Stephen Harper

Stephen Joseph Harper  (born 30 April 1959) is a Canadian economist, entrepreneur, and retired politician who is the 4th and current Chairman of the International Democracy Union since 2018. Harper was previously the twenty-seventhPrime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. He is a member and the former leader of the Conservative Party, after being elected in 2004. He was elected in February 2006 and replaced Paul Martin as Prime Minister.

Harper was born in 1959 in Toronto, Ontario and lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is married to Laureen Teskey and has two children. He is the third Prime Minister, after Pierre Trudeau and John Turner, to send their children to Rockcliffe Park Public School, in Ottawa. Stephen Harper was Prime Minister for nine years, during which Canada hosted both the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. Harper also hosted the G8 and G20 meetings.

Harper is a conservative and supports cutting government spending and taxes. As Prime Minister, he has cut the goods and services tax and approved a budget that would cut funding to several government programs. He has also shown support for the military and a bigger Canadian military presence in the northern part of Canada. Harper is an evangelical Christian.

Even though Harper did win the seat in the riding of Calgary Heritage during the 2015 federal election, the Conservative Party was defeated by the Liberal Party of Canada, which was led by Justin Trudeau and who succeeded Harper as Prime Minister. It was thereafter announced Harper would resign as party leader and had requested an interim leader be chosen to serve until a leadership election can be held.

In July 2025, according to Harper, the trade war with the United States is a "wake-up call" that should encourage Canada to diversify its trading partners.

References

Category:1959 births
Category:Living people
Category:Politicians from Toronto
Category:Politicians from Alberta
Category:Canadian Christians
Category:Canadian economists
Category:Privy Councillors (Canada)
Category:Leaders of the Opposition (Canada)
Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:University of Calgary alumni