Former prime minister Brian Mulroney has settled a lawsuit against author Peter C. Newman over the publication of a book that was based on their private conversations.

Mulroney's lawyer, Ken Prehogan, told the Canadian Press Monday that Mulroney had withdrawn his suit but the terms of the settlement were not made public.

Peter C. Newman taped dozens of conversations with Brian Mulroney.
(CBC)

Mulroney sued Newman last November following the publication of Newman's book The Secret Mulroney Tapes: Unguarded Confessions of a Prime Minister.

The former prime minister was angry that Newman had used information from dozens of taped private conversations as the basis of the book.

Disputed ownership

Mulroney knew Newman was taping their talks and he did not challenge the book's accuracy.

But he disputed the ownership of the tapes and wanted to direct how any profits from them should be distributed.

In his lawsuit, Mulroney said he wanted any money Newman made from the tapes be donated to two hospitals in Toronto and Montreal.

He also wanted the tapes be turned over to Library and Archives Canada.

Mulroney said Newman betrayed their friendship, which went back to 1961.