Senate scandal highlights Harper’s years as PM

Following the 1993 federal election, in which Preston Manning’s six-year-old, populist Reform Party took 52 seats, a young policy wonk named Stephen Harper made his debut as a parliamentarian.

Although most Canadians only became aware of Harper in the early 2000s, he had been involved in politics for many years, first as a political staffer and then as a key figure in the founding of the Reform Party. It was Harper who was the driving force behind the 2003 merger of the Canadian Alliance — formerly the Reform Party — and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

Harper was at the helm of the Conservative Party for the 2004 election campaign. Although the Liberals under new leader Paul Martin were reduced to a minority, they managed to stay in power — but not for long. The lingering odour of the sponsorship scandal was enough to cost Paul Martin and his government the next election only two years later. The Conservatives had a minority government.

The Liberals scrambled to find a leader to stand against Harper. First came Stéphane Dion in 2006. An intellectual, he seemed uncomfortable in his new role. Michael Ignatieff, another intellectual, was next in line, but never gained any traction. Liberal leaders in those years seemed bent on giving Harper free rein.

Canadians became familiar with a new word during the Harper years: “proroguing.” The procedure came into play twice, seemingly coinciding with the opposition being hot on the trail of a Conservative misstep.

In 2011, Stephen Harper finally got his majority government.

During his nine years as prime minister, Harper discouraged cabinet ministers from speaking independently. Indeed, his finance minister, the late Jim Flaherty, referred to Harper as the Ayatollah when the prime minister was out of earshot.

The highest profile, most persistent scandal of the Harper years had its roots in questionable expense claims by certain senators. Much of the focus was on Mike Duffy, a former TV journalist whom Harper had appointed to the Senate in 2008. Duffy’s living expenses and his claim of primary residency in Prince Edward Island were put under the microscope.