Stephen Harper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Stephen Harper PC CC AOE
Harper in 2010
22nd Prime Minister of Canada
In office February 6, 2006 – November 4, 2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Michaëlle Jean David Johnston
Preceded by	Paul Martin
Succeeded by	Justin Trudeau
4th Chairman of the International Democracy Union
Incumbent
Assumed office February 21, 2018
Deputy	Brian Loughnane
Preceded by	John Key
Additional offices held Leader of the Opposition In office March 20, 2004 – February 6, 2006 Prime Minister Paul Martin Preceded by Grant Hill Succeeded by Bill Graham In office May 21, 2002 – January 8, 2004 Prime Minister Jean Chrétien Paul Martin Preceded by John Reynolds Succeeded by Grant Hill Leader of the Conservative Party In office March 20, 2004 – October 19, 2015 Deputy Peter MacKay Preceded by John Lynch-Staunton (interim) Succeeded by Rona Ambrose (interim) Leader of the Canadian Alliance In office March 20, 2002 – December 7, 2003 Preceded by John Reynolds (interim) Succeeded by Position abolished Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage Calgary Southwest (2002–2015) In office May 13, 2002 – August 26, 2016 Preceded by Preston Manning Succeeded by Bob Benzen Member of Parliament for Calgary West In office October 25, 1993 – April 26, 1997 Preceded by Jim Hawkes Succeeded by Rob Anders
Personal details
Born	Stephen Joseph Harper (1959-04-30) April 30, 1959 (age 66) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Conservative (since 2003)
Other political affiliations	Liberal (until 1981) Progressive Conservative (1981–1986) Reform (1987–2000) Alliance (2000–2003)
Spouse	Laureen Teskey ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	2
Residences	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Alma mater	University of Toronto (no degree) University of Calgary (BA, 1985; MA, 1991)
Signature

Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician. He served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. He is the only prime minister from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada. He was the party's first leader from 2004 to 2015.

Harper studied economics at the University of Calgary. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1985 and a master's degree in 1991. He was one of the founders of the Reform Party of Canada. He was first elected to Parliament in 1993 for Calgary West. He did not run for re-election in 1997. Instead, he joined and later led the National Citizens Coalition, a group that promotes conservative ideas.

In 2002, Harper became the leader of the Canadian Alliance. This party was the successor to the Reform Party. He returned to Parliament as leader of the Official Opposition. In 2003, Harper helped merge the Canadian Alliance with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. This created the Conservative Party of Canada. He was elected as the new party's first leader in March 2004. In the 2004 federal election, his party lost to the Liberal Party led by Paul Martin.

The 2006 federal election resulted in a minority government. Harper's Conservative Party won the most seats. He became prime minister of Canada on February 6, 2006. During his first term, Harper reduced the goods and services tax to five percent. He also passed the Federal Accountability Act and the Québécois nation motion. After the 2008 federal election, the Conservatives won a larger minority. Harper introduced the tax-free savings account. He also ordered military action during the First Libyan Civil War.

In March 2011, a no-confidence vote led to a federal election. The Conservatives won a majority government. During his third term, Harper withdrew Canada from the Kyoto Protocol. He launched Operation Impact against ISIL. He also repealed the long-gun registry. In the 2015 federal election, the Conservative Party lost to the Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau. Harper stepped down as party leader on October 19, 2015. He resigned his seat in Parliament on August 26, 2016. Since then, Harper has taken on international business roles. He founded a global consulting firm. He was also elected leader of the International Democracy Union.

Early Life and Education

Harper was born on April 30, 1959, in Toronto, Ontario. He grew up in the Leaside neighbourhood. He was the first of three sons of Margaret and Joseph Harris Harper. His father was an accountant. The Harper family's roots go back to Yorkshire, England. His ancestor, Christopher Harper, moved to Nova Scotia in 1784.

Harper went to Northlea Public School. He later attended John G. Althouse Middle School and Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto. He finished high school in 1978. He was part of Richview Collegiate's team on Reach for the Top. This was a TV quiz show for high school students. Harper studied at University of Toronto's Trinity College. He later moved to Alberta.

Harper left the University of Toronto to become independent. He moved to Edmonton, Alberta. He found work in the mail room at Imperial Oil. He later worked on the company's computer systems. He went back to school at the University of Calgary. He finished a bachelor's degree in economics in 1985. He later earned a master's degree in economics in 1991. Harper has kept strong ties to the University of Calgary. He was the first prime minister with an economics degree since Pierre Trudeau. He was also the first prime minister without a law degree since Joe Clark.

Starting in Politics

Harper first got involved in politics in high school. He was a member of the Young Liberals club. He later changed his political views. He disagreed with the National Energy Program (NEP) of Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government. In 1985, he became an assistant to Progressive Conservative (PC) Member of Parliament (MP) Jim Hawkes. However, he became unhappy with the PC Party and the government of Brian Mulroney. He felt their economic policies were not good. He left the PC Party the next year.

Harper was then introduced to Preston Manning. Manning was the founder and leader of the Reform Party of Canada. Harper was told that he "didn't see himself as a politician" at that time. Manning invited him to join the party. Harper gave a speech at Reform's first meeting in 1987 in Winnipeg. He became the Reform Party's chief policy officer. He helped write the 1988 election plan, known as the Blue Book. This book set out the party's main ideas. Harper was influenced by his mentor, Tom Flanagan. Harper is also credited with creating the Reform Party's slogan: "The West wants in!"

Harper ran for Parliament in the 1988 federal election in Calgary West. He lost to Jim Hawkes, his former boss. After Deborah Grey became the Reform Party's first MP in 1989, Harper became her assistant. He was her main advisor and speechwriter until 1993. He remained important in the Reform Party. He encouraged the party to grow beyond its Western base. He argued that regional parties could be taken over by extreme groups. He gave a speech at the Reform Party's 1991 meeting. In it, he spoke against extreme views.

Harper's relationship with Manning became difficult in 1992. They disagreed about the Charlottetown Accord. Harper was against the accord for his beliefs. Manning was more open to finding a middle ground. Harper also did not like Manning's choice to hire Rick Anderson as an advisor. He felt Anderson was not committed enough to the Reform Party's ideas. Harper resigned as policy chief in October 1992.

Harper ran for office again in the 1993 federal election. He defeated Jim Hawkes. The Reform Party gained many seats in Western Canada. The National Citizens Coalition (NCC) ran a campaign against Hawkes. They spent $50,000 on ads. They did not directly support Harper.

Reform Party MP (1993–1997)

Harper became an important member of the Reform Party. He worked on issues related to the Canadian Constitution. He helped plan the Reform Party's strategy for the 1995 Quebec referendum. He had always been against a very strong central government in Canada. He joined Preston Manning in Montreal to introduce a plan. This plan had twenty points to make Canada more "decentralized and modern." This would happen if the "no" side won the referendum. Harper later said that a close "no" victory was the worst outcome. It meant no one had a clear direction for change.

Harper held some traditional social views on certain topics. In 1994, he opposed plans to give benefits to same-sex partners. He said there were "more important social and economic issues." He also spoke against the Canadian Human Rights Commission or the Supreme Court changing federal policy on these matters.

At the Reform Party's 1994 meeting, Harper was among a few who voted against defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. He was against same-sex marriage and required benefits for same-sex couples. However, he believed political parties should not take official stances on "issues of conscience."

Harper was the only Reform MP to support the creation of the Canadian Firearms Registry at first. He later voted against it. He said he first voted for it because a poll showed his voters supported it. He changed his vote when a second poll showed the opposite. In April 1995, some Progressive Conservatives wanted to unite the Reform and PC parties under Harper's leadership.

Despite his role, Harper's relationship with the Reform Party leaders was often difficult. In 1994, he criticized a party decision to give Manning a personal expense account. This happened when other Reform MPs were asked to give up some benefits. He was officially criticized by the Reform executive council. However, some MPs supported him. His relationship with Manning became worse in the mid-1990s. Harper did not share his opinion on Manning's leadership in a 1996 interview. This tension showed a basic difference between them. Harper believed strongly in conservative ideas. He did not like Manning's focus on populism, which Harper saw as giving up core beliefs.

