A Prime Minister of Canada is “lucky…really lucky” if he gets to have a John Crosbie in his cabinet.

With those words, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney delivered the eulogy for the late John C. Crosbie this afternoon at the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Mulroney told Crosbie’s family and provincial and federal dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Prime Minister Joe Clark, that he sat across the cabinet table from John for nine years.

“And watched him in action,” Mulroney added.

“I knew as Prime Minister I had been handed a major gift.”

He called John Crosbie “a man of high principle and unassailable integrity.” Mulrony continued, “Crosbie was direct and thoughtful in his approach; [he was] brilliant, humourous and fully prepared in advancing major questions of public policy.”

The former Prime Minister remembered Crosbie’s many achievements while in caucus, including his work in getting the Hibernia project going when it nearly ended before it began, even in the face of great opposition.

John told Mulroney that he knew the Quebec caucus opposed the project, and he understood that the Prime Minister wanted to give Newfoundland a “hand up, not a hand out.”

The current PM, @JustinTrudeau, two former Prime Ministers, @PremierofNL, and Senate Speaker @GeorgeFureyNL are here to remember John Crosbie. Three former NL Premiers as well. @590VOCM @VOCMNEWS @BenMurphy590 #nlpoli #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/SET9NNWAKy

— Fred Hutton (@Fred_Hutton) January 16, 2020

Those in attendance included a who’s who of federal and provincial politics over the last number of decades including former PC Leader Jean Charest, former NDP Leader Bob Rae, former premiers Brian Tobin, Tom Rideout, Paul Davis, Danny Williams and a wide array of other dignitaries, politicians and business leaders.