Canada's first lady returns to her roots
Undaunted by snow in June, townsfolk lined the streets Saturday as Laureen Teskey Harper returned to her old stomping grounds for the annual Diamond Valley parade.
Bundled in a long coat and mittens to ward off the cold, Harper, the parade's grand marshal, led an array of floats, bands and marchers through the streets of Black Diamond.
"It's lovely to be home,"said Harper, who was born in nearby Turner Valley and grew up in the area. Her parents were ranchers and own an electrical contracting company there. "I love it, no matter what the weather is."
Mounted on Stormy, a black quarter-horse, and wearing boots and a cowboy hat, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's wife waved to children and called out greetings to old friends.
The Conservatives secret weapon is Laureen Harper. She is smart, independent, had her own business, and people just naturally gravitate towards her. She is a feminist in the true sense of the word. She is strong minded enough to do well on her own. She is confident enough to enjoy being a stay at home Mom, who makes the kids lunches. She is a loving partner to the Prime Minister willing to help and support him without thinking it diminishes her in any way. I suspect Steven Harper the man, is totally wrapped around her little finger.
I know this article is dated, but it gives a bit of a picture of the history of their relationship. It's a good Sunday afternoon read.
The quick -- and shrewd -- rescue is typical of Harper, who since her arrival in the nation's capital five years ago has become one of the nation's most intriguing political spouses. She arrived Laureen Teskey, a folksy, motorcycle-riding Albertan refreshingly unstudied in Ottawa mores. She joked about the "mucky-mucks" and drank beer from the bottle. Post-2006 election, she's been retrofitted. Now she's Laureen Harper. A photographic essay of life at 24 Sussex Drive in the July Chatelaine could be postcards sent from 1956. Harper, who ran a thriving business after having her two children, appears to be channelling Donna Reed as played by Ellen Barkin. She revels in her role as stay-at-home mom to Ben, 11, and Rachel, 8, boasting that there's no nanny, she makes the kids' lunches and that the Harpers are just an "average Canadian family." Her only public cause -- fostering homeless cats for the Humane Society -- is similarly heartwarming and unassailable, though the recent addition of 11 kittens rescued after a fire at a Cornwall, Ont., animal shelter adds credence to 24 Sussex's new nickname, the Cat Palace.
If I had daughters, I would hope that they would look at Laureen as a great role model.
29 comments:
There is no first lady in Canada.
Oh, suck it up SQ, the headline is the newspapers, not mine.
Hunter, did you try sending this article to
news@nationalnewswatch.com
and
pierre@bourque.com
often they will pick it up, not always tho.
Funny how that whenever SQ types something, I can almost hear the whiney tone as if he/she/it were speaking!
It also makes me wonder how Gayle can even view her monitor, what with her nose held so high in the air, while perched upon her high horse.
"Funny how the media never reports much on Laureen. Could it be because she is just so naturally appealing to Canadians?"
Maybe it is because most people really do not care?
When you say she is a feminist "in the true sense of the word", do you mean this?:
"1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
2. (sometimes initial capital letter) an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women."
This being the definition of feminsts and all.
My mother raised 5 children while staying at home, and also managed to run her own business. So did many, many other women, and many more are still doing so. Ms. Harper is not special because she does the same - she is just normal (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Feminist in the true sense of the word, meaning what they used to be all about, not the man hating, feminists we have today, who expect to get their way just because they are females. Feminists are giving their own cause a bad name these days.
Gayle, it must bug you that your Mom is a Conservative.
Which feminists are those Hunter? See, if they do not fall within the definition I provided, they are not feminists.
Why would it bug me that my mother is conservative? She just gives me hope that some people can be conservative and intelligent - hard to find proof of that around here you know. ;)
Fun stuff and she has a much cheerier look on her face than I did in the same weather.
GOLLY, it was and is pathetic.I thought of you, Hunter and your sweet, baby plants.
The Turner Valley/Black Diamond area is fairly close to the filming location of Brokeback Mountain and so with that in mind, you can just imagine how glorious the scenery is there.
I understand why she is so happy.
My family scattered all across Canada and the Southern US, get off the plane and say, "Ah, I can breathe, just smell that mountain air"! Cheers everyone!
hard to find proof of that around here you know.
Don't look anyone...a personal attack!
Pot, meet kettle.
Dear Eskimo
You are starting to concern me. You are becoming as obsessed with me as East once was.
Allow me to clue you in on a few hints about blogging. When someone posts this:
;)
it represents a smile and a wink.
