This morning former PM Stephen Harper posted a resignation letter addressed to his constituents on Facebook. He announced that he will be moving away from politics and stepping into his role at a new consulting company, Harper and Associates, which he founded with former advisers Ray Novak and Jeremy Hunt.
Around Canada, leaders are reacting to the news. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted:
On behalf of Canadians, I thank Stephen Harper for his long & dedicated service to our country. My best wishes to you and your family today.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 26, 2016
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair tweeted:
We’ve hardly ever seen eye-to-eye, but I thank @StephenHarper for his years of service in Parliament. Catherine and I wish him well.
— Tom Mulcair (@ThomasMulcair) August 26, 2016
And Mayor Naheed Nenshi of Calgary said:
Thank you to Stephen Harper for his lifetime of service, including being the 2nd Prime Minister from Calgary! All the best for the future!
— Naheed Nenshi (@nenshi) August 26, 2016
So far, there are no reactions on social media from Green Party leader Elizabeth May, who has long criticized Harper for undermining Canada's climate policy. Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose retweeted a message from Harper without additional comment, while Jason Kenney's tweets remain focused on his run for Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership.
“Good luck, my Stephen. We solved the problem ourselves by changing the government in our elections,” Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre told reporters this morning, breaking out into laughter. “I don't think he’ll come to visit me in any event.”
Coderre is a former Liberal MP and cabinet minister. Stay tuned for more updates on this.
Harper's letter to Canadians:
Greetings, fellow Calgarians and fellow Canadians.
Today I wish to inform you that I am stepping down as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage.
For a total of nearly eighteen years, I have had the tremendous honour of representing Calgary in the Parliament of Canada. On seven occasions, I have been deeply humbled by your trust and support, time and again. And I leave elected office proud of what our team accomplished
together.
We united all Conservatives behind our agenda. We cut taxes, made critical investments and balanced the national budget. We got tough on crime and put families first. We managed our G7 economy through the worst global recession since the Great Depression, and came out in the strongest position of them all. We took principled decisions in a complex and dangerous world. And, whether at home or abroad, we were always proud to stand up for Canada.
Friends, we did a lot together, but I know the best is yet to come.
Watch the full video on Facebook here
Our country must continue to serve as a model of prosperity and freedom. Pursue the principles we have stood for at home and abroad, and our children, and children’s children, will inherit the Canada we know and love so dearly.
As I bid farewell to the Parliament of Canada, and prepare for the next chapter of my life, my eternal thanks to the constituents of Calgary Heritage, to the members of the Conservative Party, and to all Canadians for having given me the honour of serving the best country in the world.
May God bless all of you and may God bless Canada.
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If we had a law forcing
If we had a law forcing elected officials and their parties to pay the full cost of a by election if they resign during their term (without proof of serious illness) is long overdue. Better laws and more oversight is necessary for those who leave government and go into the field of "consulting" or it's real name of Lobbying. Advising other countries or multinationals using expert knowledge that they got courtesy of taxpayers has allowed KPMG to commit tax fraud, banks, oil companies and so many others insider knowledge of how to exploit loopholes or worse has helped cripple this country. How many have been caught lobbying government during the period they are prohibited, being registered as a lobbyist while still in office, going straight to work for the very companies they dealt with in government, etc, yet there is barely a slap on the wrist. The NEB/Charest debacle is an example of what is really going on and it has to be stopped.
I'm guessing that the serious
I'm guessing that the serious illness of the Conservative mindset isn't enough for you. The cost of a byelection is trivial compared to the other damage that Harper has done to the country.
I worried after the election that Harper would, as he has after other setbacks, sulk for a while and then come back meaner, more spiteful, and more dangerous. I guess we'll see.
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