(Ottawa) If Shakespeare thought that adversity acquaints people with strange companions, he might well agree that mourning the loss of a beloved monarch can also bridge some political divides. At least temporarily.
Posted at 8:50 p.m
Such was the case in London on Sunday when former Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper was invested in the Order of Canada under the eyes of three of his former political enemies.
Mr Harper is one of four former Prime Ministers attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in the British capital.
He received the title of Companion of the Order of Canada in 2019, but an investiture ceremony did not take place due to COVID-19.
Governor-General Mary Simon therefore invested Mr Harper on Sunday afternoon during a private ceremony in London under the eyes of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien, Paul Martin and Kim Campbell.
“As we gather to celebrate (the Queen), I am honored to be invested in the Order of Canada by (the Governor General of Canada) Mary Simon,” Stephen Harper wrote in a Messenger on Twitter.
“Thank you to (Prime Minister) Trudeau, fellow former Prime Ministers Martin, Chrétien, Campbell and former Governors General Johnston and Jean for attending the ceremony. »
Also present were former Governors-General David Johnston, appointed by Mr. Harper, and Michaelle Jean.
In particular, the political animosity between Mr. Harper and Mr. Trudeau is well documented, but the two posed side-by-side for photos after the ceremony.
It is not an unprecedented practice for several former prime ministers and governors-general to attend global funerals together.
While Mr Harper was Prime Minister in 2013, Jean Chrétien, Kim Campbell, former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney flew with him to South Africa for the funeral of Nelson Mandela.
In a post on Twitter last week, Mr Harper’s wife, Laureen Teskey Harper, responded to a reporter who suggested flying to London with all the political actors on the same plane would be interesting.
” Interesting ? asked the journalist. “Very interesting if we take past trips as a reference. Lots of laughs, stories and I’m sure, this time memories of the Queen. Such trips are always wonderful. »
Mr Chrétien spoke briefly to the media on Sunday and was asked about the presence of all other Canadian leaders.
“So together and no fight,” he laughed. So it is good. »
He said there weren’t many opportunities for this kind of gathering.
“We know each other, we’ve been through the same struggles,” he said. We fought each other. Just like hockey, we can be hard on the ice and then go have a beer after the game. »
The Order of Canada’s ceremonies are not normally held in secret, but Rideau Hall and the Prime Minister’s Office chose not to inform the media traveling with the delegation about Mr. Harper’s event on Sunday, or a similar event on Saturday, at which starring actress Sandra Oh and Olympic swimmer Mark Tewksbury invested fine. No explanation has yet been given for this mystery.
Mark Tewksbury later said the ceremony allowed him and Sandra Oh to wear the regalia of the Order of Canada at the Queen’s funeral, to be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday.