Stephen Joseph Harper is a Canadian politician, economist, and author who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015.
Born on April 30, 1959, in the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, he is the eldest son of Joseph Harris Harper, an accountant who worked for Imperial Oil, and Margaret Frances Johnston.
The family later moved to Etobicoke.
Harper briefly attended the University of Toronto before relocating to Alberta in his late teens, where he worked in the petroleum industry.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics in 1985 and a Master of Arts in economics in 1991 from the University of Calgary.
After leaving office, he founded a consulting firm and has remained active in international conservative networks and business.
Siblings
Stephen has two younger brothers, Grant Harper and Robert Harper.
The three brothers grew up closely in a stable suburban household in Toronto, first in Leaside and later in Etobicoke, where their father encouraged strong family bonds and shared interests such as hockey.
Both Grant and Robert followed their father into accounting and became chartered accountants.
Career
Harper’s early career included work in the oil and gas sector in Edmonton and Calgary after moving west.
He became involved in politics through the Progressive Conservative Party before helping found the Reform Party of Canada in the late 1980s, where he served as chief policy officer.
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Elected as the Member of Parliament for Calgary West in 1993 under the Reform banner, he resigned his seat in 1997 to become president of the National Citizens Coalition, an advocacy organization.
He returned to electoral politics as leader of the Canadian Alliance in 2002, winning a seat in Calgary Southwest.
In 2003 he negotiated the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party to create the modern Conservative Party of Canada, which he led from 2004.
After winning the 2006 federal election, he formed a minority government and was sworn in as Prime Minister.
He secured successive victories in 2008 and 2011, governing until the Conservative defeat in 2015.
His tenure included responses to the global financial crisis, trade agreements, and shifts in foreign and economic policy.
Since leaving office he has led Harper & Associates, a global consulting firm, and held roles such as Chairman of the International Democracy Union.
Accolades
Harper has received several high national honours, including appointment as a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2019 for his long-standing career in politics and service as the 22nd prime minister.
He was named a Member of the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2023 in recognition of his contributions to the province and the country.
International distinctions include Ukraine’s Order of Liberty, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation’s World Statesman of the Year award in 2012, and B’nai B’rith International’s Presidential Gold Medallion.
He has also been awarded honorary doctorates, among them a Doctor of Philosophy from Tel Aviv University, and earlier received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
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