About The Book
The Harris Legacy: Reflections on a Transformational Premier
In this comprehensive and highly readable examination of The Harris Legacy, an all-star collection of policy experts reviews what worked, what didn’t, and what’s still up for debate.
Editor
Alister Campbell
Alister Campbell began the curatorial process for the The Harris Legacy book in the aftermath of the public debate surrounding the appointment of former Premier Mike Harris to the Order of Ontario. He believes that 20+ years after Harris stepped down as Premier, it is now timely to conduct a balanced, retrospective evaluation of that period of dramatic change in Ontario’s government and governance.
Publisher
Founded in 2017 by Canadian author and publishing executive Kenneth Whyte, Sutherland House (SH) is a new, Toronto-based publisher of non-fiction books for global English-language audiences.
SH specializes in narrative works of biography, memoir, history, business, culture, and current affairs and will publish sixteen books in 2022. In its brief existence, it has already had numerous books on legitimate bestseller lists and nominated for major prizes.
Book Details
Size
500 pages. 6" X 9".
Format
The first edition will be available in both Hardcover and ebook on publication date.
Book Description
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 policy experts reviews what worked, what didn’t, and what’s still up for debate
Despite the controversy surrounding so many of the wide-ranging reforms undertaken by the government of Premier Mike Harris across so many different public policy areas, it is important to appreciate just how few of these changes have been reversed by his successors in the many years since. The City of Toronto was not unmerged. Closed hospitals were not reopened. Province-wide negotiation authority for teaching contracts was not handed back to the eighty-four boards of education. The old monolith of Ontario Hydro was not reconstituted. The coal-burning power plants he began to close have not reopened. The massive expansion of Ontario parkland was not reversed. Reduced welfare compensation was not reinstated. Standardized testing in Grades Three, Six, and Nine remains in place. The Oakridges Moraine is still undeveloped (as of this edition). Privatized highways (e.g., 407ETR) and nuclear plants (e.g., Bruce Power) have not been renationalized. The list goes on….
Suffice it to say that many, if not most, of the fundamental changes implemented during the Harris regime survive and define the Ontario we currently inhabit. It is not an overstatement, based on the evidence accumulated in this collection of essays, to say that...we live in Mike Harris’s Ontario today.
Author Biography
Alister Campbell
Author
David Frum
Author
Dr. Eugene Beaulieu
Author
Dr. Jack M. Mintz
Author
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy a copy of this book?
The easiest thing to do is to simply click on the Pre-Order Now/Buy Now button on the top and bottom of this page. That will take you to the Publisher’s e-commerce site where you can purchase your copy (or copies!). After the publication date, the book will also be available through all the usual online bookstores and at fine local booksellers near you! And yes…you will be able to buy it as an e-book if you prefer (or as well!).
Did Premier Harris have editorial control over the conclusions of chapter authors?
No. Mike Harris was aware of the book idea when the Editor first proposed the concept to him early on the project’s development. But, neither he (nor the Editor) had editorial control over any of the findings of any of the authors, who were in fact all recruited on the understanding that their work would be entirely in their own control. Former Premier Harris did have the opportunity to see the final draft of all content, but had no editorial authority – nor did he seek to exercise such. The conclusions of all authors are their own.
Were people paid to write their chapters in The Harris Legacy book?
No. The Editor, and all of the authors recruited to this project, volunteered their time to the research and writing of this essay collection, in the hope of helping to enhance the collective historical understanding and appreciation of an important time in Ontario, and Canada’s history. No compensation has been paid to any of the authors for their work.
I like the idea for The Harris Legacy Project – Canada’s first “Digital Premierial Library”…what I can do to help?
In so many other democratic countries, major public figures across the political spectrum are suitably memorialized. For some reason, in Canada, we tend to use our political leaders and then forget them. If you are interested in engaging with us on The Harris Legacy Project, just hit the Subscribe button on the Home Page of this site and we will make sure to keep you informed about future developments (events, new archived content, new posts, etc.). If you want to help, please email us at Communications(at)TheHarrisLegacyProject(dot)ca
Who is behind The Harris Legacy Project?
All of the work done to develop the concept for The Harris Legacy Project has been done by volunteers. Funding for the development of this site has been provided by a small group of private benefactors who share our aspiration to build an archival website which can assist students, scholars and others with a healthy interest in the public policy of the Harris Era. We are in the process of seeking charitable status via an application to the Canada Revenue Agency. Once this is granted, we hope to build out this Archive to more comprehensively support our mission of education and research around Premier Harris and his time in office.