This morning I watched the ceremony in which Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister. Stephen Harper has always seemed just slightly less than human to me. Not in a monstrous way. He just seems so bland and expressionless which makes him just a tiny bit creepy.
But this morning, as he entered the room where he officially became Prime Minister, I saw a different man. On his face I saw an expression that said “Holy Crap! I’m going to be Prime Minister!!!” He looked giddy and excited and a tiny bit nervous and completely petrified all at once. It was totally endearing and I think that in those moments, as he waited to take office, he won my allegiance.
Does it sound like I’m talking about him like a puppy? I hope not. It’s just that I always thought that Jack Leighton and Paul Martin both had a certain likeability factor. Maybe it’s because they just seem more real. Maybe Harper’s detachment will make him a better PM but I think that if I were voting between the three leaders, he would be hard to vote for simply because he is hard to relate to. I don’t know. But I appreciated seeing a bit of humanity this morning and that’s really all I needed to know. It is comforting to know that our new leader is a real person with actual feelings and it was gratifying to see his excitement over this new job shine through just for a minute. Congratulations Prime Minister Harper.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
android lover
February 9th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
Hey Shannon,
I hadn’t really given a lot of thought to Stephen Harper before, but I agree with you: when watching the inauguration, he really seemed like he is going to try and do his best. Plus, there is just something endearing about a guy who shows up in Ottawa with his family in a mini-van.
-Jessica