The Ben Mulroney Show - Remembering Brian Mulroney: A Family Tribute - Hosted by Ben Mulroney

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

Remembering Brian Mulroney: A Family Tribute - Hosted by Ben Mulroney Guest: George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States Guest: Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States Guest: Wayne Gretzky, Greatest Hockey Player to Ever Live Guest: Michael Buble, Five-Time Grammy Award-Winning Singer Guest: David Foster, Sixteen-Time Grammy Award Winning Producer Guest: Reba McEntire, Renowned Actress and Singler If you enjoyed the podcast, tell a friend! For more of the Ben Mulroney Show, subscribe to the podcast! https://globalnews.ca/national/program/the-ben-mulroney-show Follow Ben on Twitter/X at https://x.com/BenMulroney Enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Mulroney, family man. Mila gave birth to a very healthy baby boy. He's loud enough to be a Tory, I can tell you that. Lawyer, businessman, and of course, politician. And the Liberal government is facing a new opposition leader. Brian Mulroney, the new Tory chief, made his first appearance as an MP. A man deeply passionate about his country and its people. You had an option, sir.

You could have said, I am not going to do it. This is wrong for Canada. And I am not going to ask Canadians to pay the price. You had an option, sir, to say no. With his passing, we look at a life lived in service by this true son of Canada. Give me a mic and I feel a song coming on. What the hell is a frustrated saloon singer to do?

This is Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney, a family tribute. Welcome to the show. Thank you for joining us. I'm Ben Mulrooney. You know, for years, as my dad was going through health challenges, we, his kids, would try to buck him up, make him feel better by saying things like, you'll beat cancer the way you beat the liberals. You'll beat diabetes the way you beat the liberals.

And then a few weeks ago, he took a fall, and he was in the hospital. And so we all went down to Florida and we were all prepared to do the exact same thing that we'd done before. You're gonna beat this the way you beat the liberals and then we're gonna take them home. And we traveled. It was a Wednesday and we got there at night and he was weak. But he was, even though he was weak and he was disoriented, he told all of us he loved us. I don't even know if he fully recognized that we were all there, but he led with love for his kids. And then my brother and I went home.

My sister and my mom stayed at the hospital. And we came back the next day, again, fully thinking we were going to bring him home. And most of our conversations that day were about sort of the minutia of taking dad from the hospital and bringing him home. But bit by bit, the doctors would give us updates to, I mean, it's almost like they were preparing us slowly, not introducing this really scary reality all at once,

but bit by bit so that when the fact that we were going to lose him became And so we sat with him in his room. We played him. We played standards for him. We played his songs actually that he recorded for us. I tried a couple of times to, I tried to ask him to fight, but he had fought so much already. But it was time for him to go. He used to say that one day when he died died he was going to go up to that great political rally in the sky.

So we started smiling about those ideas. We started telling jokes. We started telling dad stories until he passed. In that sadness there were smiles and there were laughs. And we were all together, which I know he loved. And so we had to do a few things that not everybody has to do. We had to – well, we spoke to the Prime Minister to let him know that my dad had passed. And then we had to put a statement out on Twitter. And what happened next really surprised me because from the moment that that tweet went out, there was an outpouring of

love and support and condolences on a level that I never, ever expected. And then the next day, the articles were coming out and the stories were being written and the tributes were coming across our screens. And, you know, I can get pretty cynical sometimes and so can my dad. I don't know that any of us expected what we got back from so many Canadians. And so I tell you that by way of explaining that my family got together and we realized that we weren't, we were not going to be mourning my dad in private. There are so many Canadians who are mourning with us. And so the idea was born of doing this radio tribute because a lot's been written about his

policies and a lot's been written about his politics. A lot's been written about the people he worked with and the people who were affected by him and so much of it was so wonderful but what I can bring to the table is to talk about him as a dad and him as a friend and him as a singer. He was a singer. He loved to sing. And so we've got what I think is a really wonderful and unique tribute to my father today. We're going to be speaking to some of his really close friends from a lot of different walks of life. We'll be talking to President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton. We've got the great one Wayne Gretzky. Wayne Gretzky is going to be here. David Foster, the incredible music producer. One of the people who is probably the most special to my dad, Michael Buble,

will be sharing some thoughts and some memories. But joining us first is country superstar Reba McEntire. Ms. McEntire, thank you for being here. Well, Ben, thank you so much for having me on your program. This is very, very special tribute to your dad. Ms. McIntyre, today we are celebrating my dad, his friendships, his family and his love of music. So let's start with your friendship with my dad. Tell me how and where it began.

I met your mom and dad through 41, President George Bush. I was lucky enough to get to go on a cruise with all of them going to Greece. It was so much fun. The camaraderie everybody had was just absolutely wonderful. I just fell in love with you mom and dad and your dad had that Irish charm that I fell in love with as did everybody else and your mom beautiful and big-hearted. What a wonderful family

you have Ben, you're just so blessed. Well thank you very much I absolutely am. I also have no doubt that music was front and center whenever the two of you got together, but I've got to ask, how does an old crooner and a country superstar, how do they discuss music and did you ever sing together? Oh, that's a good question. Well, we bonded very well because I like all types of music and your dad did too. So after dinner every night, we would all gather in the parlor and Michael W. Smith would play the piano and then people would get up and sing

and it was so much fun because the girls would sing, I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter. And that was, I think that was his favorite song that we did. And it was just a lot of fun. I don't know particularly if he and I sang together, but in my mind we did. Okay, we'll go with that. Of course.

Ms. McIntyre, there was nothing, there was no one that my father placed in higher regard or loved more than my mother. And I know that on almost every occasion, she was right next to him when you guys were together. Is there anything you'd like to say to my mom right now? Oh, I would love to tell your beautiful mother. Mayla, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful husband, Brian, with all of us. You're a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother. It's just, I learned so much from you, from Barbara Bush, all the ladies on the cruise ship when we went

on that trip together. And every time I think of you, I see your beautiful, sparkling eyes and your beautiful face. I know you're gonna miss Brian so much, but thank the Lord you have your beautiful family with you. And then lots and lots of memories. Love you guys. Reba McIntyre, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you so much for sharing. Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney, a family tribute. I'm gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own. A doll the other fellas cannot steal. And then the flirty, flirty guys with them flirty, flirty eyes will have to flirt with dollies that are real. Welcome back. I'm Ben Mulrooney.

