News on Stephen Harper

Canada drops plans for politically correct anthem

2010-03-08T10:45:10Z

<div><p>OTTAWA (Reuters) - Don't mess with a century-old tradition even if it is sexist, Canadians told the Conservative government this week, forcing Ottawa to scrap plans to make the country's national anthem gender-neutral.</p><p>The government tucked the idea into a major policy speech on Tuesday and by Friday the public outcry was so strong Prime Minister Stephen Harper plans to rebalance the budget in a speech to reopen parliament on Wednesday, a senior official said.</p><p>Governor General Michaelle Jean will make the announcement in the Speech From The Throne, an address that traditionally opens every session of the parliament.</p><p>Je...

Obama loses Olympic bet, owes Harper case of beer

2010-03-03T04:15:55Z

<div><p>US President Barack Obama is to send Prime Minister Stephen Harper a case of Canadian beer after losing a friendly bet on who would win Olympic men's ice hockey final.</p><p>"Truthfully, I think what we will end up doing is delivering some of that (beer) the next time we see Prime Minister Harper," President Barack Obama is to send Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper a case of Canadian beer after losing a friendly bet on who would win Olympic men's ice hockey final.</p><p>"Truthfully, I think what we will end up doing is delivering some of that (beer) the next time we see Prime Minister Harper," Canada for gold in hockey; for Obama and Harper, it's Yuengling vs Molson</div><div><p>President Barack Obama owes his Canadian counterpart a case of beer.</p><p>Obama made the friendly wager with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper before Sunday's U.S.-Canada ...

Obama, Canada's Harper bet beer on ice hockey

2010-02-28T15:00:08Z

<div><p>VANCOUVER (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper unwittingly provided support for the popular belief that politicians cannot organize a booze-up in a brewery when they mixed up a simple wager on the outcome of...

Celebrities galore at gold-medal hockey game

2010-02-28T14:15:56Z

<div id="subtitle">Stars come out to Canada-US gold-medal Olympic hockey game</div><div><p>Super Sunday at the Olympics brought out the superstars.</p><p>A who's who of hockey and homeland star power attended Canada's gold-medal showdown against the United States on the final day of the Vancou...

Vancouver Olympics Curling

2010-02-27T19:16:11Z

Prime Minister Stephen Harper does the wave during the men's gold medal curling match between Canada and Norway at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Colu...

'No new spending' in upcoming budget

2010-02-23T04:15:35Z

<div><p>The government's 2010 budget will contain "no new spending measures," a senior government official has said, days ahead of its release.</p><p>"There will be no new spending measures" announced in the budget to be released on March 4," said the advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Monday.</p><p>Neither will there be major spending cuts, tax increases or attempts to slay

'No new spending' in Canada's upcoming budget: official

2010-02-23T04:15:34Z

<div><p>The Canadian government's 2010 budget will contain "no new spending measures," a senior government official said Monday, days ahead of its release.</p><p>"There will be no new spending measures" announced in the budget to be released on March 4," said the advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.</p><p>Neither will there be major spending cuts, tax increases or attempts to slay Canada's last veteran of World War I, John Babcock, who enlisted at age 15 but never fought on the frontlines, has died, Canadian authorities announced Friday.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was 109 years old.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"The passing of Mr. Babcock marks the end of an era," Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper shakes hands with Haitian President Rene Preval as the two leaders begin a bilateral meeting in tents set up at the airport outside the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. Harper said his country will spend up to $...

Canada's prime minister to visit Haiti

2010-02-22T09:32:54Z

<div id="subtitle">Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to spend two days in post-quake Haiti</div><div><p>Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is set to become one of the first heads of government to visit Haiti since the country was decimated by an earthquake.</p><p>During a two-day tour that begins Monday,...

What's this G7 anyway, Iqaluit locals wonder?

2010-02-22T11:13:49Z

<div><p>Iqaluit, Canada (Reuters) - Wind-whipped snow eddies dance across the aptly named Road to Nowhere on the outskirts of Arctic Iqaluit, and the mood is definitely mixed as locals await finance ministers from the world's rich nations.</p><p>"As far as I'm concerned it's a PR stunt f...

Canada's top court won't force detainee's return

2010-02-22T13:34:57Z

<div id="subtitle">Canada's top court rules government can decide whether to seek Guantanamo detainee's return</div><div><p>Canada's Supreme Court ruled Friday that it will not force the government to seek the repatriation of the youngest detainee held by the U.S. at Guantanamo Bay.</p><p>Conservative

Canada touts a new G8 focused on helping the poor

2010-02-22T14:36:02Z

<div><p>Canada will champion a new G8 identity focused on ending child mortality and other health woes in poorer countries when it hosts the club of industrialized nations in June, the government said Tuesday.</p><p>Details of the plan are to be outlined in Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's key...

Haiti Conference

2010-01-25T15:16:22Z

Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive addresses a conference looking at the future of Haiti as Prime Minister Stephen Harper and United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen on Monday, Jan. 25, 2...

Harper's fiscal priorities: stimulus first, then deficit

2010-02-22T16:28:08Z

<div><p>Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled Friday his fiscal priorities for Canada's next parliamentary session, saying his government would try to cut its huge deficit only after the recession ends.</p><p>In the meantime, he told his Conservative caucus, massive spending to stimulate the economy would continue.</p>&...

HArper's fiscal priorities: stimulus first, then deficit

2010-02-22T16:28:09Z

Canada PM Harper says recession not truly over

2010-02-22T23:45:51Z

<div><p>OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Thursday the country's recession is not yet over, noting that the return to economic growth in a technical sense is not the only factor to be considered.</p><p>When asked in an interview with French-l...