The Parliamentarian Observer

A) EXTRACT FROM JEAN CHRETIEN ON PARLIAMENT DEBATES

B) EXTRACT FROM STEPHEN HARPER ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS

A) EXTRACT FROM JEAN CHRETIEN ON PARLIAMENT DEBATES

the two of you clearly like and respect one another. I know you've got a bit of a road show you you uh you've embarked

upon from time to time and and despite the fact that you represent very different social and political

movements. Um what advice do you have for the current generation of political figures to enable them to disagree with

one another without stoking polarization in the country?

You know the communication of today have changed

and the gossips of the taverns you read them every morning on this little

machine and all that is terribly negative terribly negative and I don't know how

we will counter that because you have an article and only the people who are

negative very rarely you can be something under an article that refer to

what is positive in the article. It's always what can be negative. And so that

means that the young people have that in their head all the time and looking at that stuff a lot of time it was pure

invention lies and nobody correct them and that will have to be corrected. I

don't know. But I've I lived the same situation in a way. When I was elected

parliament, we had no TV, no radio, no nothing. It was a debating society

and there was a lot more, you know, now it's on TV. So it's done because, you know, they

read a text prepared by somebody else. The House of Commons in my time, you have not the time to have notes, the

right to have notes. If you could not speak up your mind, you could not talk. And if you lie, my that Trump would be

in trouble. If you lied in House of Commons and you

could not prove, you know, and then somebody accuse you of lying. If you cannot prove it, he was

expelled of the House of Congress. And all these things this values of what

is the truth seem to be have disappeared. They all look with what attract attention

what is attractive for the media and the communication of today and we'll have to

overcome that but we have overcome the era radio TV

television in the house and all that. So eventually we'll find a solution. Probably I will not be there to find it.

B) EXTRACT FROM STEPHEN HARPER ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS

is the truth seem to be have disappeared. They all look with what attract attention

what is attractive for the media and the communication of today and we'll have to

overcome that but we have overcome the era radio TV

television in the house and all that. So eventually we'll find a solution. Probably I will not be there to find it.

Yeah, look, I I I do think this is part of the challenge we're we're entering a different age of communications, social

media age. You know, we've gone through I tell you know, 75 years ago, however

long it was, 150 years ago, uh when Sir John A. Macdonald was going across the

country. He was stumping like he originally not even a train or horse and buggy went from town to town, got in a

park on a stump or a gazebo. And that's how he built a political campaign and built a political machine. And then we

had the radio age and we had the TV age and we had the 24-hour news cycle which

happened in your time and then social media was just really getting a getting

a a whole a momentum just near the end of my time and it it's changed everything because it's a whole new mode

of communications and um and you know it's it's a it's a new challenge for a

new generation to master that and I I agree I think there's advantages, there's disadvantages. Look, I I just think that

somehow uh you know, the next generation has to be able to to combine mastery of

the new modes of communication with with the kind of mature lessons of political leadership. And you know, I'd say one of

those is doesn't matter whether you're in government or opposition, you always need to be asking yourself if it's a

policy or a case of opposition, if it's a statement, you know, not just is it popular today,

but how's it going to look for you in a month or a year or in five years time? You've got to you can't be drawn into

the moment of the of the X tweet, you know? You've got to you've got to think

longer term and and there are times and you got to pick your battles, right?

Whether you're government or opposition, there are times like now where, you know, you have to decide we're not going

to fight about that. We'll fight about something. You always need to be fighting about something because the public needs to be given choices. But on

big things like, you know, Canadian sovereignty, you need to work together and the there's times where the

opposition needs to support the government and the opposition needs to know that if it does that, the government is not going to exploit that

to disadvantage the opposition. So there are times where you've got to use better judgment.

