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Mulroney praises 'civilized, modest' leadership of Bush Sr. in contrast to Trump
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ^ | September 11, 2018 | Peter Zimonjic

Posted on 09/11/2018 6:52:54 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Former PM says he had an easier time dealing with the U.S. than Trudeau's had

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney lavished praise on former U.S. president George Bush senior Tuesday, saying he was a "fantastic" guy whose example offered a sharp contrast to that of the current tenant of the White House.

"George Bush was fantastic and still is," Mulroney told an audience in Ottawa. "I tell you, if you want to see a contrast between a civilized, modest, thoughtful, generous leadership and what you're seeing today, there you go."

Mulroney made the comments during a question and answer session with a general audience at the Library and Archives in Ottawa, before taking questions from reporters.

Mulroney was prime minister when both the original Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement were negotiated. He said U.S. President Donald Trump has made dealing with the U.S. a challenge for the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"I got a bonus with those guys that you saw there, Reagan, Bush and Clinton," Mulroney said. "These were [a] little different from what's going on now and so I had it easier than Justin does.

"Now we have President Trump, who is, how shall I say, unorthodox in some of his approaches. But he was elected by the people of the United States of America and I learned a long time ago that even if I disagree with an individual, if he was elected by the people, you have to deal with him and you only deal with people in respect. Otherwise you don't achieve anything."

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

Mulroney said he thought that Trudeau was doing a good job of putting aside his personal views about what he sees happening in Washington in order to get a NAFTA deal both Canada and the U.S. can live with.

"This is not an easy business, as you can imagine, certainly in recent years, but I think the government of Canada is handling this very complex file well."

Putting partisanship aside

Mulroney, who served as prime minister from 1984 to 1993, has been advising Justin Trudeau's government since Trump's election.

"I continue to work with him. As I said publicly, there is no Conservative way or Liberal way to negotiate a free trade agreement with the United States of America. There's only a Canadian way and so, if they think that I can be of assistance, I am happy to do it."

Mulroney also praised Trudeau for enlisting the help of former Conservative federal politicians Rona Ambrose and James Moore to present a united front on NAFTA, saying the former Harper cabinet ministers should be praised for putting their own political affiliations aside for the greater good of the country.

Mulroney employed the tactic himself when he was prime minister. He hired Simon Reisman, a Liberal who had negotiated the Canada-U.S. auto pact for former Canadian prime minister Lester Pearson, to negotiate free trade with the U.S.

"I think there are times when it's important that we set aside politics and come together as colleagues who can help the country a little bit and that's what I'm pleased to do," he said. "I have been working with Mr Trudeau for, certainly, a couple of years on this, and (Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland), who is doing an excellent job by the way."

Giving Trump a win

Mulroney said Trudeau is not the only one facing challenges in trying to renegotiate NAFTA. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, he said, is facing his own challenges.

"There's no doubt that Bob Lighthizer is dealing with a special situation down there and the American side are on a pretty short leash because of President Trump's arguments," Mulroney said.

Specifically, Mulroney suggested Lighthizer has been somewhat confined to getting Canada to compromise on supply management in the dairy sector so that Trump can deliver the win he promised to Wisconsin farmers.

"You have to be foolish not to understand that there's not going to be a deal, period, unless there's a compromise in that area, because that's what [Trump] campaigned on and it's stuck to him, he stuck with it," he said. "So if we do not find a way to accommodate some of that, then we are not going to have a deal."

'I've never seen language like this'

This isn't the first time Mulroney has been critical of the Trump administration. In the fallout from Canada's G7 summit in June, a clearly upset Trump took to Twitter to call Trudeau "dishonest" and "weak" after the prime minister said he would not be bullied by the U.S. in NAFTA talks.

That message was quickly picked up by the president's senior officials, who echoed Trump's attack on Trudeau.

"There's a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door," trade adviser Peter Navarro told Fox News after Trump's Twitter attack.

When asked about the comments at the time, Mulroney said he was not impressed.

"I've never seen language like this. Least of all from subordinates of the president directed at the prime minister of their greatest friend and ally," he said. "This, I've never seen before. Nor has anybody else."


TOPICS: Canada; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bush; canada; dairy; mulroney; nafta; trade; trudeau; trump
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Yes, I'm sure he got along with Poppy and Billy Jeff just fine.
1 posted on 09/11/2018 6:52:54 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“”””””I’ve never seen language like this. Least of all from subordinates of the president directed at the prime minister of their greatest friend and ally,” he said.””””””””””

The hosers are our best friends and allies?


