Toronto: Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, who helped Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper nudge a liberal-leaning country further to the right, unexpectedly resigned on Tuesday with plans to work in the private sector.

Baird, 45, shares the same conservative philosophy and hyper-partisan temperament as Harper, who has kept tight control over his cabinet during his nine-year tenure, rarely letting ministers stray from script. But Baird was one of the few allowed to speak freely, and even for the prime minister. He often escorted Harper’s wife, Laureen, to official events when Harper couldn’t attend.

“I will miss this place very much,” Baird said in a speech in Parliament. “The time has come to start a new chapter in my life.”

Baird called Harper a friend and a mentor and said he will help the prime minister campaign in the next election, which is scheduled for October. Baird received a standing ovation before Harper and his colleagues shook his hand and hugged him.

An official who is close to Baird said he will be exploring opportunities in the private sector. The official said that Baird simply felt it was the right time to move on after a successful career in both the Ontario provincial legislature and federal parliament. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

Since taking office in 2006, Harper and Baird, previously the environment minister, have promoted the potential of Alberta’s oil sands, the world’s third largest oil reserves, despite environmental objections. Baird has been a staunch supporter of Israel and an outspoken critic of Russia.

Harper is expected to run again in the October election, although he has now lost one of his most trusted lieutenants.

Baird previously served in Harper’s cabinet as house leader, environment minister, transport minister and treasury board president. Baird won’t be running for parliament in the next federal election.

Baird had little international experience before becoming foreign minister in 2011.

Palestinian protesters hurled eggs and shoes at Baird’s convoy last month during a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet with the Palestinian foreign minister.

In recent days, Baird has been working to secure the release of Egyptian-Canadian journalist Mohammad Fahmi from a Cairo prison. Baird said it was “imminent.”

Former Liberal opposition leader Bob Rae tweeted that he admired Baird’s energy, humour, and willingness to listen and engage.

“John Baird is bombastic, mean spirited, vicious, eloquent, generous, smart, cantankerous, hardworking, ingratiating, effective, human,” Rae tweeted.

Baird sparked a diplomatic furore in 2009 when he sent a short text to a friend that read simply: “Thatcher has died.” Harper had his spokesman prepare an official statement to mourn the passing of the former British prime minister after word spread through a crowd of about 1,700 people at a black-tie event in Toronto that Harper was attending. The spokesman contacted officials in Buckingham Palace and in British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s office.

But in fact, it was Baird’s beloved tabby cat, Thatcher, who had passed away. Margaret Thatcher died four years later.