OTTAWA –
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will take place in Montreal on March 23.
Mulroney died in a Florida hospital on February 29 after a recent fall at his Palm Beach home. He was 84.
Parliamentarians are expected to pay tribute to Canada’s 18th prime minister in the House of Commons when MPs return to Ottawa on March 18 after a two-week break.
Members of the public can pay their respects to Mulroney in Ottawa as he lies in state on Parliament Hill.
There will also be an opportunity for public tributes in Montreal when he lies in repose, a term used when a former prime minister or governor general’s coffin lies anywhere other than on the hill.
Details on the exact location of the funeral and further information on public viewing are expected soon.
“Brian Mulroney never stopped working for Canada,” Trudeau said in a statement Tuesday as he released some details of the funeral plan.
“He was a champion of the values that bind us as Canadians and will forever be remembered as a force for the common good. His funeral will be an opportunity to honor his incredible legacy – one that will shape our country for generations to come.”
Mulroney led the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and was prime minister for almost nine years between 1984 and 1993.
He is remembered as a leader in establishing new trade relationships with the United States, first with the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and later with the first version of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
He was also passionate about environmental causes, leading a global treaty to protect the ozone layer and signing a pact with the United States to reduce pollution that causes acid rain.
South Africa remembers him for helping to end apartheid as a leader within the Commonwealth group.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Mulroney was the first Western leader to recognize an independent Ukraine.
State funerals are public events honoring former governors general and prime ministers as well as current cabinet ministers. The Prime Minister can also mistake them for other significant Canadians.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2024.
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