Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney is remembering George H.W. Bush as a 鈥済entleman鈥� and a 鈥済enuine friend.鈥�
Mulroney, who will be eulogizing Bush at his funeral next week, sat down with CTV News鈥� Sandie Rinaldo on Saturday to discuss the late American president, who died Friday at age 94.
鈥淢y fondest memories, Sandie, is what a gentleman he was,鈥� Mulroney said of the former president, whom he described as 鈥渁 lot of fun.鈥�
鈥淚t made it easy for me because he loved Canada,鈥� Mulroney added. 鈥淗e understood the country, wanted to help us and did in many major areas. So I remember him with great affection and respect.鈥�
Bush served as president of the United States between 1989 and 1993. His entire term overlapped with that of Mulroney, who led Canada between 1984 and 1993.
Just three weeks after his inauguration, Bush visited Mulroney in Ottawa for his first international trip as president. The visit sparked a decades-long friendship.
Acid rain agreement
鈥淎fter his inauguration, he came to Canada and that鈥檚 where we laid the groundwork, thanks to him, for the Canada-U.S. Acid Rain Treaty and NAFTA,鈥� Mulroney said, referring to the
鈥淎cid rain was killing our rivers and lakes and streams and forests. They were dying in front of our very eyes 鈥� And lo and behold, we got an acid rain treaty that has solved the problem for good ... That鈥檚 because of him.鈥�
What started as a professional relationship evolved into something more personal after Bush left office, Mulroney said.
Long-standing friendship
鈥淗e invited Mila and me and all the kids down to Camp David for the final weekend of his presidency,鈥� Mulroney reminisced, speaking of his wife of 45 years. 鈥淲e just kept on. I鈥檇 call him and he鈥檇 call me and we鈥檇 visit together, we鈥檇 go fishing together and so on 鈥� We went from being political friends to genuine friends and that鈥檚 been now, 30 years.鈥�
Mulroney last saw him in September at the Bush family鈥檚 oceanfront retreat in Kennebunkport, Maine, when Mulroney was honoured with the 2018 George Bush Award For Excellence In Public Service.
鈥淢ila and I had been going to Kennebunkport on Labour Day for about 30 years,鈥� Mulroney said. 鈥淲e had a hell of a time. It was a lot of fun.鈥�
In Mulroney鈥檚 eyes, Bush鈥檚 long career in the public spotlight was always 鈥渆nveloped in an atmosphere of kindness.鈥�
鈥楢lways looked for the brighter side鈥�
鈥淭here was no malice in George Bush,鈥� Mulroney said. 鈥淗e got along with everybody. He never spoke ill of anybody 鈥� He always looked for the brighter side of people and he was a very kind fellow, and I think that is why he inspired such affection universally and such respect among Americans.鈥�
That affection and respect appears to have gone both ways.
鈥淗e called me about three years ago and said he wanted me to speak at his funeral,鈥� Mulroney recalled. 鈥淚 told him, 鈥楴o,鈥� said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 even want to talk about this, George.鈥� And he said, 鈥榃ell you have to because I鈥檝e got to get this done.鈥� So, I said, 鈥極K.鈥欌��
Mulroney is one of four people -- including Bush鈥檚 eldest son, former president George W. Bush -- who will be eulogizing Bush at his funeral, which is scheduled to take place in Houston, Texas on Dec. 6.
鈥淚 have thought about how I鈥檓 going to start it and how I鈥檓 going to end it,鈥� Mulroney said. 鈥淏ut I haven鈥檛 got all the middle done yet.鈥�
