Stephen Harper

Stephen Joseph Harper (born Aprile 30, 1959), PC, MP, is the twenty-seicont prime meenister o Canadae an leader o the Conservative Pairty. Harper becam prime meenister whan his pairty fairmed a minority govrenment efter the 2006 federal election. He is the first prime meenister frae the newly reconstitutit Conservative Pairty, follaein a merger o the Progressive Conservative an Canadian Alliance pairties.

The Richt Honourable Stephen Harper PC, MP
22nt Prime Meenister o Canadae
In office Februar 6, 2006 – November 4, 2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Precedit bi	Paul Martin
Succeedit bi	Justin Trudeau
Leader o the Opposeetion
In office Mairch 20, 2004 – Februar 6, 2006
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Meenister	Paul Martin
Precedit bi	Grant Hill (Actin)
Succeedit bi	Bill Graham (Actin)
In office Mey 21, 2002 – Januar 8, 2004
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Meenister	Jean Chrétien Paul Martin
Precedit bi	John Reynolds (Actin)
Succeedit bi	Grant Hill (Actin)
Member o the Hoose o Commons o Canadae
Incumbent
Assumed office Juin 28, 2002
Precedit bi	Preston Manning
Constituency	Calgary Soothwast
In office October 25, 1993 – Juin 2, 1997
Precedit bi	James Hawkes
Succeedit bi	Rob Anders
Constituency	Calgary West
Personal details
Born	Stephen Joseph Harper (1959-04-30) 30 Aprile 1959 (age 66) Toronto, Ontario
Poleetical pairty	Conservative Pairty (2003–present)
Ither poleetical affiliations	Liberal Pairty (Afore 1985) Progressive Conservative Pairty (1985–1986) Reform Pairty (1987–1997) Canadian Alliance (2002–2003)
Spoose(s)	Laureen Teskey (m. 1993–present)
Bairns	Benjamin, Rachel
Residence	24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario (Offeecial) Calgary, Alberta (Private)
Alma mater	Varsity o Calgary
Profession	Economist[1]
Religion	Christian an Missionary Alliance
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Leid	Inglis, French
Signatur
Wabsteid	Official website

Harper is an evangelical Christian wi a pouer base in Alberta, home o Canadae's ile boom. Kent as an ally o Canadian fossil fuels, he haes promotit thair export tae the U.S. an Cheenae. He haes helped the federal govrenment tae dismantle some environmental restrictions on economic growth. Harper increased federal defense spendin bi nearly $1 billion annually in his first fower years in affice, wi mair projectit. Canadae haes amassed a federal debt ower $600 billion bi mid-2013.^[2]

Harper haes been the Member o Parliament (MP) for the ridin o Calgary Soothwast in Alberta syne 2002. Earlier, frae 1993 tae 1997, he wis the MP for Calgary Wast. He wis ane o the foondin members o the Reform Pairty, but did nae seek re-election, an instead joined, an shortly thareefter led, the Naitional Citizens Coalition.^[3] In 2002, he succeedit Stockwell Day as leader o the Canadian Alliance (the successor tae the Reform Pairty) an returned tae parliament as Leader o the Opposeetion. In 2003, he reached an agreement wi Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay for the merger o their twa pairties tae fairm the Conservative Pairty o Canadae. He wis electit as the pairty's first non-interim leader in Mairch 2004.

Harper's Conservative Pairty wan a stranger minority in the October 2008 federal election, shawing\ a smaa increase in the percentage o the popular vote an increased representation in the Canadian Hoose o Commons, wi 143 o 308 seats. The 40t Canadian Parliament wis dissolved in Mairch 2011, efter his govrenment failed a na-confidence vote on the issue o the Cabinet bein in contempt o parliament.^[4]

In the Mey 2011 federal election, Harper's Conservative Pairty wan a majority govrenment, the first syne the 2000 federal election. His pairty wan 166 seats, an increase o 23 seats frae the October 2008 election.