Stephen Harper Quotes (70 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

In response to an alleged plot to attack a VIA Rail passenger train, Toronto Star, April 25, 2013, http://www.thestar.com/news/2013/04/25/stephen_harper_terror_threats_are_no_time_for_apos_sociology_apos_.html
2013

Stephen Harper Quotes about thinking

“I think there is a dangerous rise in defeatist sentiment in this country. I have said that repeatedly, and I mean it and I believe it.”

Stephen Harper

Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2002: About Canada
2002

“On the justification for the war, it wasn't related to finding any particular weapon of mass destruction. In our judgment, it was much more fundamental. It was the removing of a regime that was hostile, that clearly had the intention of constructing weapons systems. … I think, frankly, that everybody knew the post-war situation was probably going to be more difficult than the war itself. 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

Maclean’s, August, 25, 2003: On the Iraq war.
2003

“I think I have been perfectly clear in saying that I hope Canadians do elect a majority government. I think this cycle of election after election, minority after minority is beginning to put some of the country's interests in serious jeopardy.”

Stephen Harper

2011 English Language Leaders' Debate, April 12, 2011, http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20110413/main-election-110413/20110413?s_name=election2011.
2011

“we do not offer them a better health-care plan than the ordinary Canadian can receive. I think that’s something that new and old stock Canadians can agree with”

Stephen Harper

17 September 2015 according to 18 September 2015 article by Peter Edwards mentioning "the phrase “old stock Canadians” used by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Thursday’s leadership debate." https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/09/18/old-stock-canadians-phrase-chills-prof-ignites-twitter.html 2015

“If Ottawa giveth, then Ottawa can taketh away… This is one more reason why Westerners, but Albertans in particular, need to think hard about their future in this country. After sober reflection, Albertans should decide that it is time to seek a new relationship with Canada. …Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it. It is to take the bricks and begin building another home – a stronger and much more autonomous Alberta. It is time to look at Quebec and to learn. What Albertans should take from this example is to become "maitres chez nous."”

Stephen Harper

National Post, December 8, 2000.
2000

“There is a continental culture. There is a Canadian culture that is in some ways unique to Canada, but I don't think Canadian culture coincides neatly with borders.”

Stephen Harper

Report Newsmagazine January 7, 2002.
2002

Stephen Harper: Trending quotes

“Now I know it’s unfashionable to refer to colonialism in anything other than negative terms. And certainly, no part of the world is unscarred by the excesses of empires. But in the Canadian context, the actions of the British Empire were largely benign and occasionally brilliant…This genius for governance shown by the mother country at the time no doubt explains in part why Canada’s path to independence was so long, patient and peaceful.”

Stephen Harper

Address to the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce July 14, 2006 http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=2&id=1247 : On Canada
2006

“Canada is a vast and empty country.”

Stephen Harper

2006 Leaders' Debate, December 15, 2005.
2005

“[The Reform Party] also has some Buchananist tendencies. I know there are probably many admirers of Mr. Buchanan here, but I mean that in the sense that there are some anti-market elements in the Reform Party.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

Stephen Harper Quotes

“In the last Parliament, [the Liberal Party] enacted comprehensive gun control…”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“a light of freedom and democracy in what is otherwise a region of darkness
will always have Canada as a friend”

Stephen Harper

describing Israel in December 2013 ("last month") according to 18 January 2014 article from Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-is-stephen-harper-one-of-israels-staunchest-supporters/ 2013

“Mr. Speaker, I am sure the picture of the hon. member of the NDP [Svend Robinson] is posted in much more wonderful places than just police stations.”

Stephen Harper

Hansard, October 23, 2002.
2002

“Canada appears content to become a second-tier socialistic country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status.”

Stephen Harper

National Post, Dec. 8 2000 p. A18.
2000

“You’ve got to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada: people who live in ghettoes and who are not integrated into western Canadian society.”

Stephen Harper

The Report newsmagazine, January 22, 2001.
2001

“Let me say a little bit about the Reform party because I want you to be very clear on what the Reform party is and is not… The Reform party is very much a leader-driven party.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“The Reform party is much closer to what you would call conservative Republican.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“We're very concerned about CRTC's decision on usage-based billing and its impact on consumers. I've asked for a review of the decision.”

Stephen Harper

From post made on http://www.facebook.com/#!/pmharper on 02/01/2011.
2011

“The predecessor of the Reform party, the Social Credit party, was very much like this. Believing in funny money and control of banking, and a whole bunch of fairly non-conservative economic things.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“The party system that is developing here in Canada is a party system that replicates the antebellum period, the pre-Civil War period of the United States… [T]he dynamics, the political and partisan dynamics of this, are remarkably similar.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“The Reform party is very much a modern manifestation of the Republican movement in Western Canada; the U. S. Republicans started in the western United States.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“Kyoto is essentially a socialist scheme to suck money out of wealth-producing nations.”

