Laureen Harper joins Facebook, Pinterest
Newly created page includes pictures from Rotary Club speech on maternal health initiative
Laureen Harper has joined Facebook.
- View Laureen Harper's Facebook page here
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced his wife's debut on the social media network in a post to his own Facebook page on Wednesday evening.
"I'd like to welcome my wife Laureen Harper to Facebook today," he wrote.
According to the time stamps, the page was created earlier this week. She also joined Pinterest, a visual social media site.
Her bio entry on both sites describes her as "wife of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and mom to Ben and Rachel," and notes that she "love[s] family, animals, and backpacking."
New page touts maternal health initiative
Her timeline includes a photograph taken at a recent appearance at the Rotary Club of Mississauga, during which she delivered a speech on the government's maternal, newborn and child health initiative alongside "hard-working Conservative MP Brad Butt."
On Thursday, she added a video clip of the prime minister discussing the maternal health program during his recent visit to Senegal.
She also reposted a press release from the Ottawa Humane Society on her role as honorary co-chair of the annual FurBall fundraising event.
Last spring, the Toronto Star reported on a leaked Conservative Party strategy document that highlighted the need to "leverage" her appeal.
Among the suggestions, according to the documents obtained by the Star: a "With Mrs. Harper" video series.
Although that particular pitch apparently hasn't yet received the green light to go to air, Laureen Harper makes regular appearances in the weekly "24/7" video series put together by the Prime Minister's Office:
PM's wife was in cat video festival controversy
In April, Harper found herself the target of an angry heckler when she took the stage at Just For Cats, an online cat video festival in Toronto. Just as she began to speak, 21-year old-university activist Hailey King began shouting from the crowd.
“Raising awareness about cat welfare is a good look for your husband’s upcoming campaign strategy," King said as security rushed over to escort her from the building.
"Don’t you think supporting government action on missing and murdered indigenous women in this country would be a better look?”
Harper noted that the goal of the event was to raise money for animals.
"That’s [missing women] a great cause, but that's another night," she said.
"Tonight we’re here for homeless cats.”