Largely unable to effectively criticize Mr. Harper’s record in office, Canada’s opposition leaders underestimate the intelligence of Canadians and focus on a more visible world leader.
Tag: Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015, making him one of the most consequential leaders in modern Canadian political history. As the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Harper reshaped Canadian politics by uniting the right, implementing a fiscally conservative agenda, asserting Canadian sovereignty on the global stage, and overseeing the country through the 2008 global financial crisis.
Stephen Harper was born on April 30, 1959, in Toronto, Ontario, to Margaret Johnston and Joseph Harris Harper, an accountant with Imperial Oil. He grew up in the suburb of Leaside before moving to Etobicoke, where he attended Richview Collegiate Institute.
After graduating high school, Harper moved to Edmonton, Alberta, to work in the oil and gas sector. This move to Alberta would profoundly shape his political ideology and identity. He later returned to school, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Calgary, followed by a Master’s degree in Economics in 1991. Harper’s academic background in economics heavily influenced his approach to governance.
Harper’s political career began in the late 1980s. He became an advisor to Preston Manning, founder of the Reform Party of Canada, a Western populist party created to address frustrations with federal neglect of Western interests.
In 1988, Harper ran unsuccessfully in Calgary West but returned in 1993 and won the seat as a Reform Party Member of Parliament. Disillusioned with internal party politics, Harper left Parliament in 1997 and became vice-president of the National Citizens Coalition, a conservative advocacy group focused on limited government and taxpayer rights.
By the early 2000s, the political right in Canada was fractured between the Canadian Alliance (successor to the Reform Party) and the Progressive Conservative Party. Harper returned to elected politics in 2002, winning the leadership of the Canadian Alliance following Stockwell Day’s resignation.
Harper worked closely with Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay to merge the two parties. This union formed the modern Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. Harper was elected the party’s first leader in 2004.
After a minority Liberal government under Prime Minister Paul Martin fell to a non-confidence vote, Harper led the Conservative Party to victory in the 2006 federal election. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on February 6, 2006, by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. Harper became the first Conservative Prime Minister since Kim Campbell and Brian Mulroney.
Harper’s first term focused on restoring public trust in government after the Liberal Party’s sponsorship scandal. His government passed the Federal Accountability Act, introduced child care tax credits, and reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 7% to 5%.
Harper emphasized law-and-order policies, with new legislation increasing penalties for violent crimes and targeting repeat offenders. In foreign policy, he strengthened Canada’s alliance with the United States and supported Canadian troops deployed in Afghanistan, especially in Kandahar Province.
In the 2008 federal election, Harper led the Conservatives to another minority government. During his second term, Canada faced the global financial crisis. Harper and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty implemented a fiscal stimulus plan that included infrastructure projects, support for the automotive sector, and tax relief measures.
Canada emerged from the crisis with one of the strongest economies among G7 nations. The International Monetary Fund and the OECD praised Canada’s banking system and fiscal prudence. In 2010, Harper hosted the G8 and G20 summits in Huntsville and Toronto, respectively, promoting global fiscal restraint.
Harper’s foreign policy was marked by moral clarity. He supported Israel unconditionally, opposed anti-Semitic rhetoric at international forums, and condemned Iran’s nuclear ambitions under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Harper also made a bold decision not to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka due to human rights abuses.
Harper achieved a majority government in the 2011 federal election, defeating Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, who became Leader of the Official Opposition.
Freed from the constraints of a minority, Harper advanced a bold legislative agenda. His government passed the Safe Streets and Communities Act, and eliminated the long-gun registry.
In energy, Harper promoted Canada’s oil sands, pipeline expansion, and energy exports, including backing the Keystone XL and Northern Gateway projects. His support for the resource sector made him a strong advocate for Alberta’s economy.
In the 2015 federal election, the Conservatives were defeated by Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party.
Harper resigned as Conservative leader on election night and stepped away from public life in 2016. He was succeeded first by interim leader Rona Ambrose and later by Andrew Scheer.
After politics, Harper launched Harper & Associates, a global consulting firm. He also became Chairman of the International Democrat Union, an alliance of center-right political parties around the world.
In 2018, he published the book Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption, warning conservatives against populist overreach and advocating for principled, market-based policies.
Harper has served on corporate boards, including Colliers International, and occasionally advises conservative leaders in Canada and abroad. He has kept a relatively low public profile but remains influential in conservative political circles.
Even after his departure, Harper remains a towering figure in Canadian politics. His decade-long prime ministership left a clear imprint on Canadian institutions, foreign policy, and party dynamics, influencing both his successors and political opponents.
English debate, the next morning
Five federal party leaders squared off last night around the oblong table at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Coming off of a sort of dress-rehearsal last night for the English speaking viewers, leaders were coached all day yesterday on earlier missteps and new opportunities as senior scripters checked debate playbooks, wiped the blackboard clean and chalked out some final plays.
And though politics can be a contact sport, referee Steve Paikin kept the unnecessary roughness to a minimum and even straightened out a few players when needed. The format of the debate has been criticized by some Conservatives as too amenable to unbalanced debating particularly when four candidates (including one late-comer and one spoiler) focus their attention squarely upon the incumbent. However, if one contrasts this with the American Vice-Presidential debate last night, the table format led to more exchanges and discussion rather than moderator-induced conversation without direct confrontation between candidates. Indeed, the Palin-Biden debate was instead two separate interviews, occurring simultaneously in the same room. The Canadian debate format for this election cycle proved more interesting for viewers and provided an unvarnished look at the candidates as they were challenged directly by the other candidates.
