Shortly after he was ‘retired’ by Stormont-Dundas voters in the 1984 federal general election, then prime minister Brian Mulroney offered Ed Lumley a life-after-political-death gem: A seat in the Senate.
Hard to believe that somebody would turn down one of the most coveted non-elected political plums on the table, but Lumley said no to his old friend.
Years later, looking back at the ‘opportunity’ for life in the easy political lane, Lumley said he didn’t even think twice about the offer.
“The Senate! No way. I would have been bored to tears,” he told me. “I wasn’t ready for that.”
Instead, Lumley became a high-profile (and very successful) figure in the dog-eat-dog world of high-stakes commerce and, as Maclean’s magazine once described him, one of the most powerful backroom players on the political landscape.
Mulroney also offered a Senate seat to National Hockey League legend Jean Beliveau. He too said no. Not once, but twice.
Beliveau, often described as the greatest Hab of all time, told Mulroney that taking his generous offer of post-hockey financial security would go against his long-held belief that people who sit in the Senate shouldn’t be given a free ride. Instead, they should be elected, and held accountable to voters. (Gee, what a novel thought.)
A few years later, Mulroney offered to appoint le gros bill governor-general. He said no. This time out of concern for his daughter whose husband, a Montreal police detective, had committed suicide, a victim of job-related stress. She was left with two young children.
Beliveau told the Prime Minister that his only child and his grandchildren needed him more than the people of Canada. (Romeo LeBlanc took the G-G offer).
Too often, ambition rather than public service motivates people.
As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato once noted, those who pursue power are unworthy of it.
The classy, elegant Jean Beliveau was surely worth of it.
The ‘new’ Senate has been cleansed of political appointments. Appointments are made by something called the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments. Want a shot at the job? You need to apply – online – or be nominated by an organization or individual(s).
AROUND AND ABOUT: According to the company’s public relations department, the Massena Alcoa plant produces 65% of the world’s welding wire. Products manufactured at the plant were used in construction of Apollo 8 and 11. The plant has been operating for 123 years. … The Hooters chain is closing down dozens of its restaurants in the United States. Guess you could say they have gone bust. … Peace has been breaking out in the Middle East for the last 2,000 years. … You know you’re a Baby Boomer when first thing in the morning you check out the obits before the overnight sports scores. … Somebody once told me that the best thing about turning 60 is that you don’t need to spend more money buying treated lumber. … If ever there was the quintessential odd couple in junior hockey, it was the Royals’ coaching tandem of Floyd Crawford (head coach) and Tony Zappia (assistant coach). Old school vs new school.
JUNE 1975: Cornwall MPP George Samis put a large piece of the blame for under-age drinking in the city on lack of police enforcement and licensed establishments that he claimed knowingly served minors. According to the NDP rep, kids 14 and 15 were being served with no fear of being nabbed by the cops. In an off-the-wall idea, the MPP suggested patrons receive breath tests before leaving an establishment. (Think about that one!). Samis supported the sale of alcohol in corner stores which didn’t go over well with the liquor and beer store union members. Meanwhile, Liberal leader Robert Nixon called for tougher restrictions on booze ads. He called the consumption of alcohol more harmful than the use of tobacco. … The city’s auditors called the city’s debt of $185 per capita “healthy” and on par with other Ontario municipalities. … The Sylvania colour TV plant on Vincent Massey Drive was set to close in July. … Mayor Gerald Parisien called for an Alexandria-Cornwall daily bus service. … A St. Andrew’s man convicted of the armed robbery of a city grocery store was given a three-year sentence. Court was told the man threatened the store owner’s wife with a knife. He left with $90 from the cash register. Judge Michael Fitzpatrick said he was concerned with the growing violence in the city. … The separate school board ruled that Rev. Rudolphe Villeneuve, provincial Conservative candidate, could keep his board seat while campaigning. … Ottawa Rough Riders lineman/field goal kicker Moe “The Toe” Racine retired after 17 seasons. The Cornwall native, who played on three consecutive EOSSA championship teams at St. Lawrence, left the game with four Grey Cup rings. Three times he was named an Eastern all-star. In 1962, he was named Ontario’s outstanding French Canadian athlete. In 2014 was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame. .. The city and 70-member CUPE Local 234 agreed to a two-year contract that provided a 17% pay increase. Members also received a $100 signing bonus. The basic hourly rate was $3.85. … A citizens group proposed a bicycle path along the south bank of Cornwall Canal, running from Lamoureux Park to Long Sault. … University of Ottawa Cornwall campus held its annual awards night with Bonnie Bough and Frances Hart awarded for having the highest average by first-year students. Later, Ottawa U erased its footprint in the city.
TRIVIA: His political resume included township reeve, United Counties warden, city councillor and Cornwall mayor. Who was he?
TRIVIA ANSWER: John Robarts, Bill Davis, Bob Rae and Ernie Eves had law degrees. Frank Miller earned a chemical engineering degree from McGill, Mike Harris was a teacher and golf course manager in North Bay, while Kathleen Wynne, with a master’s degree, taught English as a second language.
QUOTED: Nothing spoils a good story like the arrival of an eye witness. –Mark Twain
