Sacred Trust?: Brian Mulroney and the Conservative Party in Power

Donavon L. Porter is a public-school teacher in Haileybury, Ontario.

In Sacred Trust? the authors have applied the techniques of the historian in an analysis of the current federal government of Canada. They examine the events leading up to the defeat of the Turner Liberal government in 1984, and the philosophical and political positions of the incoming Mulroney Conservative government. And further, they present a clear perspective of the forces leading up to the overwhelming Conservative victory. These forces at work, and the expectations arising from them, set the stage for the events which have characterized the disappointing performance of a once promising political agenda.

Bercuson, et al. describe the difficulties faced by a government when it is confronted with power after years in political opposition. A philosophy based on numerous right-wing positions is sorely taxed when faced with the stark political realities of the day. Issues which appeared to be so clear while the Conservatives were in opposition are suddenly fudged and clouded when the difficult decisions have to be made.

Through examinations of the major political initiatives of the Conservatives from September 1984 through to mid-1986, the authors demonstrate the manner in which the initiatives were slowed, diverted, or just plain dropped as the Conservatives became dangerously dependent on public opinion polls. They then argue that thisdependence is the result of the Government’s preoccupation with gaining the popularity necessary for its re-election. The paradox is, of course, the creation of a government so indecisive that it cannot even deliver on the mandate it was given in 1984.

Bercuson, Granatstein, and Young have successfully used the tools of historical analysis in the pursuit of a clearer understanding of current events. It will be interesting to see if the conclusions resulting from this analysis will be borne out in future events.