The departure of Phil Murphy, the chief of staff for Stephen Harper, the leader of Canada's Conservative Party, has left observers speculating whether he was the loser in a power struggle involving other senior staff that may implicate dissatisfaction with Harper's management style.
For more details, see this August 16, 2005 article at the Globe and Mail website.
It's a rare day when stories about Stephen Harper don't involve some degree of negativity about the direction of his party, or at least about him personally, which is almost worse. The article cited above made note of Harper's declining popularity among Canadians and implied that he micromanaged his staff to distraction.
One wonders if this is a self-fulfilling prophecy on the part of the media elites. The Conservatives seem to be the political whipping boy du jour. But the fact is that they are the only viable alternative to the present Liberal establishment and remain the party of choice for many in Western Canada. They are a force to reckon with in spite of themselves.
Taking the long view, one can see this as a time for renewal which could be used to advantage to reinvigorate a remarkably moribund political opposition. Times can change even for a party dedicated to preserving the best of the past. And when the tides of transformation arrive, there are those who should lead, and those who should follow. And then there are those who should get out of the way.
In which group will Stephen Harper choose to be?
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