Who is Stephen Harper and what did he do?

Answer 1

Stephen Harper is the Prime Minister of Canada. He united the right of the political spectrum in Canada with the merging of his Reform Party with the Progressive Conservative Party, to form the Conservative Party of Canada. He then subsequently led this party to electoral victory against the incumbent Liberal Party to form a series of minority governments from 2006 to 2011, and then to form a majority government following the 2011 election.

His term in office so far is probably best known for the 2008 parliamentary dispute, in which he asked the apolitical Governor General to intervene in his favour by proroguing parliament, postponing - and ultimately preventing - a scheduled no confidence vote in the House of Commons that would have forced his Government to resign. His Government was also found to be in contempt of parliament in 2011 (something which had never happened in Canada or any other Commonwealth country with a Westminster system of government), precipitating the election which brought him a majority government.

Thus far, his Government is known for being pro-military, pro-monarchy, and hardline pro-Israel. His legacy will likely include the passage of crime legislation, which, after being killed repeatedly by prorogation and dissolution of parliament, was grouped into an omnibus bill which is currently being fast tracked through parliament to fulfill campaign promises made in the 2011 election. Campaign promises his government is working toward fulfilling also include killing the wheat board and the long gun registry, as well as instituting Senate reform.

Answer 2

He's the Prime Minister of Canada