Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper, born on April thirtieth, nineteen fifty-nine, is a prominent Canadian politician, economist, pianist, lecturer, and writer. He made history as the twenty-second prime minister of Canada, serving from two thousand six to two thousand fifteen. As a co-founder of the Conservative Party of Canada, he remains the only prime minister to have emerged from this modern political party, leading it as its first leader from two thousand four until two thousand fifteen.

Harper's political journey began in the neighborhood of Leaside in Toronto, Ontario, where he pursued his education in economics, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Calgary in nineteen eighty-five and nineteen ninety-one, respectively. He first entered the House of Commons in the nineteen ninety-three federal election, representing the riding of Calgary West. After a brief hiatus from politics, he became the leader of the Canadian Alliance in two thousand two, eventually merging it with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

During his tenure as prime minister, Harper faced various challenges, including the In and Out scandal and the Robocall scandal. He implemented significant policies such as reducing the goods and services tax to five percent, passing the Federal Accountability Act, and introducing the tax-free savings account. His government also took decisive actions during the Great Recession, including personal income tax cuts and infrastructure investments, and authorized military interventions in international conflicts.

In the two thousand fifteen federal election, Harper's Conservative Party was defeated by the Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau. Following this loss, he stepped down as party leader in October two thousand fifteen and resigned his seat in August two thousand sixteen. Since then, Harper has engaged in various international business and leadership roles, including founding a global consulting firm and serving as chairman of the International Democracy Union, an alliance of center-right political parties.