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Stephen Harper, Former Prime Minister of Canada, Quits Politics Stephen Harper, Former Prime Minister of Canada, Quits Politics
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OTTAWA — He led his government to a crushing defeat at the polls last October, then ceded his office to Justin Trudeau and largely vanished from public view. Now, 10 months later, Stephen Harper, the former Conservative prime minister of Canada, says he is giving up his seat in Parliament and quitting politics.OTTAWA — He led his government to a crushing defeat at the polls last October, then ceded his office to Justin Trudeau and largely vanished from public view. Now, 10 months later, Stephen Harper, the former Conservative prime minister of Canada, says he is giving up his seat in Parliament and quitting politics.
Mr. Harper’s low-key announcement, in a brief video posted Friday on Facebook, was in character with the rest of his 18-year political career, a decade of it spent as prime minister. Unlike Mr. Trudeau, who seems to thrive on plunging into crowds and posing for selfies, Mr. Harper’s style was more that of a remote corporate chief executive.Mr. Harper’s low-key announcement, in a brief video posted Friday on Facebook, was in character with the rest of his 18-year political career, a decade of it spent as prime minister. Unlike Mr. Trudeau, who seems to thrive on plunging into crowds and posing for selfies, Mr. Harper’s style was more that of a remote corporate chief executive.
In the video, recorded in what appeared to be a boardroom with two Canadian flags behind him, Mr. Harper offers no indication of his plans after politics, though several Canadian news outlets reported that he intended to open a consulting business with some of his former political aides.In the video, recorded in what appeared to be a boardroom with two Canadian flags behind him, Mr. Harper offers no indication of his plans after politics, though several Canadian news outlets reported that he intended to open a consulting business with some of his former political aides.
Mr. Harper did not mention his decision to immediately step down as the Conservative leader during his concession speech last October, leaving that task to a statement from a party official. And since then, he has given only one speech, at a Conservative Party convention. While he continued to hold a seat in Parliament representing Calgary, Alberta, his adopted home, Mr. Harper was frequently absent from the House of Commons and did not participate in its debates. A privilege from his time as prime minister allowed him to leave the chamber through a back entrance, bypassing the throng of reporters and cameras in the main lobby.Mr. Harper did not mention his decision to immediately step down as the Conservative leader during his concession speech last October, leaving that task to a statement from a party official. And since then, he has given only one speech, at a Conservative Party convention. While he continued to hold a seat in Parliament representing Calgary, Alberta, his adopted home, Mr. Harper was frequently absent from the House of Commons and did not participate in its debates. A privilege from his time as prime minister allowed him to leave the chamber through a back entrance, bypassing the throng of reporters and cameras in the main lobby.
In his brief farewell on Friday, Mr. Harper offered a modest list of achievements. He said that his government had introduced tax cuts, balanced its budget (though that was not the case for most of his tenure), “got tough on crime and put families first” and “took principled decisions in a complex and dangerous world.”In his brief farewell on Friday, Mr. Harper offered a modest list of achievements. He said that his government had introduced tax cuts, balanced its budget (though that was not the case for most of his tenure), “got tough on crime and put families first” and “took principled decisions in a complex and dangerous world.”
He particularly highlighted that Canada was less affected by the 2008 global recession than other nations were. Some economists and political analysts attribute that at least in part to the effect of regulations that Mr. Harper had intended to relax or eliminate.He particularly highlighted that Canada was less affected by the 2008 global recession than other nations were. Some economists and political analysts attribute that at least in part to the effect of regulations that Mr. Harper had intended to relax or eliminate.
No one disputes Mr. Harper’s success in reuniting what had become a fragmented conservative moment in Canada, which brought the country’s center-right a long period in power.No one disputes Mr. Harper’s success in reuniting what had become a fragmented conservative moment in Canada, which brought the country’s center-right a long period in power.
In 2003, as the leader of the Canadian Alliance, which began as a protest party in Western Canada, Mr. Harper helped engineer a merger with the venerable but much diminished Progressive Conservative Party, whose roots traced back to Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister.In 2003, as the leader of the Canadian Alliance, which began as a protest party in Western Canada, Mr. Harper helped engineer a merger with the venerable but much diminished Progressive Conservative Party, whose roots traced back to Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister.
“He’s gone, but the party will go on,” Dimitry Anastakis, a historian at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, said of Mr. Harper. “That’s a testament to his shrewdness.”“He’s gone, but the party will go on,” Dimitry Anastakis, a historian at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, said of Mr. Harper. “That’s a testament to his shrewdness.”
Raymond B. Blake, an historian at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, said that the fairly limited list of achievements stems from Mr. Harper’s belief in small government and his decisions to turn more power over to provincial governments. Raymond B. Blake, a historian at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, said that the fairly limited list of achievements stems from Mr. Harper’s belief in small government and his decisions to turn more power over to provincial governments.
“His mantra was: We will leave money in the hands of people and leave them to decide how to spend it,” Professor Blake said.“His mantra was: We will leave money in the hands of people and leave them to decide how to spend it,” Professor Blake said.
Stephanie Bangarth, a political historian at the University of Western Ontario, said Mr. Harper “was successful in moving Canadians to thinking of themselves as taxpayers, and their relationship with government as transactional, although you can now see Trudeau trying to change that.”Stephanie Bangarth, a political historian at the University of Western Ontario, said Mr. Harper “was successful in moving Canadians to thinking of themselves as taxpayers, and their relationship with government as transactional, although you can now see Trudeau trying to change that.”
While in office, Mr. Harper controversially rolled back the powers of several regulatory agencies, or replaced their leaders with people who shared his small-government philosophy. Some programs, like a registry for rifles and shotguns and mandatory census participation, were scrapped. Public servants were severely restricted in their freedom to speak publicly.While in office, Mr. Harper controversially rolled back the powers of several regulatory agencies, or replaced their leaders with people who shared his small-government philosophy. Some programs, like a registry for rifles and shotguns and mandatory census participation, were scrapped. Public servants were severely restricted in their freedom to speak publicly.
That was particularly true of scientists working on the issue of climate change, who were generally barred from speaking to reporters and frequently were not allowed to address scientific meetings.That was particularly true of scientists working on the issue of climate change, who were generally barred from speaking to reporters and frequently were not allowed to address scientific meetings.
Mr. Harper, who was fiercely partisan, consolidated power in the prime minister’s office, and twice suspended Parliament to avoid votes that might have put his government out of power.Mr. Harper, who was fiercely partisan, consolidated power in the prime minister’s office, and twice suspended Parliament to avoid votes that might have put his government out of power.
He carried over that aggressive style to international relations. As an unabashed champion of Alberta’s oil industry, Mr. Harper tried hard to persuade the Obama administration to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have carried production from the province’s oil sands to the refineries on the gulf coast of the United States. But his repeated lectures to Americans only brought a rejection of the plan from President Obama.He carried over that aggressive style to international relations. As an unabashed champion of Alberta’s oil industry, Mr. Harper tried hard to persuade the Obama administration to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have carried production from the province’s oil sands to the refineries on the gulf coast of the United States. But his repeated lectures to Americans only brought a rejection of the plan from President Obama.
Mr. Harper avoided holding news conferences. When he did speak publicly, his presentations were often uninspired. But for much of his time in office, that didn’t matter. A dull but apparently hardworking prime minister struck many voters as preferable to the leadership turmoil and the even less inspirational figures at the head of the Liberal opposition.Mr. Harper avoided holding news conferences. When he did speak publicly, his presentations were often uninspired. But for much of his time in office, that didn’t matter. A dull but apparently hardworking prime minister struck many voters as preferable to the leadership turmoil and the even less inspirational figures at the head of the Liberal opposition.
During the election campaign last year against the charismatic, if unproven, Mr. Trudeau, Conservative television ads showed Mr. Harper working hard late at night, the last person in the office.During the election campaign last year against the charismatic, if unproven, Mr. Trudeau, Conservative television ads showed Mr. Harper working hard late at night, the last person in the office.
But Professor Blake said that Mr. Harper’s lack of charm ultimately overshadowed his policies.But Professor Blake said that Mr. Harper’s lack of charm ultimately overshadowed his policies.
“He was cold and distant,” Professor Blake said. “He never made Canadians feel good about their country.”“He was cold and distant,” Professor Blake said. “He never made Canadians feel good about their country.”