Harper at the G8 summit

[capricorn]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has urged his fellow G8 leaders to take a firm stance against Robert Mugabe, who is accused of waging a campaign of violence against his political opponents to maintain power in Zimbabwe.

Harper shared his concerns with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda soon after arriving in Japan. At least two other countries -- Britain and Germany -- have indicated they want to declare Mugabe's government illegitimate.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...hub=CTVNewsAt11

Of all the leaders, only Stephen Harper - the talented but curiously neglected Canadian prime minister - is able to point to a popular and successful record in office.

Some will regard it as alarming that, in current times, world leadership should rest with Canada. But the Canadian Tories are a model of how to behave during a downturn.

They have kept spending in check and reduced taxes. They are playing their full role in world affairs, notably in Afghanistan.

Rather than canting about saving the world (Mr Harper, in his quiet and courteous way, is a Kyoto-sceptic) they have addressed themselves to curing remediable ills and, above all, to putting their own affairs in order.

If the rest of the world had comported itself with similar modesty and prudence, we might not be in this mess.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jh...7/07/dl0701.xml

Harper is doing a fine job representing Canada internationally. Even those who dislike Harper and the Conservatives immensely should at least give credit where it is due. Anyone who doesn't feel a smidgen of pride that Canada is commanding such positive attention outside our borders has their head stuck in the sand. I would go so far to say that today, pride in our country is on the increase among average Canadians. This is very good indeed.

[peijay]

yes, and george bush is loved and applauded the world over. keep spreading this garbage and you may find someone, somewhere, who will actually think it's true. good luck!

[stevoh]

Mr Harper, in his quiet and courteous way, is a Kyoto-sceptic

Harper? Quiet and courteous? Wow, I have seen bias before, but this borders on blindness.

[jdobbin]

Harper? Quiet and courteous? Wow, I have seen bias before, but this borders on blindness.

I especially like the part where it mentions Harper has controlled spending. A real knee slapper.

[Vancouver King]

"...in his quiet and courteous way."

Is this the same courteous PM that referred to the opposition leader's green plan as a recipe for "screwing" the country?

[maldon_road]

"...in his quiet and courteous way."

Is this the same courteous PM that referred to the opposition leader's green plan as a recipe for "screwing" the country?

Harper is like the little schnauzer puppy that knows that the Big Bulldog Bush will protect him. He's very courageous with his stand on GHGs when he knows the US will back him up. It'll be different next year with President Obama in attendance at the G8 meeting.

[Shakeyhands]

Harper is like the little schnauzer puppy that knows that the Big Bulldog Bush will protect him. He's very courageous with his stand on GHGs when he knows the US will back him up. It'll be different next year with President Obama in attendance at the G8 meeting.

Dude.. stop. I have a schnauzer. Please don't ruin that for me. Lets make him a jack russell.

[AngusThermopyle]

Actually Harper does comport himself well on the world stage, unlike others such as Trudeau who never missed an opportunity to act like a clown in public, or Chretien with his white trash demenour. Perhaps Martin was better with his air of irrlevancy and total lack of presence.

He has reuced taxes, that can not be denied, he has spent, sure, but at least he's spending on things that actually matter, no long gun registries or mysteriously lost billions. He doesn't just jump on the Kyoto bandwagon or babble endlessly about how popular increasing taxes will be and he has put Canada back into a very real role in G8 affairs, something the Liberals did not do. In fact they did the opposite, made canada so irrelevant as to be largely disregarded by other developed nations.

Credit must be given where credit is due, in this case it is due and only the most rabidly blind would deny it. Given the options availlable Harper would get my vote without hesitation. No credible alternative exists, certainly not Dion with his yapping nonesense or Layton with his overt political opportunism.

[maldon_road]

Dude.. stop. I have a schnauzer. Please don't ruin that for me. Lets make him a jack russell.

Oops. That's my dad's dog.

[August1991]

Actually Harper does comport himself well on the world stage...