In the early days of the Sky Dome, there was a match between the Texas Rangers and the Blue Jays and for that game, President George Bush and my dad then Prime Minister came together on the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Well at the time my dad was sitting somewhere around 15% in the polls, so you can imagine the sounds coming from the Toronto faithful directed at my dad. Charlie Huff tonight to get back in gear.

Dave Steve, of course, having gone back to that pitch of his, he abandoned what? After 86, he came back to the slider, Fergie. It's made a tremendous difference. And there is the president of the United States now, son a majority owner of the Texas Rangers so with the Rangers jacket and of course our Prime Minister Brian Mulroney the core of photographers wait dad was asked about the boos that were hurled in his direction and in his inimitable way, with perfect comic timing and a love of self-deprecating humor, he said,

I found it appalling that the Toronto fans would boo the president in such a fashion. Another reason that that game was significant was because the part owner of the Texas Rangers was George W. Bush and so I'm now joined by the former owner of the Texas Rangers and the 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush. Mr. President, an honor. Thank you for being here. Thanks Ben. It's a pleasure to be with you and to talk about your dad. Well, Mr. President, we can't talk about my dad without also talking about your dad. They shared such a wonderful, special friendship. What do you remember about their relationship? No doubt that your dad, Brian Maroney, was one of my dad's really good friends. They

developed a kinship during your dad's premiership when my dad was vice president and when he became president, their relationship even became stronger. They worked on some big issues together, like trade issues between Canada and the United States. They worked on environmental issues together. Your dad was on the leading edge of environmental concerns, and my dad listened to him, and they got a lot done on, particularly with the Clean Air Act. But more importantly, they had a relationship

that went beyond politics. It was a very comfortable relationship. It was a relationship between two guys who were proud to serve their countries and yet enjoyed each other's company. Secondly, my dad and mother were crazy about your mom, as was your dad. And Milo has really befriended my mother, and they had a lot of great times together. As a matter of fact, still at Walker's Point, which is our place in Maine, there's a wonderful picture of Mila and my mom walking together on the beach in Kenney-Bunkport, just visiting and enjoying

their time together. Well, their friendship is very well known, but perhaps less known is your relationship with my dad. How would you describe it? And would he pick up the phone often? It's hard for me to remember all the calls, Ben, that I received when I was president. I'm confident your dad would call to check in. One of the most amazing things about him was his understanding of American politics. He obviously paid close attention to it. He knew a lot about it and would call and offer insights, not on a regular basis. He knew how busy the president can be, but on occasion.

And plus, I would see him visiting when he would visit my mother and dad, and we would sit around and talk American politics or politics in general. He was a great friend in the United States, but first and foremost, he was a, his number one priority was the people of Canada. Aaron Ross Powell Did your father ever share any stories with you about my dad? Dr. John B. Rees You know, I hate to put words in my dad's mouth because their relationship was so personal and obviously I didn't, I wasn't privy to their conversations.

I'm sure he would have loved to tell stories that Brian told him that caused them both to laugh. Both men loved to laugh and they had such a comfortable relationship, they were able to do so quite a bit. I remember when he popped up at the table when we were visiting up in Canada and started singing I said, oh my God, what is this guy up to?

And all of a sudden, not only could he carry a tune, but he's a really good singer. And it was clear that he loved to sing and he loved to project through song. Frankly, I was amazed. Well, you brought up the singing, so let's talk about the singing. Did my dad have a good voice? Your dad man had a great voice. I remember Laura and I went up to visit the Demeret place in remote Canada. We had a lovely dinner. It might have been after a few wines that he got up and sang some beautiful Irish hymns and he had a great voice.

I come from a family with no voices that can sing, but this man can sing. Yeah, something happened to him, Mr. President, when he sang. He would light up. He sang with a lot of passion. Clearly, he loved singing, and he loved the stories behind the songs he sang. When Irish eyes are smiling, short as like a morning spring, in the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. Mr. President, you've lost both your parents, and they were such wonderful, empathetic,

warm, generous people. I just lost my dad, and I'm asking myself every day how I'm going to get to the next day without him. How do you navigate life without your parents? How do you navigate life after your parents? Well first of all Ben, you know, there is no life without death, which I know sounds kind of cold, but it's just a part of growing up. It's a part of the natural cycle of things. And therefore, my advice is to remember the happy memories. Remember the times that he

loved you, which he did. Remember the times that he had compassion for you when things weren't going the way you thought. He was a loving man who prioritized his family. My recommendation is to hold the same priorities that he had, which is love of family and the value of friendship in life. Mr. President, that's wonderful advice. And I want to thank you for joining us. And thank you for sharing your stories and your memories of my dad. We really appreciate it. Ben, please give your mom and your family

my very best regards. God bless you. The 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush. To most people, my next guest is one of the most successful recording artists of a generation. In fact, he's one of the most talented people this country has ever produced. successful recording artists of a generation. In fact, he's one of the most talented people this country has ever produced.

But to my family, he's been our friend for almost 25 years. Michael Bublé, welcome and thank you so much for being here. Thanks for having me, Ben. And I love you, dude. And of course, you know, I'd love to be talking to you under happier circumstances, but our family was crushed, man. We loved them so much.

And, you know, it's a tough time for everybody. It is. And you being here with me is helping me personally. Michael, almost everybody knows how you and my dad met. And then, you know, he invited you to sing at my sister's wedding, and he invited David Foster, and he wouldn't let David Foster leave until David committed to taking you under his wing. So everyone knows that, right?

But I want to go to the last time you talked to my dad. It was over Christmas, wasn't it? Yeah, we, yeah, actually, your little brother called on FaceTime, and my wife was there, and nothing. Dad was sitting there, and he was sitting in a chair with a blanket on, and I just saw him, you know, and I said to him, you know, as usual, how are you? And I always loved talking to him,

and I'd keep in touch with him as much as we could. And he was, he's so cute, you know? I said, are you singing? He says, oh yeah, with that beautiful deep baritone. I said, well, you have one in you, you want to sing with me? Because what people might not know, Ben, is that years ago, you guys would have me at your house and I'd come stay with you guys. And then over dinner, you know, all the sweet kids and you guys and

and he would be and he'd be singing and and one of the songs that we used to sing was Paper Doll, the Mills Brothers song. And so I said to him, John, I said you have it in you and we just started singing together. It's very similar to how my grandfather and I used to be. And when the camera panned back, I could see the whole family was there surrounding him.

