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?”