William Johnson's Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada sets out to dispel the myths and explain the facts about the leader of the official opposition. By his own admission, Harper is not comfortable with the typical role of political leader as baby-kissing, photo-op-seeking figurehead, and Johnson suggests that the reason for his unflattering portrayals in the media is his reluctance to do what's expected of such a figure. "An unusual trait for a politician," Johnson writes, "is his conviction that correct policies are more important than tactics for winning support and achieving power." If nothing else, Johnson maintains, Harper should be admired for standing by his convictions, unaffected by public opinion polls and influence from his own advisers, even when a degree of compromise might have increased his popularity.