Laureen Harper
Encyclopedia
Laureen Ann Harper is the wife of Canada's 22nd Prime Minister Stephen Harper
.
, a rural town south-west of Calgary, Alberta
. Her parents were ranchers and owned an electrical contracting company; the Teskeys divorced in 1991, after 29 years. After graduating from Oilfields High School, she attended the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
where she studied journalism
and photography
.
She was first married to New Zealand
er Neil Fenton from 1985 to 1988.
Teskey joined the Reform Party of Canada
in the late 1980s, and met Stephen Harper at the Reform assembly in Saskatoon in 1990. They married in 1993. Some of Harper's earliest political contemporaries, including Jim Hawkes
, Preston Manning
and Deborah Grey
, have said that the 'intensely cerebral' Stephen Harper appreciably 'mellowed' after their marriage. Media reports have generally credited her as far more personable and friendly in front of the cameras than her husband.
Teskey offers her home to the OHS
(Ottawa Humane Society) as a foster home for kittens, and in her spare time enjoys riding her motorcycle
.
She and her husband have two children, Ben (born April 19, 1996) and Rachel (born 1999). They attend public schools in Ottawa.
that she wishes to be known as Laureen Harper in her public role as a spouse of the Prime Minister
.
Maureen McTeer
, the wife of former Prime Minister Joe Clark
, also found some controversy in 1979 when she became the first wife of a Prime Minister to use her own surname rather than her
husband's.
she has played an active role in campaigning alongside her husband. She is frequently seen at the podium on behalf of and with her husband. Within the Conservative Party of Canada
, she is nicknamed the "secret weapon".
. She has supported causes such as the OHS
and also the National Arts Centre
where she has been Honorary Gala Chair since 2005. She is particularly active in accompanying her husband on international trips, for example the G8
, G20 and others. Mrs. Harper hosted the spouses of G8,G20 leaders in June of 2010 in Toronto, Ontario.
on September 24, 2008 that she would not be able to fulfill her role as honorary gala chair on October 4. This announcement came just days after her husband Prime Minister Stephen Harper
said that rich galas aren't something that resonate with ordinary people. She later responded saying that circumstances around her not being able to attend had nothing to do with her husband's prior announcement but later attended the gala the following year as honorary chair again.
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
.
Life and career
The eldest of three, Teskey was born in Turner ValleyTurner Valley, Alberta
Turner Valley is a town in Alberta, Canada. It is located southwest of Calgary.Situated on Highway 22 , the town was once the centre of an oil and natural gas boom. For 30 years, the Turner Valley Oilfields was a major supplier of oil and gas and the largest producer in the British Empire, but is...
, a rural town south-west of Calgary, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Her parents were ranchers and owned an electrical contracting company; the Teskeys divorced in 1991, after 29 years. After graduating from Oilfields High School, she attended the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
-Academics:SAIT Polytechnic offers two full baccalaureate degrees , four applied degrees, 66 diploma and certificate programs, 32 apprenticeship trades and 1,600 continuing education and corporate training courses....
where she studied journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
She was first married to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
er Neil Fenton from 1985 to 1988.
Teskey joined the Reform Party of Canada
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
in the late 1980s, and met Stephen Harper at the Reform assembly in Saskatoon in 1990. They married in 1993. Some of Harper's earliest political contemporaries, including Jim Hawkes
Jim Hawkes
Frederick James "Jim" Hawkes, , is a former Canadian politician.-Early life and education:Hawkes was born in Calgary, Alberta. He studied at Sir George Williams College , earning a B.A. in 1957....
, Preston Manning
Preston Manning
Ernest Preston Manning, CC is a Canadian politician. He was the only leader of the Reform Party of Canada, a Canadian federal political party that evolved into the Canadian Alliance...
and Deborah Grey
Deborah Grey
Deborah Cleland Grey, OC, sometimes called Deb Grey is a former Canadian Member of Parliament from Alberta for the Reform Party of Canada, Canadian Alliance and Conservative Party of Canada....
, have said that the 'intensely cerebral' Stephen Harper appreciably 'mellowed' after their marriage. Media reports have generally credited her as far more personable and friendly in front of the cameras than her husband.
Teskey offers her home to the OHS
Ottawa Humane Society
The Ottawa Humane Society is the humane society for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.-Background:The Ottawa Humane Society is a non-profit organization, community-based organization and a registered charitable organization, Charity Registration Number: # 123264715 RR0001...
(Ottawa Humane Society) as a foster home for kittens, and in her spare time enjoys riding her motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
.
She and her husband have two children, Ben (born April 19, 1996) and Rachel (born 1999). They attend public schools in Ottawa.
Name
There was considerable confusion in the Canadian media about which surname she uses — at different times, media references to her have called her Teskey, Harper, or Teskey Harper (not hyphenated). On January 26, 2006, she advised Canadian PressCanadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
that she wishes to be known as Laureen Harper in her public role as a spouse of the Prime Minister
Spouses of the Prime Ministers of Canada
The spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada is the wife or husband of the Prime Minister of Canada. To date, 18 women have been the wife of the Prime Minister of Canada; Kim Campbell, Canada's only female prime minister to date, was unmarried during her time in office...
.
Maureen McTeer
Maureen McTeer
Maureen Anne McTeer is a Canadian author and a lawyer, married to Joe Clark, the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.-Life and career:...
, the wife of former Prime Minister Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
, also found some controversy in 1979 when she became the first wife of a Prime Minister to use her own surname rather than her
husband's.
Campaigning
Since assuming her role in 2006, as spouse of the Prime MinisterSpouses of the Prime Ministers of Canada
The spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada is the wife or husband of the Prime Minister of Canada. To date, 18 women have been the wife of the Prime Minister of Canada; Kim Campbell, Canada's only female prime minister to date, was unmarried during her time in office...
she has played an active role in campaigning alongside her husband. She is frequently seen at the podium on behalf of and with her husband. Within the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, she is nicknamed the "secret weapon".
Public life
She has had an active public life since her arrival at 24 Sussex Drive24 Sussex Drive
24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...
. She has supported causes such as the OHS
Ottawa Humane Society
The Ottawa Humane Society is the humane society for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.-Background:The Ottawa Humane Society is a non-profit organization, community-based organization and a registered charitable organization, Charity Registration Number: # 123264715 RR0001...
and also the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
where she has been Honorary Gala Chair since 2005. She is particularly active in accompanying her husband on international trips, for example the G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
, G20 and others. Mrs. Harper hosted the spouses of G8,G20 leaders in June of 2010 in Toronto, Ontario.
NAC controversy
Harper provoked controversy when she notified the National Arts CentreNational Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
on September 24, 2008 that she would not be able to fulfill her role as honorary gala chair on October 4. This announcement came just days after her husband Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
said that rich galas aren't something that resonate with ordinary people. She later responded saying that circumstances around her not being able to attend had nothing to do with her husband's prior announcement but later attended the gala the following year as honorary chair again.