The Life of Brian

Peter C. Newman, long time historian and writer of all things Canadian, is about to release a book featuring the wit and wisdom of Brian Mulroney, one time Prime Minister of this great country and a Baie Comeau street-fighting man through and through.

Newman’s book features selective portions of 7,400 pages of interview transcripts he conducted with Mulroney over a period of several decades. Apparently he interviewed him 98 times. Newman and Mulroney go back to 1961, when they first met and hit it off. Can you imagine talking to this guy, this long? Excerpts appeared in the Globe and Mail this morning as penned by Roy McGregor.

The book should receive the Stephen Leacock award for humour because it sounds like a hilarious collection of outrageous commentary from Canada’s most hated PM. Said Mulroney on his place in history, “By the time history is done looking at this and you look at my achievements as opposed to any others certainly no one will be in Sir John A’s league; but my nose will be a little ahead of most in terms of achievements...you cannot name a Canadian prime minister who has done as many significant things as I did, because there are none.” That’s funny, I can name three. [Frankly I thought his chin would be a little ahead of most politicians]

That is what this book will probably be: a version of I did it My Way. To say nothing of the support from loyal party members, the business elite and his own family. I hope Mulroney takes a dose of humility along the way. I may be naive but nobody gets to the top by themselves. You need political support, financial support and a vision. After all, that worked for an ambitious Corporal many years ago.

That’s just my opinion; I could be wrong.