Mulroney PC first term — FTA, privatisation, tax reform

Doctrine — stated goals and content

Market-liberal restoration after nine years of Trudeau Liberal government. Four doctrinal pillars: (1) continental free trade — Macdonald Royal Commission report (September 1985) recommended a "leap of faith" into free trade with the US; Canada-US Free Trade Agreement signed January 1988, ratified after the 1988 "free trade election" that Mulroney won specifically to secure a mandate for it; (2) tax modernisation — Wilson's 1987 White Paper on Tax Reform lowered top marginal income tax from 34% federal bracket-top to 29%, cut brackets from ten to three, and proposed replacing the Manufacturers' Sales Tax with a Goods and Services Tax (GST, enacted 1990 under second term); (3) energy decontrol and privatisation — Western Accord (March 1985) and Atlantic Accord dismantled the Trudeau NEP; de Havilland (1986) and Canadair (1986) privatised; Investment Canada (1985) replaced the more restrictive FIRA; (4) fiscal consolidation aspiration — deficits inherited at ~8% GDP; partial spending restraint but structural consolidation delayed until 1990s. Stated school: market-liberal economic conservatism + continental integration + cooperative federalism (Meech Lake accord 1987). Left-right axis: centre-right on economic content, decentralising on federalism, socially-moderate red-tory. Popularity / legitimacy: September 1984 PC won 50.0% vote and 211/282 seats — then the largest Commons majority ever; November 1988 "free trade election" 43.0% vote, 169 seats (loss of 42 seats but majority retained, 5.4M more votes cast for anti-FTA parties combined but split between Liberal and NDP). Coherence line: trade Trudeau-era economic nationalism for market access, tax-rate reduction, and private-sector capacity, accepting near-term deficit drift to secure the CUSFTA framework that would later lock in NAFTA.