Thoughts On Stephen Harper's NEXT Job
Even the Calgary Herald (a paper that is NOT unkind to Mr. Harper) has commenced speculation on his departure from 24 Sussex Drive:
"The usual retirement refuge for former prime ministers tends to be fat-cat law firms where they're given a corner office, a few legal assistants, an appointments secretary and told to charge outrageous fees for client face time when they're not delivering stock speeches at $25,000 a pop.
Being a lawyer has been the norm for every prime minister since Wilfrid Laurier, except for Joe Clark and Lester Pearson. Former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien returned to law and still tours the world with business leaders in tow. Paul Martin has megamillions from his pre-politics business interests and didn't require billable hours to survive as an aboriginal-cause philanthropist enjoying his own six-hole golf course on the farm.
But Harper is not independently wealthy and only armed with an economics degree that he's never actually used as an economist. Besides, being an economist these days isn't exactly a profession worthy of a prime ministerial retirement, given that most of them missed the when and how hard this recession would hit. Harper obviously can't go back from whence he came, running the modest National Citizens Coalition advocacy group. And merely languishing on blue-chip corporate boards won't satisfy this human energizer. That suggests the greenest pastures lie beyond Canada's walls. In other words, he might have to follow Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's career path in reverse."
Calgary Herald
AND ... even Adam Radwanski is piling on ......!
"The usual retirement refuge for former prime ministers tends to be fat-cat law firms where they're given a corner office, a few legal assistants, an appointments secretary and told to charge outrageous fees for client face time when they're not delivering stock speeches at $25,000 a pop.
Being a lawyer has been the norm for every prime minister since Wilfrid Laurier, except for Joe Clark and Lester Pearson. Former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien returned to law and still tours the world with business leaders in tow. Paul Martin has megamillions from his pre-politics business interests and didn't require billable hours to survive as an aboriginal-cause philanthropist enjoying his own six-hole golf course on the farm.
But Harper is not independently wealthy and only armed with an economics degree that he's never actually used as an economist. Besides, being an economist these days isn't exactly a profession worthy of a prime ministerial retirement, given that most of them missed the when and how hard this recession would hit. Harper obviously can't go back from whence he came, running the modest National Citizens Coalition advocacy group. And merely languishing on blue-chip corporate boards won't satisfy this human energizer. That suggests the greenest pastures lie beyond Canada's walls. In other words, he might have to follow Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's career path in reverse."
Calgary Herald
AND ... even Adam Radwanski is piling on ......!
He really has nowhere to go. He hasn't had any real job other than NCC and that's lobbying--not working for a salary. NCC is funded by donations and he was paid from the beneficence of gullible donors.
If he goes back to lobbying, it shouldn't be for someone big like Hill & Knowlton because of the excess baggage and high negative ratings he carries with him.
Quick! Hands up all Albertans who want him back!
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Mike Harris has a job somewhere but I believe he usually stays up in Woodbridge because that's closer to his golf course.
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What with cabinet disunited and disaffected, we may see him facing the electorate or the caucus splitting up like they did with Stockwell Day.
I wonder if he realises he's up for the chop some time this year.
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:42 am, April 06, 2009