Conservative Harper becomes Canadian P.M.

Stephen Harper became Canada's 22nd prime minister Monday as he and the members of his Cabinet were sworn in by the governor-general.

Harper is the first Conservative to head a government since 1993.

His electoral victory was a narrow one, giving him 125 seats now that one Liberal member of Parliament, David Emerson, crossed to the Conservatives to serve as minister of international trade. The Toronto Globe and Mail reports that the Conservatives may form a parliamentary alliance with the New Democratic Party, but that would still leave them one vote away from a majority against the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois.

There are 308 members in the elected House of Commons.

Other than Emerson, the major surprise in Harper's Cabinet is his minister of public works and government services, Michael Fortier. Fortier, who was co-chair of the Conservative campaign, is not in parliament, and his legal status in the Cabinet is unclear.

Harper scheduled his first Cabinet meeting for Monday afternoon, just a few hours after his meeting at Rideau Hall with Governor-General Michaelle Jean.

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