Ottawa

Rebel young man, rebel

David Staples looks at the young Stephen Harper who left home in search of something.

Harper got on with Imperial Oil with the help of his father, Joseph, who was a top financial officer in Toronto, Frank said. “Stephen had broken with his family because they had wanted him to be a chartered accountant at the University of Toronto, where his brothers were. He decided he was going to be a pioneer, he was going out West. He was going to find his own way. I was virtually told to hire him, but I did. And he was a very troubled boy when he came. I think what upset him the most was rebelling against what the family wanted him to do.”

… Mary also could see Harper was dealing with family issues. “He was very self-absorbed,” she said. “I would say he’s absorbed by two things. One is himself and the other is: Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing the thing that I should be doing?”

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