Stephen Harper

{{Infobox PM

| name=The Rt. Hon. Stephen Joseph Harper ,
PC, MP, MA
| pre-name=The Rt. Hon.
| post-name=PC, MP, MA
| image=Harperpuppet.jpg 
| country=Canada
| term=February 6, 2006 –
present
| before=Paul Martin
| after=Incumbent
| date_birth=April 30, 1959 

Canadian Issues: Stephen Harper: In his own words… Canadian

Human Rights Commissions: "Human rights commissions, as they are evolving, are an attack o­n our fundamental freedoms and the basic existence of a democratic society…It is in fact totalitarianism. I find this is very scary stuff." (BC Report Newsmagazine, January 11, 1999)

On being ‘libertarian’ “But I'm very libertarian in the sense that I believe in small government and, as a general rule, I don't believe in imposing values upon people.” (National Post, March 6, 2004)

Economic conservatism, Harper says during an interview in his Calgary office, is libertarian in nature, emphasizing markets and choice. Libertarian conservatives work to dismantle the remaining elements of the interventionist state and move towards “a market society for the 21st century.” (Toronto Star, April 6, 1997)

Child Poverty:

In 1997, Harper bragged that he was opposed to government programs to eliminate child poverty: “These proposals included cries for billions of new money for social assistance in the name of “child poverty” and for more business subsidies in the name of “cultural identity”. In both cases I was sought out as a rare public figure to oppose such projects.” (The Bulldog, National Citizens Coalition, February 1997)

Universal Social Programs:

"Universality has been severely reduced: it is virtually dead as a concept in most areas of public policy…These achievements are due in part to the Reform Party…” (Speech to the Colin Brown Memorial Dinner, National Citizens Coalition, 1994)

Bilingualism:

“After all, enforced national bilingualism in this country isn’t mere policy. It has attained the status of a religion. It’s a dogma which o­ne is supposed to accept without question. … [M]ake no mistake. Canada is not a bilingual country. In fact it is less bilingual today than it has ever been...As a religion, bilingualism is the god that failed. It has led to no fairness, produced no unity, and cost Canadian taxpayers untold millions.” (Calgary Sun, May 6, 2001)

Federalism:

“It is imperative to take the initiative, to build firewalls around Alberta, to limit the extent to which an aggressive and hostile federal government can encroach upon legitimate provincial jurisdiction.” (National Post, January 24, 2001, “Open Letter to Ralph Klein”)

“If Ottawa giveth, then Ottawa can taketh away… This is o­ne more reason why Westerners, but Albertans in particular, need to think hard about their future in this country. After sober reflection, Albertans should decide that it is time to seek a new relationship with Canada. …Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it. It is to take the bricks and begin building another home – a stronger and much more autonomous Alberta. It is time to look at Quebec and to learn. What Albertans should take from this example is to become “maitres chez nous”. (National Post, December 8, 2000)

“[T]he Liberals still insist o­n meddling in provincial jurisdiction in areas such as health care, education, and municipalities ….The federal government should refocus o­n its core areas of responsibility, and allow provinces to define their own priorities for their own societies. … Stephen Harper would seek to recognize, through federal-provincial agreements, that areas of jurisdiction such as labour market development, forestry, mining, housing, recreation, and municipal and urban affairs are exclusive areas of provincial jurisdiction, and to adequately compensate the provinces for withdrawing federal spending in these areas.” (Federalism for All Canadians, Stephen Harper Policy Paper, o­neconservativevoice.ca, March 2004)

“Whether Canada ends up as o­ne national government or two national governments or several national governments, or some other kind of arrangement is, quite frankly, secondary in my opinion… And whether Canada ends up with o­ne national government or two governments or ten governments, the Canadian people will require less government no matter what the constitutional status or arrangement of any future country may be.” (Speech to the Colin Brown Memorial Dinner, National Citizens Coalition, 1994)

On Atlantic Canada:

"There is a dependence in the region that breeds a culture of defeatism," (CBC News, May 30, 2002)

"I think in Atlantic Canada, because of what happened in the decades following Confederation, there is a culture of defeat that we have to overcome. …Atlantic Canada's culture of defeat will be hard to overcome as long as Atlantic Canada is actually physically trailing the rest of the country." (New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, May 29, 2002)

"There's unfortunately a view of too many people in Atlantic Canada that it's o­nly through government favours that there's going to be economic progress, or that's what you look to …That kind of can't-do attitude is a problem in this country but it's obviously more serious in regions that have had have-not status for a long time." (Toronto Sun, May 31, 2002)

“I've taken my position and frankly it's the same position that I took all through the [Alliance] leadership race. I delivered [speeches] everywhere I went, including in the Maritime provinces o­n several occasions, about the spirit of defeatism in the country and what drives it and how we have to address it.” (National Post, May 31, 2002)

On Canadians:

"I think there is a dangerous rise in defeatist sentiment in this country. I have said that repeatedly, and I mean it and I believe it." (Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2002)

“Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status…” (National Post, Dec. 8 2000 p. A18)

“Well I just want to assure you that those kinds of security concerns are widely shared here. Certainly the problems in our porous borders, our immigration system, there are things that we've been raising in the Parliament…Make no mistake, Canada, you know, with its limited resources, our soldiers made an adeq...admirable participation in Afghanistan…” (Interview with Sheppard Smith, Fox TV, September 13, 2002)

“…there is a continental culture. There is a Canadian culture that is in some ways unique to Canada, but I don't think Canadian culture coincides neatly with borders.” (Report Newsmagazine January 7, 2002)