These problems led Harper to announce in late 1996 that he would not run in the next federal election. He left Parliament on January 14, 1997. On the same day, he was named a vice-president of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC). This was a conservative group that studies and promotes ideas. He became NCC president later that year.

In April 1997, Harper suggested the Reform Party was becoming too focused on social issues. He felt it was ignoring economic conservative ideas. The Liberal Party lost seats but kept a small majority in the 1997 election. The Reform Party made only small gains.

Outside Parliament (1997–2001)

After leaving Parliament, Harper and Tom Flanagan wrote an article. It was called "Our Benign Dictatorship." They argued that the Liberal Party stayed in power because of a broken political system and a divided opposition. Harper and Flanagan said that past federal conservative governments were temporary alliances. These alliances were between Western populists and Quebec nationalists. They could not govern well because of their basic disagreements. The authors called for Canada's conservative parties to unite.

Harper continued to be involved in constitutional issues. He was against the Calgary Declaration on national unity in late 1997. He called it a way to "appease" Quebec nationalism. He wanted politicians to reject this approach. He said future talks should start with the idea that "Quebec separatists are the problem." In late 1999, Harper asked the federal government to set clear rules for any future Quebec vote on independence. Some believe Harper's ideas influenced the Chrétien government's Clarity Act.

As president of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) from 1998 to 2002, Harper fought against federal election laws. These laws limited advertising by groups outside political parties. He led the NCC in campaigns against the Canadian Wheat Board. He supported Finance Minister Paul Martin's tax cuts in 2000. He saw them as a good first step towards tax reform.

In 1997, Harper gave a speech about Canadian identity to a conservative American group. He made comments like "Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it." He also said, "if you're like all Americans, you know almost nothing except for your own country. Which makes you probably knowledgeable about one more country than most Canadians." These statements became public during the 2006 election. Harper said the speech was meant to be funny, not serious.

Harper thought about running for the Progressive Conservative Party leadership in 1998. This was after Jean Charest left federal politics. He decided not to run. He felt it would "burn bridges" with Reformers he had worked with. It would also stop right-wing parties from uniting. Harper doubted the Reform Party's United Alternative plan in 1999. He thought it would just strengthen Manning's control over the party. He also worried it would weaken Reform's main ideas.

When the United Alternative created the Canadian Alliance in 2000, Harper predicted Stockwell Day would win the leadership. He had concerns about Day's abilities. Harper supported Tom Long for the leadership. He believed Long could gain support from the Progressive Conservative Party. When Day won the first vote, Harper said the Canadian Alliance was moving "more towards being a party of the religious right."

After the death of Pierre Trudeau in 2000, Harper wrote an article. He criticized Trudeau's policies that affected Western Canada. He said Trudeau promoted "unabashed socialism." He argued that Canadian governments between 1972 and 2002 limited economic growth.

After the Canadian Alliance did poorly in the 2000 election, Harper joined other Western conservatives. They wrote a document called the "Alberta Agenda." This letter asked Alberta to change its public health care system. It also suggested replacing the Canada Pension Plan with a provincial plan. It called for replacing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with a provincial police force. It became known as the "firewall letter." It asked the provincial government to "build firewalls around Alberta." This was to stop the federal government from taking its wealth. Alberta Premier Ralph Klein agreed with some ideas. However, he distanced himself from the "firewall" comments.

Harper also wrote an article in late 2000. He argued that Alberta and the rest of Canada were "embark[ing] on divergent and potentially hostile paths." He said Alberta chose "the best of Canada's heritage." This was "a combination of American enterprise and individualism with the British traditions of order and co-operation." He said Canada "appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country." He also called for a "stronger and much more autonomous Alberta." He rejected calls for separatism. In the 2001 Alberta provincial election, Harper led a campaign. It was called "Vote Anything but Liberal."

Harper and the NCC supported a private school tax credit in Ontario in 2001. It was proposed by Ontario's Progressive Conservative government. They argued it would "save about $7,000 for each student who does not attend a union-run public school." Education Minister Janet Ecker criticized this. She said her government's goal was not to save money at the expense of public education.

Day's leadership of the Canadian Alliance became more difficult in 2001. Several party MPs asked him to resign. In June, the National Post reported that former Reform MP Ian McClelland was planning a leadership challenge for Harper. Harper announced he was leaving the NCC presidency in August 2001. This was to prepare for a campaign.

