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Forget his birthday, Stephen Harper gets plenty of gifts all year

Who needs birthday presents when you collect gifts all year long? Since becoming prime minister in 2006, Stephen Harper has given and received plenty of gifts, both when foreign dignitaries come to visit, and when he travels abroad, not to mention visiting the various regions of Canada.

Harper isn’t allowed to keep all of the gifts he’s sent, though. In 2006, the Conservative government passed the Conflict of Interest Act, which led to the creation of a public registry for all gifts, that someone in public office receives, CBC reported.

All gifts over $200 are required to be declared to the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. And all presents over $1,000 can’t be kept by public office holders at all.

Because it’s now a matter of public record, anyone can check out what gifts Stephen Harper has received through the public registry at the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner website. This is just a sampling of some of the things Harper has received in his travels and duties over the last year:

Framed Glass Wheat

Framed Glass Wheat by artist Jacqueline Berting (Berting Glass)
Framed Glass Wheat by artist Jacqueline Berting (Berting Glass)

When the prime minister was visiting the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities Convention in Saskatoon this past March, he was presented with framed glass wheat, created by artist Jacqueline Berting, from the association president.

Beatles Original Studio Recording

'Please please me' by The Beatles on vinyl (TheBeatles.com)
'Please please me' by The Beatles on vinyl (TheBeatles.com)

In February, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Ottawa, she gave Harper (a known Beatles fan) original studio recordings of The Beatles on vinyl, along with a Beatles book and The Beatles Anthology DVD Collection.

Possum, silk, merino wool and leather sweater

Sweater from Untouched World (Untouched World)
Sweater from Untouched World (Untouched World)

While visiting Auckland, New Zealand in November, Harper was given this sweater, made by Untouched World, by Prime Minister John Key. The sweater is made with the company’s “ecopossum” material, which combines Merino, Brushtail possum and silk into a lightweight and warm fabric.

John Lennon Special Edition Mont Blanc Fountain Pen

John Lennon Special Edition Mont Blanc Fountain Pen (Mont Blanc)
John Lennon Special Edition Mont Blanc Fountain Pen (Mont Blanc)

German dignitaries seem to be big on sharing Beatles memorabilia with Harper. He received this fancy, John Lennon-inspired fountain pen from German President Joachim Gauck in September. Unfortunately, on account of its $1,000 price tag, Harper won’t be able to keep this posh writing implement for signing official government documents. It was forfeited to the Crown.

Yukon hockey jersey

Screengrab of Sportsnet video showing Harper's jersey room. (Sportsnet/Screengrab)
Screengrab of Sportsnet video showing Harper's jersey room. (Sportsnet/Screengrab)

Since Harper is such a notoriously big hockey fan, he gets given hockey stuff all the time: jerseys and sticks, mostly, some signed, others customized with his name on the back. In August, he received a hockey jersey on his visit to Yukon College during his Northern Tour.

The Prime Minister's Office advises Canadians not to send gifts to the prime minister, and to instead make a gift in lieu to a charity of their choice.

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