The 1988 federal election was the last in Canada to be fought over a big, overarching, national idea — in this case, free trade with the United States.
The 1988 federal election was the last in Canada to be fought over a big, overarching, national idea — in this case, free trade with the United States. It featured a gripping and passionate televised debate between John Turner and Brian Mulroney, who would ultimately defeat his opponent, becoming the first Canadian leader in 30 years to win back-to-back majority governments.
Although scandals and patronage had damaged his popularity after he became prime minister in 1984, Brian Mulroney had begun to recover in his fourth year in office. In 1987, the Prime Minister and the premiers had put an end to the long-standing battles between Ottawa and Québec City. In the Meech Lake Accord, they agreed to amend the Constitution to recognize Québec as a distinct society and to allow all provinces a greater role in the appointment of senators and Supreme Court judges. Then in 1988, Canada and the United States reached an agreement on free trade, which Mulroney promised would increase Canadian prosperity.
A poll released less than a week before the election call showed the Progressive Conservatives well ahead of the two other parties. The Liberals were in third place, partly because of leadership problems. In his four years as Liberal chief, John Turner appeared weak and indecisive, unable to manage his own caucus. Some pundits were predicting that his party would permanently drop to third-party status as had the British Liberals years earlier.
The Liberal image continued to deteriorate after the election was called on 1 October. Despite piercing back pain, Turner performed well before the crowds, but the media gave the impression of a failing campaign. A botched announcement on childcare led to questions about the competence of the Liberal team. Turner's chief of staff responded by losing his temper, screaming and swearing at reporters, which only made matters worse. When some high-ranking Liberals talked about the possibility of a Turner resignation mid-campaign because of his health problems, the CBC aired a misleading story that made it look as though party officials had staged a failed coup.
A Debate to Remember
The leaders' debates would be critical. Mulroney had crushed Turner in the 1984 television debate, and all signs pointed to a repeat in 1988. Turner performed poorly in the rehearsals that his aides had staged for him, and they worried about what would happen when the cameras were turned on.
But Turner surprised even his own followers. In the French debates on 24 October, he was controlled and self-assured, forcefully attacking the Tories on their record of giving jobs to every friend in sight. The turning point, however, came the next day in the English debate, when the discussion moved to free trade.
Turner touched off a dramatic confrontation by accusing Mulroney of repudiating Canada's independence: "I happen to believe that you have sold us out. I happen to believe that once you..."
"Mr. Turner, just one second," Mulroney interjected. While Turner struggled to continue, Mulroney voiced his indignation: "You do not have a monopoly on patriotism and I resent ... your implication that only you are a Canadian."
Ignoring Mulroney's reprimand and repeated interruptions, Turner found the words to tap into English Canada's perennial fear of falling into Uncle Sam's grasping hand. "We built a country east and west and north. We built it on an infrastructure that deliberately resisted the continental pressure of the United States. For 120 years we've done it. With one signature of a pen, you've reversed that, thrown us into the north–south influence of the United States and will reduce us, I am sure, to a colony of the United States, because when the economic levers go the political independence is sure to follow."
Mulroney was dismissive, referring to the agreement as "a commercial document that is cancellable on six months' notice."
"Commercial document?" Turner was incredul