As a general rule, when you see that combination of symbols you can assume the poster is joking.
That will be all.
Cool Gayle, I didn't know that either, like Eskimo!
Thanks, good hint.
Gayle,
Tell us about Mrs. Ignatieff.
Does she have children?
Was she a working or stay at home mom?
How old is she? Is this her first marriage?
Other than read what hobbies does she have?
Ms Laureen is always a big media hit when she travels with PMSH.
She never tries to steal the spotlight.
A genuine doll.
If the media started giving Ms Laureen good press,
people might not believe that PMSH is such an evil ogre,
and that is NOT in the media mission statement.
Thanks for the wink Gayle, but I'm taken.
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"Tell us about Mrs. Ignatieff.'
Why on earth do you think I care?
What is this?: "my party's leader's wife is better than your party's leader's wife"?
I love it when you CPC types demonstrate how desperate you are.
Oh dear, we're desperate? I didn't know that.
All we hear about Iggy's wife is what she was wearing at the convention. The dress was nice, but when the Liberal friendly MSM can only talk about her dress, you wonder if she is that shallow as well.
Hunter ... your mail box is full ... I have sent some FNF - it did a bounce back to me with message.
as Gayle says ;)(: or ...
Thanks for the heads up WCT, freed up some space.
Iggy's wife is some sort of agent, and I don't know if she was married before she broke up his marriage. I just know she said yes when he knocked on her door and asked, Can I stay. Much later they were married.
Re her clothing. At the convention she was asked by a couple of young girls, who are in fashion design, who is your favorite canadian designer. Her response and look said, you mean there are designers in Canada. Wonder if she will go to Europe with hubby next month to do some shopping.
Can't you see her kissing a horse.
Or riding one.
Iggy's wife is some sort of agent, and I don't know if she was married before she broke up his marriage. I just know she said yes when he knocked on her door and asked, Can I stay. Much later they were married.
Re her clothing. At the convention she was asked by a couple of young girls, who are in fashion design, who is your favorite canadian designer. Her response and look said, you mean there are designers in Canada. Wonder if she will go to Europe with hubby next month to do some shopping.
Can't you see her kissing a horse.
Or riding one.
maryT: time to check our meds!
Sorry about the double post, I don't know how that happened.
SQ, are you on meds, why should I check your meds.
I don't even take aspirins.
Hunter - Bravo for speaking up to SQ. Quite frankly, I don't know why you let his comments be published. They serve no purpose whatsoever.
Gayle, sweetheart, I was never obsessed with you - I could never be obsessed with a miserable...you-know-what like yourself. You were merely projecting because...Gayle, dearest, you are obsessed with Conservative blogs. I find it very telling, sweetness, that whenever somebody comes along who takes you to task for your nonesensical and downright stupid comments, you then turn around and accuse the person of being obsessed with you.
Don't flatter yourself, Gayle. I would never be interested in a small-minded, limited-intellect, emotionally arrested sock puppet like you.
Oh, and yes, you are giving out personal attacks quite freely these days. And, as you have said many times - a personal attack is the last resort of somebody who has nothing substantive to add.
Turnabout fair play, you silly little fool.
Hunter - you are entirely correct regarding Laureen Harper being a true feminist. She made her choices freely and enjoys the rewards of her choices.
She was a successful businesswoman, she is married to the Prime Minister of Canada, she made her own choice to temporarily stop working while in Ottawa, she has two fine children, she is attractive, intelligent, vivacious, and certainly photogenic.
Yes, she has it all - the love of a good husband, the love of her children, the love of her cats (okay, she does have that one flaw), she had and will have a great career, she goes to great places.
Unlike the bitter ones and those like Gayle, Laureen epitomizes the complete and fulfilled modern woman.
The only other politician's wife whom I admired was Sheila Martin - a dignified and discreet lady who did our country proud.
Someone is pretty hard up when they pretend a wink conveys sexual attraction, especially after said wink was explained as indicating "joking".
Such condescending sneering buffoonery here today.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
LS - a wink can, indeed, suggest sexual interest. Where have you been all of your life?
East - except that in this case it was specifically stated to be indicative of a joke.
By the way, that post you directed to me just proves you are obsessed. But it's cute when you try to get all condescending and stuff.
"By the way, that post you directed to me just proves you are obsessed. But it's cute when you try to get all condescending and stuff."
And your lame retort proves to me that you are delusional.
Gayle is getting more miserable and crusty by the day...
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