Leader of the Canadian Alliance (2002–2003)

Stockwell Day called for a new Canadian Alliance leadership race in 2002. He soon announced he would run again. Harper became Day's main opponent. He announced his own candidacy on December 3, 2001. He gained support from at least 28 Alliance MPs. During the campaign, Harper repeated his warnings against an alliance with Quebec nationalists. He wanted his party to be the federalist choice in Quebec. He argued that "the French language is not imperilled in Quebec." He opposed "special status" for the province in the Canadian constitution. He also supported more provincial control over Medicare. He said he would not work with the Progressive Conservatives as long as Joe Clark led them. On social issues, Harper supported "parental rights" to use corporal punishment against children.

The leadership contest became heated in February 2002. Harper called Day's leadership of the party "amateurish." His campaign team said Day was trying to win by building support among religious groups. Day's campaign accused Harper of "attacking ethnic and religious minorities." In early March, the two candidates had a difficult debate on CBC Newsworld. The leadership vote was held on March 20, 2002. Harper was elected on the first vote with 55% support. Day received 37%. Two other candidates split the rest of the votes.

After winning, Harper announced he would run for Parliament. This was in a special election in Calgary Southwest. The seat was recently left empty by Preston Manning. Ezra Levant had been chosen as the Alliance candidate for that area. He first said he would not step aside for Harper. He later changed his mind. The Liberals did not put forward a candidate. This followed a tradition of letting opposition leaders enter Parliament without a fight. The Progressive Conservative candidate, Jim Prentice, also withdrew. Harper easily won against New Democrat Bill Phipps. Harper told a reporter during the campaign that he "despise[d]" Phipps. He refused to debate him.

Harper officially became the leader of the Official Opposition in May 2002. Later that month, he said the Atlantic Provinces were stuck in "a culture of defeat." He said this was due to policies from Liberal and Progressive Conservative governments. Many Atlantic politicians said his remark was insulting. The Legislature of Nova Scotia voted to condemn Harper's comments. New Brunswick premier, Bernard Lord, and Joe Clark also criticized them. Harper refused to apologize. He said much of Canada was stuck with the same "can't-do" attitude.

In March 2003, Harper and Stockwell Day wrote a letter to The Wall Street Journal. They criticized the Canadian government for not joining the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

As party leader, Harper wanted to merge the Alliance with the Progressive Conservatives (PCs). This would create a united right-of-centre party. The chance for a united conservative party grew after Peter Mackay was elected Progressive Conservative leader in May 2003. On October 16, 2003, Harper and Mackay agreed to merge the two parties. They formed the Conservative Party of Canada. After 95 percent of Alliance members and 90 percent of PC delegates voted to merge, the Conservative Party of Canada was founded on December 7, 2003.

Leader of the Conservative Party

On January 12, 2004, Harper resigned as leader of the Official Opposition. He did this to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. Harper was elected the first leader of the Conservative Party. He won on the first vote against Belinda Stronach and Tony Clement on March 20, 2004. Harper's win included strong support outside Western Canada.

2004 Federal Election

Harper led the Conservatives into the 2004 federal election. At first, new prime minister Paul Martin had a big lead in polls. But this lead shrunk due to problems and other issues with his government. The Liberals tried to counter this by calling an early election. This would give the Conservatives less time to get ready after their merger.

This, along with an unpopular provincial budget in Ontario, helped the Conservatives take the lead for a while. However, comments by Conservative MPs and negative ads suggested the Conservatives had a hidden plan. This caused Harper's party to lose some momentum.

The Liberals were re-elected with a minority government. The Conservatives came in second place. The Conservatives gained ground in Ontario, especially in the central region. However, they did not win any seats in Quebec. This was the first time a centre-right party did not win seats there. Harper decided to stay on as party leader.

Leader of the Opposition

The Conservative Party's first policy meeting was from March 17 to 19, 2005, in Montreal. Harper was thought to be moving his ideas closer to the centre. Many believed he wanted to make the party's policies more moderate. Harper received 84% support from delegates in the leadership review.

The party began to focus on other issues. Harper argued for lower taxes, an elected Senate, tougher laws on crime, and closer ties with the United States.

In April 2005, damaging information about the Liberals came out. Polls then showed the Conservatives ahead of the Liberals. The Conservatives had earlier not voted on the 2005 budget. This was to avoid forcing an election. With Liberal support dropping, Harper announced that Martin's Liberals had lost the "moral authority to govern." Soon after, the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois worked together. They defeated the government on a vote. The Martin government did not agree with this interpretation. They said the vote was on a technical issue. The effort to bring down the Martin government failed. This was after Conservative MP Belinda Stronach moved to the Liberal Party. The Liberals stayed in power.

Harper was also criticized for supporting MP Gurmant Grewal. Grewal had recordings of talks with Paul Martin's chief of staff. Grewal claimed he was offered a cabinet position if he switched parties.

The Liberals' support dropped sharply after a report about the scandal came out. But it bounced back soon after. Later that month, Harper introduced a motion of no confidence against the Martin government. He told the House of Commons that the government "has lost the confidence of the House of Commons and needs to be removed." The Liberals had lost support from another party. The no-confidence motion passed with a vote of 171–133. This was the first time a Canadian government was defeated by a direct no-confidence motion from the opposition. As a result, Parliament was closed. A general election was set for January 23, 2006.

2006 Federal Election

The Conservatives started the election campaign with a new policy each day. This was different from the Liberal plan. Harper got most of the media attention for the first few weeks. His party's support in polls did not change much. But Harper's personal approval numbers began to rise. In response, the Liberals launched negative ads against Harper. These were similar to their ads in the 2004 election. However, their tactics were not enough to stop the Conservatives. Harper's personal numbers continued to rise. Polls found he was seen as more trustworthy. He was also seen as a better choice for prime minister than Martin.

Just before Christmas, the RCMP commissioner announced an investigation. It was about a complaint that information had been leaked from the Liberal Finance Minister's office. This leak might have led to unfair trading. On December 27, 2005, the RCMP confirmed this. Later, a top civil servant was charged. No charges were laid against the Minister.

The election gave Harper's Conservatives the most seats in Parliament. But it was not enough for a majority government. Shortly after midnight on January 24, Martin admitted defeat. Later that day, Martin told Governor General Michaëlle Jean he would resign. At 6:45 p.m., Jean asked Harper to form a government. Harper was sworn in as Canada's 22nd prime minister on February 6, 2006.

In his first speech to Parliament as prime minister, Harper honored the Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II. He spoke of her "lifelong dedication to duty." He also said Canada and the United Kingdom were linked by "the golden circle of the Crown." This linked them to a "majestic past." Journalist Graham Fraser said Harper's speech was "one of the most monarchist speeches a Canadian prime minister has given since John Diefenbaker."

Prime Minister of Canada (2006–2015)

In July 2019, a study looked at how many promises past prime ministers kept. It found that the Harper government fulfilled 85 percent of its promises. This included partially completed ones. When only looking at fully completed promises, Harper's government kept 77 percent. The study found that Harper's government, and the government after him, had the highest rates of keeping campaign promises in 35 years.

Governing Canada: Key Policies

Constitutional Issues

After avoiding the issue for his first year as prime minister, Harper had to address the Quebec sovereignty debate. The Bloc Québécois planned to introduce a motion in Parliament. This motion called for Quebec to be recognized as a "nation." On November 22, 2006, Harper introduced his own motion. It recognized that "the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada." Five days later, Harper's motion passed. The vote was 266–16. All federalist parties and the Bloc Québécois supported it.

In 2004, Harper said the "Upper House remains a dumping ground for the favoured cronies of the prime minister." This referred to the Senate. Between 2006 and 2008, Harper did not name anyone for Senate appointments. This led to 16 empty Senate seats by the October 2008 election. One exception was Michael Fortier. When Harper became prime minister, he advised the governor general to appoint Michael Fortier to both the Senate and the Cabinet. He argued the government needed a representative from Montreal. This action had happened before in Canadian history. But it led to criticism. Opponents said Harper was going back on his promise for an elected Senate. In 2008, Fortier left his Senate seat. He ran for election as an MP but lost.

