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Does that sound like the Harper any of us spent 10 years getting to know?

So why would he return?

Former prime minister Harper is a private, wonky and introverted guy. Huge parts of what it takes to be a successful political leader, parts that far too many leaders seem to think are the most essential, always seemed awkward and ill-fitting with Harper. Few question his intelligence. Likewise, few seem to believe he particularly enjoyed the schmoozing and baby-kissing parts of the job. Harper’s strengths, both as prime minister and as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, were in the policy and managerial domains. Over the course of his career, with much practice, he became passably good — at best — at the touchy-feely stuff.

In other words, he currently has the ability to do all the stuff he was good at and genuinely seemed to enjoy. And while he does the policy stuff, and the big-picture strategy stuff, and the thought-leadership stuff, he doesn’t have to do any media interviews, or show up at a legion hall to read some bland scripted remarks in both official languages, or be photographed walking his kids to school (which would be admittedly odd anyway, given that they’ve grown up). He gets almost all the good stuff and very little of the bad. He’s eating his cake and having it, too. And all he has sacrificed to get to this place is … actually, wait. Nothing. He’s sacrificed practically nothing.

Photo by Prime Minister's Office, India

The one argument that could perhaps justify the speculation is that Harper did not like losing to Justin Trudeau and would like a chance at a rematch, especially since Trudeau has in many ways revealed himself to be exactly what so many of his critics long suspected — bluntly, a carefully constructed political brand that does not match well with the reality of the man who carries it. But not only is it far from certain that Harper would win such a rematch, even if he gets a chance, which might not be for years, it would be a huge risk to leave a comfortable private life just for that chance at knocking Trudeau out of the PMO.