PM Brian Mulroney
I was serving as a Comox Alderman at the time, and I supported Prime Minister Brian Mulroney because of the values he represented: courage, compassion, and the conviction that leadership must always serve something greater than oneself.
Mulroney stood firmly for human rights, environmental responsibility, and a welcoming Canada. Both personally and politically, he took a courageous stand against apartheid in South Africa, leading Commonwealth sanctions despite opposition from some world leaders, including Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. He believed that Canada’s voice mattered, and that silence in the face of injustice was not an option. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, he chose the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa as the first legislature in the world where he would deliver a speech. Standing in the House of Commons, Mandela expressed his gratitude to Canadians and to Prime Minister Mulroney for Canada’s unwavering support in the fight against apartheid and for the larger cause of human dignity, equality, and freedom.Mulroney’s commitment extended beyond human rights. He helped secure the historic 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer, advanced important acid rain agreements with the United States, expanded Canada’s national parks, and strengthened immigration policies that welcomed people from around the world to help build our country’s future.
For me, the story became personal. I bet Alderman Vincent - Major General Vincent, a lifelong friend - a cup of coffee that I could convince the Prime Minister to visit Comox. With determination, I wrote several letters to the Prime Minister’s Office inviting both himself and Mila Mulroney to experience our community and celebrate with us at Comox Nautical Days.
To my delight, in 1988, the Prime Minister accepted.Brian Mulroney arrived in Comox, joined the Nautical Days Parade, and spoke with residents at Marina Park Pavilion. General Vincent proudly kept his word and presented me with a very special coffee - complete with whipped cream - a small but unforgettable symbol of friendship, good humour, and a promise kept. In a photograph capturing that moment, Prime Minister Mulroney looked at me with a smile and laughed, saying, “So you’re the one who bet a cup of coffee I would visit Comox.” Mila, standing beside him, smiled warmly and added, “Good for you.” I then asked the Prime Minister what inspired him to stand so strongly for the environment, for ending apartheid, and for immigration. His answer came without hesitation: “Humanity is always the right choice.” Those simple words have stayed with me ever since. Later that morning, Mila quietly pulled me aside. With genuine warmth, she said: “You know, you made his day.”
I was serving as a Comox Alderman at the time, and I supported Prime Minister Brian Mulroney because of the values he represented: courage, compassion, and the conviction that leadership must always serve something greater than oneself.
Mulroney stood firmly for human rights, environmental responsibility, and a welcoming Canada. Both personally and politically, he took a courageous stand against apartheid in South Africa, leading Commonwealth sanctions despite opposition from some world leaders, including Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. He believed that Canada’s voice mattered, and that silence in the face of injustice was not an option. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, he chose the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa as the first legislature in the world where he would deliver a speech. Standing in the House of Commons, Mandela expressed his gratitude to Canadians and to Prime Minister Mulroney for Canada’s unwavering support in the fight against apartheid and for the larger cause of human dignity, equality, and freedom.Mulroney’s commitment extended beyond human rights. He helped secure the historic 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer, advanced important acid rain agreements with the United States, expanded Canada’s national parks, and strengthened immigration policies that welcomed people from around the world to help build our country’s future.
For me, the story became personal. I bet Alderman Vincent - Major General Vincent, a lifelong friend - a cup of coffee that I could convince the Prime Minister to visit Comox. With determination, I wrote several letters to the Prime Minister’s Office inviting both himself and Mila Mulroney to experience our community and celebrate with us at Comox Nautical Days.
To my delight, in 1988, the Prime Minister accepted.Brian Mulroney arrived in Comox, joined the Nautical Days Parade, and spoke with residents at Marina Park Pavilion. General Vincent proudly kept his word and presented me with a very special coffee - complete with whipped cream - a small but unforgettable symbol of friendship, good humour, and a promise kept. In a photograph capturing that moment, Prime Minister Mulroney looked at me with a smile and laughed, saying, “So you’re the one who bet a cup of coffee I would visit Comox.” Mila, standing beside him, smiled warmly and added, “Good for you.” I then asked the Prime Minister what inspired him to stand so strongly for the environment, for ending apartheid, and for immigration. His answer came without hesitation: “Humanity is always the right choice.” Those simple words have stayed with me ever since. Later that morning, Mila quietly pulled me aside. With genuine warmth, she said: “You know, you made his day.”
