On this date in 1993 Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and former Prime Minister Joe Clark held a private discussion in Mulroney’s Centre Block office. Both would soon be leaving politics as the Mulroney government was in its final months. After their meeting, the PM reflected on the pair’s relationship. They had known each other since the early 1960s, and their rivalry, in many ways, had defined the modern-era Progressive Conservative party.
“Joe Clark has just left my office after an hour-long meeting,” Mulroney wrote in his private journal. “As usual it was cordial and indeed friendly. I’ve often regretted that the circumstances of our 1976 leadership bids and aftermath effectively precluded an especially warm relationship between us. He is an easy guy to like and has been, as I’ve mentioned and written, a good, effective and loyal member of the government. We both sought the leadership over 17 years ago, both too young, too inexperienced, and too ambitious and, unfortunately for him, he won.”
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.