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Brian Mulroney lying in state in Ottawa ahead of funeral

Click to play video: 'Former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state'
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state
WATCH: People have begun paying their last respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who is lying in state in Ottawa ahead of his state funeral. Mackenzie Gray speaks with Canadians about why they wanted to pay tribute – Mar 19, 2024

Politicians and members of the public are paying their respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state for two days in Ottawa.

Mulroney’s flag-draped casket was brought to the Sir John A. Macdonald building across from Parliament Hill Tuesday, ahead of his state funeral this weekend.

Mulroney died last month in Florida at 84 years old.

A honour guard carries the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney into the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

His wife Mila, and children Caroline, Ben, Mark and Nicholas greeted mourners, beginning with dignitaries. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon offered their condolences to the family.

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A day earlier, the Mulroneys listened from the gallery in the House of Commons, as parliamentarians of all political stripes honoured their husband and father.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pays his respects at the casket former prime minister Brian Mulroney in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

MPs remembered the former Progressive Conservative leader as “one of the lions of Canadian politics.” He led the country from 1984 to 1993. During that time, Mulroney championed the fight against apartheid, combatted the environmental threat of acid raid, signed the North American Free Trade Agreement and introduced the GST.

Click to play video: '‘Motivated by service’: Trudeau, MPs pay tribute to Mulroney'
‘Motivated by service’: Trudeau, MPs pay tribute to Mulroney

The public can pay their respects in Ottawa between 12:30 and 6 pm Eastern time Tuesday, or 9 am to 1 pm Wednesday and sign a book of condolences. He is the first prime minister to lie in state in 24 years.  The previous to receive this honour was Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

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Mulroney’s casket will then make its way to his home province of Quebec Wednesday afternoon, where he will lie in repose at Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Basilica.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon talks with members of the Mulroney family in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

A state funeral is scheduled in the city for Saturday morning at Notre Dame Basilica, with eulogies from his daughter Ontario MPP Caroline Mulroney, former Quebec premier Jean Charest and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

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On Monday, MPs offered tributes to Mulroney, Canada’s 18th prime minister.

Dignitaries line up to pay their respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

“It is not just his booming baritone that will forever echo in this chamber, but his values and his leadership,” said Trudeau. “His principles helped shape this nation and the world for the better.”

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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also honoured Mulroney in the House of Commons, celebrating his “down to earth spirit” that he said came from his small-town Quebec roots.

“[His] modest Irish working-class upbringing taught him the value of work, family, neighbourhood, loyalty,” said Poilievre.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida Poilievre pay their respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool

Mulroney’s sons thanked parliamentarians for their “touching” recollections.

“For us sitting up in the gallery and hearing everybody speak so positively, probably not what he was used to, but he would have loved it. And we did as well,” said Mark Mulroney, the late politician’s third-born child.

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