6 former prime ministers and life after Canadian politics

[Ex-prime minister Stephen Harper is planning to leave politics before Parliament returns in the fall. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward]

If the activities of Canada’s other former prime ministers are any indication, Stephen Harper has plenty of options for a full and interesting life after politics.

The ex-prime minister has largely been seen and not heard — and sometimes not even seen — in the House of Commons since the Liberals won a majority government in last year’s election. And soon there could be a lot less of him in Ottawa altogether, as Harper is expected to step down as MP of his Alberta riding before the fall.

Those who have faced retirement from public life before him have enjoyed work as varied as writing books, serving on corporate boards and producing a musical. A few ex-leaders have also had to spend part of their political retirement testifying at inquiries, while others have involved themselves voluntarily in the activity of government even after they’ve given up their seat in the House.

Here’s a look at the post-leadership lives of six other living former prime ministers.

Joe Clark

One of several short-lived prime ministers in Canada’s recent history, Joe Clark held the office for less than a year in 1979 and 1980. Clark did stay on as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party after losing the 1980 election, holding that position until 1983.

But Clark’s time in politics was distinguished even beyond serving as prime minister. He was a prominent cabinet minister in Brian Mulroney’s government, and remained an MP until his decision not to run for re-election in 1993. Clark returned to politics five years later to lead the PCs before the federal party met its end, and he was an MP until 2004.

Since leaving politics for good, Clark has had a respected career in academics. He was a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and held two separate positions at American University in Washington, D.C. Clark is now with McGill University in Montreal.

He also works as an international observer with the Carter Center, as well as with the Global Leadership Foundation. And he has written op-eds for Canadian newspapers.

John Turner

Canada’s 17th prime minister held the role for just 79 days in 1984, but continued his work in politics for nearly a decade afterwards. He remained the Liberal leader and held the role of leader of the Opposition for six years after his time as prime minister, and remained an MP for three years after resigning as party leader in 1990.

After leaving politics in 1993, Turner joined the law firm Miller Thomson LLP, where he also ran its scholarship program. He’s also a member of the board for several companies and organizations including Northland Power, Sinai Health System and Canadian Club of Toronto. And he participated on the TV show Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister in 2008.

And while he has not run for office again, Turner did join the mission of the Canadian Corps when it went to the Ukraine to monitor the presidential runoff vote in 2004. Turner was head of the Canadian delegation for that mission.

Brian Mulroney

Turner’s loss became Brian Mulroney’s gain when he became prime minister in 1984, a role he held for close to a decade. He retired from politics in 1993, before facing a general election, though he and his wife continued to live at the official prime minister’s residence for a few months after his resignation.

Mulroney remained a partner with the law firm Ogilvy Renault after his political retirement, and also worked worldwide as a business consultant. He’s a member of the board for companies including Barrick Gold Corp. and Quebecor Inc. In 2004 Mulroney gave a eulogy at the funeral of former American president Ronald Reagan, and in 2006 he served as a state representative for Canada at the funeral of former president Gerald Ford.

In 1997 Mulroney settled a libel lawsuit he brought against the Canadian government in 1995 over allegations of accepting bribes, receiving an apology and a reimbursement of $2.1 million for costs. A decade later the former prime minister testified during an inquiry into the Airbus bribery affair, though he refused to appear for subsequent questioning.

Kim Campbell

Kim Campbell was Canada’s first female prime minister, but her time in politics ended not long after she took on the role. She resigned in December 1993 after a tough election loss for the Progressive Conservatives, and left politics at the same time.

Campbell’s bestselling 1996 biography came out the same year she was appointed consul general to Los Angeles by then-prime minister Jean Chrétien. She held that role until 2000.

In 1999 Campbell became chair of the Council of Women World Leaders, holding that post for four years, and then served as president of the International Women’s Forum for two years beginning in 2003. She is now on the steering committee of the World Movement for Democracy and has worked with other international organizations including the International Crisis Group, the Forum of Federations and the Club de Madrid (for which she is a founding member).

Campbell’s time after politics has also involved academic work with Harvard University and the University of Alberta. Along with Turner, she appeared on Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister, and she and her husband Hershey Felder co-produced a musical during her time in L.A.

Jean Chrétien

Jean Chrétien, Canada’s 20th prime minister, ended his time in politics when he retired in December 2003, during his third mandate. Less than a month later Chrétien was back to work, joining the Heenan Blaikie law firm as counsel and working out of both Ottawa and Montreal. When that firm collapsed in 2014, Chrétien joined Dentons Canada in Ottawa.

But retirement didn’t mean Chrétien was out of the public eye — or political life — entirely. In 2005 he testified for the Gomery commission about the sponsorship scandal, which had serious repercussions for the Liberal party in elections after the former prime minister’s departure.

And in 2008 Chrétien and former NDP leader Ed Broadbent negotiated a formal coalition between the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois in an attempt to form a new government to replace then-prime minister Harper and the Conservative Party. Harper’s prorogation of Parliament prevented the coalition’s motion of non-confidence from moving forward.

Chrétien’s life after politics has also involved a couple of medical scares. In October 2007 he had a quadruple bypass surgery after complaining to a cardiologist on the golf course during a charity tournament about heart discomfort. And in 2010 he had successful brain surgery to treat a subdural hematoma.

In addition to his legal work, Chrétien is a member of both the Fondation Chirac honour committee and the Club de Madrid, a group of former heads of state of democratic countries.

Paul Martin

Paul Martin replaced Jean Chrétien after his retirement, becoming the 21st prime minister of Canada, but the former finance minister’s time at leader was shorter than his predecessor’s, stepping down as parliamentary leader in 2006 after losing the general election. He stayed on as an MP until the 2008 election, in which he did not run.

The former PM also participated in attempts to form the ultimately unsuccessful coalition to oust Harper, acting as an economic adviser. Also, in 2008, he published a memoir called Hell or High Water.

In political retirement Martin has worked as an advisor to both the International Monetary Fund and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa. He works to help First Nations youth via the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative. Martin also acts as chair of the Congo Basin Forest Fund, which addresses poverty in 10 African countries. And he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

[PHOTO CREDITS: Joe Clark REUTERS/Blair Gable; John Turner REUTERS/Chris Wattie; Kim Campbell CBC; Paul Martin THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld; Jean Chrétien THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese; Brian Mulroney THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes]