Who was the better Canadian Conservative Prime Minister: Mulroney or Harper

[hangfan91]

Both in power for about 9 years, who do you think did a better job as Canadian Prime Minister?

[Mike88]

I would say Harper, because despite his many flaws, he didn't "damage" his own party like Mulroney did to the PC.

[mileslunn]

Mulroney but then that is a personal bias.  He focused on improving economy long term not what was popular so things like free trade and GST were controversial at time but vindicated long term.  Also he was fairly moderate at heart too.  Harper governed moderately but his party had Reform not PC roots and thus post him has really turned right as he had skills to both convince further right he shared their views but also controlled them enough to stop them from damaging party. 

The further right always hated Mulroney and prior to Reform they were politically homeless and never bothered to organize.  Views then were such views were fringe views so not worth getting into politics.  It was only after Mulroney's pandering to Quebec and Western Alienation they got first breakthrough.  They damaged PCs enough that any merger would put them in driver's seat.  While rise of social media created echo chambers allowing them to have kind of success you couldn't historically short of extreme circumstances. 

[CumbrianLefty]

Mulroney arguably achieved more of consequence, but also left his party in a much worse state when he left office. So its maybe a question of how you balance those two things really.

[Upper Canada Tory]

Mulroney got more things done, but Harper left the country in far better shape, so I would say Harper. Mulroney's ambition to solve everything got the best of him. Additionally, Harper's government was probably the least corrupt/most transparent government in the last four decades of Canadian politics, at least.

[Pericles]

Mulroney arguably achieved more of consequence, but also left his party in a much worse state when he left office. So its maybe a question of how you balance those two things really.

Damaging your political party is not that consequential on its own imo, what matters is if the political damage reverses your legacy and Mulroney's legacy clearly outlived his party.

[MABA 2020]

My knowledge on the two men is limited but I'd say Mulroney

[oldtimer]

Mulroney wins, simply because I don't think anyone would do an increabidly cheesy gringe movie about Harper:

The Charming "bastard" beats the Charmless "bastard".

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I suppose Mulroney...

[It’s so Joever]

“or Harper-“

The other one.