“Senator Keith Davey quarrels with a recent column in which I compared the Liberal party to an ancient Macedonian phalanx,” Gwyn wrote. “I missed, I now realize, the real resemblance: a basic rule of the Macedonian phalanx was that when fathers retired, their sons took their places. Like Macedonians, like Liberals. Those members of the next political generation being tutored in the offices of various cabinet ministers include: Eddie Goldenberg, son of Senator Carl Goldenberg; Peter Connolly, son of Senator John Connolly; Jacques Drapeau, son of Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau; Diane Orange, daughter of ex-MP Bud Orange; Don Proudfoot, son of ex-MP J.H. Proudfoot.”

“Some connections are more complicated,” Gwyn continued. “Tom Axworthy, younger brother of Manitoba Liberal Leader Lloyd Axworthy, recently left the staff of Justice Minister Ron Banford. He went to join Canada Consulting in Toronto. Just leaving Canada Consulting the Power Corp of the 70s as Axworthy arrived was Jim Coutts, on his way to becoming chief political aide to Trudeau.”

“While at Canada Consulting one of Coutts' largest contracts was for Maurice Strong, (a) friend of… (Pierre) Trudeau who was supposed to have run in Ottawa Carleton… Except that Peter Connolly also wants the nomination. Oh, to hell with it.”

Readers of Art’s History don’t need to be reminded on the roles the young men Gwyn mentioned would play in Liberal politics in the decades that followed.