Ottawa

BTC: Family is everything (IV)

Excerpts from the Prime Minister’s interview with CTV.

“Mrs. Harper, Laureen, will do a lot in the campaign. She loves to go around and meet our workers. She likes the spotlight less than I so she’ll do it in smaller encounters around the country. The kids are in school and, being responsible parents, I don’t want to pull them out of school to help campaign. Although they’re great campaign assets.”

“My son is like both his dad and mom, he really doesn’t like the spotlight. He can handle it but he’s the kind of kid who just wants to be with his friends and play sports and do the things he loves. My daughter likes it a little bit more, but I keep telling her, Your day will come, it’s not quite yet. Just go to school and get an education.”

(On the involvement of family in American politics.) “You know, it’s a mixed blessing. Every candidate pulls their wives, sometimes even their children, up front, have them speaking and the next thing you know their political views and they’re being attacked just like a candidate and all of a sudden the candidates decide they don’t like that. Look, Laureen’s a wonderful person and very supportive. Very supportive not just of me, but very supportive of the things the Conservative party stands for. She was conservative before I met her, but I have no desire and I think she has no desire to be under the kind of public scrutiny or criticism the Prime Minister has to face.”

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