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Photo by Fred Chartrand/CP

Clark’s predecessor and successor, Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney respectively, enjoyed great electoral success, boldly advanced big ideas and turned them into transformative policies — making them two of our very greatest prime ministers. But when it comes to achievements after leaving the Prime Minister’s Office, Clark is a giant without equal.

Clark’s tenure at 24 Sussex may have been brief at just under nine months, but it was not unremarkable. He was a bright, young, bilingual westerner, married to Maureen McTeer, a highly accomplished, smart, independent woman who, in many ways, redefined the role of a political spouse. Clark sought to rein in the deficit, liberalize access to information and strengthen our relationship with the United States. The Clark government’s co-operation with the Jimmy Carter administration during this period is exemplified by the joint Canadian-CIA rescue of U.S. citizens in Iran.

Photo by Drew Gragg/CP

Perhaps most importantly, his government settled some 50,000 refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia — allowing houses of worship and others to sponsor refugees. This policy stands in contrast to Canada’s shameful barring of Jewish refugees from Europe before, during, and after the Second World War. It changed attitudes in Canada, and ultimately paved the way for Justin Trudeau’s government welcoming tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.

Clark’s minority government ultimately fell over a short-term pain for long-term gain budget, a bold approach that later proved successful for both Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien in their efforts to put the country on firmer fiscal footing. With the electoral defeat to Pierre Trudeau in 1980, Clark later lost the leadership of the PCs to Brian Mulroney in 1983. Mulroney became prime minister in 1984. In a classy move, Mulroney, a man who is both generous of spirit and astute, named Clark his secretary of state for external affairs. It was in the government of his two-time leadership rival that Clark flourished and cemented his reputation as an esteemed global statesman. He pushed for the appointment of Stephen Lewis as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations. He was the first G7 foreign minister to take a leadership role in responding to the Ethiopian famine. He stood up to American intervention in Central America, while maintaining good relations with our neighbour and ally.