Premiership of Stephen Harper

This article discusses Stephen Harper's premiership from when he assumed office on February 6, 2006 until March 25, 2011, when his minority government fell on a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Cabinet
Although the majority of Conservative seats were from the Western provinces, the majority of names which Stephen Harper put forward to the Governor General for appointment as Cabinet Ministers were from Ontario and Quebec, in the interests of regional balance. The new Conservative Cabinet was substantially smaller than the prior Martin administration because it did away with junior ministers (known as Ministers of State, and previously Secretaries of State). Several pundits in the media have described Cabinet as moderate, and a tempering of the Conservative Party's roots in the Canadian Alliance and Reform.
In selecting his cabinet Harper chose outgoing Liberal Minister of Industry David Emerson as Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the 2010 Winter Olympics, and Michael Fortier, a senior Conservative Party operative and campaign strategist, as Minister of Public Works, and as an appointee to the Senate. Emerson had been re-elected to parliament as a Liberal only weeks earlier, while Fortier did not contest the previous election at all. Harper argued that the appointments were necessary to provide two of Canada's largest cities (Vancouver and Montreal) with Cabinet representation, as the Conservatives did not win seats in these cities. Critics countered that no such concessions were made for Canada's largest city, Toronto, where the conservatives also failed to win a seat, but proponents of the Prime Minister contest that MP and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, representing the nearby city of Whitby, will represent Torontonians in Cabinet.
Opposition politicians and other critics attacked the appointment of Emerson as hypocritical, as several members of the Conservative Party had criticized former Conservative MP Belinda Stronach for crossing the floor to the Liberals and receiving a Cabinet appointment in 2005, shortly before a critical budgetary vote that amounted to a confidence motion for the then-ruling Liberal party. Emerson's decision was also met with opposition in his riding, where the Conservative candidate had received less than 20% of the vote in the previous campaign, although Emerson himself was re-elected by a large margin over the NDP runner-up. The Harper government defended Emerson's appointment as tapping a politician with previous federal Cabinet experience. Emerson himself suggested that it would help the Conservatives move to the middle of the political spectrum.
Harper's recommendation of Fortier for appointment was also controversial, as the Conservatives had previously criticized the unelected nature of the Senate. Both Harper and Fortier have stated that the Senate appointment is temporary, and that Fortier will vacate his position at the next federal election to run for a seat in the House of Commons.
Other choices were met with greater support. Toronto mayor David Miller has called Harper's selection of Lawrence Cannon as an appointee to Cabinet as a "very positive step" and "a signal Mr. Harper's serious about reaching out to cities". Harper recommended the appointment of Jim Flaherty as an elected MP to represent the city along with the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Flaherty represents the riding of Whitby—Oshawa, in the Durham Region of the eastern GTA, and his selection as Minister of Finance was viewed positively by the Bay Street business community.
On March 3, 2006, Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro announced that he was launching a preliminary inquiry into conflict-of-interest allegations against Emerson and Harper. Shapiro said that he would look into what influence may have been wielded in the decision by Emerson to cross the floor. Conservatives criticized Shapiro's probe as partisan and accused him of applying a double standard since he was appointed on the advice of the former Liberal prime minister, and had turned down earlier requests in 2005 to investigate Stronach's floor-crossing in which she received a Cabinet post, as well as a questionable land sale by Hamilton area Liberal MP Tony Valeri. Shapiro had also been under fire from former NDP leader Ed Broadbent for "extraordinarily serious credibility problems". While agreeing with Harper that Shapiro's investigation was inappropriate, Broadbent and opposition MPs criticized Harper for refusing to cooperate with the Commissioner.
Mr Shapiro concluded that a minister crossing the floor to take a Cabinet position would only have been inappropriate if said Cabinet position was offered in return for some action in Parliament, such as preventing the government from falling on a confidence vote. Emerson's appointment did not fall under those conditions and Shapiro cleared both Harper and Emerson of any wrongdoing on March 20, 2006. However, Shapiro declined to launch any investigation into Belinda Stronach's floor-crossing, even though it was done for exactly the reason that Shapiro claimed would be inappropriate.
Deputy Prime Minister and succession
Unlike his recent predecessors, Harper did not name one of his colleagues to the largely honorific post of Deputy Prime Minister. Various observers had expected him to name MacKay, the former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and his deputy party leader, or Lawrence Cannon, as a Quebec lieutenant, to the post. Harper did, however, name an order of succession to act on his behalf in certain circumstances, starting with Cannon, then Jim Prentice, then the balance of his cabinet in order of precedence.
Policy
The Harper government has identified five policy priorities, in the areas of federal accountability, tax reform, crime, child care and health care.
The Conservatives replaced the existing federal child care program with a $1200 per year stipend for each child under age six, paid directly to parents whether or not they incur child care expenses. Harper has stated that his government will work with provincial and local governments, not-for-profit organizations, and employers to create additional spaces, and has set aside $250 million per year to fund these initiatives.
The Conservative Party campaigned on a platform of reducing Canada's Goods and Services Tax from 7% to 6% to 5% which was recently implemented.
The Harper government has promised to introduce mandatory minimal sentences for serious and violent offenders, and to introduce a "Patient Wait Times Guarantee" in conjunction with the provinces. Harper has recently been criticised by prominent media figures, such as Paul Wells, for downplaying this fifth and final priority.
In addition to its "Five Priorities", the government has also devoted significant attention to military issues.
Domestic policy
*2006 Canadian federal budget
*2007 Canadian federal budget
*2008 Canadian federal budget
*2009 Canadian federal budget
*Apology to Chinese-Canadians
*Federal Accountability Act
*Québécois nation motion
Foreign policy
*United States-Canada softwood lumber dispute resolution
*Maher Arar compensation
*Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan
*International reactions to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
*Canadian Afghan detainee abuse scandal
*Canada-People's Republic of China relations
Relations with the press
Harper has insisted that the Prime Minister's Office has the right to choose which reporters ask questions at press conferences, which, along with other steps aimed at limiting and controlling media access, has created some conflict with national media. It has been reported that the Prime Minister's Office also "often informs the media about Harper's trips at such short notice that it's impossible for Ottawa journalists to attend the events".
The War in Afghanistan

