Wearing a red top and skirt to a political event that featured a Progressive Conservative Prime Minister was not a politically correct fashion statement and I admit to it now.
At the time I was simply in attendance at the request of Moose Jaw’s Member of Parliament, the late Bill Gottselig and because I was representing the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company, the organization asked to lend its name to the appearance of the Prime Minister.
Thinking back now, I cannot remember exactly why Mr. Gottselig thought the Exhibition Company was a good fit for this PC event. To my recollection the organization had never made a political endorsement for any political party, red, blue or otherwise. We did applaud when the Agriculture Minister of the day recognized fairs and exhibitions with grant money for their livestock shows and support of the agricultural industry.
But one night I got a call from the MP asking if I thought the Exhibition Company might be interested in hosting an appearance by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. I thought he meant we would provide a venue for this public event but no, he wanted it at a local hotel that had a large carpeted area that would hold several hundred people for the speech and soup and sandwiches. Our role would be to put our name on the poster, be there to greet people and to perhaps present the Prime Minister with a gift.
The Exhibition Board agreed, with the provision this event would cost us only the price of a suitable gift, perhaps a photograph of a horse or cow, in keeping with the agricultural roots of the organization. The president and his wife would attend in an official capacity and I was selected to be the liaison, working behind the scenes with PC officials and security folks to ensure the safety of the Prime Minister and Mrs. Mila Mulroney.
Then I was advised that I would probably be asked to join the official party in a photograph to use in party brochures. Darn. That meant I would need a suitable outfit, none of which could be found in my closet. What does one wear to be photographed with a Prime Minister who would probably ask his assistants a few days later: “who is that woman and where was this taken?”
Off to the shops I went and tried on several dresses and skirts (I did wear them back in those days) until I came across the perfect (in my opinion) three-piece outfit: blouse, jacket and skirt. It was bright Liberal red!
The big day came. I went with one of the organizers to check out the hotel where we demanded that the manager have the carpets vacuumed forthwith. Additionally we checked the kitchen to ensure the soup and sandwiches would be ready on time. Then I went home and changed into my outfit and hurried back to my post.
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Mrs. Mulroney, 10-or so assistants, and MP Gottselig arrived and I was introduced. Hands were clasped in goodwill and I led the entourage to the stage as the hundreds of guests applauded, cheered and reached out to touch the PM and Mrs. Mulroney.
Introductory remarks were made, the PM spoke (I have no recollection of what he said,) the Exhibition Company president presented a western-themed, framed photograph and received appreciative thanks.
Then it was photograph time with the official travelling photographer. I lurked beside the stage, not wanting to push myself forward, but Mila gestured for me to come up and join the group. So I did. “I love your outfit,” she whispered to me. I thanked her and then we said our goodbyes and the crowd dispersed, most of them already late returning to work. Very few stayed for soup and sandwiches, which annoyed the hotel manager.
These memories came back when the death of former PM Mulroney was announced. I immediately dug out the large framed photograph I was sent from the Prime Minister’s office. There I was wearing a red dress for a PC blue event, smiling broadly, standing beside Mila Mulroney and one person away from the PM himself. It was a day to remember, no matter the colour of my outfit.
Thank you to the late Prime Minister Brian Mulroney for his service to Canada.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
