Stephen Harper Quotes

A collection of quotes by Stephen Harper.

Stephen Harper is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Born on April 30, 1959, in Toronto, Ontario, Harper developed an interest in politics from an early age. He studied economics at the University of Calgary and later obtained a master's degree in economics from the same institution.

Harper's political career began in the 1980s when he joined the Reform Party of Canada, a conservative political party advocating for Western Canadian interests. He became a Member of Parliament in 1993 and quickly rose through the party ranks. In 2002, he succeeded Stockwell Day as the leader of the Canadian Alliance party, which later merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

As Prime Minister, Harper implemented a conservative agenda focused on fiscal responsibility, tax cuts, and law and order policies. His government prioritized economic reforms, introducing various trade agreements, and took steps to address the 2008 financial crisis. Harper's government also faced criticism for their approach to climate change and their handling of human rights issues.

In 2015, after losing the election to the Liberal Party led by Justin Trudeau, Harper retired from politics. Since then, he has remained active as a public speaker, consultant, and author. He published a book called "Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption" in 2018, offering his insights on current events and global politics.

We've got to see a state where the Afghan government can han

We've got to see a state where the Afghan government can handle its own day-to-day security.

Canadians know that the promise of a recession didn't happen

Canadians know that the promise of a recession didn't happen because of anything we did here. If you look at all the causes of the recession, problems in mortgage markets, the problems in the banking sector, the problems in government finance in countries like Greece, none of those problems were in present Canada.

Human rights commissions, as they are evolving, are an attac

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.

Look, I think the worst case scenario is obvious. I think fi

Look, I think the worst case scenario is obvious. I think first of all it doesn't work for very long. It's an unstable government that raises taxes and destroys the image we're building for Canada as a strong place to invest.

I think first and foremost everybody should understand that

I think first and foremost everybody should understand that Canadians are strongly committed to the system of universal health insurance, to the principle that your ability to pay does not determine your access to critical medical service.

If you want to be a government in a minority Parliament, you

If you want to be a government in a minority Parliament, you have to work with other people.

The job numbers are positive. We've had more jobs created no

The job numbers are positive. We've had more jobs created now than were lost during the recession. We're seeing that the creation, we're seeing those numbers not only grow but shift toward the private sector and shift toward full-time employment and these are all signs that the recovery is taking some hold but we're not out of woods.

We'll support the government on issues if it's essential to

We'll support the government on issues if it's essential to the country but our primary responsibility is not to prop up the government, our responsibility is to provide an opposition and an alternative government for Parliament and for Canadians.

I do not intend to dispute in any way the need for defence c

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.

I've always been clear, I support the traditional definition

I've always been clear, I support the traditional definition of marriage.

As a religion, bilingualism is the god that failed. It has l

As a religion, bilingualism is the god that failed. It has led to no fairness, produced no unity, and cost Canadian taxpayers untold millions.

On the justification for the war, it wasn't related to findi

On the justification for the war, it wasn't related to finding any particular weapon of mass destruction.

I just think it would be unrealistic to suggest we're going

I just think it would be unrealistic to suggest we're going to eliminate every last domestic insurgent in Afghanistan. Certainly, the history of the country would indicate that's not a very realistic objective, and I think we have to have realistic objectives.

It's the government's obligation to look really to the third

It's the government's obligation to look really to the third parties to get the support to govern.

I think the way to change it is to handle issues individuall

I think the way to change it is to handle issues individually when it's essential to do so.

I don't believe an Alliance government should sponsor legisl

I don't believe an Alliance government should sponsor legislation on abortion or a referendum on abortion.

After all, enforced national bilingualism in this country is

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.

The Leader of the Opposition's constitutional obligation - t

The Leader of the Opposition's constitutional obligation - the obligation to Parliament - it's the reason we did the merger! - is to make sure Canadians have an alternative for government.

The government can only be brought down because it alienates

The government can only be brought down because it alienates several parties in the House.

We have in this country a federal government that increasing

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.