2 posted on 09/11/2018 6:57:05 PM PDT by shelterguy
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Mulroney,

Don’t you need a Toilet for That?


3 posted on 09/11/2018 6:58:27 PM PDT by Big Red Badger (My Rights,,,Your Rants!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Poppy Bush was a (mostly) loyal ally as VP under Reagan.

But during his own administration, he accomplished mainly four things.

Two good:

  1. Giving us Justice Clarence Thomas.
  2. Kicking Saddam Insane out of Kuwait (but failing to go on to Baghdad to finish the job).

Two bad:

  1. Raising taxes.
  2. Ushering in eight years of Bill Clinton.

4 posted on 09/11/2018 6:59:23 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (ObaMao: Fake America, Fake Messiah, Fake Black man. How many fakes can you fit into one Zer0?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

PR is a sh!thole


5 posted on 09/11/2018 7:01:35 PM PDT by FatherofFive (Islam is EVIL and needs to be eradicated)
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To: Big Red Badger

Mulroney, Don’t you need a toilet for that?


Tell Mulroney just don’t squeeze the Charmin.


6 posted on 09/11/2018 7:05:13 PM PDT by frank ballenger (.End noncitizen & illegals voting & leftist media news censorship or we're finished.)
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To: FatherofFive

Are you on the right thread?


7 posted on 09/11/2018 7:06:39 PM PDT by Laslo Fripp (The Sybil of Free Republic)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

You guys have anybody without loose eyebrows? We like our PMs to have eye brows that are firmly attached.


8 posted on 09/11/2018 7:06:56 PM PDT by McCarthysGhost
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

But you are a nobody now so what difference do your inane comments make.


9 posted on 09/11/2018 7:08:00 PM PDT by RetiredTexasVet (Start using cash and checks or the elite class and bankers will make "cashless" the norm.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

As a former canadian who was unfortunately around when this idiot was PM, there was a reason why we western canadians used to call Bullroney..


10 posted on 09/11/2018 7:08:48 PM PDT by max americana (Fired libtard employees 9 consecutive times at every election since 08'. I hope all liberals die.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Former PM says he had an easier time dealing with the U.S. than Trudeau's had

Yeah, I really do not want a president who foreign leaders consider easy to deal with. I want a president who works for me, not for Canada or any other foreign nation.
11 posted on 09/11/2018 7:10:46 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“I tell you, if you want to see a contrast between a civilized, modest, thoughtful, generous leadership and what you’re seeing today, there you go.”

Hey Brian, here’s a fricking clue for you.

We did see it.

And we rejected it. So suck on that.

Love,

L


12 posted on 09/11/2018 7:13:23 PM PDT by Lurker (President Trump isn't our last chance. President Trump is THEIR last chance.)
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To: Vigilanteman

Two bad should be Three bad (Souter)


13 posted on 09/11/2018 7:15:29 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Both Bushes were excellent at getting nothing significant done.


14 posted on 09/11/2018 7:18:27 PM PDT by TChad
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To: Laslo Fripp

No


15 posted on 09/11/2018 7:22:32 PM PDT by FatherofFive (Islam is EVIL and needs to be eradicated)
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To: TChad

“””””””””Both Bushes were excellent at getting nothing significant done.””””””””””””””””

Actually they both got a lot done.........for other countries.


16 posted on 09/11/2018 7:35:52 PM PDT by shelterguy
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To: FatherofFive

Mulroney, you are a nobody Canadian. American taxpayer money protects your sorry nation, and you know it. Do you know how many operating fighters there are in the whole Canadian Armed Forces, try under 100.

We protect your County while you let in untold numbers of worthless immigrants that go immediately on the dole. FU you GD snowflake sh!t.

MAGA!


17 posted on 09/11/2018 7:40:16 PM PDT by wetgundog (CNN is FAKE NEWS ...Just added NBC.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
really?

watch this...

From pipelines to NAFTA, Trudeau is blowing it

18 posted on 09/11/2018 7:48:14 PM PDT by Eddie01
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To: Lurker
Mulroney should reflect on the fact that GHW Bush was a humiliated failed one term president. So much for “civilized modesty” in the Commander in Chief of the mightiest nation the world has ever seen.
19 posted on 09/11/2018 7:49:02 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard (Power is more often surrendered than seized.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"George Bush was fantastic and still is," Mulroney told an audience in Ottawa. "I tell you, if you want to see a contrast between a civilized, modest, WEAK, PATHETIC, MILQUETOAST, thoughtful, generous leadership and what you're seeing today, there you go."
20 posted on 09/11/2018 7:50:35 PM PDT by Eddie01
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