10 things you might not know

A leader of competence and vision

Stephen Harper is dedicated to building a stronger, prouder, more prosperous Canada by delivering real results for everyday Canadian families.  He has spent his entire political career standing up and speaking out for Canadians who work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules.

As Prime Minister, Stephen Harper has delivered real action on the priorities of all Canadian families including:

• Passing the tough new political fundraising rules that take the big money, corporations and unions out of political party financing.
• Reducing the GST from 7% to 6% and now, to 5%.
• Providing $1,200 per year, per child under six, that parents can spend on their own child care priorities.
• Giving Canadians tax credits for money spent on transit passes, textbooks and kids’ sports.
• Strengthening Canada’s product safety laws, including the first ever federal mandatory recall law, and new rules for what can be called a “product of Canada”.
• Passing tough new laws that will keep gun criminals and sexual predators behind bars.
• Taking real action on the environment with Canada’s first ever mandatory greenhouse gas emission regulations.
• Investing in new patrol ships, satellite surveillance, and arctic rangers to protect our sovereignty over Canada’s North.

Stephen Harper was born on April 30, 1959, in Toronto, Ontario.  He moved to Alberta in 1978.  He studied at the University of Calgary where he earned both a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Economics.

First elected as a Member of Parliament in 1993, Harper was instrumental in putting priorities such as lower taxes, balanced budgets and a tougher criminal justice system on the national agenda.

In 2002 Harper was elected Leader of the Opposition and went on to co-found the new Conservative Party and become its first leader.  As Opposition leader, he did more than just oppose; he put forward bold, innovative ideas such as the Federal Accountability Act, the Public Transit Tax Credit and the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant – ideas he would later implement as Prime Minister.

By 2006, the Harper-led Conservatives replaced the Liberal Party as government, and Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister on February 6, 2006.

Stephen Harper has been honoured with the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. In 2008 he also became the first Canadian to be awarded the B’nai Brith Presidential Gold Medallion for Humanitarianism

Stephen Harper and his wife, Laureen, have two children, Benjamin and Rachel, and make their permanent home in Calgary.

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