And everyone was very emotional, and I was very emotional. And I got the sense that it was a pretty special moment. I guess of course I didn't know that you know I'd be talking to you about it here but I I had a strange feeling of the gravitas of that moment the weight of it and nothing man just another beautiful example of how lucky I was to have this really, really warm and really wonderful relationship with not just him but your whole family, Ben. You know, it's one of those things where he loves me from the beginning. He treated me always like I was special to him. And it's, you know,

it's funny, but I don't know if you ever talked about it, but you know, there's that story of how, you know, oh, you know, you had these things at the wedding, but that's not how it really happened. And, and that's just sort of the, the little tip of the iceberg of, of the support and the love that came my way from not just him but your whole family and you know it was your mom who first met me yeah and said I think dad will love that you know my husband loves this and you guys would be great here at the wedding and all this stuff and like have you ever told Ben have you ever told people what your dad did for party guests and people that came to the house oh yeah well I was just gonna bring that up. He had your EP before you had a record deal.

He had your EP, he had maybe 20 or 30 of them. I think it was called Babalu. Yeah, sitting in a basket and anytime somebody would come to the house, he would hand it to them on their way out, say listen to this guy, he's going to be a star. And he was just, he had such a special relationship with you. He was so proud to help you in any way he could and so happy that you were singing these beautiful songs and that your voice was out there for the world to enjoy

and that he played a small part in that gave him so much pride. Well, Ben, the reason why it's as unique as it is as a relationship is because it's one of the few relationships in our business that wasn't transactional and it really wasn't I mean he there was nothing in it for your father not a thing there wasn't you know there was no money there was no it wasn't for ego he He really loved this music. He loved singing it.

He loved listening to it. It reminded me of my grandpa very much. And I think he just had this great reverence for the impact of it. And he almost felt protective of it. And I always felt like he sort of just lifted me up as one of the people that was going to continue the legacy of both of our heroes. Well, he was so happy when you got your record deal. He was so happy when you would tour.

And he was even happier when you would come back and sing with the family at various events like his birthday party. Yeah, I loved it. Yeah. I did. Listen, man, you know know some of my favorite moments truly were, were always, it's funny because people won't know this because it's behind the scenes stuff. But like, you know, the first time you play the Bell Center and you've sold it out and you know,

and that's a huge deal. But what made it better for me was that after that night, after that show, that he and your mom and I would go and have dinner together. Do you know what, like there's just really, and celebrate together and like look at each other many times through a meal and say, holy crap, holy crap, can you believe this happened? And he knew it was gonna happen. Yeah, no, I know, I know. He believed in you so, so much.

Poor Foster, because I know that like, he, when I tell people at that wedding, it wasn't gentle, your dad wasn't gentle with David. It was really, you know, he was demonstrative was demonstrative and had literally his arm around David, look at this guy. Poor David, I can imagine. Years later of course, and David now says, geez, I was thinking, what is this? God darn.

I remember David said to me one day, you know Mike, I had a little more faith in Brian's taste than I would have many others because I believe he sort of had done the same thing with Celine Dion as well, no? Little bit, little bit. Like that he was a big he was a big believer in her as well. He saw that talent very early on and David said he was quite pushy about that too so I just love that. I just love that. You know? Well Michael, there was the music, but then there was also his love of connecting with people and he used the telephone to do that better than anybody I've ever met and he would call people when they were having a really great

time, a really great day, and he would also be there for them on days that weren't so good. Did you have that experience with him? Many. I mean I honestly been too many times to count and your dad was many things and I would say gray was not one of them. There was no gray and I don't know if you felt that as a son, but as a friend, I never had a conversation with your father where there were any ambiguous sentences spoken. I knew exactly where your dad stood, whether it was us talking about music or sometimes politics or things that were happening socially. He was dead honest. He wasn't, you know, it's interesting because there's so many things that we talked

about that I could never, I would never say publicly, but it just, it was just more proof to me that, I mean, listen, Ben, I got to say this. We lose people, Ben, and then we talk about how great they were and we remember all of these wonderful attributes and I have to say in this case I'm so happy that I talked about your dad behind his back before he was ever gone. And I would tell anyone that would listen how special he was, how much integrity he had, how deep, how loving, how unique and great he was. And I love that I didn't wait to get on the news program with you to say those things Michael thank you my friend thank you I really appreciate it it means a lot thank you thank you you know all these things many this guy this

guy will never see another will never see another one like him And you know what I understand. He was a politician and I understand that you know That that's polarizing in itself, but I I just don't think anyone could ever Yes, you can you know, they're just the facts of the facts the receipts of the receipts this is a this is a really a beautiful human being who was the epitome of class and grace. And what a man. I told you, Benny, the more I found out what I wrote you was true. That's it.

There'll never be another. Michael, he loved you and we love you and thank you for being here. Thank you, buddy. God bless you guys. Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney, a family tribute. Here's Ben Mulrooney. It is my absolute honor to now be joined by the 42nd President of the United States, Mr. Bill Clinton. Mr. President, thank you for taking some time to help me and help us remember my dad.

Glad to do it. I like him very much. Well, let's take the way back machine to when you were the new kid on the block. You had just been elected president and my father was the elder statesman of the G7 on his way out of politics. What are your first memories, your first recollections of them? Well, first of all, you know, I talked to him shortly after the election. And I told him how important I thought Canada was and how much I appreciated the leadership they had exerted energy seven and in NATO and just throughout, I thought they were great and I wanted to have a good relationship with him even though we didn't come from the same political parties.

