I remember that day vividly. When Belinda Stronach crossed the floor to Paul Martin’s Liberals in May 2005, it felt like a gut punch. Those of us on the inside knew immediately what it meant. Martin’s minority government had just gained the support it needed to survive confidence votes, and what had looked like a possible path to bringing down the government suddenly disappeared. Ray Novak and I drove to Stornoway to tell Opposition Leader Stephen Harper. Ian Brodie and Doug Finley were there as well. We were genuinely anxious. We knew how significant the news was, and we dreaded having to deliver it. Standing in the driveway, we finally worked up the courage to tell him. His reaction has stayed with me ever since. He looked at us calmly and simply said, “This will prove to be a great day.” At the time, I couldn’t see what he saw. Then he gave us another instruction that has stayed with me just as much as his prediction. He told us to make sure no one in our caucus or our organization personally attacked Belinda Stronach, called her a traitor, or demanded that she resign her seat and seek a by-election. We were to focus on holding the Martin government to account, not on personal attacks against her. It was a lesson in discipline and leadership. While emotions were running high, he refused to let anger dictate our response. As it turned out, he was right about the politics as well. The extra months before the election gave us time we desperately needed. We strengthened our national campaign, recruited stronger candidates, raised more money, refined our platform, and prepared for what would become the 2006 election. Looking back, Belinda Stronach’s decision also made something else clear: she was never truly part of the team. Better that we learned it before forming government than after. History has a way of putting moments into perspective. What many of us experienced as one of our darkest days turned out to be one of our most important turning points. A few months later, Canadians elected a Conservative government, and Stephen Harper became Prime Minister. Sometimes leadership is the ability to see opportunity long before anyone else can. Sometimes it is also the ability to remain calm, principled and disciplined when everyone around you is reacting emotionally. That day in the driveway at Stornoway, Stephen Harper demonstrated both.