Now you I guess you voted for the cleric act, don't you? I I did. I not only did I put

You talk to me about it. I put the first draft of it in parliament.

show a bit of humility. [laughter] No, no, but no, no, but on that, you

know, he was in the opposition and he supported me, you know, and there was some problem with that probably for

him, not for me and but it is something that nobody remembered now. Nobody talks

about it. You know, if you read it, it's not only a vote. The question has to be

approved by parliament of Canada and if you want to separate there is a series of step that you to have followed that

are very complicated. So don't be think that because one night there will be a

vote there will be a a vote to go there's a lot of step that have to be

follow because before this thing happened and it is because we decided that at that time why because some

people were claiming that we won't vote we will lose Canada remember that I

remember I said that makes no sense you know one of my friend in forget his glasses home and I would not be a

candidate the day after because he would have voted. And those who were telling that one vote was enough. I used to make

the joke uh that uh you know

the NDP I don't want to talk politics. It's a reality.

Their name is an illegal name. They call themselves the New Democratic

Party since 70 years. So it's not new at all. So it's false advertising

and they wanted to change their name one day at the annual meeting and they

failed. You know why? Because they didn't have twothirds of the vote. So they were willing to let go the country

for one vote and not get another name. Then any lane they needed twothirds of

the vote. Just you know relax. Canada is there for a long time.

Thank you. [applause]

TRANSCRIPT FROM

Welcome to the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's gold medal ceremony to honor the right

honorable Steven Harper for his lifelong commitment and dedication to Canada. Congratulations.

[applause] [applause]

This ceremony is taking place on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Mr. Harper's election as prime minister in

2006. Welcome back to Ottawa and to you, Mrs. Harper, and your family. It's so

good to have you back in Ottawa. We're really really pleased.

Mr. Harper, you guys are really good friends. We hear

[applause] [applause]

Mr. Cretchen is a fellow of the RCGS and he received the gold medal in 2022 and

so we're very very happy that you could join us. Thank you to Elder Codec Commander and the national chief of the

AFN Cindy Woodhouse for being with us as well as many friends from the diplomatic community and many current and former

parliamentarians. I've seen many of you today. It's so ha so great to have so many people from the hill and of course

our board president, the former leftenant governor of Alberta, Lois Mitchell. Wonderful to see you. Lois is

going to be presenting the gold medal in just a few minutes and of course many of our board members are here. Before we

begin, I'd like to welcome everybody to the traditional unseated territory of the Anishabi Algangquin people. Our

headquarters are at the confluence of three rivers uh a spiritual place for indigenous peoples for uh since time in

memorial.

We also have the mayor of Ottawa here. Thank you for coming. [applause]

So, I have to put a plug in. When you when you leave this ceremony today, you'll see cards upstairs and it's for

the True North Strong Fund. And today, uh, we're making a little announcement. We have started and established a fund

in the names of the right honorable Steven Harper and the right honorable Jean Kletchan called the true north

strong fund that will help the Royal Canadian Geographical Society promote Canadian identity, sovereignty and

unity. And we think those three things are really important right now. [applause]

[applause] And thanks to some early donors, we've already received $30,000 for this fund.

Pretty good. [applause] Thank you. So, as you depart today, we we'll have a

reception upstairs. The cards are right up at the reception desk. So, we encourage you to just take that little QR code and and give what you can to the

RCGS. So, we are living at a time when we really need to bring the best minds of

this country together for the betterment of the country. So in that spirit, please rise for the singing of God Save

the King and O Canada.

[music] [music]

[music] You will

[music] [music]

[music]

[music] for

[music] all

[music]

We send our [music] God for thee.

Glorious and free.

[music] I stand

the wee.

