Former prime minister Stephen Harper recently visited Ottawa to watch the King deliver the speech from the throne. During his visit, he met privately with Prime Minister Mark Carney, as confirmed by two reliable sources.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the meeting, with spokesperson Audrey Champoux stating that they “had nothing further to say.” CBC News reached out to Harper for comment via his consulting firm, Harper & Associates, but did not immediately receive a response.

Although the specifics of their discussion remain undisclosed, the two men share a longstanding history that was emphasized during the federal election campaign.

Carney served as the governor of the Bank of Canada from February 2008 to June 2013, overlapping with Harper’s tenure as prime minister. Both individuals played pivotal roles in navigating the country’s economy through the 2008 financial crisis.

During the election, Harper endorsed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who had previously held a cabinet position in his government. Harper featured in Conservative advertisements towards the end of the campaign and penned a fundraising letter criticizing Carney’s handling of the recession.

In the letter utilized for Conservative fundraising, Harper expressed skepticism towards Carney’s attempts to claim credit for aspects of economic management during the crisis. He highlighted Carney’s purported lack of involvement in the day-to-day economic affairs and accused him of undermining the efforts of former finance minister Jim Flaherty.

Tragically, Flaherty passed away from a heart attack in 2014 shortly after retiring from Harper’s cabinet.

In contrast, the current prime minister portrayed a more positive relationship with Harper. In an interview during the Liberal leadership race, Carney disclosed that Harper had offered him the position of finance minister in 2012.

Carney declined the offer, citing the inappropriateness of transitioning directly from the role of governor into elective politics. A former communications director from the Harper era criticized Carney, claiming he was not revealing the full story.

Furthermore, Harper was observed interacting with another former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, at the speech from the throne event. They were photographed engaged in conversation, exchanging jokes and laughter.