Stephen Harper

The Star, January 30, 2007.
2007

“Israel is the Middle East’s only legitimate democracy, surrounded by cadres, warlords and villains that do not respect democracy or human rights. These bellicose nations jealously regard Israel, envying its success, stability, and might. Israel faces an impossible calculus between defending itself and facing angry outcries or risking its own destruction.”

Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper, as quoted in " We Must Support Democracy in the Middle East http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2014/01/31/we-must-support-democracy-in-the-middle-east" (31 January 2014), The Barrie Examiner. 2014

“[W]e have a Supreme Court, like yours, which, since we put a charter of rights in our constitution in 1982, is becoming increasingly arbitrary and important. It is also appointed by the Prime Minister. Unlike your Supreme Court, we have no ratification process.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“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. …Atlantic Canada's culture of defeat will be hard to overcome as long as Atlantic Canada is actually physically trailing the rest of the country.”

Stephen Harper

New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, May 29, 2002.
2002

“These proposals included cries for billions of new money for social assistance in the name of “child poverty” and for more business subsidies in the name of “cultural identity. In both cases I was sought out as a rare public figure to oppose such projects.””

Stephen Harper

The Bulldog, National Citizens Coalition, February 1997.
1990s

“When Ralph Goodale tried to tax Income Trusts they showed us where they stood, they showed us their attitude towards raiding Seniors hard earned assets and a Conservative government will never allow either of these parties to get away with that.”

Stephen Harper

39th Canadian General Election 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9mibZYpVPY - On October 31, 2006, barely ten months into the Conservative run minority Government of Canada, Canadian (Conservative) federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced a new 34% tax on income trust distributions. 2006

“The Bloc Québécois is equivalent to your Southern secessionists, Southern Democrats, states rights activists. The Bloc Québécois, its 44 seats, come entirely from the province of Quebec. But even more strikingly, they come from ridings, or election districts, almost entirely populated by the descendants of the original European French settlers.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“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 public opinion… In my judgment Canada will eventually join with the allied coalition if war on Iraq comes to pass. The government will join, notwithstanding its failure to prepare, its neglect in co-operating with its allies, or its inability to contribute. In the end it will join out of the necessity created by a pattern of uncertainty and indecision. It will not join as a leader but unnoticed at the back of the parade.”

Stephen Harper

Hansard, January 29, 2003: On the Iraq war.
2003

“We support the war effort and believe we should be supporting our troops and our allies and be there with them doing everything necessary to win”

Stephen Harper

Montreal Gazette, April 2, 2003: On the Iraq war.
2003

“The Liberal party is very much your northern Democrat, or mainstream Democratic party, a party that is less concessionary to the secessionists than the PCs, but still somewhat concessionary. And they still occupy the mainstream of public opinion in Ontario, which is the big and powerful province, politically and economically, alongside Quebec.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“Corruption is not a Canadian value!”

Stephen Harper

In response to former Prime Minister Paul Martin suggesting that Liberal Party values are Canadian values on April 10th, 2005. CTV News http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1113091097636_23/ 2005

“The treatment of children in Indian residential schools is a sad chapter in our history… Two primary objectives of the residential schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture.”

Stephen Harper

Apology to Residential School victims, Parliament, June, 2008.: On Canada
2008

“[The Liberal party is a] moderate Democrat, a type of Clinton-pragmatic Democrat. It's moved in the last few years very much to the right on fiscal and economic concerns, but still believes in government intrusion in the economy where possible, and does, in its majority, believe in fairly liberal social values.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“[S]ome basic facts about Canada that are relevant to my talk… Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“Last year, when we had the Liberal government putting the protection of sexual orientation in our Human Rights Act, the Reform Party was opposed to that, but made a terrible mess of the debate. In fact, discredited itself on that issue, not just with the conventional liberal media, but even with many social conservatives by the manner in which it mishandled that.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“The world is now unipolar and contains only one superpower. Canada shares a continent with that superpower. In this context, given our common values and the political, economic and security interests that we share with the United States, there is now no more important foreign policy interest for Canada than maintaining the ability to exercise effective influence in Washington so as to advance unique Canadian policy objectives.”

Stephen Harper

Canadian Alliance Defence Policy Paper: The New North Strong and Free, May 5, 2003.
2003

“"It [referring to calling a Minister "Idiot"] was probably not an appropriate term, but we support the war effort and believe we should be supporting our troops and our allies and be there with them doing everything necessary to win.”