Despite this, the current Prime Minister seemed at ease though at times I’m certain he wanted to leap across the table and give Jack Layton a better-balanced bludgeoning. Viewers of the French language debate joked that the Prime Minister seemed to have been sedated while partisans both friendly and not yearned for more emotion; the unfriendlies hoped for anger while Conservatives hoped for more passion from their champion to describe their common agenda. In the English language debate, the Prime Minister seemed to exude what is more appropriately described as confidence than calm as he took the barrage that came as the polarized players flailed their collective left-wing and labeled the Prime Minister everything from out-of-touch with the middle class — quite brazen coming from Elizabeth May — to a George Bush clone (the left will miss him when he’s gone).
Despite the constant attacks, Stephen Harper performed strongly by donning his figurative blue sweater vest appearing the most rational and collected candidate of the group. As one twitterer likely not voting for Harper put it, “It concerns me that Harper sounds the least crazy.” Jack Layton, the other strong debate performer appealed to the dramatic by twice making cynical references to the very same sweater the PM wears in the Conservative ads. Jack Layton and Stephen Harper needed each other to boost their debate performances and by focusing their heat on each other, they were able to wedge out Dion. Though the Liberals have never had a leader like Paul Martin that was richer, the critics couldn’t be fairer; the Liberals have never had a greener candidate than Stephane Dion and despite Martin’s failings, he was more animated than Dion was last night. Though Martin entered the election in the lead, Dion is coming from behind and failed to capture anyone’s attention last night.
Elizabeth May surprised last night as she was the most sober of the opposition leaders. In comparison with other leaders, May brought a calm, number- and fact-referencing persona to the debate and politely corrected leaders as to the “facts” (though many as she saw them). For many Canadians who look at the political landscape and see the same old players locked in a seemingly eternal stalemate, May brought a fresh face to the stage for Canadians to consider. The Green Party leader needed to show Canadians that she deserved to debate on the same stage as the party leaders. Despite real and valid arguments against her inclusion and a childish repeat of her fraud accusation leveled against Harper, last night she didn’t appear out of place. In that, May scored an impressive victory for her cause.
As the leader of a french-first-and-last separatist party from Quebec, Gilles Duceppe did not have much to gain or lose during the English language debate and the Bloc leader appeared to be the candidate most genuinely at ease during the two hours last night. Duceppe also appeared as a shadow moderator; when he was not advancing his ideology, bringing he brought realism against rhetoric particularly when he gestured towards Layton and Dion suggesting they knew they’d never become Prime Minister and then proceeded to address the sitting Prime Minister — indeed, seated directly across from him — speaking about Quebec’s issues as the Bloc leader saw them. Most observers note that this will likely be Duceppe’s last performance in this forum as the dean of the debate is expected to retire from federal politics before the next federal election.
The debate was interesting to watch and was more interesting than debates in previous years. It certainly brought a fresh perspective to the players that we see in Question Period when parliament is sitting. If more and more newcomers show up to claim their stake on the democratic frontier as May did last night, we might see this format degenerate into a collective browbeating of an incumbent. If democratic reform proceeds along the path which May advocates, do more voices create more noise or do the enrich the process? In the American primary process we’ve seen about ten voices crowd one stage at a particular time with the TV networks biased towards perceived front-runners. Democracy is by definition a dynamic process and the evolution of the Canadian leader’s debate will follow its own path. The method by which our leaders appeal to Canadians for their votes will be, for the most part, fixed directly to the format by which Canadians would choose to hear them. That is democracy.
Tonight’s debate: the drinking game
Tonight, Canada’s four national mainstream party leaders (and one wildcard) will gather at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre for the English language debate. To occupy yourself while you twitter, and yell at the screen here’s the debate drinking game.
First, pick your poison.
If you support Stephane Dion, make sure you have some Château Pétrus on hand. Sip it slowly and savour it. If Stephen Harper is your guy, go to the corner store and get yourself some Coke Zero. Same great taste, zero calories. For those of you supporting Jack Layton, grab a can of Steelworkers Oatmeal Stout. Gilles Duceppe will be in the debate and without much of a clear purpose, if he’s your choice, just pour yourself something bitter. Finally, if you choose Elizabeth May finish your organic pomegranate with vodka and then go and mooch off of Dion. That Pétrus is some good stuff, and though and it won’t give you a hangover unlike the one that came after that thirteen year bender when the Liberals were drunk with power.
And now the rules:
If Jack Layton references the initiatives of one of his MPs, take a drink.
If Elizabeth May calls an idea/policy/person “stupid”/”ridiculous”/”outrageous” take a drink.
If Stephen Harper talks about the fundamentals of the Canadian economy take a drink.
If a leader says “George Bush” take a drink.
If Stephen Harper says “George Bush” finish the bottle and keep drinking til it stops hurting.
If a leader says in reference to Dion “you didn’t get it done”, “Mr. Dion doesn’t think it’s easy to make priorities” take a drink.
If Dion says “this is unfair”, finish the bottle.
Every time Duceppe puts the emphAsis on the wrong SyllAble take a drink.
Every time Dion seeks clarification take a drink.
If Jack Layton says “corporate tax cuts”, “boardroom/kitchen table”, “Ed Broadbent”, “Tommy Douglas”, “hope/change”, “working families”, “big oil/gas/pharma/banks” take a drink.
If Jack Layton says “big labour”, “big ass” or “Barack Obama” finish the bottle.
If Elizabeth May/Jack Layton/Stephane Dion cite Al Gore or David Suzuki take a drink.
If Stephen Harper cites Al Gore or David Suzuki finish the bottle.
Every time Harper/Layton tag-team Dion take a drink. Every time Dion/May tag-team Harper take a drink.
Anytime anyone tag-teams anyone with Duceppe, finish the bottle.
Every time Steve Paikin brings out his pleasant non-offensive wit, take a drink.
If Steve Paikin makes an off-colour joke, finish the bottle.
Add your own in the comments, and… please drink responsibly.