Recently disclosed documents reveal former prime minister Brian Mulroney cautioned cabinet members in secret to be cautious around their chauffeurs, considering them as potential informants and gossips.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Mulroney stated political aides were untrustworthy.“The prime minister spoke at length on cabinet confidences,” said minutes of a March 19 1987 cabinet meeting. Mulroney said chauffeurs often spread rumours and should not be relied upon. He also noted political assistants who were made chiefs of staff were not dependable.“Talking in the presence of chauffeurs was a deplorable but common mistake as these persons were notoriously unreliable gossips,” Minutes quoted Mulroney. The prime minister cited an undisclosed incident in which then-Trade Minister Pat Carney’s chauffeur was fired for pilfering documents.“The recently released driver of the Minister for International Trade had, for instance, taken all kinds of cabinet documents with him,” said Minutes. “Nor was cabinet’s business to be shared with ordinary MPs.”The prime minister cautioned “everything discussed in the cabinet room was secret,” said Minutes. Even photocopying was to be monitored. “The indiscreet copying of ministerial correspondence could lead to embarrassment at the hands of hostile premiers and lobby groups,” Mulroney was quoted.“Ministers were not to tell their staffs who said what in cabinet,” Mulroney continued. “There must be no disclosure to outsiders of views taken in cabinet.”“Some ministers were far too trusting,” Mulroney was quoted. “Indictments often arose when staffers’ telephone calls were intercepted. In other words, staffers could trigger indictments through bragging. Such showing off can lead to direct taps on ministerial phones.”The Access to Information records did not clarify what the word "indictment" meant. Some parts of the cabinet meeting notes were redacted.Facing re-election in 1988, “the prime minister exhorted ministers to let their deputy ministers run the departments while they prepared for the electoral challenge,” said Minutes. “He said they were loyal and could keep the deepest secrets, which could not be said of chiefs of staff and political advisors.”“Not many current chiefs of staff could command $75,000-a-year jobs,” Mulroney was quoted. “The quality of proposed appointments, nice people of Conservative persuasion, period, was not of the calibre of the professional deputy minister.”“Ministers should trust their deputy ministers and get their chiefs of staff out of the departments and into the ridings,” Minutes quoted the prime minister.
Recently disclosed documents reveal former prime minister Brian Mulroney cautioned cabinet members in secret to be cautious around their chauffeurs, considering them as potential informants and gossips.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Mulroney stated political aides were untrustworthy.“The prime minister spoke at length on cabinet confidences,” said minutes of a March 19 1987 cabinet meeting. Mulroney said chauffeurs often spread rumours and should not be relied upon. He also noted political assistants who were made chiefs of staff were not dependable.“Talking in the presence of chauffeurs was a deplorable but common mistake as these persons were notoriously unreliable gossips,” Minutes quoted Mulroney. The prime minister cited an undisclosed incident in which then-Trade Minister Pat Carney’s chauffeur was fired for pilfering documents.“The recently released driver of the Minister for International Trade had, for instance, taken all kinds of cabinet documents with him,” said Minutes. “Nor was cabinet’s business to be shared with ordinary MPs.”The prime minister cautioned “everything discussed in the cabinet room was secret,” said Minutes. Even photocopying was to be monitored. “The indiscreet copying of ministerial correspondence could lead to embarrassment at the hands of hostile premiers and lobby groups,” Mulroney was quoted.“Ministers were not to tell their staffs who said what in cabinet,” Mulroney continued. “There must be no disclosure to outsiders of views taken in cabinet.”“Some ministers were far too trusting,” Mulroney was quoted. “Indictments often arose when staffers’ telephone calls were intercepted. In other words, staffers could trigger indictments through bragging. Such showing off can lead to direct taps on ministerial phones.”The Access to Information records did not clarify what the word "indictment" meant. Some parts of the cabinet meeting notes were redacted.Facing re-election in 1988, “the prime minister exhorted ministers to let their deputy ministers run the departments while they prepared for the electoral challenge,” said Minutes. “He said they were loyal and could keep the deepest secrets, which could not be said of chiefs of staff and political advisors.”“Not many current chiefs of staff could command $75,000-a-year jobs,” Mulroney was quoted. “The quality of proposed appointments, nice people of Conservative persuasion, period, was not of the calibre of the professional deputy minister.”“Ministers should trust their deputy ministers and get their chiefs of staff out of the departments and into the ridings,” Minutes quoted the prime minister.
