Canada 1979: Trudeau v. Mulroney

[RogueBeaver]

Let's say Mulroney runs a better campaign in '76 and wins the PC leadership. Later that year an Atlantic MP vacates his seat (Wagner and LaSalle were the only Quebec PC MPs, and neither would vacate their seat) and Mulroney wins the by-election.

Since Mulroney almost certainly wins a comfortable majority (Clark was only 6 short IRL) by picking up Quebec seats, how does his premiership differ from RL's? Trudeau will resign immediately with a clean loss and there's a large Liberal field. Not necessarily Turner but perhaps Donald MacDonald, Iona Campagnolo, Jean Chretien... has to be an Anglo for alternation reasons.

[RogueBeaver]

Not only no NEP but Pierre Trudeau goes down in history as a mediocre-at-best PM. So much promise, so little accomplished. (Which is how his premature political obits read at the time) No 1982 Constitution or Charter either. Mulroney was interested in the constitutional file so he might try something once a PLQ government is in place.

Liberal leadership: Crowded field but I'd say it would be an Anglo simply because the alternation tradition is so strong. MacEachen, Turner or Macdonald. The latter 2 mean a rightward turn, MacEachen means the Liberals will continue their minority strategy of NDP-lite.

Referendum: Mulroney would do the job well. He knows the key players on both sides and is close with Ryan, which eliminates the federal-provincial tension that existed because of PET-Ryan's ancient blood feud.

[RogueBeaver]

They'd probably lionize Pearson.