A Stephen Harper Timeline

A chronological look at Harper's career reveals a willingness to dump old friends for new ones.

A HarperIndex summer highlight

1959, April 30: Born in Toronto. Attended John G Althouse Middle School and Richview Collegiate Institute.

1978: Graduated as top student with a 95.7% average, and represented his high school on the TV quiz and trivia show Reach for the Top.

Moved to Alberta to work in the petroleum industry (Imperial Oil).

1985: BA University of Calgary.

Chief aide to Calgary Progressive Conservative MP Jim Hawkes.

1987: Spoke at Reform's founding convention in Winnipeg and became Reform Party's Chief Policy Officer.

1988: Helped draft Reform election platform.

Ran, with name appearing on the ballot as Steve Harper, in Calgary West. Later became executive assistant, chief adviser and speechwriter for the first Reform MP Deborah Grey.

1991: Graduated with Master's Degree in Economics, University of Calgary.

1993: Elected MP, Calgary West, defeating Jim Hawkes, whose campaign was attacked by the National Citizens Coalition, a conservative think-tank and advocacy group. According to Wikipedia: "His campaign likely benefited from a $50,000 print and television campaign organized by the National Citizens Coalition against Hawkes, although the NCC did not endorse Harper directly."

Married Laureen Teskey. [The couple have two children, Benjamin (1996), and Rachel (1999). They attend church at the East Gate Alliance Church in Ottawa, a member of the evangelical Christian and Missionary Alliance.]

1997, January 14: Resigned from job as Reform MP and was appointed Vice-President of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC).

1998: Was promoted to NCC President later that year, the last person to hold the position.

2002: Elected Canadian Alliance MP for the riding of Calgary Southwest.

Elected to succeed Stockwell Day as leader of the Canadian Alliance and returned to Parliament as Leader of the Opposition.

2003: Successfully reached an agreement with Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay to merge the Canadian Alliance with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the new Conservative Party of Canada.

2004, March: Elected as the party's first non-interim leader.

2006, January: Became 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada, appointed after leading the Conservative Party to a minority government federal election win with 36 percent of the popular vote.

Related individuals, organizations and significant events
Conservatives stalwarts Jim Hawkes, Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and Gerry Nicholls have all come into conflict with Stephen Harper and been taken out.

Harper Conservative vs. Public Values Frame
  Economic conservatism / Hidden agenda
  Moderate / Political payback to right-wing allies
  Right-wing agenda / Openness

Links and sources
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Harper
  http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060119/elxn_refo...
  http://www.mapleleafweb.com/election/bio/harper.html
  http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/leadersparties/leaders/bio_harper.html
  http://www.newint.org/columns/worldbeaters/2006/11/01/stephen-harper/

Posted: May 11, 2007

Harper Index (HarperIndex.ca) is a project of the Golden Lake Institute and the online publication StraightGoods.ca