After the October 2008 election, Harper again said Senate reform was important. By December, he recommended 18 senators for appointment. In 2009, he added nine more people for appointment. Many of those appointed had close ties to the Conservative Party. Critics accused Harper of being a hypocrite. Conservative senator Bert Brown defended Harper's appointments. He said the Senate has "always been filled by having people that are loyal to the prime minister who's appointing them."

Economic Management

During Harper's time as prime minister, Canada had budget surpluses. These were in 2006 ($13.8 billion) and 2007 ($9.6 billion). After the 2008 financial crisis, Canada had deficits. These were from 2008 to 2013. The deficit was $55.6 billion in 2009. It gradually went down to $5.2 billion in 2013. In 2014, the federal budget was balanced. It had a surplus of $1.9 billion. For the first 11 months of 2015–2016, the government was on track for a $7.5 billion surplus. For 2015–2016, the government predicted a $1.4-billion surplus. After the 2015 election and a change in government, the 2015 fiscal year ended with a $1 billion deficit. In 2010, Canada had the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio among the G7 countries. The Economist magazine said Canada came out of the recession stronger than other rich G7 countries. In 2013, Canada launched the Canada's Global Markets Action Plan. This plan aimed to create jobs for Canadians.

2011 Census Changes

Before the Canada 2011 Census, the government announced a change. The long-form questionnaire, which collects detailed information, would no longer be mandatory. Minister of Industry Tony Clement said this change was due to privacy complaints. He also said it was after talking with Statistics Canada. However, the federal privacy commissioner reported only three complaints between 1995 and 2010. This was according to a report in the Toronto Sun.

Munir Sheikh, the chief statistician of Canada, resigned on July 21, 2010. He did this to protest the government's policy change. Ivan Fellegi, a former chief statistician, criticized the decision. He said that vulnerable people, like the poor or new immigrants, are less likely to respond to a voluntary form. This weakens information about them.

Many groups opposed the change. These included the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Toronto government, and the Canadian Medical Association. The provincial governments of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba also opposed the change. However, the Fraser Institute supported it.

Support for Veterans

Under Harper, the yearly budget for Veterans Affairs Canada increased. It went from $2.85 billion in 2005–2006 to $3.55 billion in 2014–2015. At the same time, the number of veterans served decreased. It went from 219,152 in 2008–2009 to 199,154 in 2015. Nine Veterans Affairs offices were closed between 2012 and 2015. About 900 positions were removed from the department since 2009. Former-minister of veterans affairs Erin O'Toole said the closures were to update the department. Services would move online and to Service Canada locations. In 2006, Harper put the New Veterans Charter into effect. This charter was passed with support from all parties by the previous Liberal government. It gave veterans choices for payments. They could choose a lump sum, yearly payments, or a mix of both. Under Harper, the Canadian government spent $700,000 fighting a lawsuit. This lawsuit was brought by wounded Afghan veterans. They argued the new charter was unfair.

Environmental Policy

Since Harper's government took office in 2006, Canadian greenhouse gas emissions decreased. They fell from 749 to 726 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq). From 1993 to 2006, under the previous Liberal government, emissions increased. The reduction during Harper's time was partly due to Canada's reduced economic output during the Great Recession. Emissions started to rise slightly in 2010 as the economy recovered. Other factors in Canada's lower emissions were initiatives like the carbon tax in British Columbia. Also, Quebec's cap and trade system and Ontario stopping the use of coal-fired power plants helped. The Clean Air Regulatory Agenda also regulated emissions for vehicles. In 2006, a Clean Air and Climate Change Act was proposed. It aimed to address air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It never became law. In December 2011, the Harper government announced Canada would formally leave the Kyoto Protocol. Environment Minister Peter Kent said, "It's now clear that Kyoto is not the path forward for a global solution to climate change." In December 2012, Canada became the first country to formally withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol.

Renewable Energy

Other federal projects included a loan guarantee in 2011. This was for the Lower Churchill Project in Labrador. It is set to be finished in 2017. The Lower Churchill has two hydroelectric power plants. They will have a total capacity of over 3,074 megawatts. They can provide 16.7 terawatt-hours of electricity each year. This is enough to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 3.2 million vehicles off the road each year."

