StFX has lost one of its greatest champions and its proudest alumnus with the passing of The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q.., Class of 1959. For nearly 60 years, Mr. Mulroney contributed to the Xaverian community in ways great and small.
Brian Mulroney grew up along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the community of Baie-Comeau. As there was no English-language Catholic high school in Baie-Comeau, a teenaged Mulroney was sent to Chatham, NB to complete his secondary education at St. Thomas High School. A few short months after his graduation, still just 16 years of age, he stepped foot on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University as a freshman, commencing a relationship which would be consistently strengthened over the decades to come.
As a student of political science at StFX, a young Mr. Mulroney soon became involved with the debate team and the student Progressive Conservative society, both of which helped him find his voice, and set him on a path that would eventually lead to 24 Sussex Drive. Much has already been written and said, with more to come in the days and weeks ahead, about the incredible political career that followed, but for the Xaverian community, we have a more personal legacy on which to reflect.
Before he was elected leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party in 1983, Mr. Mulroney served as president of the Iron Ore Company of Canada for several years. During that time, his alma mater bestowed upon him an honorary doctor of laws in 1978. In his speech to the graduating class, he remarked:
“St. F.X. is of course special to me. It is a monument to the sacrifice of others – some uneducated, some unsung, all selfless – who many years ago wanted to ensure that people like you and me would have what they were so frequently denied – opportunity. And so they built a university – a great university – with care and devotion.”
In a bid to inspire the newest group of StFX alumni, and referring to the significant challenges then facing Canadian unity, he also noted, “If you feel daunted by either the complexity of the dimensions of the problems that face us as Canadians, just remember that ‘there are only ordinary [people] who rise to meet great challenges.’”
Mr. Mulroney demonstrated how special StFX was to him when he accepted an invitation from StFX President Rev. Dr. Gregory MacKinnon to spearhead a major fundraising campaign. The goal was a considerable $7 million. By the time he was through, he had helped to raise $11 million. The most tangible reminder of that success was the construction of the Alumni Aquatic Centre.
This was only the first time Mr. Mulroney stepped up to the plate to help his alma mater. His largest campaign, with an initial goal of $60 million, raised a total of in excess of $100 million for the construction of Mulroney Hall and the establishment of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. This included millions of dollars dedicated to scholarships and bursaries, from which StFX students will benefit for generations to come. And, Mr. Mulroney travelled around the world fundraising on StFX’s behalf on his own dime, so that every penny of the millions he raised would directly benefit his beloved university.
Brian Mulroney dedicated his life to the service of Canada and Canadians, and he has been recognized as Canada’s greatest prime minister. Brian Mulroney leaves a legacy of dedicated leadership that led Canada through a period of considerable domestic and international change. And yet, he never forgot his roots. In his memoirs, Mr. Mulroney wrote:
“Many people experience an event in their lives that changes everything. We often don’t realize it at the time, but when we look back, that particular event becomes transformational. This happened to me in the autumn of 1955 when I entered St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS and settled into a four-year experience that set me on a course for a career in law, business and politics.”
Brian Mulroney’s membership in the Xaverian family was something he valued beyond measure. As we mark his passing, we cherish our own memories of him. Most of all, we remember his human touch.
May he rest in peace.
In honour of The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney '59 -- at the request of the Mulroney family
In lieu of flowers or gifts to the family, a donation page has been established to honour the memory of Canada's greatest Prime Minister and our most distinguished alumnus. All proceeds will go directly to supporting the educational experience within
The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. To give, please click here.
