Now that Stephen Harper has resigned as the Conservative party leader of Canada, he may be wondering what will come next. He’s held the post for almost a decade, and while he still won his Calgary Heritage riding, life as a backbench MP might not prove as satisfying as running a country.
The Guardian has compiled a list of potential jobs Harper could explore during this exciting new phase of his life.
Singer
Harper is already a member of a band, the Van Cats, a play on vingt-quatre – as in 24 Sussex, the official residence of Justin Trudeau, the current prime minister of Canada. He may want to reconsider the band’s name, but he could still perform such classics as Sweet Caroline and Sweet Child o’ Mine. He has even joined famed cellist Yo Yo Ma on stage to perform With a Little Help From My Friends.
Cat cafe owner
Had breakfast with Stanley http://t.co/ZFSkA8oS #dayinthelife
— Stephen Harper (@pmharper) January 28, 2013
Harper and his wife Laureen have never concealed their love of cats. They have hosted approximately 87 foster cats during their time in Ottawa and they throw birthday parties for their cats each year, according to a Maclean’s article titled The Harpers’ feline fixation. In 2011, Harper posted a poll on Facebook asking his followers what to name his new grey tabby: Smokie, Vingt-quatre, Stanley, Earl Grey, Griffin or Gandalf. After Stanley came out on top, Harper posted a video of the cat frolicking around the house. What better way to share their passion with the world than following the growing trend of cat cafes and opening their own?
Actor
While Harper has been criticized by some for being wooden during his time in the public eye (there’s even a Tumblr titled Things Stephen Harper Does to Seem Human), he has attempted to tone down his awkward side by flexing his acting muscles over the years. He’s made cameo appearances in the television shows Corner Gas and Murdoch Mysteries. Plus, everyone knows Harper loves television. He even posted a video during his campaign assuring voters that he “loves movies and TV shows”. “One of my all time favorites is Breaking Bad,” Harper said. “It’s even available on some online streaming services if you’ve never seen it.”
Sports commentator
The outgoing prime minister is a long-time hockey fan. He wrote a book on the growth of professional hockey in Toronto titled A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs and the Rise of Professional Hockey. He was also interviewed by the Sports Network during the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey championships between Canada and Russia. Harper has been on the other side of the microphone too when he interviewed Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe at a charity event in 2010.
Company spokesman
Harper’s ability to keep journalists at bay over the years makes him the ideal candidate for a public relations position. The company he works for would never release unwanted information to journalists again with him on the payroll. Harper was awarded the Canadian Association of Journalists Code of Silence award in 2007. “Harper’s white-knuckled death grip on public information makes this the easiest decision the cabal of judges has ever rendered,” said CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch. “He’s gone beyond merely gagging cabinet ministers and professional civil servants, stalling access to information requests and blackballing reporters who ask tough questions. He has built a pervasive government apparatus whose sole purpose is to strangle the flow of public information.”