Public Transit

In 2006, Harper introduced a Public Transit Tax Credit. People could claim 15 percent of the cost of a transit pass each year. From 2006 to 2013, the Harper government invested over $5 billion in public transit projects in Canada. In 2006, the federal government gave $697 million for the Toronto York–Spadina Subway Extension. In September 2013, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced a federal contribution of $660 million for the Scarborough Subway Extension.

Transparency in Government

Starting in 2006, the Harper government put in place policies that reduced how open the government was. During this time, government scientists could not speak to the media without permission. The government also made big cuts to research and data collection. There was also a lot of destruction and inaccessibility of government data and documents.

During the Harper government, scientists working for the government could not openly talk about the policy that stopped them from speaking with the media. However, after a new government was elected in 2015, several scientists came forward. They confirmed the claims made by anonymous sources during the Harper years.

The government made big cuts to scientific research and data collection. Over 2,000 scientists were let go. Funding was cut from famous research facilities. Cuts were also made to many important programs. Some were cut so deeply that they had to close completely. These included monitoring smoke stack emissions, food inspections, oil spills, water quality, and climate change. During this time, the long-form census was also stopped as a required part of the census. This was said to be due to privacy concerns. However, the number of privacy complaints was very small.

The government closed many government libraries without asking for input. The way it was done was criticized. It left the remaining information messy and hard to access for research.

After Being Prime Minister (2015–Present)

Conservative Member of Parliament (2015–2016)

Harper returned to Ottawa as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP). He attended a meeting of the Conservative group in November 2015. This group included MPs who had lost their seats. Interim leader Rona Ambrose said Harper would be in the House for important votes. She also said he had earned the right to keep a low profile after being prime minister. In February 2018, Harper said he could have "easily" remained leader of the Conservative Party. But he chose not to gain too much power. This was to help the party's future success.

In December 2015, Harper started Harper & Associates Consulting Inc. This is a company where he is a director. In May 2016, he announced he would resign his seat in Parliament during the summer. On May 26, 2016, he was named a board member for the Conservative Party's fundraising group. This group, the Conservative Fund, has influence on how the party operates. Harper and other directors helped remove a Conservative executive director. This was to avoid anger from donors and party members. In the same month, Harper gave a speech at the 2016 Conservative Party meeting. His achievements as party leader and prime minister were honored by the party.

After Leaving Politics (2016–Present)

In October 2017, Harper received media attention. He criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's handling of the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. This was started by the United States under President Donald Trump. Harper said Trudeau was too unwilling to make agreements with the U.S. He also said Trudeau sided too closely with Mexico.

On March 26, 2018, Harper attended a gala. He expressed support for US president Donald Trump's speech on Jerusalem. On May 9, he supported Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran deal. He signed an ad that appeared in The New York Times the day after the decision.

On November 19, 2018, Harper appeared on a show hosted by Ben Shapiro. He talked about populism, immigration, and nationalism. The National Post noted that his comments "echo the argument made in his recently released book, Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption." This book encourages conservatives to listen to people's complaints.

In January 2019, Harper appeared in a PragerU video. He explained why Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. In May 2019, he appeared in another PragerU video. He explained reasons to support Israel during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

On March 11, 2021, Harper spoke at a virtual meeting. He claimed the world had entered a Second Cold War between the United States and China. He said middle-power countries like Canada are also part of this rivalry.

In 2021, Harper appeared on the podcast American Optimist. He criticized the Trudeau government's large spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. He called it "overkill." He also criticized "woke culture."

On July 25, 2022, Harper supported his former cabinet minister Pierre Poilievre. This was for the leadership of the Conservative Party. This was the first time Harper supported a federal Conservative leadership candidate. He had not done so in the 2017 and 2020 elections.

In September 2022, Harper attended Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral. Other former Canadian prime ministers were also there.

On March 22, 2023, Harper spoke at a conservative meeting in Ottawa. He criticized the Trudeau government's handling of Chinese government interference in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. He also criticized the NDP. He called them a "branch plant of the Liberal party." He argued that the party got "nothing" from its agreement with the Liberal Party.

In April 2023, Harper supported Albertan Premier Danielle Smith. This was for the 2023 Albertan provincial election.

