It was on this date in 1985 that Quebecers ended Robert Bourassa’s nine-year exile from political office, returning him once again as Premier with a majority mandate. Mr. Bourassa had previously served in Quebec’s highest political job from 1970 to 1976, when he was defeated by
René Lévesque's PQ.
Bourassa went on to develop a solid relationship with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the two Quebecers formed a close alliance on matters such as constitutional reform via the Meech Lake Accord and the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. While a journalism student at Ryerson University I once had the honour of interviewing Premier Bourassa in Quebec City with three other students and have never forgotten the experience. Bourassa would serve as Premier until 1994 when he passed the Quebec Liberal torch to Daniel Johnson. Former Premier Bourassa died soon after, in 1996.
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Robert Bourassa/caption
Legendary Oshawa MP Michael Starr delivers his maiden Commons address
We have another important anniversary to celebrate today, particularly for Canadians of Ukrainian descent. It was on this day in 1952 that the late great Conservative MP Mike Starr -- who would go on to make history as the first-ever Ukrainian-Canadian cabinet minister when named to cabinet by Mr. Diefenbaker -- delivered his maiden address in the Commons. He participated in the debate concerning the Speech from the Throne that year.
And in delivering his speech that day Mr. Starr, who represented Oshawa, heaped praise on my hometown of Scarborough.
"Not far from the borders of my own constituency of Ontario we have the billion-dollar mile on the eastern limits of Toronto (in Scarborough),” he said. It is a magnificent industrial achievement, the credit for which, incidentally, must be given to wise and farsighted municipal government in the township of Scarborough. Here we see the industrial boom at its biggest and best. Huge new plants by the dozen have been rushed to completion along both sides of what was a farm road a few years ago. Already a billion dollars has been invested in plant and equipment in that fabulous mile, and more is being added every week."
I first came across Mr. Starr's maiden address when I was working on speeches with the late (also great) Jim Flaherty when he was Finance Minister. He tasked me with preparing some remarks for a dinner being held a few years back in honour of the memory of Mr. Starr.
And decades after the first-ever Ukrainian-Canadian cabinet minister spoke for the first time in the Commons, it was on this same date in 1991 that Canada became the first western nation to recognize Ukraine in those days as the Soviet Union crumbled. The Rt. Hon. Mr. Mulroney still feels pride, quite rightly, in that action of his government.
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.