Stephen Harper

Montreal Gazette, April 2003: On the Iraq war.
2003

“Universality has been severely reduced: it is virtually dead as a concept in most areas of public policy…These achievements are due in part to the Reform Party…”

Stephen Harper

Speech to the Colin Brown Memorial Dinner, National Citizens Coalition, 1994.
1990s

“It is imperative to take the initiative, to build firewalls around Alberta, to limit the extent to which an aggressive and hostile federal government can encroach upon legitimate provincial jurisdiction.”

Stephen Harper

National Post, January 24, 2001, “Open Letter to Ralph Klein”
2001

“Those of different faiths and no faith should seek areas of common agreement based on their different perspectives.”

Stephen Harper

Faith Today, January 11, 2006, "Faith and Politics: Party Leaders Respond".
2006

“In exercising our sovereignty over these waters, we are not only fulfilling our duty to the people who called this northern frontier home, and to the generations that will follow; we are also being faithful to all who came before us, who through great hardship and sacrifice made a quest for knowledge of the North.”

Stephen Harper

Announcement of the John G. Diefenbaker icebreaker project, August 28, 2008.
2008

“In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, I don't feel particularly bad for many of these people.”

Stephen Harper

Speaking in Montréal, 1997. Sourced from Rebel Youth magazine, Fall-Winter Edition 2006.
1990s

“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

Canadian Press Newswire, April 11, 2003: On the Iraq war.
2003

“Then there is the Progressive Conservative party, the PC party, which won only 20 seats. Now, the term Progressive Conservative will immediately raise suspicions in all of your minds. It should. It's obviously kind of an oxymoron.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“A transition is taking place in Egypt. In my judgement, there is no going back. I think the old expression, “They’re not going to put the toothpaste back in the tube on this one.””

Stephen Harper

CPAC, February 11, 2011, http://www.cpac.ca/forms/index.asp?dsp=template&act=view3&template_id=1383&hl=e.
2011

“They were in favour of gay rights officially, officially for abortion on demand… This explains one of the reasons why the Reform party has become such a power.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“It [the Iraq invasion] was absolutely an error. It's obviously clear the evaluation of weapons of mass destruction proved not to be correct. That's absolutely true and that's why we're not sending anybody to Iraq.”

Stephen Harper

To Gilles Duceppe during the 2008 English leaders' debate, October 2, 2008: On the Iraq war.
2008

“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.…Make no mistake. Canada is not a bilingual country. In fact it is less bilingual today than it has ever been…As a religion, bilingualism is the god that failed. It has led to no fairness, produced no unity, and cost Canadian taxpayers untold millions.”

Stephen Harper

Calgary Sun, May 6, 2001.
2001

“Same sex marriage is not a human right. … [U]ndermining the traditional definition of marriage is an assault on multiculturalism and the practices in those communities.”

Stephen Harper

Hansard, February 16, 2005.
2005

“When people think of Islamic terrorism, they think of Afghanistan, or maybe they think of some place in the Middle East, but the truth is that threat exists all over the world … There are a number of threats on a number of levels, but if you are talking about terrorism it is Islamicism … There are other threats out there, but that is the one that I can tell you occupies the security apparatus most regularly in terms of actual terrorist threats … homegrown [Islamic] terrorism is something we keep an eye on.”

Stephen Harper

S. Harper: ‘Islamicism’ Canada’s Biggest Threat: PM http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/453806-islamicism-canadas-biggest-threat-pm.html - OnIslam, September 7, 2011</ref><ref> Harper says 'Islamicism' biggest threat to Canada http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/09/06/harper-911-terrorism-islamic-interview.html - CBC News, September 6, 2011 2011

“Whether Canada ends up as one national government or two national governments or several national governments, or some other kind of arrangement is, quite frankly, secondary in my opinion… And whether Canada ends up with one national government or two governments or ten governments, the Canadian people will require less government no matter what the constitutional status or arrangement of any future country may be.”

Stephen Harper

Speech to the Colin Brown Memorial Dinner, National Citizens Coalition, 1994.
1990s

“[The Reform Party is] also the most conservative socially, but it's not a theocon party, to use the term. The Reform party does favour the use of referendums and free votes in Parliament on moral issues and social issues.”

Stephen Harper

1990s, Speech to the Council for National Policy (1997)

“Faith teaches that there is a right and wrong beyond mere opinion or desire. Most importantly, it teaches us that freedom is not an end in itself, that how freedom is exercised matters as much as freedom itself”

Stephen Harper

March 15th, 2009.
2009

“I believe that all taxes are bad.”

Stephen Harper

CTV.ca news, December 1, 2005, "Tory tax cut promise dominates campaign".
2005