In November 2024, Harper was named Chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). This was by Premier Danielle Smith.

Honours and Awards

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Companion of the Order of Canada	2019: For his long career in politics and service as the 22nd prime minister of Canada.
	Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence	2023: For his long career in politics and service to the province of Alberta.
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for Canada	2002: As leader of the Official Opposition and a Member of Parliament, Harper received this medal.
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada	2012: As prime minister of Canada and a Member of Parliament, Harper received this medal.
	Alberta Centennial Medal	2005 As a notable Albertan, a Member of Parliament, and leader of the Official Opposition, Harper received this medal.

Harper received the Woodrow Wilson Award on October 6, 2006. This was for his public service in Calgary. The awards ceremony was held at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary.

Time magazine also named him Canada's Newsmaker of the Year in 2006. Stephen Handelman wrote that Harper "emerged as a warrior in power."

On June 27, 2008, Harper received the Presidential Gold Medallion for Humanitarianism. This was from B'nai B'rith International. He is the first Canadian to receive this medal.

On July 11, 2011, Harper was honored by Alberta's Blood tribe. He was made Honorary Chief of the Kainai Nation. This was during a ceremony. They recognized him for making an official apology on behalf of the Government of Canada. This apology was for the residential schools abuse. Harper issued this apology in 2008. The chief of the tribe explained that the apology started healing and rebuilding relations. Lester B. Pearson, John Diefenbaker, and Jean Chrétien are the only other prime ministers to receive this title.

On September 27, 2012, Harper received the World Statesman of the Year award. This award was given by a US group of faith representatives. This happened at a banquet in New York. Jean Chrétien was a previous Canadian recipient.

In August 2016, President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine gave Stephen Harper the highest award for foreigners. This was the Order of Liberty.

In December 2019, Governor General Julie Payette announced Harper's appointment. He was named a Companion of the Order of Canada. He was formally invested on September 18, 2022. This was by Governor General Mary Simon in London. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other former prime ministers attended.

In 2023, he was appointed a Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence. This is the province's civilian honor for merit.

Honorary Degrees

Honorary degrees

Location	Date	School	Degree
Israel	January 22, 2014	Tel Aviv University	Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

Personal Life

Harper married Laureen Teskey on December 11, 1993. Laureen was previously married to Neil Fenton from 1985 to 1988. The Harpers have two children: Benjamin and Rachel. Harper is the third prime minister to send his children to Rockcliffe Park Public School in Ottawa.

In the late 1980s, he became an evangelical Christian. He is a member of RockPointe Church in Bearspaw, Alberta. After moving to Ottawa in 2003, he became a member of East Gate Alliance Church.

He is a big fan of ice hockey. He has supported the Toronto Maple Leafs since he was a child. Harper also likes the Calgary Flames. He wrote a book called A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs and the Rise of Professional Hockey (2013). This book tells the story of how professional hockey grew, especially in Toronto. He sometimes writes articles about hockey. Harper appeared on The Sports Network (TSN) during a hockey game broadcast in 2007. He talked about hockey and his preference for overtime instead of a shoot-out. In February 2010, Harper interviewed famous hockey players Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. This was for a charity event.

Harper had a small acting role in an episode of the TV show Corner Gas. It aired on March 12, 2007. In October 2010, he filmed another small role for the TV show Murdoch Mysteries. It aired on July 20, 2011.

Harper owns a large vinyl record collection. He is a fan of The Beatles and AC/DC. In October 2009, he joined Yo-Yo Ma on stage at a gala. He performed "With a Little Help from My Friends." He also played with Herringbone, an Ottawa band. He received a standing ovation for his piano playing and singing. Harper was part of a band called The Van Cats. This name was a play on "vingt-quatre" (French for "24"). This referred to the prime ministerial residence at 24 Sussex Drive.

He was the first prime minister to have a personal stylist, Michelle Muntean. Her duties included coordinating his clothes and preparing his hair and makeup for speeches. She used to be paid by the government. But since 2007, the Conservative Party has paid her.

As of 2013, the Harper family had two cats, Stanley and Gypsy. They have also fostered other cats.

See also

In Spanish: Stephen Harper para niños