Brian Mulroney served as Canada's 18th Prime Minister from 1984 to 1993. During his time in office, he pursued policies that strengthened Canada's economic and diplomatic ties to the United States. Specifically, he negotiated and signed the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement in 1988, laying the groundwork for the later North American Free Trade Agreement. While this closer alignment with the US economy was controversial among some Canadians, Mulroney believed it was important for Canada's economic prosperity. His policies significantly deepened Canada's integration with the American market.