EDITORIAL: When did Canada become so mean?

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The decision by a Parks Canada board to change rules so that former prime minister Brian Mulroney won’t be recognized as a “national historic person” for 25 years is so petty, it borders on spiteful.  

As first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, an online publication that reports on the inner machinations of the federal government, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board decided shortly after Mulroney’s death last year that it would delay honouring him for a quarter of a century.  

Mulroney’s son, Ben, points out in his podcast that his father created eight new national parks and is widely acknowledged as one of this country’s “greenest” prime ministers, partly because he negotiated an Acid Rain agreement with the United States.  

Ben called it a “boneheaded” decision and said that 24 hours after the funeral of Pierre Trudeau, there was a move to rename Canada’s highest peak from Mt. Logan to Mt. Trudeau. Only when it was pointed out that Sir William Edmond Logan was a prominent Canadian geologist who founded the Canadian Geological Survey, did they back off.  

Ben called the board’s move a “dumbfoundingly stupid decision,” which means his mother likely will not live to see his father honoured.  

After the furor arose, Parks Canada issued a statement suggesting there were no changes to the rules. That appears to contradict the minutes of a 2024 board meeting, obtained by Blacklock’s.   

“Current board policy does not indicate the period of delay between the death of a Prime Minister and the articulation of his or her contribution in a Statement of Commemorative Intent. Board members held a lively debate on the number of years that were appropriate to allow for a balanced perspective on a prime minister’s contributions to Canadian history,” the minutes say. The board settled on 25 years.  

It’s hard to overstate the historical importance of Mulroney’s career. Aside from his environmental credentials, his fight to impose sanctions on South Africa was instrumental in freeing Nelson Mandela from prison. And it was his government that negotiated the first North American free trade deal.   

It’s not Mulroney’s legacy that’s hurt by this delaying tactic. It’s Canada’s. When he was prime minister, this country was acknowledged around the globe for its class and generosity of spirit. That’s been swept away by a foolish bureaucratic decision.