Career
He defeated Liberal candidate Janice Laking, the incumbent mayor of Barrie, by a margin of 123 votes. Ironically, political analysts largely credited his victory over Laking to her popularity rather than his, suggesting that many voters in Barrie switched their votes only because they didn"t want Laking to step down as mayor. Harper did not stand for reelection in the 1997 election.
Before being elected to Parliament, Harper was a businessman in Barrie.
