The Harris Legacy: Reflections on a Transformational Premier

Larry Ostola talks to Alister Campbell about his book, The Harris Legacy: Reflections on a Transformational Premier. Elected for the first of his two terms as premier of Ontario in 1995, Mike Harris introduced some of the most sweeping reforms the province has ever seen: substantial reductions in spending and taxation as well dramatic changes to welfare, education, health care, municipal affairs, labour relations, energy, the environment, and much more. He altered the way elections were fought, how the provincial government is held accountable, how it works with its counterpart in Ottawa, and on his retirement in 2002 said his only regret was “I wish I had done more… faster.” Three decades after the launch of his famous Common Sense Revolution, Mike Harris and his policies still galvanize emotions on all sides of the political spectrum. In this comprehensive and highly readable examination of The Harris Legacy, an all-star collection of political experts reviews what worked, what didn’t, and what’s still up for debate. Alister Campbell has served as CEO of several Canadian insurance companies. He was the “Message Guy” in the 1995 Mike Harris campaign, responsible for policy, speech, communications, advertising, and media. Image Credit: Sutherland House If you like our work, please consider supporting it: bit.ly/support_WTY. Your support contributes to the Champlain Society’s mission of opening new windows to directly explore and experience Canada’s past.