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 pubic opinion. – Stephen Harper
The Leader of the Opposition’s constitutional obligation – the obligation to Parliament – it’s the reason we did the merger! – is to make sure Canadians have an alternative for government. – Stephen Harper
That’s my personal view I would say most in my caucus agree with that but there are some who don’t and I’ve always said that on these kinds of moral issues, people have the right to their own opinions. – Stephen Harper
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. – Stephen Harper
We got into a recession because the global economy went into the recession and we’re a big exporting nation. – Stephen Harper
I have no difficulty with the recognition of civil unions for non-traditional relationships but I believe in law we should protect the traditional definition of marriage. – Stephen Harper
The government can only be brought down because it alienates several parties in the House. – Stephen Harper
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
We have to remember we’re in a global economy. The purpose of fiscal stimulus is not simply to sustain activity in our national economies, but to help the global economy as well, and that’s why it’s so critical that measures in those packages avoid anything that smacks of protectionism. – Stephen Harper
Look, I think the worst case scenario is obvious. I think first of all it doesn’t work for very long. It’s an unstable government that raises taxes and destroys the image we’re building for Canada as a strong place to invest. – Stephen Harper
We’ve got to see a state where the Afghan government can handle its own day-to-day security. – Stephen Harper
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. – Stephen Harper
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
Make no mistake. Canada is not a bilingual country. In fact it is less bilingual today than it has ever been. – Stephen Harper
The job numbers are positive. We’ve had more jobs created now than were lost during the recession. We’re seeing that the creation, we’re seeing those numbers not only grow but shift toward the private sector and shift toward full-time employment and these are all signs that the recovery is taking some hold but we’re not out of woods. – Stephen Harper
Canada is in budgetary deficit now only because of the recession, only because of stimulus measures, and we will come out of it. We will go back into surplus position when the economy recovers. So there is no need in Canada to raise taxes. – Stephen Harper
Canadians know that the promise of a recession didn’t happen because of anything we did here. If you look at all the causes of the recession, problems in mortgage markets, the problems in the banking sector, the problems in government finance in countries like Greece, none of those problems were in present Canada. – Stephen Harper
Universality has been severely reduced: it is virtually dead as a concept in most areas of public policy. – Stephen Harper
I think because we’re such a trading nation, I think Canadians understand that first and foremost we’re part of the global economy. – Stephen Harper
I believe very strongly that in this world you have to have values and you have to stand up for your interests and if you don’t do those things you’re not going to get anywhere. – Stephen Harper
I just think it would be unrealistic to suggest we’re going to eliminate every last domestic insurgent in Afghanistan. Certainly, the history of the country would indicate that’s not a very realistic objective, and I think we have to have realistic objectives. – Stephen Harper
Human rights commissions, as they are evolving, are an attack on our fundamental freedoms and the basic existence of a democratic society… It is in fact totalitarianism. I find this is very scary stuff. – Stephen Harper
We have in this country a federal government that increasingly is engaged in trying to determine which business, which regions, which industries will succeed, which will not through a whole range of economic development, regional development corporate subsidization programs. – Stephen Harper
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
