Stephen Harper. Photo: World Economic Forum via Wikimedia Commons.

Stephen Harper

Prime Minister of Canada

Now in this third term as Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper is at the peak of a distinguished political career that began in 1993, when he was first elected to parliament. As he prepares to stand for a fourth term when Canada heads to the polls in October, Harper’s message on the need to confront terrorism and support Israel is as clear and uncompromising as ever. Speaking after the Paris terror attacks in January 2015, Harper asserted that jihadists had “declared war” on Canada and other western democracies. In combating that threat, Harper regards Israel as a critical ally, a stance that is reflected not just in his rhetoric, but in his policies. Since his first visit to Israel in 2014, Canada and Israel are working closely on security, business cooperation and countering the campaign to isolate the Jewish state politically and diplomatically.