Stephen Harper, a 42-year-old Calgary economist, arrives at his new job
as Canadian Alliance and official opposition leader with a reputation
as an anti-government conservative, but little track record on
agricultural issues.
As early as next week, Harper will have a chance to indicate whether
his hostility to government intervention extends to farm subsidies as
well.
During the April 4-6 Alliance convention in Edmonton, delegates will be
asked to debate a proposal from the Selkirk-Interlake constituency that
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the party strengthen its commitment to help farmers facing income
problems.
The resolution reads: “The Canadian Alliance supports the use of safety
net programs to assist producers who are struggling against conditions
outside their control such as foreign subsidies, adverse weather
conditions and trade-distorting influences.”
As with most policy debates at the convention, delegates and observers
will be watching Harper for signs of the policy biases he carries into
his new job, won March 20 when he defeated former leader Stockwell Day
on the first ballot of a leadership vote.
“I have no reason to believe that Stephen will not support that
position,” said Manitoba MP Howard Hilstrom, Alliance agriculture
critic and a Harper supporter in the leadership race. “This has been
our position in the past, but it wasn’t strongly enough written down.
This will make our policy clear.”
Hilstrom said he had not yet sat down with the new leader for a
discussion about agriculture.
“I will be doing that in the weeks ahead but I expect he will support
the thrust of the agriculture positions we have taken for years.”
Still, Harper has shown himself to be a fierce opponent of regulated or
monopoly marketing of agricultural products, raising questions about
his view of supply management. He made his view on regulated marketing
clear during the Canadian Wheat Board wars.
Until recently, the former Reform MP was president of the National
Citizens’ Coalition with an official slogan of “more freedom through
less government.”
Under his leadership, the coalition waged an attack against the
Canadian Wheat Board monopoly, funding farmers who challenged the board
and spending tens of thousands of dollars on anti-CWB radio and
billboard advertising.
In Regina, the advertising campaign got under the skin of wheat board
minister Ralph Goodale, one of the targets of the coalition’s criticism.
In 1998, Goodale called Harper “the prince of darkness.” Harper
responded in kind.
“I’ve not heard of any opposition members who have an affinity for Mr.
Goodale,” he said. “He is a totally partisan politician. He is
inflexible. He has not been listening to farmers on this issue.”
Now, when Harper finds his way back into the House of Commons through a
byelection, he will be looking across the floor at House leader
Goodale, who has to work with the opposition politicians to keep
Parliament working.
Harper will use the Edmonton convention to meet with his caucus, assign
critic roles, appoint party officers and try to heal divisions that
arose between candidate camps.
