Mike Harris
Michael Deane Harris (born January 23, 1945) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995, to April 14, 2002, and as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario from 1990 to 2002.[1][2] Harris rose to prominence by spearheading the "Common Sense Revolution," a policy platform that emphasized fiscal restraint, including sharp reductions in personal income taxes by approximately 30 percent, welfare reforms to encourage employment, and cuts to provincial spending to eliminate a longstanding deficit.[3][4] These measures contributed to balanced budgets by the late 1990s, the breakup of Ontario Hydro into competitive entities, and an economic expansion that created over 700,000 jobs during his tenure, transforming Ontario from a high-debt province into one with sustained growth.[4][5][6] However, his government faced significant backlash for hospital closures and health care reductions, controversial education changes via Bill 160 that centralized control over funding and hiring, and municipal amalgamations such as Toronto's megacity restructuring.[7][6] Notable controversies included the 1995 Ipperwash Provincial Park standoff, where provincial police fatally shot unarmed Indigenous protester Dudley George amid a land dispute, with inquiries later examining Harris's reported directive to "get the chippewas out of the park," and the 2000 Walkerton E. coli outbreak killing seven, linked by critics to deregulation of water testing labs.[4][8][9] Despite such events, which drew protests and opposition from left-leaning institutions, empirical outcomes under Harris's causal focus on deficit reduction and market-oriented reforms are defended by proponents as foundational to Ontario's long-term fiscal stability, countering narratives of unmitigated harm often amplified in mainstream accounts.[4][6]Early Life and Pre-Political Career
Upbringing and Education
Mike Harris was raised in North Bay, Ontario, where his family engaged in local enterprises, including a ski resort operation managed by his father.[10] He grew up in this northern community, developing an early interest in public service that later manifested in educational roles.[10] Harris pursued postsecondary education starting with one year at Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University) in 1965.[11] He subsequently earned a teaching certificate from North Bay Teachers' College, the forerunner to Nipissing University's Schulich School of Education.[12] Some accounts also note attendance at Laurentian University in Sudbury during this period.[13] Following certification, Harris taught mathematics to elementary students, including grades seven and eight, at W.J. Fricker Public School in North Bay for several years before transitioning to family business ventures.[10] This teaching experience informed his initial foray into public office as a school board trustee in 1974.[10]Business Ventures and Early Professional Experience
Prior to his involvement in politics, Harris worked as a ski instructor for two years following high school graduation.[14] In the 1970s, he earned a teaching certificate from North Bay Teachers' College and served as an elementary school teacher in the North Bay area.[14] [12] Harris later owned and operated tourism and recreation businesses in the Nipissing and Parry Sound regions of northern Ontario, leveraging the area's natural attractions such as lakes and forests for outdoor activities.[15] These ventures aligned with his upbringing in North Bay, where his family had ties to local enterprise, including his father's earlier fishing camp operation.[14] His experience in education and tourism informed his early community roles, such as election to the Nipissing Board of Education in 1975, before his entry into provincial politics in 1981.[15]Entry into Provincial Politics
Election as MPP for Nipissing
Mike Harris entered provincial politics in the 1981 Ontario general election, held on March 19, 1981, when he was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the northern Ontario riding of Nipissing under the Progressive Conservative banner.[16] This victory marked the defeat of the incumbent Liberal MPP, Mike Bolan, who had held the seat since 1975.[17] Harris secured 15,795 votes, representing a margin of approximately 4,871 votes over Bolan.[18] The riding's results reflected the broader provincial outcome, where the Progressive Conservatives, led by Premier Bill Davis, retained a majority government with 70 seats.[17]| Candidate | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Harris | Progressive Conservative | 15,795 |
| Mike Bolan | Liberal | 10,924 |
| Art Peltomaa | New Democratic Party | 1,774 |