And also he was supporting NAFTA and so was I and both of us were getting a little hell for it from different quarters. that was we're getting a little hell for it from different quarters. Yeah, he was he was no stranger to taking an incoming fire. Yeah, but you know you have to take some risk in politics to do what you think is right over the long run and he was willing to do that and I I still think they did the right thing with NASA and I think the results prove it and the fact that it had to be upgraded after 25 years didn't bother me a bit I just thought you know it was a it became a curse word for

president Trump but it was just it was all politics. We all knew what the deal was. Mr. President, where do you see personal friendships in sort of the larger role of a world leader? Because my dad formed really close friendships with so many people that he worked with. And some people eschew that sort of thing. But how do you view friendship as a tool in being a leader? Well, I think it's really important because you can't get much done without trust. And what you want from friends who are leading other countries,

you never expect them to abandon what they believe is in their own country's best interest, but you expect them to level with you about it. So you always know where you are, and that way you have a chance to reach an understanding and make progress and solve problems and seize opportunities. So I think it's really important.

You can't let friendship get in the way of doing your duty to your country. But if you believe that cooperation works better than conflict and that more than 70% of the world's problems could be resolved if you disagree with the end, then if you agree on the end, then you try to find a way to get there. So I think it's very important.

I think he was right about that. I'm a very biased judge, but I tend to say that my dad was one of the great orators of the 20th century and I would hold up the eulogies of Presidents Reagan and President Bush as exhibits A and B. You were there for those moments. As I looked over the waters of Walker's Point on that golden September afternoon in Maine, I was reminded of the lines, simple and true, that speak to the real nature of George Bush and his love of his wonderful family and precious surroundings. surroundings. There are wooden ships, there are sailing ships, there are ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be. What do you remember of his,

the way he could communicate? Well first of all, you have the feeling that he had genuine respect and affection for the people he was talking about, that it was more than politics. And that's really important when you're given a eulogy. It's first of all, it's a great honor to be asked to get a eulogy to somebody that you care for. And I had the feeling, and I was at both of those services. And I knew President Reagan pretty well,

and I was really close to President Bush. So I really appreciated what he said, particularly about Bush, because he had a feeling for what he went through with his political defeat, as well as all the things he accomplished. And he talked about it in a way that was humane and real and on occasion funny. And I liked it. I thought he really had a feel for it. He loved politics and he liked politicians. And he understood

that that's the way you get things done in a democracy. And he had that feeling in both of those realities for different reasons that he knew what he was talking about and he was trying to capture not only what these people accomplished but who they were. I was glad that you referenced your first communication with my dad as being on the phone because a lot of people say his ability on the phone was his superpower and as he as the tributes have come through over the past days and weeks, his ability to reach out to somebody on their best day to cheer them on or on their not-so-best day to raise them up is a common theme that I have been reading and watching have come across in newspaper

articles and television programs. I have to assume that you had a few phone calls with my dad. Yeah, quite often. Even after I left office, I would see him until the time I once met with the Barrett Gold Board of Directors, and he was there. We had a wonderful conversation. I just was, it didn't, it's not what we talked about, it's just the way it was. I felt like, you know, we were old friends still doing what we could, and I love that.

And you know, he was really, and he was good on the phone because he had such a wonderful voice. It almost felt like somebody was singing to you, you know? It almost didn't matter what the song was. It's very funny that you bring that up, Mr. President, because one of the themes of this special has been that his love of music and his deep desire to sing at any, at every possible occasion, especially the older that he got. The older got the more he would sing he sang at the top of a hat

you didn't see a good boy you did all the invisible because you were the song anyway you exactly if you got a song in your heart mr. president you got to get it out well he got it out mr. president I want to thank you so much for being here thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for sharing your stories. Thank you for reminding me about some of the things about my dad that I love so much. Well, he brightened my life and I think we did some good together. I think we both did right by our countries. In the short time we were together. And we, we did a lot to bring Mexico into the family of nations and into our

Hennessy area campus. And I think it was the right thing to do. I still feel good about President Bill Clinton. Thank you so much. Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, a family tribute. Here's Ben Mulroney. Welcome back.

You know, if this were sports radio I would be introducing my next guest by listing his myriad accomplishments on the ice and how he changed hockey forever. Instead I'm going to introduce Wayne Gretzky as the friend I had dinner with just a few days ago dinner with just a few days ago with my mother and Wayne I have to tell you that after that dinner my mom said that this was just a few days after my dad passed she said that for the first time from the moment she sat down the time we got up she felt no sadness and that was entirely due to the fact that you were sitting next to her the entire meal so I want to start by saying thank you for that dinner. Well listen there's nothing more important than parents right? Yeah.

And your parents were great people more importantly and you know it was a wonderful night we had a great time both Jenna and I with you guys. You know it seems like yesterday that my dad passed and you know, it's the hardest thing in life because you know, you grow up as kids, right? And then you become best friends with your dad. And that transition is so unique for kids and some kids get it at 16, some don't get it till they're 25. But when you become best friends with your dad or your son, there's nothing, there's no better feeling. So, well then, let's talk about that because this is new to me. How did you process

the passing of your dad? I'm still in the middle of it and I don't know that I'm going to have a proper sense of what that feeling is for a while. So how did that happen for you? Because I know what a presidency was in your life. Yeah. I don't know if you ever overcome it. I know my dad and my mom, they're both close to their parents. And gosh, my dad would talk about his dad and mom like they were still alive and they had passed 20, 25 years previous. So you create this bond, right? And there's nothing more important than having a family bond and it's so special and so unique. And I don't know if you ever get over it.

And when we went through my dad's passing, we had such a unique scenario because he didn't die from the pandemic, he didn't pass from that. He fell and broke his hip and he was a little bit frail and older. And so when they sent him home, they put him in sort of a hospital bed in the house. And you know, they had a doctor and a nurse come by every day. It was unique because as a family, I mean, you guys are probably the same, Your lives are a little bit hectic and crazy. And I have nieces and nephews and sons and daughters that live all over North America

and not just in the Southern Ontario area. So when it happened, we all flew in. And I would say that there was 23 of us in the family and we're really the only ones allowed in there except for a minister, a doctor and a a nurse. And so, I said to my dad, only he could bring us all together as a family for those 21 days, because we hadn't been together before like that. Yeah. And was so weak, and he was such a Christian, my dad, he was very, very, he never missed

church, he went to church every Sunday. And he knew that there was life after death, but he so badly wanted to stay on this earth. And he was such a fighter. It was so interesting to hear the doctors take every day, the doctor would say, well, I think it's only 24 more hours. But my dad survived about 22 days. Obviously, he was very, when he passed, but you know, you just sit around and tell stories. You lean on each other. You lean on your siblings, right? Your brothers and your sisters, and obviously your mother.