In early 2006, the Conservative government proposed a motion to extend the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan by at least two years. In May 2006 the House of Commons passed a motion, after a short six-hour debate, to extend the mission until 2009 by a slim 149-145 majority.
The Harper government reinstituted a policy of lowering the national flag at military installations such as Department of National Defence headquarters only, drawing criticism that the government was showing a lack of respect for the soldiers.
In a televised speech on September 11, 2006, five years after the attacks in New York and Washington D.C, Harper linked the events of that day with the current mission in Afghanistan, and encouraged continued support for Canada's military efforts against the Taliban. During another speech this time at the United Nations Assembly in New York on September 21, he asked the organization for help and mentioned that the crisis "is a test of the world body's relevance" and being the UN's most important test and mission for it.
Environment
Harper and the Conservative government had criticized the Kyoto Accord on measures for controlling the global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Harper considered that the objectives implemented by Canada to comply with the Accord were not realistic. He plans to create a "Made in Canada" solution that will concentrate its efforts on reducing smog pollution which would include regulations on gases coming from car exhaust pipes. In a CTV report in October, however, the Conservatives had mentioned that it would be an approach rather than a plan.
On October 10, 2006 in Vancouver, Harper had announced some of the measures to fight smog and also greenhouse emissions such as tax credits to environmental-friendly measures, a repackaged air quality health index and a program to retrofit diesel school buses. He will also introduced to Parliament a Clean Air Act with other measures to be announced in the upcoming days and would focus on long-term objectives. These measures would "move industry from voluntary compliance to strict enforcement; replace the current ad hoc, patchwork system with clear, consistent, and comprehensive national standards; and institute a holistic approach that doesn't treat the related issues of pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions in isolation." Prior to the announcement, activists groups across Canada had initially listed a series of recommendations to the Prime Minister including regulations on big industries and a recommitment to the Kyoto Protocol. Also, during the press conference, the term "Made in Canada Plan" reappeared.
Details of the Clean Air Act were revealed on October 19, 2006. Its main plan is to reduce greenhouse emissions to about 45% to 65% of the 2003 levels but for the year 2050 with decrease starting in 2020. There would also be regulations for vehicle fuel consumption as well as for industries but not before 2011 and 2010 respectively while oil companies will slightly reduce emissions for each barrel but can still produce more oil barrels until 2020.
In the 2006 budget, the government introduced a 15.25% tax-credit on monthly passes for transit users. On the same day he announced portions of its green approach, Harper also announced a $300 million investment to the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority which would be used in parts in preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games Recently though Harper has taken a more progressive stance on environmental issues, for example, his pledge to ban incandescent lightbulbs.
Supreme Court
Aside from his legislative agenda, Harper put forward Marshall Rothstein to Governor General Michaëlle Jean for appointment as the new Puisne Justice to the Supreme Court of Canada, on February 23, 2006. Rothstein had been 'short listed' with two other potential judges by a committee convened by the previous Liberal government. In keeping with election promises of a new appointment process, Harper announced Rothstein had to appear before an 'ad hoc' non-partisan committee of 12 Members of Parliament. However, the committee did not have the power to veto the appointment, which was what some members of his own party had called for.
Libel suit against Liberal Party
PM Stephen Harper launched a lawsuit on March 13, 2008, against the Liberals over statements published on the party's website concerning the affair. This was the first time a sitting prime minister had sued the opposition for libel. The $2.5-million suit named the Liberal party, the Federal Liberal Agency of Canada, and the unnamed author or authors of the statements published on the Liberal website. The articles at the centre of the lawsuit were headlined "Harper knew of Conservative bribery" and "Harper must come clean about allegations of Conservative Bribery." Those articles questioned Stephen Harper's alleged involvement in financial offers made to Cadman to sway his vote in a crucial 2005 Commons showdown. The suit filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice did not name Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion or MPs Ralph Goodale and Michael Ignatieff - whom Harper also threatened to sue.
Dona Cadman said that prior to the May 2005 Budget vote, Tom Flanagan and Doug Finley, two Conservative Party officials, offered her husband, Chuck Cadman, a million-dollar life insurance policy in exchange for his vote to bring down the Liberal government.
Non-confidence motion and prorogation of Parliament, 2008
Harper precipitated a national controversy, which threatened to overturn his government, by fielding a spending bill in the fall of 2008 which would have stripped taxpayer funding from political parties and taken away the right to strike from Canadian public service workers as purported solutions to the effects in Canada of the global economic crisis. Outraged opposition parties formed a coalition, intending to call a vote of non-confidence that would have toppled the Harper government, but he avoided the impending vote of non-confidence by asking the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until January 26, 2009.

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