Stephen Harper has spent his political career standing up and speaking out for Canadians who work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules. His plan for Canada tackles the real issues that matter to Canadians. A Harper-led government would:

• Help individuals, families and entrepreneurs get ahead by lowering taxes, rewarding hard work and making it easier to save;
• Help our seniors preserve their hard won gains through fairer taxes, better service from bureaucrats and by opposing ‘death taxes’;
• Improve the quality of life in communities by improving access to health care, offering choice in child care and tackling violent crime;
• Fight waste, mismanagement and corruption in Ottawa by enacting and enforcing tough anti-corruption and accountability measures; and
• Stand up for Canada by defending our national interests in trade disputes, securing our borders and treating all provinces with respect.

Born and raised in Toronto, Stephen Harper graduated from the University of Calgary with a masters degree in economics. He went on to work as a members assistant and policy advisor before being elected to Parliament in 1993.

In Parliament, Stephen Harper fought government waste, championed lower taxes and played a leading role in the national unity debate. He continued fighting for these issues when he left Parliament to lead one of Canada's most prominent advocacy organizations.

In 2002, Stephen Harper returned to Parliament as Leader of the Opposition and began laying the foundation for the re-unification of Canada's then-divided conservative movement. In 2003, he achieved his objective by co-founding the Conservative Party of Canada. He was elected Conservative leader in March 2004.

A member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Stephen Harper is the Member of Parliament for Calgary Southwest. Stephen and his wife Laureen have two young children, Benjamin and Rachel.