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Stephen Harper Quotes

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About Stephen Harper

Stephen Joseph Harper, born January 30, 1959, in Toronto, Ontario, served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. A member of the Conservative Party of Canada, Harper's tenure was marked by significant political and economic reforms. Harper grew up in Leaside, a neighborhood of Toronto, where he developed an early interest in politics and economics. He graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Calgary in 1980 and went on to pursue a law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating in 1985. Harper's political career began in 1993 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage. He held various positions within the Reform Party of Canada and its successor, the Canadian Alliance. In 2004, Harper united the Canadian Alliance with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the Conservative Party of Canada, becoming its first leader. In 2006, Harper led the Conservatives to a minority government, marking the end of Liberal Party rule. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2011, achieving a majority government in the latter. During his time as Prime Minister, Harper pursued policies aimed at reducing government spending, strengthening the economy, and increasing national security. As an author, Harper has written two books: "Left Turn: How Liberal Politics is Ruining Canada" (2006) and "Stephen Harper's Top Picks: 100 Great Canadian Patriots" (2015). These works reflect his conservative ideologies and provide insights into his political beliefs. Harper's legacy remains controversial, with critics citing controversial policies such as the long-gun registry repeal and the handling of the Idle No More movement. Despite this, he is credited for steering Canada through the 2008 financial crisis and maintaining a strong economy during his tenure. After leaving office in 2015, Harper has remained active in politics and continues to be a significant figure in Canadian conservatism.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Canada is a country that believes in peace, generosity, and freedom."

This quote by former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper encapsulates Canada's fundamental values and identity as a nation. The words "peace," "generosity," and "freedom" signify Canada's commitment to maintaining a harmonious international environment, helping others both domestically and abroad, and upholding individual rights and liberties, respectively. These values are deeply ingrained in the Canadian psyche, shaping the country's approach to global affairs, social policies, and overall character as a compassionate, progressive, and peaceful nation.

"We're a resource-rich country with a highly educated workforce; we should be able to add value to our resources here at home, rather than just shipping raw materials overseas."

This quote by Stephen Harper emphasizes the potential for Canada to transform its natural resources into finished products within the country itself, rather than exporting them in their raw state. By doing so, Canada can maximize economic growth and job opportunities for its highly educated workforce, as well as strengthen domestic industries and increase self-sufficiency. This perspective promotes a shift towards value-added manufacturing and innovation to leverage Canada's unique resources more effectively.

"The role of government is to provide the conditions where the private sector can flourish, and citizens can prosper."

This quote by Stephen Harper suggests that the primary function of a government is to create an environment conducive for business growth (private sector) and overall citizen well-being (citizens can prosper). In essence, the government should aim to establish policies and regulations that foster economic development and enhance quality of life.

"Canada has always been a country that's punched above its weight on the global stage."

This quote by Stephen Harper suggests that Canada, despite being a relatively small country in terms of population and geographical size, has historically made significant contributions to global issues and held influence proportionally greater than other nations. In other words, it implies that Canada has been able to effectively assert its voice and exercise impact in international affairs, beyond what might be expected given its modest global stature.

"We have a choice: We can let events take us where they will, or we can seize destiny with both hands."

This quote by Stephen Harper emphasizes the importance of personal agency and proactive decision-making in life. It suggests that instead of passively allowing circumstances to dictate our path, we should actively strive to shape our own future. The implication is that by seizing control and taking decisive action, individuals can guide their lives towards desired outcomes rather than being mere victims of circumstance. In essence, it encourages a mindset of empowerment and self-determination.

We have to remember we're in a global economy. The purpose of fiscal stimulus is not simply to sustain activity in our national economies, but to help the global economy as well, and that's why it's so critical that measures in those packages avoid anything that smacks of protectionism.

