Photos by Jean Marc Carisse
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper returned to Parliament Hill on February 3 for the long‑awaited unveiling of his official portrait in the House of Commons. The ceremony marked nearly twenty years since his first electoral victory and added his image to the historic collection of Canadian leaders displayed in the Commons foyer. Painted by Canadian artist Phil Richards, the portrait was revealed before a room filled with current and former MPs, cabinet ministers, premiers, and invited dignitaries.
ABOVE: Former Prime Minister addresses the assembled dignitaries at the unveiling of his official portrait.
In his remarks, Harper used the moment not as a retrospective on his own tenure, but as a call for political cooperation in what he described as an increasingly precarious global environment. He emphasized that Canada’s major political parties share a responsibility to safeguard the country’s unity and independence, warning that external pressures and domestic divisions pose real risks. “I sincerely hope that mine is just one of many portraits of prime ministers from both parties that will continue to be hung here for decades and centuries to come,” he said, urging Liberals and Conservatives alike to work together against forces that threaten national cohesion.
ABOVE: Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canadian artist Phil Richards.
Harper’s message underscored a theme of continuity—an appeal to see the portrait not as a capstone to his own career, but as part of a longer democratic tradition that depends on shared purpose. His comments framed unity not as a sentimental ideal but as a practical necessity, especially in a period he described as “perilous times” for Canadian sovereignty.
ABOVE: Former Prime Minister arriving for the unveiling of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s official portrait.
Header image: Prime Minister Carney gazes at the portrait of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, the 22nd prime minister of Canada, while a crowd of dignitaries looks on.
