Harper in Washington July 2006

[August1991]

And the Toronto Star leads its report with a discussion of Omar Khadr:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been briefed on the issue of a Canadian teen held in detention in Guantanamo Bay and is expected to raise the case during his 40-minute meeting this morning with U.S. President George W. Bush.

....

Omar Khadr's lawyer says the Prime Minister must use today's meeting to forcefully press to have the teen returned home.

Toronto Star

IMFO, if Harper spends five seconds discussing this case that's five seconds too much - unless it's in the context of security and the future of Guantanamo.

The scheduled "forty minute" meeting is cute. Then, when the meeting lasts longer, they can play it as they want. I wonder who got to sit in with the two of them. This may sound foolish but having the meeting on Bush Jnr's 60th birthday matters - such is the nature of power.

I think most Canadians are comfortable (even proud) to see Harper in the photo meeting Bush. Harper has established a public persona as a good English Canadian.

[August1991]

"There was an extraordinarily important dinner last night with the vice-president and several of the senior cabinet ministers along with the prime minister which was quite important and something that's unseen to the media is the preparation that goes along with these meetings," Gordon Giffin, former U.S. ambassador to Canada told CTV's Canada AM on Thursday.

"I think last night was probably a very good meeting for the prime minister and the dialogue there in an informal session may very well have been among the most important conversations that occurred on this visit."

Guests included U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney; Michael Chertoff, the Secretary of Homeland Security; Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and intelligence boss John Negroponte.

CTV

I agree but all of these are administration people. What about Congress?

----

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein was in full sales mode as he touted his province's energy supplies to an audience in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

The premier, who was to meet later in the day with U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney, addressed a luncheon at the U.S. State Department.

CBC

It's also "ironic" that Cheney met Klein just a week ago. Cheney's turning into quite the Canadian expert.

[geoffrey]

True, Cheney is definitely a Canada expert these days, though most of it is focused on his area of interest if you know what I mean. I find it sad though that Alberta needs to promote themselves internationally because Ottawa does an unsatisfactory job of it.

Alberta even has an 'embassy' fully staffed in Washington to protect our interests. Best to appease the yanks before they invade Alberta hey.

[Rue]

Guantanamo Bay makes a mockery of the United States judicial process and everything it stands for. It also clearly flaunts international laws. It's a disgrace. It is precisely the kind of behaviour the US berates other countries for. How can the US portray itself as the no. l exporter of democracy when it keeps people in indefinite incarceration with no trial, and no access to legal representation. That is the issue. Its facism at its worst. No one who believes in democracy can possibly think suspending people's right to a lawyer and a judicial process indefinitely, is an acceptable democractic practice.

[August1991]

How can the US portray itself as the no. l exporter of democracy when it keeps people in indefinite incarceration with no trial, and no access to legal representation. That is the issue. Its facism at its worst.

What did the Americans do with German and Japanese prisoners during WWII? Were they allowed legal representation? A trial?

[Rue]

How can the US portray itself as the no. l exporter of democracy when it keeps people in indefinite incarceration with no trial, and no access to legal representation. That is the issue. Its facism at its worst.

What did the Americans do with German and Japanese prisoners during WWII? Were they allowed legal representation? A trial?

Two wrongs do not make a right..and your point is precisely the reason why the Americans shouldn't have repeated this mistake.

Many innocent Japanese people suffered as a result. Was it right, no. However to compare World War Two with what the Americans have done with suspected Muslim terrorists is an incomplete and inaccurate comparison. The United States has not rounded up the hundreds of thousands of Muslim Americans and shipped them off - or are you suggesting they do?

I have no problem with arresting and detaining suspected terrorists> What I am saying is they should have been given trials. That is the issue-giving them trials and legal representation.

And by the way Japanese during World War Two were allowed to present arguements for their release from camps. Many did and went on to fight in the US armed forces.

[Shuriken]

True, Cheney is definitely a Canada expert these days, though most of it is focused on his area of interest if you know what I mean. I find it sad though that Alberta needs to promote themselves internationally because Ottawa does an unsatisfactory job of it.

Alberta even has an 'embassy' fully staffed in Washington to protect our interests. Best to appease the yanks before they invade Alberta hey.

Ottawa could never represent us properly. We need equal representation since our trade relations with the US are so important to both our own well being, and to a lesser extent, Canada as a while.

[August1991]

Sorry, I didn't see this before.

Response moved here.