Gerry Nicholls's "Loyal To The Core": on Stephen Harper, the NCC, and non-partisan conservatism

Gerry Nicholls has written an interesting book called "Loyal To The Core", which briefly documents the course of the National Citizens' Coalition (NCC) before, during, and after Stephen Harper.

It describes the pre-Harper role of the NCC as a conservative watchdog that wasn't partisan and held all parties to account according to a set of conservative principles. It also describes how the NCC changed during Harper's leadership of the organization, and how the line between the NCC and the Conservative party became blurred as the NCC began to be used to back partisan interests, which had not been its traditional role. It describes how many of the principles Stephen Harper fought for during his time at the NCC are now falling by the wayside, seemingly in a preference for power over principle. It explores why this might have happened.

Along the way, you come to see a more fleshed-out characterization of Stephen Harper from someone that has worked with him that in some ways aligns with the rather negative image of him portrayed by the media, but that in some other ways shows this image to be quite far removed and unfair.

It is a short book, written in easy prose, and without embellishment. You will come away with a better understanding of both Stephen Harper and the NCC, and it will be a fair understanding. I recommend it.