“We've just become increasingly irrelevant to a country [U.S.] that has a lot of priorities…” (CBC Newsworld, July 11, 2003)

“I think in parts of the Prairies we are increasingly seeing similar views that there is no hope, there is no way forward, all we can do is negotiate with the party in power. So I think in any region where you have sustained under-development or lack of growth for a long period of time, this starts to develop… I'd say frankly, generally the kind of can't-do attitude is a problem in this country but it's obviously more serious in regions that have had have-not status for a long time.” (Toronto Star, May 30, 2002)

On Western Canadian society:

"You've got to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and who are not integrated into western Canadian society." (Stephen Harper, Report Newsmagazine, January 22, 2001)

Regional Development:

"We have in this country a federal government that increasingly is engaged in trying to determine which business, which regions, which industries will succeed, which will not through a whole range of economic development, regional development corporate subsidization programs. I believe that in the next election we got to propose a radical departure from this." (Global News, February 24, 2002)

Betty Granger:

Betty Granger was o­ne of three Harper leadership organizers in Manitoba. She is a past candidate from the 2000 election whose remarks about an “Asian invasion” created controversy:

“I’m not doing witch-hunts o­n people’s pasts… If someone does something wrong, there will be action taken. But if somebody doesn’t do anything wrong, we’re not going to take any action… I don’t make volunteer field decisions… but Betty Granger is a riding president, a member in good standing. She’s somebody that other members I’ve talked to think very highly of, and quite frankly, she was the victim of an unfair slur story in the last election campaign.” (Calgary Herald, January 15, 2002)

“Betty Granger is party president in the Winnipeg area and o­ne of a large number of party presidents that are supporting this campaign. So, I think this kind of thing is just kind of a low-level form of McCarthyism.” (CTV ”Question Period”, February 10, 2002)

Spending Cuts:

Harper incorrectly predicted that the annual cuts of up to $19-20 billion to federal expenditures proposed by the Reform Party would not be sufficient to eliminate the federal deficit:

“The proposals we made during the election which many people considered drastic, are probably not now adequate to deal with this problem.” (Montreal Gazette, November 30, 1993)

“I do not intend to dispute in any way the need for defence cuts and the need for government spending cuts in general. …I do not share a not in my backyard approach to government spending reductions.” (Hansard, May 23, 1995)

On the Iraq War:

“I don't know all the facts o­n Iraq, but I think we should work closely with the Americans.” (Report Newsmagazine, March 25 2002)

“We should have been there shoulder to shoulder with our allies. Our concern is the instability of our government as an ally. We are playing again with national and global security matters. (Canadian Press Newswire, April 11, 2003)

“On the justification for the war, it wasn't related to finding any particular weapon of mass destruction. In our judgment, it was much more fundamental. It was the removing of a regime that was hostile, that clearly had the intention of constructing weapons systems. … I think, frankly, that everybody knew the post-war situation was probably going to be more difficult than the war itself. Canada remains alienated from its allies, shut out of the reconstruction process to some degree, unable to influence events. There is no upside to the position Canada took.” (Maclean’s, August, 25, 2003)

“The world is now unipolar and contains o­nly o­ne superpower. Canada shares a continent with that superpower. In this context, given our common values and the political, economic and security interests that we share with the United States, there is now no more important foreign policy interest for Canada than maintaining the ability to exercise effective influence in Washington so as to advance unique Canadian policy objectives.” (Canadian Alliance Defence Policy Paper: The New North Strong and Free, May 5, 2003)

“This party will not take its position based o­n public opinion polls. We will not take a stand based o­n focus groups. We will not take a stand based o­n phone-in shows or householder surveys or any other vagaries of pubic opinion… In my judgment Canada will eventually join with the allied coalition if war o­n Iraq comes to pass. The government will join, notwithstanding its failure to prepare, its neglect in co-operating with its allies, or its inability to contribute. In the end it will join out of the necessity created by a pattern of uncertainty and indecision. It will not join as a leader but unnoticed at the back of the parade.” (Hansard, January 29, 2003)

“While there are Canadians who oppose the invasion, Harper said, they are a minority, as are those who are anti-American. It certainly exists. But in fairness, there's an anti-American sentiment among the American left in the United States itself. We have some of that here. But that's a minority sentiment.'” o­nly in Quebec, with its “pacifist tradition,” are most people opposed to the war, Harper said. “Outside of Quebec, I believe very strongly the silent majority of Canadians is strongly supportive.” (Halifax Daily News, April 4, 2003)

"we support the war effort and believe we should be supporting our troops and our allies and be there with them doing everything necessary to win" (Montreal Gazette, April 2, 2003)

On Taxes

“I will strive to make this not the highest-spending country in the world, but instead the lowest taxing o­ne.” (Speech at the Conservative Leadership Convention, March 19, 2004)

“We must aim to make [Canada] a lower tax jurisdiction than the United States.” (Vancouver Province, April 6, 2004)

“They (taxes) can be lower than the U.S. and that should be our financial objective.” (Canadian Press, April 11, 2003)

On being called a Tory:

"It's actually not a label I love. … I am more comfortable with a more populist tradition of conservatism. Toryism has the historical context of hierarchy and elitism and is a different kind of political philosophy. It's not my favourite term, but we're probably stuck with it." (Hamilton Spectator, January 24, 2004) Note: Obviously this was not submitted by the Conservative Party, so if anyone has quotes from Paul Martin and Jack Layton we would love to post them as well!