[applause] So 20 years ago on January 23rd, 2006 in

Calgary on a campaign stage as the election results were pouring in,

Calgary West MP and the leader of the newly emerged Conservative Party of Canada, Steven Harper, became prime

minister, Steven Harper, after winning one of the longest election campaigns in history. I remember it. went on and on

and on, lasting eight weeks over both Christmas and New Year's holidays. How

can we forget it? Two days later, I was standing on the Harper's Driveway in

Ottawa doing a television standup as the deputy bureau chief of CTV when an RCMP

officer waved at me and asked me if I'd like to go inside Stoay to say hello to

Mrs. Harper. The family had just gotten back from c from Calgary and there were

backpacks and snow boots in the hallway and running shoes in the kitchen. And as I entered the kitchen, there was Mrs.

Harper. She was standing there looking. She was beaming. And I said, "Congratulations, Loren. You won." And

you said, "I can't believe it. I never thought this was going to happen. I

really can't believe this." And I said, 'Well, when did it start to sink in? And she said, 'Well, this

morning it really felt real. And I said, 'Well, what happened?' And she said, 'The telephone rang and I thought it was

the carpet cleaners. And I told the person, "We don't need the carpets clean

today." And the woman on the phone said, "No, no, no, Mrs. Harper. I'm not calling from the carpet cleaners. I'm

calling from the White House, and I have George W. Bush on."

So I guess that's when it really started to sink in and of course it was a different time in Canada and the US

relationship. So thank you Mrs. Harper for taking on this incredible job. So I'd like to welcome the right honorable

Steven Harper to the stage with our board president Lois Mitchell to present the Royal Canadian Geographical

Society's gold medal. [applause]

[applause]

So, I'm going to read from the citation. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society

awards its gold medal to the right honorable Steven J. Harper in recognition of his distinguished career

in public service, including his tenure as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.

Mr. Harper emphasized the importance of Arctic sovereignty to Canada. His government oversaw the creation of

Canada's first urban national park in the Rouge Valley, protected Sable Island as a national park reserve. He expanded

Nahani National Park, and created a new national park in the Northwest Territories. He's also credited with

strengthening the Canadian economy through prudent management during the global financial crisis in 2008. And his

steady work and focus helped to expand Canada's trade networks globally. For

his exemplary leadership, the RCGS is honored to award the right honorable Steven J. Harper with its highest honor,

the gold medal. [applause]

[applause]

[applause] I got to look kind of looking straight ahead. Everybody wants a picture.

Great. Thank you. So, thank you, Lois. And

thank you. Congratulations, Mr. Harper. You can take the seat in the center,

premier minister of Canada. Joining Mr. Kretchen will be John Guyger, the CEO of

the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, who will moderate a conversation [applause]

between two [applause] former prime ministers about what are they talking about? Canadian unity, identity, and how

we protect a country we all love at a time of very complex geopolitics.

This is going to be good. Enjoy. Thank you, uh, Rosary, and thank you,

our honorables, for for joining us today. Um, four years ago, the

historian, uh, JL Grensteine created a list of Canada's national interests. He

argued few Canadians think about them and that the federal government scarcely ever bases policy on them. And it was a

very short list. So here they are. The first, Canada must protect its territory

and the security of its people. Second, Canada must strive to maintain its unity. Third, Canada must protect and

enhance its independence. Fourth, Canada must promote the economic growth of the nation to support the

prosperity and welfare of its people. And fifth, Canada should work with like-minded nations for the protection

and enhancement of freedom and democracy. I think it is probably fair to suggest

that Canadians are thinking about those national interests more these days. Um, we find ourselves at a moment that is

unprecedented, I think, in our lifetimes and for which many are concerned about the national interest. So, thank you

both for being here and Mr. Kretchen, particularly thank you for your presence, which is an honor to Mr.