And you just, the nicer the person is, and your father was a wonderful man, the harder it is to overcome. You just, I don't know if there's a day goes by that I don't think of my dad or think of, gosh, I wish I could call my dad today. Well, I just had my fifth grandchild, gosh, I wish I could call my mom and dad today.

And so you just, those are things you just are irreplaceable and you just gotta rely on your siblings and battle through it. Could I get your autograph right now, please? And it's kinda awkward to hear. If they can't get the first W, everybody settles for the second W. That's me, Wayne Walgreens.

Yeah, that's the circle I'm trying to square, is that people have asked me, do you have any regrets? And I don't have any regrets. I don't have any feeling that, you know, I didn't say something that needed to be said. But I can't have any feeling that, you know, I didn't say something that needed to be said, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to... The regret is that I'm not going to get to see him every day. And that's so it's a regret I don't have any power over. And I think that's the frustrating thing.

Yeah, and those chats that you have. There's, you know, there's... Listen, you have a conversation with your mother and it's unique, but the father-son bond is definitely so unique. Until my dad passed, each and every time he saw me, he would always say, I'm so proud of you. And not as a hockey player, but as a son, as a father, now as a grandfather. And that's what he meant more importantly.

You know, he was so proud to be Canadian. He always talked about his mom and dad coming over from my grandmother came from Ukraine, and my grandfather came from Minsk. And he would always say, Isn't this incredible that we have this life in the greatest country in the world, and we're privileged to live here. And he was so proud of that. He talked about it every day. It was endless. You know, the first time I remember meeting you was in the mid 80s in Ottawa. It wasn't

even in Edmonton. It was in Ottawa because my mom had organized something that's never been done before. I don't think it'll ever be done again. I think, by the way, it's very fitting that we're talking about my mother during this, because if my father were here, he would say all credit to my mom for everything that he accomplished. But my mom had organized a charity hockey game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens in Ottawa that raised a million dollars for cystic fibrosis. And you were in my living room. that is in doing do you remember that do you remember that oh yeah because that was out of the ordinary that didn't happen no it was out of the ordinary and montreal had i believe just come off uh winning the stanley cup

and we had lost to calgary that year and so we were a little bit in a disarray just so to speak because we'd won two previous years, and then Montreal deservedly so won the cup in 86. And I remember, Glenn Sather called me in the office, and he said, I just talked to the Prime Minister and his wife, they want us to play an exhibition game in Ottawa. And I was like, Okay, that's fine. Because I love playing, I played every game, I used to play 14 exhibition games a year.

I think now I play two or three. But anyway, so we flew to Ottawa and I said, well, what are we playing for? And I'll never forget. Everybody said, well, this is Persisting Fibrosis. And I go, that's got to be the hardest charity name in the world. And by the time we got to Ottawa, there were signs everywhere, in the world. And by the time we got to Ottawa, there were signs everywhere, 65 roses, and your mother so intelligently sort of nicknamed it so kids could understand and relate to what the charity actually was. And so here we were, 65 roses, and I got to tell you, we were so proud and so excited to go to 24 Sussex. I remember being on the bus and we all turned to each other and go, have you ever been there? No. Have you ever been there? No. And I'm thinking, gosh, wouldn't it have been so cool when we win the Stanley Cup

that we go to 24 Sussex with the Stanley Cup like they do in the United States? We were just talking about that before this interview that I think everybody in Canada would love to see that happen. I tried to arrange it. Listen, the happen. I tried to arrange it, listen the last time I tried to arrange it and we couldn't pull it off because it was in the middle of the season but I was so proud to be part of Team Canada 02 and we won gold medal and there was talk about going to Ottawa and going to 24 Sussex with the entire team and it just couldn't work out because once the players left Salt Lake City they jumped

back into a regular season so then they talked about well maybe the management team will just go and I remember saying you know it's not the same the players have to be there they're the guys that won the gold medal they're the guys that put the work and effort in we just basically put together a great team and got to sit back and watch this whole thing unfold in Salt Lake City. So maybe one day this will happen for teams that are successful. Listen, women have been pioneers with what they've been doing in hockey in the hockey world. Maybe the gold medal team will be the first Canadian team that goes to the female team who goes to the 24th SX. That'll start the ball rolling. Everybody that's Canadian wants to go see the house one time. Like it's such a magnificent opportunity and you know such a privilege to be able to go in there.

And so I was so excited that day we went in there and I remember turning to Mark Messier and going have you ever been here? And he goes no. We just were in awe as we walked around. It was pretty cool and your mom and dad couldn't have been nicer and more welcoming to everybody. It was a pretty unique day. I'm talking with Wayne Gretzky, remembering my father, Brian Mulrooney. You know, to me, Wayne, it seems as I'm getting older and I'm in a new phase of my life with

my family, you know, you were a young hockey player. My dad was a young prime minister. Chances that you guys were going gonna be connecting on a daily basis or on a regular basis, probably not high. But as he got older and into the next phase of his career and as you've moved forward with your life, it does seem like the two of you connected more and more, that you spent more time together. Is that fair to say? Yeah, and let me say two things. He is prime minister, God bless him. I would never want to be in politics.

That's the hard world because no matter what you do, half the people like you and half the people don't. Oh, that was on a good day for him. Yeah, and you know, the sports world is so unique because at home, everybody loves you. And as soon as you go on the road, they boo the crap out of you, which is a good thing. So I'm like, all right, you can handle the politics.

I just want to be an athlete. But I remember in 1987, we were playing the Canada Cup. And it was one of those tournaments that sort of just grew and got legs and got more exciting. And we lost game one in Montreal, and then we won game two in overtime. So it set up for game three. And during the last three games, we played in Hamilton.

