Harper missed every sign of the recession - even going so far as predicting that Canada would not get hit.    He campaigned on this (in addition to not running deficits).

Harper needed a vote of non-confidence to make him recognize the need for stimulus, then he took it and abused it as a thinly disguised slush fund to buy a majority.

As for Chretien and Martin - tech bubble, LongTerm Capital bankruptcy, 9/11...    yeah, nothing, right howler?