Former prime minister Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and artist Phil Richards pose with Harper’s official portrait at a ceremony in Ottawa on Tuesday.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Former prime minister Stephen Harper urged political parties to work together for the sake of national unity, saying the country must be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to preserve Canada’s independence.
Mr. Harper made the remarks as part of a ceremony Tuesday to unveil his official prime ministerial portrait, an event that included Prime Minister Mark Carney paying tribute to Mr. Harper’s decade in the role.
Artist Phil Richards painted the portrait of Mr. Harper, which he began working on in 2023.
It features Mr. Harper seated in what the artist said was the Prime Minister’s office as it was in 1920. Items representing his personal and political life are on the desk, tables, bookshelves and, in the case of his cat Stanley, on the floor.
Mr. Harper said he hopes his will be just one of many prime ministerial portraits hanging on the walls of Parliament for centuries to come.
“That will require that in these perilous times, both parties, whatever their other differences, come together against external forces that threaten our independence and against domestic policies that threaten our union,” he said.
“We must preserve Canada, this country handed down to us by providence, preserved by our ancestors and held in trust for our descendants. We must make any sacrifice necessary to preserve the independence and the unity of this blessed land.”
Former governor-general David Johnston, former prime minister Jean Chrétien, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and scores of former Conservative cabinet ministers, senators, staffers and others attended the unveiling. It is part of several events in Ottawa this week marking 20 years since the Harper-led Conservatives formed government.
Some of those present were fresh from the Conservative Party convention in Calgary, where Leader Pierre Poilievre received the support of 87.4 per cent of delegates to remain in the job. He also attended Tuesday’s event.
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While Mr. Poilievre was an MP and cabinet minister under Mr. Harper, Mr. Carney also has a long-standing relationship with the former prime minister.
Mr. Harper relayed an anecdote about a résumé crossing his desk in 2007, thinking the young man in question had promise, and forwarding that résumé on to a “nearby bank.”
“He was hired, and he’s apparently gone on to enjoy some success,” Mr. Harper said to laughter: The bank was the Bank of Canada, and Mr. Harper appointed Mr. Carney as its governor in 2007.
Mr. Harper thanked Mr. Carney for taking time to attend the event. “Your responsibilities entail challenges that are unprecedented,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Carney paid tribute to Mr. Harper’s accomplishments.
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“In a political climate increasingly buffeted by noise, he brought composure, intellect and decisiveness to public life,” Mr. Carney said.
He also made his own mention of national unity and Mr. Harper’s view.
“He once said – probably more than once – ‘that in politics, you take risks, that national unity, national reconciliation are more important than any one party or than any one individual,’” Mr. Carney said.
“This room fully shares that vision.”
The nature of the two men’s relationship became a flashpoint in federal politics last year.
During the Liberal leadership race and again in the election, Mr. Harper accused Mr. Carney of taking too much credit for shoring up the economy.
He also publicly compared Mr. Carney and Mr. Poilievre, saying he’d worked with them both and Mr. Poilievre was the better choice for prime minister.
Mr. Carney, in turn, noted during the campaign that it was himself and not Mr. Poilievre that Mr. Harper turned to in a time of economic crisis. He also told the CBC that Mr. Harper wanted to appoint him finance minister in 2012.
Neither mentioned that tension in their addresses on Tuesday.