Mulroney was a prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993 who formed close working relationships with American presidents Ronald W. Reagan and George H. W. Bush and closely aligned Canadian foreign policy with that of the United States. Martin Brian Mulroney was born in Baie-Comeau, Quebec. He graduated with honors from St. Francis Xavier University in 1959 and then earned a law degree from Laval University in 1964. Through the 1970s, Mulroney served in a variety of commercial firms and became well known for his efforts to combat corruption.

Mulroney had joined the Conservative Party as a student and in 1976, narrowly lost a bid to become leader of the party. In 1983, he was elected head of the Conservatives and won a seat in Parliament in a by-election. The following year, the Conservatives won the general election, and Mulroney became prime minister. He pursued a domestic reform agenda that included reducing the federal deficit and privatizing state-owned corporations. He also oversaw constitutional reforms that recognized the special status of Quebec.

Mulroney supported U.S. initiatives to improve transatlantic security, and he backed Reagan's hard-line stance against the Soviet Union. Mulroney's government increased military spending during the 1980s and ushered in a series of defense reforms. He did, however, oppose U.S. intervention in Latin America, particularly, U.S. support for the Contra rebel group in Nicaragua. Reagan and Mulroney negotiated a series of agreements to improve American-Canadian relations, including the 1988 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and an accord to reduce pollution. Mulroney's close relationship with Washington continued during the Bush administration. Canada endorsed military action during the Persian Gulf War and provided troops to the U.S.-led multilateral coalition. Mulroney and Bush built on earlier economic accords to develop the 1992 North American Free Trade Agreement.

A lingering recession in 1993 cost Mulroney that year's election. After he left office, Mulroney returned to his private law practice.