And I remember saying to Mike Keenan, the coach, listen, I'm 20 minutes to the arena. Can I just stay at my mom and dad's house? And he said, absolutely. So we were getting ready game three in the afternoon. And in those days, it was house phones, basically. And the phone rang, it was days it was house phones basically. And the phone rang, it was your dad's chief of staff.

And he said, Mr. Gretzky, the prime minister would like to talk to you and wish you good luck. And I said, well absolutely. I said, I'm just getting dressed. Can you call back in like 10 minutes? So I had it all set up and he called back in 10 minutes and I said, dad, you better get the phone.

And he's standing there and I could just see his jaw dropping more and more and his eyes getting bigger and bigger. And he's looking at me goes, Can you believe the Prime Minister of Canada is calling me? And I looked at him. I said, I think he's calling for me. I'm playing the game. And so I said, you know, he said all the nice things. Good luck and congratulations. You guys make Canada proud. And I remember was driving in the car, my dad must have said it five times.

And this is what I was talking about earlier. My mom and dad wouldn't believe that their son got to talk to the Prime Minister of Canada. And I remember how excited he was. He was like a little kid. And I remember, wow, that's cool. And, you know, either you have that as a person or as a prime minister, that charisma, that sense of making people feel welcome and happy. And your dad did that. And it was so exciting. Your mom and dad and I, and Janet sat together

Malibu at David Foster's wedding. And I remember sitting there. And then all of a sudden, there's a lot of Canadians there, Michael Boublé. And before I knew it, we had like 10 people or this bench that seated basically five and we're all crammed in and it was Canada altogether. And everybody was just telling Canadian stories and how excited we were to be at David's wedding, but how happy we were that we were Canadians

representing their country at his wedding. And we had the most wonderful night, your mom and dad and I and Janet, it was just one of those great nights. You know, Wayne, the older he got, I think his family was always the most important thing to him. But as it grew and he got older,

it became all the more central to the identity that I think Dad wanted the world to know about him, that he was a father and a grandfather and a husband. And as much as he loved everything else that he did, those things were the star attraction for him. You've got so many accomplishments under your belt for so many different reasons, but you're a grandfather and a grandfather now. Does that ring true to you? Absolutely. 100%. People say to me all the time, do you miss playing hockey? And I go,

of course I do. I mean, I loved it. Everything I have in my life is because of hockey. Now, these players are so big and fast and good today. I don't know if I could have played, but yeah, I wish I could still be playing. But what takes over is your priorities and your priorities become, you know, your kids and then you hope that your kids, spouses or people you get along with because that's the big fear of parents that we all have. Thankfully, I have two wonderful daughter-in-laws and a wonderful son-in-law. My youngest two are still in college and 22 and 20 years old. And so as your family expands,

your worry becomes worse, right? You're worrying about every little thing, if the little baby's crying or if she's teething, your son, your grandson's first day of kindergarten. And just, it's so unique. And now we're in a situation because of Paulina and Dustin, their travel schedule. And we all live about 10 minutes apart that the boys have come and stay with us because they can't miss school.

So when he goes to Hong Kong and Australia, um, the kids come and live with us. And I often say to my wife, Janet, I say, gosh, I'm so tired. We like this when we had kids that were six, seven, eight, nine years old. She goes, you got to remember you're 62 now or 60. Back then you were 30, 31. Then I go, yeah, I feel like I'm old. But, you know, as you know, being a prime minister is so much more difficult than being a hockey player. We had to worry about 20 people in the locker room. We had to worry about everybody tugging on the same rope. When you're a prime minister of Canada and prime minister's wife,

you're worried about 35 million Canadians that you want to make their lives better. So not only are you worried about your own immediate family, he has to worry about an entire country each and every day. And the stress that goes with that, and probably the pleasure that goes with that too, is something you have to accept. And, you know, I often tell people this, and I know we're reminiscing about your mom and dad, but, you know, over the years, whether it was weddings or funerals, whether it was the United States or England, each and every time we would see your mom and dad walking in,

they represented our country with so much class and dignity that you could sit there as a Canadian and say, you know what, there's our representatives and we're proud to be Canadian. Lastly, Wayne, and I'm gonna let you go, and I can't thank you enough for all of this, is dad always called himself a frustrated old saloon singer. And the older he got, the more willing he was to share the song that he had in his heart. I have to assume you've heard him sing a time or

two. Oh yeah, and I know he wanted to sing at David Foster's wedding. And I think that as a group, we all decided as good as you are, we're going to let Michael Gouglet get up there. You know what? I think that's a fair thing to do, considering that even Michael would say that he wouldn't have been up there were it not for my dad. were it not for my dad. Hey, There was just because Michael Bublé is one of the greatest singers of all time. And I remember sitting beside him before he was getting up to sing. And I said, how you doing? He goes, I'm so nervous. I said, nervous?

You're Michael Bublé. He goes, the prime minister of Canada and his wife are here, Wayne. I'm very nervous. So that said enough great things about your mom and dad. Wayne, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for just being such a good friend. I appreciate it. Thank you, and God bless you and your family.

And time heals a lot of wounds, but you never forget the memories. That's what life is all about. Thanks, my friend. Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, a family tribute. Here's Ben Mulroney. My next guest is a person you probably wouldn't associate with a prime minister. He's one of the biggest music producers of all time. He's a great Canadian and a great friend,

David Foster. David, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Ben, for having me. It's not the greatest circumstances to be talking to you, but it's always a pleasure. It occurred to me maybe three minutes before we started this conversation that the early days of my dad's tenure as prime minister coincided with some really, really big musical Canadian moments for David Foster.

I'm thinking specifically, tears are not enough. No, the tears are not enough. Man in motion. And the 88 Olympics in Calgary. And dad and you must have collided in the same orbit quite a bit in those days. Well, I would have to start by saying you're absolutely right on those three events plus many, many others. But you said in your intro that it's an unlikely pairing. So one of the magical things about your father, your family in general,

one of the magical things about your father was that he, this is an overused phrase, but you know, he treated the person that's serving him coffee the same as he treated the King of England. But this was him. And so, I put my rank more down with the person serving coffee than the King of England, but he didn't distinguish between that. He, of course, loved talent and he loved hard-working people, but it wasn't unlikely pairing. But I loved your father so much and he seemed to really like me too and I don't know why to this day.

