Without walls or barriers : the speeches of premier David Peterson

In June 1985, David Peterson was sworn in as the leader of Ontario’s first Liberal government in forty-two years. This collection of speeches explores the activist agenda the London, Ontario, lawyer pursued through his premiership, which sought to ensure all Ontarians were able to participate fully in provincial society. When Peterson was asked what he viewed as his most important accomplishment, he thought for a brief moment and then whispered with obvious emotion, “breaking down walls and barriers.” Through his speeches, readers can see Premier Peterson on the wider Canadian stage by addressing the economic challenges faced by the federation – most notably free trade – and by supporting the Meech Lake Accord, which was designed to bring Quebec into the constitutional family. His speeches also show him on the global stage, engaged in the challenges of the transformation of world politics and Canada’s trading relationship with the United States. By the time Peterson’s premiership had come to an end in 1990, the Berlin Wall had fallen, Europe was increasingly integrated, a fragmented Soviet Union was beginning to collapse, the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement was in full force and effect, and the age of globalization had begun. Through this selection of speeches, the editors also present insights into a range of other figures, from former premiers and Peterson’s political contemporaries to the British royal family. Particularly powerful tributes include Nelson Mandela’s first visit to Canada and Peterson’s eulogy for MPP Dalton McGuinty, Sr, the father of Ontario’s 24th premier. TVOntario’s Steve Paikin provides an in-depth introduction that puts the life and political times of Premier Peterson and his government in broader perspective. Cover 1 Without Walls or Barriers 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 Preface 10 Acknowledgements 14 Financial Contributors 16 Introduction: The David Peterson Years 18 David Peterson the Federalist 46 Premiers’ Conference, St. John’s, Newfoundland, August 21, 1985 48 Native Business Summit Foundation Conference and Trade Show, Toronto, Ontario, June 24, 1986 50 First Ministers’ Conference, Vancouver, BC, November 20, 1986 54 Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Edmonton, Alberta, April 7, 1987 60 First Ministers’ Conference on the Economy, Toronto, Ontario, November 26, 1987 67 First Ministers’ Conference on the Economy, Ottawa, Ontario, November 9, 1989 75 David Peterson and the Meech Lake Accord 82 First Ministers’ Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, June 2, 1987 84 Rekindling the National Dream, Toronto, Ontario, November 6, 1989 87 Address to the Quebec City Chamber of Commerce, Quebec City, Quebec, February 5, 1990 95 Address to the Special Committee of the House of Commons to Study a Proposed Companion Resolution to the Meech Lake Accord, Ottawa, Ontario, May 5, 1990 101 Address to the Newfoundland Legislature, General Assembly of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland, June 20, 1990 106 Address to the Legislature of Ontario on the Failure of the Meech Lake Accord, Queen’s Park, June 25, 1990 120 Ontario and the World: 1985–1990 124 Consular Corps Luncheon, Toronto, Ontario, December 19, 1989 126 Address to the Americas Society, New York, New York, November 6, 1989 128 Canadian-American Pageant: 175th Anniversary of the War of 1812, Sackets Harbor, New York, July 18, 1987 134 Remarks to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Japan and the Canada-Japan Society, Okura Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, September 29, 1986 137 Pacific Rim Conference, Toronto, Ontario, December 1, 1987 141 Ontario: A Global Competitor, World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, January 29, 1988 147 Opening of Ontario House, London, England, February 3, 1988 154 Ontario: Canada’s Dynamic Centre, Heidelberg, West Germany, February 5, 1988 156 Breaking Down Walls and Barriers: David Peterson as Policy Maker 160 Speech to the Ontario Legislature on the New Liberal Government’s Legislative Program, Toronto, Ontario, July 2, 1985 162 Learning for Life: Education and Training in the ’90s, Designs for a Changing World Conference, Toronto, Ontario, May 28, 1990 172 Canadian Mental Health Association, C. M. Hincks Award Dinner, Toronto, Ontario, May 3, 1988 177 Ontario Liberal Party Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Ontario, April 1, 1989 180 Conservation Council of Ontario’s 35th Anniversary Dinner, Toronto, Ontario, October 22, 1986 186 Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, Toronto, Ontario, March 28, 1989 190 Achievements in Employment Equity Awards Dinner, Toronto, Ontario, October 8, 1985 193 Third Reading of the French Languages Services Act, Queen’s Park, November 18, 1986 197 To a Meeting of Ontario Public Service Executives, Toronto, Ontario, March 5, 1986 199 Announcing the Honourable John Black Aird’s Study into Conflict of Interest, Queen’s Park, July 2, 1986 204 60th Anniversary for Ontario Separate School Trustees’ Association, Toronto, Ontario, April 20, 1990 208 David Peterson the Politician 214 London Centre Nomination Meeting, London, Ontario, October 9, 1984 216 First Campaign Speech as Leader, Toronto, Ontario, March 25, 1985 218 Election Night, London, Ontario, May 2, 1985 221 Reply to the Speech from the Throne, Queen’s Park, June 7, 1985 223 Swearing-in of the First Peterson Cabinet, Queen’s Park Lawn, June 26, 1985 232 Ontario Liberal Party Heritage Dinner, Toronto, Ontario, May 14, 1986 234 Quetico Caucus Retreat, Atikokan, Ontario, September 8, 1988 239 In Defence of the “L” Word, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 15, 1989 243 1990 Election Call, Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, July 30, 1990 250 Paying Tribute 254 Unveiling of the Portrait of Premier Frank Miller,Queen’s Park, December 1, 1986 256 Unveiling of the Portrait of Premier Bill Davis, Queen’s Park, October 19, 1989 257 Fundraiser with Premier Frank McKenna, London, Ontario, April 12, 1989 260 Federal Liberal Party Confederation Dinner Tribute to John Turner, Toronto, Ontario, November 1, 1989 262 Dinner for Michael Dukakis, Governor of Massachusetts, Toronto, Ontario, May 31, 1989 263 Welcome to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Queen’s Park, July 6, 1989 267 Introducing Nelson Mandela, Toronto, Ontario, June 18, 1990 268 Eulogy for Dalton McGuinty, Sr., Ottawa, Ontario, March 20, 1990 269 Sources 272