TORONTO (AP) — Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday that Canada should make “whatever sacrifices are necessary” to preserve the country’s independence in the face of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Harper, who served as Conservative prime minister for nearly a decade from 2006 to 2015, made the remarks while delivering a speech at the unveiling of his official portrait.
Harper described these times as dangerous and thanked current Prime Minister Mark Carney for attending the unveiling “at a time when we are facing unprecedented challenges in our lifetimes.”
Trump has talked about making Canada the 51st state and threatened to impose tariffs on the country.
The Republican president’s push to acquire Greenland has strained the NATO alliance and alarmed Canada, which shares a 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) maritime border with Greenland in the Arctic.
Harper did not mention Trump by name but urged Canada’s two main political parties, the Liberals and Conservatives, to unite amid threats to the country’s sovereignty.
“We must make whatever sacrifices are necessary to preserve the independence and unity of this sacred land,” Harper said.
Harper said he hopes his portrait is just one of many portraits of prime ministers from both parties that will remain on display for decades and centuries to come.
“But this requires that during this dangerous time both sides, regardless of other differences, come together to confront external forces that threaten our independence,” he said.
Harper also warned of “domestic policies that threaten our unity.” Alberta’s separatist moment could garner enough votes this spring to trigger a referendum on independence from Canada.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said support for separatism was about 30 per cent. Smith is pressuring the federal and British Columbia governments on the Pacific Coast to approve a new oil pipeline to the Pacific Ocean.
When Carney applied to become Bank of Canada governor while Harper was prime minister, Harper recognized Carney’s resume. He joked that young people at the time “obviously had some success.”
Carney later became governor of the Bank of England in 2013 and became prime minister of Canada last year.
Carney thanked Harper for condemning those who threaten Canada’s sovereignty at a time when the country faces unprecedented attacks and trade pressures.
“He called on us to build a stronger Canada and be less dependent on the United States,” Carney said. “He also took the time to advise me, which I’m very grateful for.”
Carney also praised Harper’s economic management during the 2008 financial crisis.
“He came to Ottawa as a balanced-budget Conservative. He rightly believed that government should live within its means. However, when the financial crisis hit, he did not let ideology stop him from taking the actions necessary to run deficits for five consecutive years to support the Canadian economy through the worst global recession in generations,” Carney said.
“Mr. Harper understands that only by building strength in good times can we take action in bad times.”
