Bob Ransford’s piece in the May 31st issue of the Counterpoint Communications newsletter:

I don’t like Stephen Harper. He is not a nice man. He is anything but charming. I can’t imagine spending social time with him. I have great respect for him, not as a person, but as a political leader.

Before he became Prime Minister, I helped Mr. Harper’s Conservative campaign and I had an opportunity to interact with him one-on-one.

I recall one specific telephone conversation that took place about two years ago during which Mr. Harper told me something I didn’t want to hear. He asserted his position clearly, bluntly and without any equivocation. He didn’t sugar-coat anything or dance around his position. He told me he had made a decision and that’s how things were going to be.

His position was exactly the opposite of mine.

That particular moment is the one I can point to and honestly say that was when Stephen Harper solidified my support for him as a political leader.

I disagreed with him. I found his style abrupt and lacking any human emotion. His tone wasn’t threatening, but there was no mistaking he wasn’t backing down from a position he had clearly contemplated and decided on.

But I also immediately realized the man was decisive, he had an analytical mind and a deep intellect. He also had just the right amount of confidence—the kind of a confidence a Prime Minister-in-waiting needs. He conveyed that confidence instead of exuding it.

He wasn’t arrogant, but rather assertive. You couldn’t question his motives or think that there was a hidden agenda. It was all there, right in front of you. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but it was leadership in action.

There is little team spirit on the Harper team. In fact, there isn’t much of a team. Harper’s circle of advisors is small. He appears to reach out to few and when he does, he is usually communicating his decision, rather than seeking advice.

Harper is turning out to be a great Prime Minister. He is the kind of Prime Minister Canadians need and want today. He is clear in his intentions, decisive and unwavering. My respect for him is growing.

I still don’t like the man.

I adore Brian Mulroney. He is a charming, loyal, warm and caring human being. Spending time with him is enjoyable—no delightful, interesting and humorous.

Before he was Prime Minister, I spent a fair bit of time with him. He was a captivating political figure. He was full of blarney in public and very personally engaged and straight forward in private. My support for him was without question. I worked harder than I can even imagine today to help him get elected to government in 1984.

I was proud of him when he became Prime Minister. He made you feel part of his team. Everyone was an essential player.

When he was elected, he first looked after those who were loyal to him. You never questioned his loyalty and you felt compelled to be even more loyal in return. This loyalty to old friends cost him dearly when many of those friends asked for too much then tried to parlay that into even more.

When he was Prime Minister, I had the privilege of being around the margins of power in Mulroney’s Ottawa. The early days were heady times.

Mulroney sought advice—from many, but always first from those who showed loyalty early on. He displayed bravado always promising tough decisions. But during difficult negotiations, he was the master of compromise. He loved horse-trading, especially with adversaries. There was always a deal in the works and, as the Meech Lake Accord demonstrated, often a deal simply for the sake of making a deal.

As Prime Minister, Canadians saw Mulroney as boastful, arrogant, vindictive, calculating and detached. Many grew to hate him and still do to this day.

What most Canadians saw and perceived about Mulroney was the exact opposite of what those closest to him saw. Yes, he could be crude and vindictive, but the “team’s” interests were always his first concern and he always exuded a confident style that wasn’t arrogant but rather attractive.

After the first year or so that he was in office though, I began having doubts about Mulroney’s leadership abilities. He was thin-skinned when it came to criticism and would often back down in the face of public outrage. He was too quick to make deals and try to be friends with those who would never be friendly to him.

To this day, I have great respect for Brian Mulroney. Years from now, I believe history will judge that he was a good if not great Prime Minister.

The jury is still out on Stephen Harper but, if the first one hundred or so days are any indication, he could turn out being one of Canada’s best Prime Ministers.

I still can’t imagine spending a weekend at the cottage with him, though. I probably won’t be invited anyway.