Former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper used his official portrait unveiling to call for Canadian political unity, saying the country should make “any sacrifice necessary” to protect its independence as President Donald Trump increases pressure on Canada. In remarks delivered at the event, Harper described the moment as perilous and said both major parties — the Liberals and Conservatives — should come together to respond to external threats and to avoid domestic choices he believed could undermine Canada’s cohesion.
Harper, who served as Conservative prime minister from 2006 to 2015, made the comments as part of the ceremony marking his portrait’s display. He thanked Prime Minister Mark Carney for attending, framing the gathering as taking place during challenges Harper said were “unprecedented” in Canadian life.
Harper did not name Trump directly, but he tied his warning about threats to the independence of Canada to Trump’s stance toward Greenland and trade. The Associated Press reported that Trump has talked about making Canada the 51st state and has threatened the country with tariffs, and that his push to acquire Greenland has strained NATO and drawn concern in Canada.
“We must make any sacrifice necessary to preserve the independence and the unity of this blessed land,” Harper said at the portrait unveiling. He added that both parties should unite “against external forces that threaten our independence” even as they differ on other issues.
Harper also warned against “domestic policies that threaten our unity,” pointing to a separatist moment in Alberta that he said could gain enough votes this spring to trigger a referendum on independence from Canada. The remarks came as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said separatist support is about 30%, and as she has pressed the federal government and British Columbia to approve a new oil pipeline to the Pacific.
Carney, who became prime minister in 2025 after serving as head of the Bank of England, said he appreciated Harper’s advice. In the AP’s account, Carney credited Harper with denouncing those threatening Canada’s sovereignty and said Harper “called on us to build a stronger Canada less dependent on the U.S.”
Carney also praised Harper’s economic stewardship during the 2008 financial crisis. He said Harper arrived in Ottawa as a balanced-budget conservative who believed governments should live within their means, but that when the financial crisis struck, Harper did not let ideology prevent action, running deficits for five years to support the Canadian economy through what Carney described as the worst global downturn in generations.