I worked with him

My boss, Brian Mulroney.

The 'Globe and Mail' editorial today.  I agree.

Brian Mulroney's death brings back many memories.  I worked on both the Free Trade and GST task forces under him.  Both were very unpopular, but he had Canada's best interests and future in mind when he pushed through those deals.

We were indeed a motley crew, pulled together from various divisions and sectors of Customs and Excise for our expertise in our respective disciplines.  I was chosen because of my communications background and was charged with making sense of complicated financial and technical agreements.  It was challenging, but fun.  We had real, legal deadlines and we had purpose.    

My letter of appreciation for my work on the Free Trade Task Force.  (Can't find my certificate for the GST.)

For Free Trade, I remember working all through Christmas and New Year's because it had to be proclaimed January 1st.  No Christmas for me that year.  At the time, I really had no idea how important these deals were for Canada.  I do now.  The other agreement he made was way ahead of the climate hysterics, namely the Acid Rain deal with the US.  That one I did not work on, but Mulroney did it.

He had many demons (booze was one of them at times), but his vision for Canada far out-stripped what subsequent vote-chaser PMs like Trudeau have -- and have not -- achieved.  In fact, no one has measured up like he did and at great personal and political cost.  In 1993, the Conservatives ended up with only two seats in Parliament -- unheard of.  

He was a great leader.  I am very proud to have been a part of the GST and Free Trade task forces under Mr. Mulroney.  His drive and determination to push through those initiatives made him mercurial and prone to outbursts of emotion, but it was all for good causes and Canada has benefited since.

May he rest in peace.