"Lyin Brian", as you call him, had more political gumption than a busload of the current crop of milquetoasts parading around Ottawa.  In his prime, he would have run circles around every one of them, with not even mild exertion.  No contest.

Ethical lapses?  You bet and he has been rightly pilloried for them, but that does not negate that he was a very accomplished, formidable politician.

In fact, now that he has been severely chastised and chastened, I would welcome him back to a position of power in Ottawa.