This Is Probably Not The Harper Most People Voted For

But they are getting much more for their buck than they bargained for....

Stephen : We hardly know you
Harper was supposed to be a boring technocrat as PM ... what happened?
By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN

By now it's apparent that we conservatives got much more than we bargained for in Stephen Harper.

Then again, so did the Liberals, Bloc, NDP and the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

Conservatives thought we were getting a technocrat as prime minister who would gradually shrink the federal government down to its core responsibilities of finance, defence, foreign affairs, justice, immigration, transportation and communications.

We thought his view of the world was pretty much limited to Alberta.

Boy, were we wrong.

In less than a year, Harper has emerged as a leader whose capacity for big ideas matches Brian Mulroney's and whose flair for the dramatic rivals Pierre Trudeau's.

Who wants to change Canada's global reputation as a "soft power" under the Liberals into a middle power with teeth -- and who is prepared to put boots on the ground in the world's hotspots and shed Canadian blood to do it.

Who is capabable of a political ruthlessness and cunning that should scare the bejeebers out of the Liberals, Bloc and NDP -- as it already has his own cabinet.

Clearly, the opposition and media underestimated Harper, who they predicted would be crushed by Paul Martin. (Remember?)

Indeed, they keep insisting in the face of all evidence to the contrary that Harper is just a "George Bush lite."

Uh, wrong. When a leader is as willing as Harper to anger his core constituents again and again for what he sees as long-term gain, something far more complex is going on inside that brain than a mini-Bush.

Open the box for more treasures........