Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1993

Graeme S. Mount is a professor of history at Laurentian University. He
is the author of Canada’s Enemies: Spies and Spying in the Peaceable
Kingdom and The History of Fort St. Joseph, and the co-author of
Invisible and Inaudible in Washington: American

The year 1993 was pivotal in Canadian life. The federal Conservatives
lost their majority in Parliament and retained only two seats. As Jean
Chrétien and the Liberals took charge, the Reform Party and the Bloc
Québécois replaced the Conservatives and the NDP (both of which failed
to retain official party status in the House of Commons) as the
opposition parties. Ralph Klein became premier of Alberta, Daniel
Johnson became premier of Quebec, Robert Bourassa retired, and New
Brunswick became constitutionally bilingual. Foreshadowing his infamous
Referendum Night speech of 1995, Parti Québécois leader Jacques
Parizeau caused consternation when he said that Quebec could achieve
sovereignty without assistance from anglophones or ethnic minorities.
Lewis MacKenzie, Canada’s hero at Sarajevo, retired from the Canadian
Forces, which in Croatia fought their bloodiest battle since the end of
the Korean War in 1953. The CF withdrew the last of their forces
committed to NATO from Europe and to the United Nations from Cyprus.
They also coped with the Somalia scandal provoked by the torture and
death of teenager Shidane Abukar Arone. As South Africa prepared for
multiracial elections, External Affairs Minister Perrin Beatty announced
the end of sanctions against that country. For the second time, the
Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series. David Milgaard was released from
prison. The United Nations criticized Canada’s tolerance of high
levels of poverty and homelessness.

Women made gains. Kim Campbell served briefly as Canada’s first
female prime minister. Catherine Calbeck began a three-year stint as
premier of Prince Edward Island. Victoria Matthews became the first
woman to serve as a bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada.

As in previous volumes in this superb series, the Canadian Annual
Review cites, then describes, the year’s key political, diplomatic,
and military events in vivid, balanced prose. If there is any
shortcoming, it is the less-than-complete index.