An MP from 1993 to 1997 and from 2002, he has championed the rights of Canada’s provinces against the power of the federal government. He was elected leader of the newly formed Conservative Party of Canada in 2004 and formed a minority government after the 2006 general election, which continued after a further general election in 2008. The Conservative Party’s victory in the 2011 election enabled Harper to form a majority government. Harper lost to Liberal Justin Trudeau in 2015, resigning as leader of the party.