- Stephen Harper

Purpose, Activity, Critical, Global

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

- Stephen Harper

Change, Think, I Think, Handle

This party will not take its position based on public opinion polls. We will not take a stand based on focus groups. We will not take a stand based on phone-in shows or householder surveys or any other vagaries of pubic opinion.

- Stephen Harper

Will, Other, Based, Surveys

Universality has been severely reduced: it is virtually dead as a concept in most areas of public policy.

- Stephen Harper

Been, Most, Universality, Public Policy

We got into a recession because the global economy went into the recession and we're a big exporting nation.

- Stephen Harper

Big, Nation, Global, Exporting

Canada is in budgetary deficit now only because of the recession, only because of stimulus measures, and we will come out of it. We will go back into surplus position when the economy recovers. So there is no need in Canada to raise taxes.

- Stephen Harper

Will, Need, Surplus, Recovers

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.

- Stephen Harper

Here, Promise, None, Banking

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.

- Stephen Harper

Strong, I Think, Very, Unstable

I forget what the relevant American rate is, but I can tell you that our goal is to have a combined federal-provincial corporate tax rate of no more than 25 percent. We're on target to do that by 2012. We will have significantly - by a significant margin the lowest corporate tax rates in the G-7, and that's our - our government's objective.

- Stephen Harper

American, Tell, Our, Tax Rate

The world is now unipolar and contains o-nly o-ne superpower. Canada shares a continent with that superpower.

- Stephen Harper

World, Continent, Contains, Shares

Canada remains alienated from its allies, shut out of the reconstruction process to some degree, unable to influence events. There is no upside to the position Canada took.

- Stephen Harper

Some, Shut, Took, Allies

We should have been there shoulder to shoulder with our allies. Our concern is the instability of our government as an ally. We are playing again with national and global security matters.

- Stephen Harper

Been, Again, Global, Allies

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.

- Stephen Harper

Need, Government Spending, Intend

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.

- Stephen Harper

Some, Private, Full-Time, Employment

We're not going to scrap the budget and make up some totally new platform the day after the election. So it's certainly willingness to compromise but we're not going back on the fundamental things we're running on in this campaign.

- Stephen Harper

Back, Some, Fundamental, Budget

Whether Canada ends up as o-ne national government or two national governments or several national governments, or some other kind of arrangement is, quite frankly, secondary in my opinion.

- Stephen Harper

Some, Other, In My Opinion, Secondary

That's my personal view I would say most in my caucus agree with that but there are some who don't and I've always said that on these kinds of moral issues, people have the right to their own opinions.

- Stephen Harper

Own, Some, Kinds, Moral Issues

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.

- Stephen Harper

Country, Alternative, Issues, Primary

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.

- Stephen Harper

Country, Through, Engaged, Industries

I think in Atlantic Canada, because of what happened in the decades following Confederation, there is a culture of defeat that we have to overcome.

- Stephen Harper

Overcome, Think, I Think, Decades

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.

- Stephen Harper

Country, Which, Enforced, Attained

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

- Stephen Harper

Government, Sponsor, Legislation

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.

- Stephen Harper

Leader, Reason, Sure, Canadians

I think because we're such a trading nation, I think Canadians understand that first and foremost we're part of the global economy.

- Stephen Harper

Think, I Think, Trading, Canadians

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.

- Stephen Harper

Insurance, Everybody, Canadians

First of all, I can't forget my first responsibility - which is to be the Leader of the Opposition and that's to provide an alternative government.

- Stephen Harper

Leader, Alternative, Which, First Of All

Make no mistake. Canada is not a bilingual country. In fact it is less bilingual today than it has ever been.

- Stephen Harper

Mistake, Country, Been, Bilingual

I believe very strongly that in this world you have to have values and you have to stand up for your interests and if you don't do those things you're not going to get anywhere.

- Stephen Harper

Values, Going, Very, I Believe

Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it.

- Stephen Harper

Next, Hit, Having, Bang

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.

- Stephen Harper

Existence, Fact, Very, Democratic Society

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