- In full:
- Michael Deane Harris
- Born:
- Jan. 23, 1945, Toronto, Ont., Can. (age 81)
- Title / Office:
- prime minister (1995-2002), Ontario
- Political Affiliation:
- Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Mike Harris
-
Who is Mike Harris?
Mike Harris, born on January 23, 1945, is a Canadian politician who served as the premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002. Before entering politics, Harris was a mathematics teacher and later worked in tourism and recreation.
Harris's political career began with his election to the Nipissing Board of Education in 1975, where he later became chairman. He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1981, representing Nipissing. In 1990, he became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) and introduced the Common Sense Revolution, advocating for tax cuts and reduced government size.
As premier, Harris implemented significant policy changes, including reducing welfare benefits and repealing anti-scab labor legislation. Despite leading his party to victory in 1999, his tenure faced challenges such as the Walkerton E. coli outbreak and clashes with labor unions, leading to his resignation in 2002.
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What role did Mike Harris have in Canadian politics?
Mike Harris served as the premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002. Elected to the Ontario legislature in 1981, he became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) in 1990. In 1995, the PCP won a legislative majority, and Harris became premier, initiating his "Common Sense Revolution," which sharply contrasted with the prior New Democratic Party government.
His policies included reducing welfare benefits, repealing anti-scab labor laws, and centralizing government administration. Harris led his party to victory in the 1999 elections, but his tenure faced challenges, including the Walkerton E. coli outbreak and clashes with labor unions. Harris resigned in 2002.
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What political party did Mike Harris lead?
Mike Harris was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) in the Ontario legislature from 1985 to 1990. After the party's defeat in 1987, he served as a critic for several ministries, developing his party's fiscal policy. In 1990, he was elected leader of the Ontario PCP and released the Common Sense Revolution plan, which aimed to cut taxes and reduce government size and cost. In 1995, the PCP won a majority in the provincial election, and Harris became the 22nd premier of Ontario.
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When did Mike Harris serve as Premier of Ontario?
Mike Harris, born on January 23, 1945, served as the Premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002. Harris, who grew up in North Bay, Ontario, had a diverse career before entering politics, including teaching and owning tourism businesses. He was elected to the Ontario legislature in 1981 and became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1990. As premier, Harris implemented his "Common Sense Revolution," marked by tax cuts and a smaller government. His tenure saw significant policy changes, including welfare benefit reductions and clashes with labor unions, leading to declining public support and his resignation in 2002.
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What were some important policies or changes introduced by Mike Harris?
Mike Harris, who served as the premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002, implemented significant policy changes known as the "Common Sense Revolution." His administration reduced welfare benefits payments by over 20 percent and repealed anti-scab labor legislation passed by the previous government. Harris also centralized the administration of the government, leading to the smallest cabinet in modern Ontario history, with only 20 members.
Harris's policies had unforeseen consequences, such as the deregulation of water testing and cuts to environmental programs, which were cited as causes of a deadly E. coli outbreak in Walkerton. Clashes with labor unions also led to some of the largest strikes in Canadian history. Declining public support led to Harris's resignation in 2002.
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How did Mike Harris’s leadership impact Ontario’s government and people?
Mike Harris, as the 22nd Premier of Ontario (1995-2002), led a Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) government that marked a shift from the prior New Democratic Party's socialism. Harris, seen as an ordinary person, advocated for tax relief and smaller government. His "Common Sense Revolution" involved significant policy changes, such as reducing welfare benefits by over 20% and repealing anti-scab labor laws.
His leadership also had unforeseen consequences, such as the deregulation of water testing and cuts to environmental programs, which were cited as causes of a deadly E. coli outbreak in Walkerton. Clashes with labor unions also led to large strikes. Declining public support led to Harris's resignation in 2002.
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Mike Harris (born Jan. 23, 1945, Toronto, Ont., Can.) is a Canadian politician who served as premier of Ontario (1995–2002).
Harris grew up in North Bay, Ont. He attended classes at Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University), Laurentian University at Sudbury, and Nipissing University College, North Bay, and received a teaching certificate from North Bay Teachers’ College. For several years he taught seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics in North Bay before joining his father in business. He owned and operated tourism and recreation businesses in the Nipissing and Parry Sound areas of Ontario.
Elected to the Nipissing Board of Education in 1975, Harris served as its chairman from 1977 to 1981. For one term he was president of the Northern Ontario Trustees Association (1980–81), after which he entered provincial politics. Harris was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the general election of 1981 to represent the riding of Nipissing. He served as parliamentary assistant to the minister of the environment and was chairman of public accounts. He sat on the general government and the resources development committees. In 1985 Harris was appointed minister of natural resources and minister of energy. From 1985 to 1990 he was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party (PCP) in the legislature. After the defeat of the Progressive Conservative government in 1987, Harris served as critic (shadow minister for the minority party) for the revenue, labour, housing, finance, and Northern Development ministries. It was as finance critic that he developed his party’s fiscal policy. On May 12, 1990, Harris was elected leader of the Ontario PCP, and four years later he released Common Sense Revolution, a plan to cut taxes and reduce the size and the cost of government.
On June 8, 1995, the PCP won a legislative majority in the provincial election, and later that month Harris was sworn in as the 22nd premier of Ontario. Harris’s administration represented a sharp departure from the socialism of the previous New Democratic Party government. Perceived as a small-town man with the common touch, Harris had gained a reputation as a crusader for tax relief and for a smaller, less interventionist government. Thus, he began immediately to implement what he called his “Common Sense Revolution,” and his policy changes in the first months of his administration were significant. The government reduced welfare benefits payments by more than 20 percent and repealed the anti-scab labour legislation passed by the previous government. Harris centralized the administration of the government, and his 20-member cabinet was the smallest in modern Ontario history.
Harris led his party to a commanding victory in the 1999 elections, but his pledge to run the province like a business had some unforeseen ramifications. Deregulation of water testing and cuts to environmental programs were cited as causes of a deadly E. coli outbreak in the town of Walkerton, and clashes with labour unions led to some of the largest strikes in Canadian history. Declining public support led Harris to resign in 2002, and he was replaced by his finance minister, Ernie Eves.