On his last day in the House of Commons, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper was remembered by his fellow Conservatives as the man who united the right, saw Canada through the great recession, signed free trade deals and shifted foreign policies.

Here’s what Peter MacKay, John Baird and Jason Kenney had to say:

Peter MacKay, a possible leadership contender who served as Attorney General, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs until retiring last fall, told CTV News Channel Harper was a “substantive leader.”

Peter MacKay

“His mark on the country is indelible, in particular having brought us through a recession and brought us to balance in terms of government financing,” he said.

MacKay said he sees a “sharp contrast” between Harper’s “weight and substance” and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s style. “He was not really interested in photo ops,” said MacKay. “He was not a fan of social media or the optics that often are expected,” he added.

MacKay also noted Harper’s “tremendous affection for his family, his great patriotism for his country (and) … his love and respect for members of Canada’s armed forces.”

John Baird, who held several cabinet positions including Foreign Affairs and Treasury Board before resigning last spring, told CTV News Channel his old boss had a “long and successful political year,” particularly for a conservative in Canada.

John Baird

Baird said it was remarkable that Harper managed to unite Canada’s right-wing parties and form government in 2006, just two years after the creation of a the new party.

“But for me his economic and foreign policies will be where he stands tallest,” he added, noting that Harper balanced the federal budget after one of the “toughest economic recessions since the Great Depression.”

“I think the biggest single thing would probably be trade,” he added. “The Canada-European trade deal … his leadership with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, moving us to the Asia Pacific region --- I think trade will undoubtedly be one of his biggest legacies. “

Baird also noted Harper’s early focus on “cleaning up big money in politics” with campaign finance reform that included a ban on corporate and union donations to candidates. “Many in the United States on both sides of the aisle would say they’d love to see what happened in Canada happen in the United States where big money plays too much of a role at all levels,” he said.

Jason Kenney, who was Harper’s Minister of National Defence and immigration minister, issued a statement thanking Harper for leading a “renaissance of the conservative movement.”

Jason Kenney

Kenney listed the following as Harper’s achievements:

  • “giving Canadians the lowest federal tax burden in six decades;
  • bringing us through the global economic crisis more strongly than any peer country;
  • balancing the federal budget during trying times while increasing support for priorities from health care to infrastructure;
  • strengthening national unity by diminishing both western alienation and separatist sentiment in Quebec to their lowest level in recent history;
  • articulating a robust, principled foreign policy that stood by besieged allies such as Ukraine and Israel;
  • aiding the most vulnerable through the Child and Maternal Health Initiative, and the defence of persecuted religious minorities;
  • renewing a proud, historically-grounded sense of Canadian identity;
  • strengthening our national security to cope with the threat of global terrorism;
  • welcoming 2.6 million new Canadians, while reforming the immigration system to make it work better for Canada and for newcomers.
  • Enormous support or Canadian families, expanding their choices and economic freedom.”