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“Sir John A. spoke to British Columbians about the things that matter, about jobs and prosperity, about a Canada united and strong, about economic growth not grow-ops, about a national dream, not a pipe dream.”

The crack drew applause and laughter from the crowd.

Yet, Macdonald’s reputation was far from pure, as anecdotes abounded in the 19th Century of the politician swilling gin in the Commons and vomiting on the hustings. “Better John A. drunk than George Brown sober” was a political slogan of his day.

Still, Harper thanked fellow Conservatives who were behind a bill that will allow him to bring B.C. wine back to Ottawa.

“Now of course, I don’t, you know, I don’t drink alcohol, but I have lots of friends who do,” said Harper.

The barbecue wasn’t the first time Harper has entered the marijuana debate. In late August he hammered Trudeau, accusing the federal Liberals of promoting pot use among children.

“Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?” Harper asked in response to a reporter’s question during a media scrum.

Trudeau, however, has said he has received “almost universal” praise for his admission that he smoked pot after being elected to Parliament.

“The conversations I’ve had with Canadians have almost universally been about people pleased with the level of openness and transparency that a Canadian politician is demonstrating,” Trudeau said in late August.