QotD: Canada in the 1960s

Of course I've changed. That's just a part of being alive. You should not have the same views at 74 that you had at 34. On the other hand, I think in certain basic principles I haven't changed, but the world has changed a great deal. I believe deeply in free speech, free trade, free love, free drugs for old people, the public health system. Those are all liberal keystones. And in 1965 you'd have to be voting Liberal or New Democrat to push any of those planks.

I also believe in a robust foreign policy. And in the 1960s, with [Lester] Pearson as prime minister, I don't think we had any reason to be ashamed of our foreign policy. I was a Pearson Liberal. He certainly is my favourite prime minister — a man who never got a majority in the House of Commons, but nevertheless accomplished more than anyone else. The health system came under him, the flag. A new rapprochement with the provinces was part of his legacy. And he did that in five years with a minority government and a maniac named [John] Diefenbaker leading the Tories and shouting at him from across the House. I think that was a huge achievement. I voted for that Liberal party and if that Liberal party existed today, I might vote for them again. If Diefenbaker's Conservative party existed today, they wouldn't have a chance of getting my vote.

Robert Fulford, interviewed by Marni Soupcoff in "Question Period: Robert Fulford", Western Standard, 2006-10-09