Harper. Um, I would like to begin with a question for both of you as two Canadians who have devoted your careers

to strengthening Canada. You both had a strong interest in the Arctic. Uh, Mr. Cretchen, from your time

as Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, um, and later driving creation of major national parks

in in the in the north. And Mr. Harper, you had an Arctic policy that included a focus on from our standpoint focus on

searching for the lost ship to the Franklin expedition, but as part of a broader use it or lose it northern

sovereignty strategy. Yet, when you look at our history, including recent history, I think it's fair to say Canada

has failed to adequately defend its natural interest, its national interest in the Arctic. So, why was the Arctic

important to both of you? I wonder if you could just elaborate on your interest. First, I was a minister responsible

for more than six years, minister of Indian and Northern Affairs for more than six years and I developed a great

liking to go to the north and I enjoyed very very much. I went in all the places

and I knew about the history of the north because that land was

not clearly in the hand of Canadian and it is under the time of Louis

that Gordon Robertson who was a deputy minister of my department you know

started to move some Eskimo from northern Quebec to Greece

to clearly establish the presence of the Canadian on the

Elmir Island and it is quite recent that it was challenged at that time by the

Danish and the move made by Mr. Sal

led me to visit Greece Fior and I was the first minister to go there

ever and this week I received in my office

the grandson of the mayor when I visited that in 1971

when the premier of United so my connection with the north go far and I'm

happy that it's clearly Canadian him. And uh now some people look at Canada,

they would like to take it over from us, but we stand on guard. Don't worry.

[applause] I just always had a unlike Mr. Cretchen,

I didn't uh I I wasn't minister of everything one.

Um, but I had a long abiding interest in our our history and geography and

especially our northern history and always fascinated that, you know, the French and British actually fought in

naval battles in Hudson Bay. Like it's it's just it's unbelievable. Um, so it's

such great part of Canada. So look, but my concerns were different. I I think the reality is, you know, in in kind of

in law, Canada took possession of those territories in 1870 and then 1880. But

the reality is Canadian sovereign presence is extremely spotty, especially

up until the 1950s. And even after that, it kind of had periods of of neglect.

So, you know, I I believe that in the geopolitical circumstances I was taking

office in that there were long line threats to the north were actually quite serious. I think I think I've been borne

out in that regard. I didn't anticipate them being our southern neighbor. Um but um but nevertheless um you know we have

to be able but my view especially now we have to be able to do surveillance and

reach and ultimately defend all of our land seas and skies uh without the

support of allies and and I think we're entering an era where with uh new technology

that's actually quite feasible for us to do. So um yeah it's uh it's turned out to be more timely than I thought.

Absolutely. Um I don't doubt for a minute uh that most Canadians have a a

deep loyalty to their country. Uh you see outbursts of patriotism every now

and then uh recently with the Four Nations Cup last year. Just an enormous That was the best Conor McDavid. But

that was the best moment of 2025.

Conor, hopefully we have hopefully a prime minister could do something like that. Hopefully we'll have another Conor

McDavid best moment in the next couple of weeks as as Canada of course competes team Canada in the Olympics. But outside

of sports, how do we reinvigorate a sense of Canadian patriotism, especially following years in which we were told

that Canada is a country without a core identity, uh, without a mainstream? How how do we get Canadians excited about

the country? Well, let let me let me just tackle that one quickly. I I look,

we are living in an age, the one thing, you know, I travel around the world and business now, still do a bit of

politics. The one thing about this world, whether we like it or not, we are living in an age of nationalism

everywhere. Revive nationalism. And there is no reason why this country

should not be as nationalistic as anyone else. We have a lot to be proud of. Uh

it's a tremendous country. I think just about any person almost anywhere in the

world would love to to be here to have the circumstances of our country. We have a great history. Uh obviously we

have a great land, tremendous, you know, gift of providence, great land, but we have a great history and you know

there's been so much emphasis in the past, let's say, decade, you know, about

all the things we've done wrong. Um okay, fine. Um but look all the things

we've done wrong have been things that we like the things we've done right that we have built upon

um corrected mistakes and we built I think you quote cranian the best country

in the world. So you know let's be proud um and we don't our pride doesn't have to be just you know not like Donald

Trump we should be proud of who we are as a people and as a nation.