Such a proud moment when he came into my life and I could tell my mother you'll never guess what. I talked to the Prime Minister on the phone and it was just a it was a magical start to a magical friendship. But I knew that there was a real connection there beyond you know know, a politically expedient relationship when on my 16th birthday, you called my dad and said, hey, I'm going to be down in New York and I know Ben loves music and I'd love it if you could come down because I'm going to be doing some recordings. And one of the recordings was with Whitney Houston when she laid down the track for I

Will Always Love You. I got to be in the studio with you when she hit that high note. You were absolutely there and you were a fairly good studio. You weren't the best. That was not good. But that's when I thought. You were inquisitive, so you weren't invisible, but you were inquisitive.

Rightfully so, that's why you're such a good journalist. But yeah, those kind of things you do for people that you love. You do it for their children, you do it for, you know, it extends well beyond the friendship, it's just you and the person. And music, when I was growing up, I knew my dad loved music, but that passion didn't really come out until later. He really opened up with that love of music as he got older.

And to have you by his side for so many really important moments in his life and his career, birthdays and celebrations, anniversaries, his farewell as the leader of the party, music was such a big part of all of that. It's almost like you were the orchestra leader for the soundtrack of his political life and beyond. Yeah, well, you mentioned Tears of Not Enough, of course, which was a big moment in the country's history and also Man in Motion, Rick Hanson, I mean, he was a beloved Canadian treasure to this day.

And I got to write the song for that. And I guess your dad, obviously he was a music lover. He loved to sing, that's no surprise. You're gonna hear that with every interview you do. And I only ever knew him just sing two songs. I don't think he knew one. Maybe he did. It was always Irish eyes are smiling. Okay, enough with it. Can you learn a new song? But, you know, I know he appreciated my musicality. And that was maybe one of the things that bonded us.

I have to tell you this story that's a little bit side tracking, but I mentioned about 25 years ago in an interview in Europe, casually, that maybe I'd like to run for office one day. And I don't think I said prime minister, I think I said premier of British Columbia or something. Yeah. Well, your dad, Brian, got a hold of that information. And before I knew it, I had like four massively thick books arrive at my house that he had sent.

He said, well, if you're going to do this, you need to start studying. And it was a book on Sir John A. MacDonald, is that correct? Yes. And other books about stuff that I could never read if I tried, but that was your dad, man. He was like, you're going to go, like, you got to go big

and you got to learn, so let's start now. But there was something that happened to his face, the smile on his face, the glint in his eye when you'd be at the piano and he would be about to sing. There was something he just... For a guy who didn't spend a lot of time singing, it felt like home when he was opening up that way. Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. And I guess maybe he felt comfortable with me

and that I'm supposedly this guy that knows what I'm doing musically. If I endorse him, then that's gonna make him sound better. And he did have a really pleasing voice. As you know, you probably heard it at Nazim around the house. But he had a really pleasing voice and he loved to sing. And I mean, it just made me love him more because, I mean, my God, my Prime Minister

loves to sing and that's what I do for a living. This is like a great connection. David, before we go, I want to talk about sort of dad and his use of the phone because he was always so willing to pick up the phone and congratulate someone on their best day. But in a lot of ways, he was really well known for picking up the phone and helping pick somebody up on their worst. Do you have any memories of calls from my dad out of the blue that maybe made you feel a little better or made you put some wind in your sails? Ben, I have messages that I've saved over the years from your father.

Why? For two, for many reasons. One, he was such an important person in my life and in my country's life. Two, the voice. And I don't know, can you do the voice? Oh, I cannot do the voice. That was years and years of a young man smoking unfiltered cigarettes, as well as just the blessings of genetics and God.

I have these voicemails and they're on my other phones, but I have a couple on this phone too, where they, David, this is Brian. I just wanted to say that, gosh, you've done so incredibly well. We're all so proud of you on this day when you're getting your... It was just like, who is this, God speaking? It's like, I... You know? I think, you know, he wanted people to know that they were on his mind. And that they mattered to him.

Do you know how much time that takes, Ben? I don't do it. Do you? No, no, I don't. It takes somebody who prioritizes that level of connection. And it takes somebody for whom letting somebody else know that they are in their thoughts is not just a priority, but the priority, and I don't know anybody else like him. Well, no, let me flip it just for one second, if you don't mind, and be the interviewer.

Okay. When you were growing up, at what point in your life did you realize that your father was a very important man? Oh, I knew very early on that he was important for work, and I knew that he was important to me. I loved him every day. I think for me, he took on an added level of importance probably when I, you know, we go through great times and we go through difficult times. And I went through a lot of great times as his son. And as I grew up and as I went into my business and my career, things were going very well.

But every now and then you go through a rough patch and it was during one of the early rough patches that I realized just how much he truly cared about me. When things were going great, we would talk on the phone about, you know, I used to like to say we would exchange each other's, our schedules with each other, how busy we were. That's what we would talk about. But it was when the things were really, really... Right, proudly. Proudly. But then when things were tough, that's when he would grab the reins. That's when he would start telling me how things were, and that's when he would open up his great big brain and his even bigger heart

and start dropping knowledge on me in ways that allowed me to navigate some really tough waters. Right. So I'm suspecting that some children of famous important parents would say, well, yeah, he was really great to everybody else, but he wasn't that great to me. And I suspect he was as great to his children as he was to people like me. I mean, more, of course, but... I think you're probably right. I think you're probably right. That's a really nice memory you're leaving me with, a really nice perspective. Yeah, think about it. Think about it. I mean, he would take the time with me. How much time

would he have taken with his children? That's been insane. He was a remarkable man. And I've said many, many times that your parents, Brian and Mila, were the Kennedys of my lifetime. They were the Jackie and Jackie Onassis and the John F. Kennedy of our lifetime. There's no doubt about it. Plus, the fact that your mother could have been a movie star if she really wanted to. You know that, right? I do. Hey, David, right? I do. Hey, David, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

I think you've given me a lot of memories to go over again, and you've given me some fresh new perspective that I carry with me for a very long time. I appreciate it. Thanks, Ben. Remembering Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney, a family tribute. This has been such a journey for me and I hope for you.

