Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper
Name	Stephen Harper
Caption	Harper in 2014
Office	22nd Prime Minister of Canada
Term start	February 6, 2006
Term end	November 4, 2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor general	Michaëlle Jean, David Johnston
Predecessor	Paul Martin
Successor	Justin Trudeau
Office1	Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Term start1	March 20, 2004
Term end1	October 19, 2015
Predecessor1	John Lynch-Staunton (interim)
Successor1	Rona Ambrose (interim)
Office2	Leader of the Opposition
Term start2	March 20, 2004
Term end2	February 5, 2006
Predecessor2	Grant Hill (interim)
Successor2	Bill Graham (interim)
Birth date	30 April 1959
Birth place	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Party	Conservative (2003–present)
Otherparty	Reform (1987–1997), Canadian Alliance (2002–2003)
Spouse	Lauren Teskey, 1993
Alma mater	University of Calgary (BA, MA)

Stephen Harper served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015, leading a Conservative government. A key architect of the party's unification, his tenure was marked by economic policies focused on resource development, tax cuts, and a staunch foreign policy alignment with allies like the United States and Israel. His government implemented significant changes to criminal law, pursued trade agreements, and navigated the country through the Great Recession.

Early life and education

Born in Toronto, he spent his formative years in the city before moving to Etobicoke. He attended Richview Collegiate Institute and later enrolled at the University of Toronto, though he did not complete his degree there. Harper relocated to Alberta, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in economics at the University of Calgary. He remained at the same institution to earn a Master of Arts in economics, studying under conservative economist Robert Mansell. During this period, he was influenced by the burgeoning Western-based Reform Party movement.

Political career

His initial political involvement was with the Progressive Conservatives, but he soon joined the nascent Reform Party, serving as a legislative aide to Calgary West MP Deborah Grey. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993 representing Calgary West, but left Parliament in 1997 to lead the National Citizens Coalition. Returning to politics, he helped negotiate the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives to form the new Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. He was elected its first leader in 2004, becoming Leader of the Opposition after that year's federal election.

Prime Minister of Canada

After the 2006 election resulted in a minority government, he was sworn in as prime minister by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. His government introduced the Federal Accountability Act, cut the Goods and Services Tax, and recognized the Québécois as a nation within Canada. He secured a stronger mandate in the 2008 election, but his government was challenged by the parliamentary dispute and a 2011 election that delivered a majority. Key policies included anti-terrorism legislation, tougher criminal sentences, and withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. His government signed trade deals with the European Union (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) and South Korea, and championed projects like the Keystone XL pipeline.

Post-political career

Since leaving office, he resigned as MP for Calgary Heritage and stepped down as party leader. He founded the consulting firm Harper & Associates and serves as chairman of the International Democratic Union. He remains active in global conservative circles, speaking at events for the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe. He authored the book *Right Here, Right Now* and joined the board of the International Conservation Caucus Foundation. In 2021, he was appointed to the Queen’s Privy Council.

Political views and policies

Ideologically, he is an adherent of classical liberalism and Canadian conservatism, emphasizing fiscal conservatism, small government, and free market principles. His foreign policy was strongly pro-Israel and supportive of military missions in Afghanistan and against the Islamic State. He pursued a strategy of asserting Arctic sovereignty and maintained a skeptical stance on climate change policies, preferring sector-by-sector regulatory approaches. His social conservatism was often tempered politically, though his government supported anti-abortion initiatives internationally and limited the expansion of supervised injection sites.

Personal life

He married Lauren Teskey in 1993, and they have two children, Benjamin and Rachel. The family resides in Calgary and maintains a private life. An avid ice hockey fan, he is a supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs and served as a board member for the Hockey Canada Foundation. He is also known for his musical interest in The Beatles and plays rhythm guitar. He has been involved with the Calgary Grace Presbyterian Church.

Category:Stephen Harper Category:Prime Ministers of Canada Category:Leaders of the Conservative Party of Canada Category:Canadian political writers