OTTAWA \u2014 Nigel Wright, a longtime Canadian businessman and former top aide to prime minister Stephen Harper, has died.<\/p>\n
Onex, the private equity firm where Wright worked for nearly three decades, announced his death in a statement<\/a> on Tuesday. The firm did not provide a cause of death.<\/p>\n Wright was 62.<\/p>\n The firm\u2019s president and CEO Bobby Le Blanc said Wright was a consummate gentleman and will be dearly missed.<\/p>\n \u201cOur hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of our cherished colleague and friend, Nigel,\u201d Le Blanc said.<\/p>\n Wright was Harper\u2019s chief of staff from 2011 to 2013.<\/p>\n In a post on social media Tuesday afternoon, Harper said he and his wife Laureen were shocked and heartbroken to hear of Wright\u2019s sudden passing.<\/p>\n \u201cA unique and deeply accomplished person, Nigel combined intellectual acumen with incredible capacity for work,\u201d Harper wrote on X.<\/p>\n Laureen and I are shocked and heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of Nigel Wright.<\/p>\n A unique and deeply accomplished person, Nigel combined intellectual acumen with incredible capacity for work.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nigel loved his country and believed in the value of public service, having\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/bpIlJdk74Y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n He added that Wright \u201cwas also a man of faith who cared about his fellow citizens and generously supported a range of philanthropic causes throughout his life.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew MacDougall, Harper\u2019s former director of communications, said in an email that Wright was \u201ceverything you would want a public servant to be: smart, dedicated, and Stakhanovite in his work ethic.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he was an even better person. Kind, generous, and selfless to a fault.<\/p>\n \u201cHe cared deeply about Canada and public policy and his loss will be deeply felt by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.\u201d<\/p>\n Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre offered condolences to Wright\u2019s loved ones on behalf of the party.<\/p>\n \u201cNigel was a principled and honourable man who was dedicated to Canada and to public service, and who made a lasting contribution to our country,\u201d Poilievre said in a post on X.<\/p>\n Saddened to learn of the passing of Nigel Wright, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.<\/p>\n Nigel was a principled and honourable man who was dedicated to Canada and to public service, and who made a lasting contribution to our country. His public service was\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Prime Minister Mark Carney said on social media that he was \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d to learn of Wright\u2019s passing, calling him a \u201cwidely respected business leader and builder with a lifelong commitment to public service and community leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout his career, Nigel contributed to a better and more prosperous future for Canadians,\u201d Carney said. \u201cI was privileged to know Nigel, benefited often from his counsel, and have long been inspired by his dedication to our country, his kindness to his friends, and his faith in our common future.\u201d<\/p>\n I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nigel Wright, a widely respected business leader and builder with a lifelong commitment to public service and community leadership. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2014 Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Former colleagues shared condolences on social media Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n Dimitri Soudas, who also worked as Harper\u2019s director of communications, said on X that Wright\u2019s \u201csharp mind and unwavering dedication left a mark on all of us who had the privilege to work alongside him.\u201d<\/p>\n Nigel Wright has left us far too soon. He was a former colleague and a friend during my time in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office. The hardest working person I have ever known \u2014 first one in, last one out. Brilliant, humble, and kind. His sharp mind and unwavering dedication left a\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Dimitris Soudas \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\u269c\ufe0f\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7\u2626\ufe0f 13.12.1943 (@DimitrisSoudas) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe contributed mightily to Canadian conservatism, mostly quietly, always modestly,\u201d wrote Ken Boessenkool, a former adviser to Harper.<\/p>\n A stunning and massive loss. <\/p>\n Nigel Wright was one of Canada\u2019s most selfless individuals. He contributed mightily to Candian conservatism, mostly quietly, always modestly.<\/p>\n It was a great honour to have known him. Condolences to his loved ones. https:\/\/t.co\/9caOtwBDlg<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ken Boessenkool (@KenBoessenkool) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIn addition to his business and investment acumen, Nigel had a long life of public service and I remember all my times working with him with great fondness,\u201d said Ian Brodie, who was Harper\u2019s chief of staff from 2006 to 2008.<\/p>\n Very saddened to hear of the passing of Nigel Wright. In addition to his business and investment acumen, Nigel had a long life of public service and I remember all my times working with him with great fondness. My sympathies to all his friends and family. https:\/\/t.co\/Ol3jxxMByA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ian Brodie (@irbrodie) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Wright had been politically active since his university days and was a longtime friend and supporter of Harper.<\/p>\n He began working at Onex in 1997, the firm said.<\/p>\n He joined Harper\u2019s office in 2011 but left the high-profile position less than three years later in May 2013 over his involvement in the Senate expenses scandal.<\/p>\n Wright resigned after it was revealed that he secretly wrote a $90,000 personal cheque to Mike Duffy, then a Conservative senator, to repay the Senate for questionable living expense claims.<\/p>\n At the time, Wright said he intended to ensure taxpayers were not on the hook for the expenses. \u201cI believed that my actions were always in the public interest and lawful,\u201d he said in a statement in early 2014.<\/p>\n The RCMP investigated the matter for months before publicly stating there was no evidence to support a criminal charge against Wright. Duffy, however, was charged with 31 counts, including accepting a bribe.<\/p>\n Duffy eventually was found not guilty, though the judge in the case called the actions of those in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office unacceptable and \u201cmind-boggling.\u201d<\/p>\n The ethics commissioner found that Wright broke federal conflict-of-interest rules in 2017. The commissioner had no power to impose sanctions or penalties in the case.<\/p>\n In 2014, after nearly a year out of the spotlight, Wright returned to Onex and joined the firm\u2019s London office.<\/p>\n Jason Kenney, former premier of Alberta and Conservative MP, said on social media he is \u201cshocked and saddened\u201d by Wright\u2019s sudden and untimely death.<\/p>\n I am shocked and saddened by the sudden, untimely death of my good friend Nigel Wright. <\/p>\n Nigel was one of the kindest, most decent and generous people I have ever known. A person of unimpeachable integrity and honour.<\/p>\n A brilliant man who excelled in business, and had a heart\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/XarsOsjQRK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jason Kenney \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 (@jkenney) September 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cNigel was one of the kindest, most decent and generous people I have ever known,\u201d Kenney said. \u201cA person of unimpeachable integrity and honour. A brilliant man who excelled in business, and had a heart for public service. He was a true Canadian patriot. But most importantly, he was man of deep faith.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe will be deeply missed by his many friends around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n By Sarah Ritchie.<\/p>\n
\u00a0
The pinnacle of Nigel\u2019s long career in public life was as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister\u2026<\/p>\n