[applause] around the world they look at us. There

was an international survey a few months ago asking the people if you had to

start a new your life where would you like to go and around the globe Canada

came first and you know it is the others who see us this way. One of the problem is we

look back all the time rather than look at the future that we can build together.

Over the weekend I wrote a book about uh

this American who wanted to take Canada over in 178076

at the time of the revolution. Right. Uh the guy was Benedict Arnold. No no he came

but at that time they wanted to take us over. Yeah. And you know what was Canada at that

time? It was there was no Anglo folk. We were a colony of England and the Americans

were afraid that they were going to use Canadians to fight them in alliance with

the natives who tended to be with the Brits at that time. So

if we the franophhone had decided to join the American Revolution,

all you guys would have been obliged to go back to England because

because the loyalist could come to Canada. There was no Canada at that time

but the French Canadian that controlled the land. So if we were to look at what

we've built together rather than what divide us, it is the problem. and and

and be proud of of what we can offer. You know,

when I was you're in the geographic business apparently, so I claim that when I was minister of

Indian and affairs, responsible for park and when I was prime minister,

I made more land aside for conservation and national park than the number of

acres they have in France. And we have and we too

[applause] can talk like that. And do we have to be

proud? You know, we're political opponent, but we're not enemies. Not today.

and cuz he's afraid of the sh. [laughter]

No, but we have lived something that is an example to the world to have two

official languages that we know we have treated the natives

better than the Americans. Not as well as we should have, but much better. We never sent the army to kill

them. And uh we sent some missionaries who wanted to take them to heaven and it

was a controversy apparently but you know and the French were here and the

angophone came and now 50% of the population came from all the nation of

the world and they will never change you know their citizenship for anything else

and it's why everybody would give everything they have to have the privilege to come and share beare our

so-called miseries. You know, Jean talked about the u the

defense of of Canada by French Canadians during the American Revolution. Our organization, Government of Canada,

RCGS, we spent a lot of time celebrating the fact that all these different groups of Canadians, French, English native, um

came together to fight in the War of 1812, which is a great moment in in history. So, we've created this country,

created it through joint action, through joint defense, through joint economic building. I I just But I would say that

if I can, I got to get a dig in here. I would just say that the American Revolution, the War of 1812 are probably

better examples of Canadian unity than the Planes of Abraham. So,

Well, and the the incredible role of course that we cannot rewrite this story. [clears throat]

I was not dare to wake up more cal

and the Brits tend to arrive in the middle of the night. They did that in the fortland about 50 years ago.

So be aware, be awake [laughter] with Phineas Albia.

But you're right. The indigenous contribution to the War of 1812, which I think Canada would have been lost without the war who intervened.

We burned the White House, but we we will not repeat it. [laughter]

part of it's been torn down by the current income.

To that riffing off that, Mr. Harper, the last time you were on our stage,

Yeah. you said that Canadian sovereignty must be preserved at any cost. Yeah. And that the country must be prepared to

make any sacrifice necessary to ensure we remain an independent country. I'm wondering if that analysis still stands.

And Yeah, absolutely. You know, I I guess you know, Jean as obviously his history

as as a canon. My ancestors came to this country in

1774, one year before the American Revolution. My great great great great

grandfather led militia efforts in New Brunswick during both the Revolutionary

War and the War of 1812 to fight for the crown. Um, so it goes for for someone

like me, it goes back a long way. Um, yeah, I think the countries I look, I love the United States, but I'm not an

American. I think our country is different, worth preserving. Um, you know, I don't want to I don't want to

suggest that, you know, we should go around kind of accepting unacceptable

costs, but the fact of the matter is that the country's worth preserving that

I think there are costs that are going to have to be paid under the current circumstances to do that, but there's

also enormous opportunities. It's not all costs. There's a lot we can do that we haven't done to make ourselves more

competitive, more wealthy, more connected to the world. And this is an opportunity for us to take advantage of

these circumstances. So, let's do some nation building. Mr. Christian, you know, [applause]

I'm not at all. I think that we're living a very important time in the world. It's a big

shift. It is probably what I would call the beginning of the end of the American

empire and it has to come. All the empires change. So now you know it's

accelerating but we are in a very good position because

we have the land we have you know the best educated people in the world. Do

you know that? And we have the tolerance that is a great value.

