Relations between the United States and Canada, though generally close, have undergone changes in tenor over the past three decades. During the 1980s, the two countries enjoyed good relations. The early 1990s brought new governments to Ottawa and Washington, and although Canada's Liberal Party emphasized its determination to act independently of the United States when it thought necessary, relations continued to be cordial. In early 2006, a minority Conservative government led by Stephen Harper assumed power in Ottawa. It was regarded as being more ideologically in tune with the George W. Bush Administration than the Liberals had been; some observers believe that this compatibility helped facilitate bilateral cooperation.