being sacrificed and when the great extermination program was on, he was marching around Outremont, Quebec on the other side of the issue."

Mulroney also blames Trudeau for scuttling the Meech Lake Accord, the 1990 pact aimed at securing Quebec's signature on the Constitution of Canada.

The current Prime Minister Stephen Harper supported Mulroney's right to comment on Trudeau, "I think it's well known Mr. Mulroney was an opponent of Mr. Trudeau," Harper said. "He was his opposition leader and, as you know, came to power at the end of the Trudeau period when people wanted to make a change. I'll leave it to people who were there then to fight those battles. I think it's perfectly reasonable that they would comment. I think these are debates that are best left to some of the people who were around then and academics."

Trudeau's former piers and friends have rallied behind his legacy and made public comments to dampen Mulroney's accusations.

Stephane Dion responded to Mulroney critiques with a five paragraph statement posted on the Liberal Party website, "It is regrettable that, after attending prime minister Trudeau’s state funeral and praising him as 'an exceptional individual who served his country effectively and well … a gallant political warrior who loved his country,' Mr. Mulroney would seem to be at such odds with his own views."

Tom Axworthy's, response to Mulroney was that Trudeau should be judged by his actions once his values matured and he entered public life, not by "ridiculous" thoughts he entertained briefly in his teens and early twenties.

John R. English stated, Trudeau's youthful views must be put in the context of the times, when most Quebecers were so virulently anti-British and opposed to what they saw as a British war that they were blinded to the evils of Hitler's Nazism.


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Canada Politics and conflicts Books North America Liberal Party of Canada