Changes

In 2007 Harper promised Canadian farmers over $1 billion Canadian in farm subsidies but at the same time promised to end the Wheat Board of Canada's sales monopoly in Western Canada<ref>[http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/ cwb.ca]</ref>, (a government group that manipulates the prices of wheat and barley through [[supply management]]).  Some farmers believe this would cost the Canadian farming industry billions of dollars in lost revenues while others feel the industry would benefit by allowing farmers in the West to market and sell their produce as they see fit; just as farmers in the east are allowed to do. The [[United States]] also wants the Wheat Board of Canada removed from power because it claims price fixing is unfair to free-trade. Wheat exports to the United States account for only 10% of Canada's wheat production.

In 2007 Harper promised Canadian farmers over $1 billion Canadian in farm subsidies but at the same time promised to end the Wheat Board of Canada's sales monopoly in Western Canada<ref>[http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/ cwb.ca]</ref>, (a government group that manipulates the prices of wheat and barley through [[supply management]]).  Some farmers believe this would cost the Canadian farming industry billions of dollars in lost revenues while others feel the industry would benefit by allowing farmers in the West to market and sell their produce as they see fit; just as farmers in the east are allowed to do. The [[United States]] also wants the Wheat Board of Canada removed from power because it claims price fixing is unfair to free-trade. Wheat exports to the United States account for only 10% of Canada's wheat production.

A fixed election date measure was passed, setting the next general election for October, 2009.  However, the measure was not binding, and on September 7th, 2008, Harper advised the Governor-General to call a general election for October 14, 2008, one year early.  The Conservatives won the election, increasing their total number of seats, however they did not win an outright majority of the seats in the House of Commons. This left open the possibility of the remaining parties forming a coalition and displacing the Conservative government, and an unofficial Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition was formed a month after the election; however, Harper successfully had parliament suspended until February 2009 before the coalition could bring forth a vote of no confidence. Liberal leader [[Stephane Dion]] resigned his position after the suspension of parliament, and succeeding leader [[Michael Ignatieff]] has distanced himself from the coalition, meaning that the Harper government was theoretically safe for the foreseeable future (although not truly safe, like any minority government). The Conservatives then lost the 2015 election when the Liberals, now led by Justin Trudeau, came form their third-place position to return to power. As a result, Harper announced following the election that he would be stepping down as Conservative leader and has requested an interim leader to serve until a leadership election can be held.<ref>[http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/stephen-harper-resigns-as-conservative-leader-1.2617950 Stephen Harper resigns as Conservative leader] at CTV News</ref>

A fixed election date measure was passed, setting the next general election for October, 2009.  However, the measure was not binding, and on September 7th, 2008, Harper advised the Governor-General to call a general election for October 14, 2008, one year early.  The Conservatives won the election, increasing their total number of seats, however they did not win an outright majority of the seats in the House of Commons. This left open the possibility of the remaining parties forming a coalition and displacing the Conservative government, and an unofficial Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition was formed a month after the election; however, Harper successfully had parliament suspended until February 2009 before the coalition could bring forth a vote of no confidence. Liberal leader [[Stephane Dion]] resigned his position after the suspension of parliament, and succeeding leader [[Michael Ignatieff]] has distanced himself from the coalition, meaning that the Harper government was theoretically safe for the foreseeable future (although not truly safe, like any minority government). The Conservatives then lost the 2015 election when the Liberals, now led by Justin Trudeau, came from their third-place position to return to power. As a result, Harper announced following the election that he would be stepping down as Conservative leader and has requested an interim leader to serve until a leadership election can be held.<ref>[http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/stephen-harper-resigns-as-conservative-leader-1.2617950 Stephen Harper resigns as Conservative leader] at CTV News</ref>

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