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The Right Honourable

Stephen Harper

PC CC AOE
The Right Honourable; Stephen Harper; PC CC AOE
	Harper in 2014
4th Chairman of the International Democracy Union
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 21 February 2018
Deputy	Tony Clement; Brian Loughnane;
Preceded by	John Key
22nd Prime Minister of Canada
	In office; 6 February 2006 – 4 November 2015
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Michaëlle Jean; David Johnston;
Deputy	Vacant
Preceded by	Paul Martin
Succeeded by	Justin Trudeau
Monarch	In office; 20 March 2004 – 6 February 2006
Additional offices held
37th Leader of the Opposition
	In office; 20 March 2004 – 6 February 2006
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Paul Martin
Preceded by	Grant Hill
Succeeded by	Bill Graham
	In office; 21 May 2002 – 8 January 2004
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Jean Chrétien; Paul Martin;
Preceded by	John Reynolds
Succeeded by	Grant Hill
1st Leader of the Conservative Party
	In office; 20 March 2004 – 4 November 2015
Deputy	Peter MacKay
Preceded by	John Lynch-Staunton (Interim)
Succeeded by	Rona Ambrose (Interim)
4th Leader of the Canadian Alliance
	In office; 20 March 2002 – 7 December 2003
Preceded by	John Reynolds (Interim)
Succeeded by	Party abolished
Member of Parliament; for Calgary Heritage; Calgary Southwest (2002–2015)
	In office; 13 May 2002 – 26 August 2016
Preceded by	Preston Manning
Succeeded by	Bob Benzen
Member of Parliament; for Calgary West
	In office; 25 October 1993 – 14 January 1997
Preceded by	Jim Hawkes
Succeeded by	Rob Anders
Personal details
Born	30 April 1959 (age 65); Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Conservative (since 2003)
Other political; affiliations	Liberal (until 1981); Progressive Conservative (1981–1986); Reform (1987–2000); Alliance (2000–2003);
Spouse(s)	Laureen Teskey (m. 1993)
Children	2
Residence	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Alma mater	University of Toronto; (no degree); University of Calgary; (BA, 1985; MA, 1991);
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Economist, Entrepreneur
Signature
Website	stephenharper.com

Stephen Joseph Harper PC CC (born 30 April 1959) is a Canadian economist, entrepreneur, and retired politician who is the 4th and current Chairman of the International Democracy Union since 2018. Harper was previously the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. He is a member and the former leader of the Conservative Party, after being elected in 2004. He was elected in February 2006 and replaced Paul Martin as Prime Minister.

Harper was born in 1959 in Toronto, Ontario and lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is married to Laureen Teskey and has two children. He is the third Prime Minister, after Pierre Trudeau and John Turner, to send their children to Rockcliffe Park Public School, in Ottawa. Stephen Harper was Prime Minister for nine years, during which Canada hosted both the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. Harper also hosted the G8 and G20 meetings.

Harper is a conservative and supports cutting government spending and taxes. As Prime Minister, he has cut the goods and services tax and approved a budget that would cut funding to several government programs. He has also shown support for the military and a bigger Canadian military presence in the northern part of Canada. Harper is an evangelical Christian.^[1]

Even though Harper did win the seat in the riding of Calgary Heritage during the 2015 federal election,^[2] the Conservative Party was defeated by the Liberal Party of Canada, which was led by Justin Trudeau and who succeeded Harper as Prime Minister.^[3]^[4] It was thereafter announced Harper would resign as party leader and had requested an interim leader be chosen to serve until a leadership election can be held.^[5]