By Patrick B. Craine
QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, September 3, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a notably personal interview in Quebec City, Prime Minister Stephen Harper explained that God's judgement on his life was more important to him than the judgement of history. The story will be published in the September edition of Prestige magazine.
His comment came while speaking about his family, saying that his relationships with his wife and two children are more important to him than political accomplishments. “The important thing, for me, is to preserve family ties,” he said. “I can win elections, but if I lose my family, it's a disaster.”
“To be honest with you,” he continued with a laugh, “I am a lot more concerned by God's verdict regarding my life than the one of historians.”
According to the Globe and Mail, the Prestige interview is “an attempt to soften Mr. Harper's hard-edged image in the province.” The Conservatives have lost popularity in Quebec since the last election, but Harper is still well-liked in Quebec City.
Harper has been subjected to pressure recently from Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, who has announced his intention to push for an election this fall. On Tuesday, Ignatieff declared, “Mr. Harper, your time is up. The Liberal party cannot support this government any further. We will hold it to account. We will oppose it in Parliament.”
Harper, an evangelical Christian, has been PM since the Conservatives defeated the Liberals in the 2006 election. Since coming to power, he has actively blocked any attempt to advance pro-life legislation. Many believe him to be pro-life, and that he's simply lying low waiting for a majority, but he himself has clearly indicated otherwise .
In January 2006, Harper declared, “The Conservative government won't be initiating or supporting abortion legislation, and I'll use whatever influence I have in Parliament to be sure that such a matter doesn't come to a vote.”
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Canadian Prime Minister Big Improvement Over Liberal PMs But Clearly Not Pro-Life