Getting down to Business in Montebello: The Harper Difference
August 20, 2007 · By George Freeman
The Montebello summit in Quebec, where, among other matters, Artic sovereignty is to be discussed, demonstrates to Canadians the Harper difference in foreign affairs: the world takes us seriously again!
The Financial Times has a good piece on Harper’s last eighteen months in office, “Canada’s conservative man of action.”
Comedian Robin Williams once described Canada as being “like a loft apartment over a really great party†but it’s doubtful Mr Harper was laughing. Much of his time as prime minister has been spent trying to build Canada-US relations and making sure his country is taken seriously the world over.
During a speech in October, Mr Harper made clear he does not want Canada to sit back and watch the rest of the world act and react, saying the “objective is to make Canada a leader on the international stage…If there is any one thing that has struck me for the short time I have been in this job, it is how critically important foreign affairs has become in everything that we doâ€.
Thank God we have a leader who finally understands that keeping the Liberal Party in power—or any party—is not the sole reason we have general elections in Canada. Harper’s term in office, being a Canadian leader the world takes seriously because he takes the world seriously, will go down as a great restorative force for Canadian sovereignty, on the heels of Liberal frittering away of our national inheritance.
If Paul Cellucci’s recent comments are any indication, the Americans pay attention to Canada when Canada takes responsibility for it’s own sovereignty and security; they like a Canada that actually acts like the friend it always claims to be.
And in another good turn, in contrast to the constant buttering up of the Liberals to Red China, Harper has never wavered from criticizing China’s human rights record, compensating any trade defecit by looking within the Anglosphere to India:
Harper in his statement to congratulate India on the 60 aniversary of its Independence said, “India’s independence in 1947 has been an inspiration to the world. Using its great diversity to its own advantage, India has evolved into a vibrant democracy.”
“India is rising to global prominence and Canada stands ready to deepen our partnership with India to advance our common interests and to promote new opportunities for economic development and international trade for the benefit of both our peoples,” he said.
UPDATE: Ten years ago, when asked about the protesters outside the APEC summit in Vancouver, Jean Chretien deflected commenting on their very presence, and the harsh police response to them, by saying he put pepper on his plate. In contrast, Harper is too sincere to reflect such poor leadership, not feigning to ignore the protesters and their insincere antics. As far as Harper is concerned, the protesters at Montebello are a sad spectacle. :-)
I was so sure ThePolitic would have something to say about this that I just had to come look… and true to form, you guys never disappoint
How many people do you suppose were outside the fence they erected George? The really sad thing is that Harper, like Bush, and Calderon, is afraid to face people who disagree with him so he hides behind a double wire fence lined with security cameras and policed by gun carrying security forces.
The poor cowardly three amigos had to build fences and send their armed goons out to make sure that they are all well and truly isolated from the people they pretend to represent… sad isn’t it George?
Do you remember when politicians had balls George? Strength in their convictions? Pity that they don’t any more isn’t it?
stagleft,
You really can’t be as stupid as you portray yourself given the comments…are you?
They should come out and confront a group of troublemakers? Come on what friggin’ planet are you on?
Not even Chretien would meet with his protesters, because even he wasn’t that stupid.
Ed the Hun
“The poor cowardly three amigos had to build fences and send their armed goons out to make sure that they are all well and truly isolated from the people they pretend to represent… sad isn’t it George?
Do you remember when politicians had balls George? Strength in their convictions? Pity that they don’t any more isn’t it?”
Yeah, Harper should have put his dukes up and gone out there like a man.
Stageleft…. why should Bush, Harper and Calderon give a flying f**k for the wingnuts protesting outside? The people who vote and pay taxes, the only ones that matter to elected officials (and that is as it should be) are all at work, earning the money that will be taxed to support the spongers who have time to go spout utter nonsense in large mobs at Montebello.
It’s not that they disagree with your ilk that they don’t come to flatter your egos by talking to you, it’s because you’re irrelevant to reality - the reality of most Canadians, Americans or Mexicans. Perhaps if your lot would grow up and take responsibilities instead of living like eternal adolescents, your opinions would matter. Fact is, they don’t. And I know how it riles your lot that no one takes you seriously - gives me endless amusement, your outrage does.
On what planet , stageleft, do leaders of large industrial nations meet and talk without any form of security..?
If they did, what do you think the chances would be that there would be some wingnut who would try and harm one of them for partisan reasons ..100% ?
It certainly looked like the professional welfare collectors were looking for nothing more than a little chit chat with Harper and Bush.
Sure, those rock throwing, flag burning, protesters would really like to meet the leaders. It’s all a conspiracy to stop protesters from pelting a leader with a rock and getting airtime for their cause by being arrested. Idiots!
Get off the drugs stagleft, you will think like an adult, and maybe you should walk in front of one of those leaders and take the bullet from some frothing protester. NO? Didn’t think so, go play in your sand box.
Hey staglet: if you want to be taken seriously, be serious.
I’m with Caveman on this. You and your friends are irrelevant so you are being ignored.
I believe in the right to protest - but NOT the right to riots and
violence.
They bitch about being kept to a confined area and then proceed to
act like idiots. They did it to themselves.
Remember Martin Luther King’s walk - millions and no violence. Quiet
dignity and respect and IT WORKED.
Perhaps these protestors should learn from Martin Luther King instead
of using the freedom to protest for an excuse to act like street gangs.
Just my opinion for what it’s worth.
“The people who vote and pay taxes, the only ones that matter to elected officials (and that is as it should be) are all at work,”
Not only is that attitude pathetic but it is gravely naive: people vote with their pocket-books — the only voting that matters. There is vastly more power in consumer choice than anything that could be done in a ballot box on an election day.
The voters and the tax-payers do not matter at all and particularly not in the least when it comes to bilateral trade and security talks.
Taking account for a country’s own sovereignty is the first step in having a real, honest-to-god independent foreign policy.
After all, how “independent” can you be internationally when you’re depending on other countries to defend your sovereignty?
I was going to actually comment but will just say ‘thanks’ to Caveman for his rant/spanking. Bang on, bro.