Biograpies

Mike Harris:Growing up in North Bay, learned many of the important principles
that he has taken all the way to the Premier’s office.
He was born in 1945, the second son of Hope and Deane Harris. During his
childhood, his father operated a welding supply business.When Mike was fifteen,
the family bought a tourist camp on Callander Bay, on the banks of Lake Nipissing.
As a teenager, he worked as a guide at the camp, leading tourists to the best fishing
spots. These early years led to a genuine love of nature and made Mike Harris
the avid sportsman, golfer and skier that he is today.Through his parents, Mike Harris
learned the importance of hard work and respect for others. And growing up, he saw
these principles at work in the lives of the friends and neighbours of his hometown.
Years later, on June 8, 1995 Mike Harris became the twenty-second Premier of Ontario following a landslide election victory. His plan -- the Common Sense Revolution -- struck a chord with people across the province who were tired of big government, wasteful spending and rising unemployment.
Over the next four years, Mike Harris and his team at Queen’s Park worked hard to make Ontario a better place. They cut taxes, reduced red tape and eliminated barriers to growth. The economy grew, unemployment fell and jobs and investment returned.
In his first term, he proved that he was not afraid to make tough choices needed to put Ontario back on track. Four years later, the voters of Ontario re-elected Mike Harris and his team -- making him the first Ontario Premier in more than 30 years to form a second consecutive majority government. And Blueprint -- Mike Harris’ plan to keep Ontario on the right track -- will ensure that Ontario continues to grow and compete in the global marketplace.
Throughout his years in public life, Mike Harris has shown, time and again, that he is on the side of everyday people: by being a champion of tax cuts and a strong supporter of small business; by setting high standards for Ontario schools, teachers and students; by creating a modern, accessible health care system that will meet the needs of our growing and ageing population; by helping thousands escape the welfare trap and find the dignity that comes with a job; and by making government more accountable and efficient.
Today, thanks to Mike Harris, Ontario is stronger and more productive. He has a firm belief in the people of the province and all that Ontario can be. The principles of hard work and respect that he learned as a child are still at the heart of his work today. And they are among the many important lessons he is passing on to his own children -- 15 year-old Mike Jr. and 9 year-old Jeffrey.

Stockwell Day was born in Barrie, Ontario on August 16th, 1950.
He spent his childhood in the Maritimes and lived in Ottawa and Montreal during his high
school years. Mr. Day has also lived in the Northwest Territories, where he worked for an
oil and gas company, and in British Columbia, where he attended the University of Victoria
and served as a deck hand on a Pacific trawler. Mr. Day also worked for the B.C.
government. From 1972-74, he was in the auction business and spent some time working
in the forest industry.
In 1974, Stockwell Day and his wife Valorie moved to Alberta, where they raised their
family. In Edmonton, they spent a year working with a community agency helping young
offenders, street kids, and the homeless. From 1978-85, Mr. Day was Assistant Pastor and Administrator of Bentley Christian School in Bentley, Alberta.

In 1986, Stockwell Day was elected to represent the riding of Red Deer in the Alberta Legislature, where he served the Progressive Conservative government in a variety of senior roles including Chief Whip, Government House Leader, Minister of Labour, Minister of Social Services, Provincial Treasurer, Minister of Finance, and acting Premier to Premier Ralph Klein.

On July 8, 2000, Stockwell Day was elected Leader of the Canadian Alliance. After winning over 70% of the vote in a by-election in the federal constituency of Okanagan-Coquihalla, Mr. Day was officially sworn in as a Member of Parliament on September 19, 2000, becoming Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the House of Commons.

Stockwell Day has received national and international attention for his policies of fiscal management in government. Mr. Day is hailed as the first Finance Minister to introduce a single rate of tax. He has been identified as one of Canada's leading voices for reform of the federation through the recognition of provincial jurisdiction. Mr. Day has earned a national reputation as a leading advocate for criminal justice reform and as someone willing to challenge the forces of political correctness to speak for the silent majority on a range of issues.

In 1996, Mr. Day chaired the Winds of Change conference, a gathering of conservative-minded activists and thinkers which first raised the issue of uniting "small c" conservative voters in Canada. He was a founding member of the United Alternative Steering Committee, and rallied the forces of unity as a keynote speaker at both the 1999 and 2000 United Alternative conventions.

Stockwell Day is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Rotary Club. He and his wife Valorie have three sons and three grandchildren.