Wayne Gretzky eulogizes former Canadian PM Brian Mulroney

Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who was in office from September of 1984 to June of 1993, passed away earlier this year on February 29 at the age of 84. 

His state funeral was held this weekend at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal, and was attended by the likes of NHL icon Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet, along with Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds along with current Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. 

Gretzky delivered a touching eulogy during the funeral, which can be viewed below: 

“Good afternoon. We’ve had so many wonderful speakers, you’re going to figure out who’s in politics and which guy is a hockey player real quick.

“I got to meet the prime minister in 1984 when he became the Conservative leader and a couple years later he called me and he said, ‘Young man, my beautiful wife, wife Mila wants to have this charity hockey game in Ottawa.’ And I said, ‘Of course, what’s it for?’ And he said, ’65 Roses.’

“I said, ‘I’ve heard a lot of charities but I’ve never heard that name.’ He said, ‘No, (Mila) changed the name so kids will understand it a lot easier.’ So I said, ‘Of course we’ll play.’ “So we go to Ottawa and the game itself was wonderful because we raised a lot of money and a lot of awareness. But we were so excited to go to 24 Sussex. I’m like, ‘This is incredible. We’re going to, I guess, the biggest house in the country.’ And they were so nice, the family, they hosted us. “And then a year later, I’m playing in the Canada Cup.

Now, in those days east and west was a big rivalry. And that afternoon, his chief of staff called me, game three, I was staying with my mum and dad, my wife, Janet, and he said the prime minister wants to call you and I said ‘Absolutely.’ So the phone rang and I turned to my dad and I said, ‘you pick up the phone.’

“So my dad picks up the phone. Now he’s talking, talking, talking, and I’m like, ‘okay,’ and he (finally) hands me the phone. And the prime minister says, obviously, ‘I’m wishing you good luck, son. I hope you guys do well.’ I hang up the phone and my dad said, ‘can you imagine? The prime minister of Canada called me?’ I said ‘I don’t think he called you.’ He goes, ‘No, no, I talked to him.’

So we had to wait 15 minutes because he had to call his mother and tell her that he talked to the prime minister. So that’s how proud of a Canadian he was." 

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