Stephen Harper
PER
Stephen Harper Harper
Prime Minister Stephen Harper got off to a shaky start in his first week in office, facing a rash of criticism for three cabinet appointments that appeared to compromise his past positions on making government more democratic and ethical. Mr. Harper won a narrow victory and tenuous control of the House of Commons last month by promising that he would make Ottawa more accountable. During the campaign Mr. Harper promised to halt the revolving door between the cabinet and lobbying firms, and work to transform the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, from an appointed body to an elected one.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper has gotten off to a shaky start in his first week in office, facing a rash of criticism for three cabinet appointments that appeared to compromise his past positions on making government more democratic and ethical. He is a Conservative, who won a narrow victory and tenuous control of the House of Commons last month by promising that he would make Ottawa more accountable and that he would clean up after several Liberal Party scandals. During the campaign he promised to halt the revolving door between the cabinet and lobbying firms, and work to transform the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, from an appointed body to an elected one.