It's helped me process a few things. It's helped me smile and laugh and cry and talk to people I know matter to my dad. So I want to thank Wayne Gretzky, Michael Buble, David Foster, Reba McIntyre, and Presidents Bush and Clinton for taking time out of their busy lives to talk to me about how my dad affected theirs. And I hope we've given everyone listening something different than they've heard and read over the past few weeks about my dad. It's all been wonderful, mostly been wonderful.

But I wanted to do something different. And so in order to really keep that going, I wanted to share some stories with you that I don't think I've ever shared before. And I'm not gonna lie, I always thought there would be more time to share this when he was around. And then he could call me up and tell me, why did you tell that story? But anyway, he's not here, so I get to do it. The birds and the bees. Everyone has their own story about how their parents had the uncomfortable conversation with them.

Here's mine. I was sitting at the foot of my parents' bed up at Harrington Lake, which was the summer residence of the Prime Minister of Canada. And it was a rainy summer day, which meant we were watching movies. My parents were on their bed. My mom was watching, and my dad was reading his newspaper. He wasn't even watching the movie. I think it was, I don't know what movie it was,

but in my mind, I'm remembering Basic Instinct. I don't think it was Basic Instinct, but it was that kind of movie, right? With some very not-so-family-friendly scenes. Nothing that this young boy hadn't seen already, but my parents didn't know that. And all of a sudden, I can hear them, my mom whispering to my dad, you've gotta talk to him, you've gotta talk to him. He doesn't know that. And all of a sudden I can hear them, my mom whispering

to my dad, you've got to talk to him, you've got to talk to him, he doesn't know what he's seeing on the screen. And now I'm girding for a very uncomfortable conversation. My mom pauses the TV, gets up, walks out of the room and then my dad in the most defeated voice I've ever heard says, Ben. And I get up, walk to him, he puts down his newspaper, which I don't believe he's read it all over the past five minutes. And he looks at me, he says, points at the TV and he says, did, did you, what did you see there? I was like, well, gee dad, I don't know. I mean, it was, it was, I don't know what I saw. And he says, do you need me to explain it to you? I was like, well, I need

somebody to explain it to me. And he just puts his finger up as if to say, just hold on a second. And he presses the intercom on the phone and he says, Mila, get me the book. And he hangs up and he keeps his finger up for a second. And others say, just wait a moment. My mother comes in with a book that she hands to him

and he hands to me. And this book is called, What is Happening to My Body? And it contains cartoon depictions of a man going through certain changes. He says, go to your room and read it. I do. None of it surprises me. I come back 15 minutes later, hand him back the book. He says, do you have any questions?

I say, no, Dad. Good. He says, do you have any questions? I say, no, dad. He goes, good. He picks up his newspaper and keeps reading. That is my dad telling me the birds and the bees. Another story that I think is actually important that I tell today, because it'll give you a complete picture of my dad as a singer. The portrait has been drawn of him being a solo artist.

He's always getting up and performing, but he didn't start out as a solo artist. He started out as part of a group. And that group was my dad, me, Mark, and Nicholas, the four Mulroonies. And he would trot us out whenever his friends would come over and we would all be his backup singers. And at Christmas a few years, well, not a few years ago, more than a few years ago now, 20 years, we were going from house to house at Christmas parties.

I think we had to hit like seven Christmas parties in one night. And at every single one of these, my dad wanted to sing. And which meant we all had to sing. But my brother Mark took it upon himself to sing just a little too loud, just a little too forcefully, taking away just a little of the spotlight from our lead singer. And during one of the, the singing was done, so now it's like the cocktail portion of the event. My dad is, my brother is sitting there, my dad sits with him, leans right in and goes,

Mark, you're out. He says, excuse me? You're out. You're singing too loud. You're out of the band. And that? He's like, you're out. You're singing too loud. You're out of the band. And that was it. And he was dead serious. We laugh about it every single time we tell the story, but he was dead serious.

You are out. And I think that this was the impetus for dad realizing that he was the Beyonce of the group. And the world didn't need more Destiny's Child. The world needed more Beyonce. The world needed more Brian Mulrooney. Undistilled, unvarnished, that singular voice. And it is that man who moved forward and became the person that we've been talking about all

day. So, I want to thank again everybody who joined us today. I want to thank everybody at Chorus for allowing me to do this, for giving me the space and giving me the support to put this together, for allowing me to make this special in a way that would honor my dad the way my family wanted to honor my dad. It was a gift from them and I want to say thank you. And I hope to our listeners, I hope this has helped if you have been feeling sad.

I hope this has helped. If you've been feeling sad about someone that you've lost, it isn't my dad, maybe this has helped you as well. But I wanna end this by talking about my mom. Because my father would be the first to admit that these tributes that you've heard today, they wouldn't have happened had my mother not agreed to marry my dad.

My dad says that were it not for my mom, he would have been the most successful senior partner at his law firm in Montreal. And it was my mom who gave him the support that he needed to believe in his dreams. And then once he achieved that dream of becoming prime minister, everything else, everything else that he achieved is directly related to my mom's involvement. Also I wouldn't be here. My dad wanted one kid and he wanted a daughter and It was my mom who convinced him to have more so thank you mom, but I want to tell my mother that we

We heard my dad we believe my dad. We know my dad was right when he said all those things You are the most Important a wonderful force of nature that any of us have ever met. And we are so proud to be your kid's mom. We will be here for you each and every day. You have us completely on your side. You are in our hearts and we will be there for you through thick and thin.

And this is gonna be hard on all of us, but we're gonna do it together as a family. I love you, Mom. And I hope you are happy with what we did here today. And I hope you are happy with what we did here today. Dad, I want to say that it's been such a pleasure, such an honour to talk to so many people who meant so much to you. It's been so nice to hear that they loved and respected you and I was so happy to be here to say goodbye. I'm going to talk to you every day dad.

I'm going to miss our calls. I'm going to miss you calling me nice Ben. I'm going to miss you telling me you're proud of me. And I'm gonna miss you telling me you love me. So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna tell my kids and my brothers and my sister and my mother and my wife and my family that I love them. I'm gonna do that to make up for the fact

that I can't say it to you. So that's it Canada. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Ben Mulroney. I see trees of green, red roses too. I'm Ben Mulroney.