Former Premier Gary Filmon’s new book aims to give history a hand
From the signing of the Meech Lake Accord to the loss of the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 to the 1999 Pan American Games, there are countless moments in Gary Filmon’s over a decade-long tenure as Manitoba’s premier that endure.
Now, a new book by the former politician aims to give history a hand in setting the record straight on his time in the premier’s chair.
“People often say, ‘what were you thinking?’ This is the answer to that. It goes through the process of how we and government make decisions, and what are all the complications, what are the alternatives,” Filmon told CTV News.
Filmon’s new book titled “Yes We Did: Leading in Turbulent Times” chronicles his life growing up in Winnipeg, meeting his wife Janice, his work as a civil engineer, his transition into politics, and his post-political life.
The former premier told CTV News the inspiration for such a comprehensive retrospective of his life and career came from a Christmas present.
“About five years ago, when we asked one of our sons what the kids needed for Christmas, he said, ‘you know, someday I hope that you’ll sit down and you’ll write about your time growing up, about the family history and ultimately, your story,’” Filmon said.
“Two years ago, that’s exactly what happened. I ended up doing that to give the kids basically a little booklet at Christmas with black and white photographs and with the basic story of my family history and my early life.”
In “Yes We Did,” the basic story has been expanded and the black and white photos remain.
One of Filmon’s defining moments as premier chronicled in multiple chapters is the Meech Lake Accord – an agreement between the federal and provincial governments to amend the Constitution, strengthening provincial powers and declaring Quebec a distinct society.
“The pressure was great and the arguments, despite all the other fundamental causes they put forward, it really was about whether or not the country was about to fall apart, and I certainly felt that,” Filmon recalled.
“There’s no question that the Meech Lake Accord was a serious issue that had a lot of emotional appeal to people right across the country.”
Another watershed moment in Filmon’s tenure came when the Winnipeg Jets moved to Arizona in 1996. The move resulted in a tumultuous and emotional response from fans. In the book, Filmon, a Jets supporter himself, recalls the scramble to raise funds to stop the move, and the vitriol that fell on him as efforts failed.
“Now, you would think that, ‘well, it’s only a hockey team.’ But it had such a part of our emotions here in Winnipeg and Manitoba and around that I actually received death threats during that period of time from people saying, ‘You can’t let the Jets go,’” he said.
While his career in politics is in his rear-view mirror, Filmon was still willing to give a piece of advice to Manitoba’s next premier, set to be named on Saturday.
“I would say that listening is really important, consulting, bringing together people to hear different ideas before you make important ideas,” he said.
“There’s nothing to beat listening to the people who really count.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.