We are the sharing that does not exist in many other countries. We have less

very very rich people per capita but less very very poor people too in

Canada. And we have the unity that we have to fight all the time about that.

It is it's there and it will always be there. But we have managed quite well to

survive you know and at this moment

our friend from the south has created a mood that a Canadian have never been so

proud to be Canadian. You know in my province of Quebec is still the same thing today. You know the the desire to

have a referendum is very low in Quebec. Don't know what the hell is going on in Alberta.

But I have to do there 500 cousins. I I didn't sign the petition.

Any tries did I want an answer. I'm told I'm told not.

Anyway, we're having fun. [laughter] Canada remaining. Don't worry.

Well, I guess just on that point, uh you each have dealt during your your tenure

as prime minister with the stress. Can I just say something about that? I was just going on Alberta. I just want

to tell you something about Quebec. It'd be interesting to see how the election unfolds there. But I recently ran into

it was actually the airport here in Ottawa. I won't name the name, but I ran into somebody who is a, you know, a very

very prominent long-term separatist. And he was saying to me, we were chatting,

what do you think? This is several months ago, Harper, about what premise what what President Trump's doing. And we chatted for a moment. And I ended by

saying, you know, I say, this is the reason why we have to stick together. And he lowered his voice and said to me,

you know, I think you're right. Well, and yet

at this very moment, we are this very moment, we we're at the

moment, we need to be strong and united. We are once again facing forces that would seek to pull us apart. And I guess

based on your experiences, Mr. Kretchen with Quebec sovereignty and sharper with western alienation. How do you think

Canada can strengthen national unity? What can we do at this moment? Those of us who love the country, deeply invested

in the future of the United Canada, what can we do to address those that sentiment in those places?

You know, the problem is we don't know enough the history of

Canada. I'm amazed by the ignorance of the people. You know, when I refer to

the fact that at the time of the American

Revolution, we decided to stay in Canada. Why? It's because the king of the day

guaranteed to the French the language and the Catholic religion.

And the pilgrim of bust were mad at the British because he had made a deal like

that and they wanted to take over Canada and he I was reading a book the other day this weekend described written by

Madame Dan. She's a journalist from Ottawa. It's called the he failed to

conquer. It's a great book about that period of time. And you know, we don't

know that that it is because of that we still speak French and they say that

we're miserable. You know, my colleague said that. I said it's terrible. We were 60,000 French Canadian in 1763

when by the day of Paris we were seated to the to the Brits.

Miserable that we are, we went from 60,000 to 9 million.

It's not that bad. And [applause]

it's more people in Belgium, in Switzerland, in Finland, in Sweden, in

Norway, you know, and yeah, Canada is the second largest

native franophhone country in the world. And Montreal,

Never been to Shuan. It's one of You're missing something.

We have We have a beautiful museum there. [laughter]

The French Museum called Canada in the world. And that uh they talk about my career.

They put My gifts are all displayed there [laughter]

and there is a great section called Madame and

[applause] it's all Canadian. Well, I think my people might have said whispered to me

that I probably didn't have a chance of winning and she went. Anyway, I was going to say um I don't

want to get too much into the politics. will just say this that you know in in our time in

office myself and colleagues here um you know Quebec the the the support for

Quebec sovereignty went to its lowest level since the early 1960s and support for western separatism

vanished completely. So um you know look there are people obviously in both parts of the country

who think differently but I think the reality is federal government manages this country right puts the stress on

unity and not on ideological tangents and there's no reason why we can't pull

the country together at this moment [applause]