Harper's also the tallest. He's almost one foot taller than the shortest guy:

HEIGHT: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is the tallest G8 leader at 182 centimetres while President Dmitry Medvedev is the shortest at 157 cm.

Link

But if you really want to know the direction of these summits, note this factoid:

French supermodel turned First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will not be coming, leading a top Japanese official to voice disappointment.

Link

When the beautiful/Eurotrash people decide that it's no longer cool to show up, then it's dead in the water. I reckon these summits will soon turn into a tractor-pull in Oshkosh.

[maldon_road]

he has put Canada back into a very real role in G8 affairs

Only in the eyes of the Canadian media.

[myata]

Harper? Quiet and courteous? Wow, I have seen bias before, but this borders on blindness.

Of course! Remember these courteous and respectful attack ads? Or deeply thoughtful comments on his opponents' climate change strategy?

[myata]

He has reuced taxes, that can not be denied,

Other than rolling / unrolling earlier Liberal tax cuts, the only real tax cut so far is 1% reduction in GST.

he has spent, sure, but at least he's spending on things that actually matter,

like?

no long gun registries

which police considers a highly useful tool (we've been there before). But he must be thinking that just rightful talk would get the job done.

or mysteriously lost billions.

and that is about?

He doesn't just jump on the Kyoto bandwagon

and has nothing to his credit even thought the environment was proclaimed priority of his government. Canada is now at the very bottom of G8 on climate change action.

or babble endlessly about how popular increasing taxes will be

tired old attack ad bs. Keep your brains regularly washed with a good dose of dumb propaganda instead of investigating something on your own for a change.

and he has put Canada back into a very real role in G8 affairs,

Really? Can cite some example or just parrotting the author? Just saying it doesn't make it true no matter how much you want it.

No credible alternative exists, certainly not Dion with his yapping nonesense or Layton with his overt political opportunism.

No credible alternative to loudmouth ideology driven policies? To ignoring and despising democratic process in favour of nonsense propaganda? To unquestionnably tailing big buddy wherever they might barge next? I guess, if these are your priorities.

[AngusThermopyle]

Ahh! Myata, good to see you're back with the usual irrelevancies.

Can you perhaps show what major achievements have been made that trump everything done by the Conservatives rather than just blindly denying everything?

Perhaps you can explain how Dion or Layton would be a better fit for Canada, how they would improve our lives through increased taxation and government waste?

[guyser]

I reckon these summits will soon turn into a tractor-pull in Oshkosh.

Nope, worse since it will be in my backyard up north, Huntsville. But I do plan on making some cash renting out the cottage to some media.

Lying on the dock watching the jets circle overhead....yeah !

[noahbody]

the only real tax cut so far is 1% reduction in GST.

Seven apples. Take away five apples.

[noahbody]

Only in the eyes of the Canadian media.

Did you miss the opening post?

[Smallc]

I'm sure all of you would prefer Stephane Dion as our leader. Then We'd get all kinds of awards. The reality is, that even though Harper is a little more to the right than I'd like and isn't really ideal at all, he's a close to a leader as we have available right now. If and when the Liberals decide to oust Dion, I can return to my party and support them again. As of right now, I have to reluctantly say that Harper is the best choice.

[capricorn]

Perhaps you can explain how Dion or Layton would be a better fit for Canada, how they would improve our lives through increased taxation and government waste?

Well as Liberal Environment Minister, Dion sure did swing a mean gavel. I recall this accomplishment when he chaired the 2005 Montreal Climate Change conference. It even made the Rick Mercer show.

[capricorn]

When the beautiful/Eurotrash people decide that it's no longer cool to show up, then it's dead in the water. I reckon these summits will soon turn into a tractor-pull in Oshkosh.

It's true the G8 may go the way of the dodo bird or its relevance may diminish over time. Yet until that happens, our Prime Minister has a duty to represent our country to the best of his ability.

[August1991]

Nope, worse since it will be in my backyard up north, Huntsville. But I do plan on making some cash renting out the cottage to some media.

Lying on the dock watching the jets circle overhead....yeah !

I thought you were joking!

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the 2010 G8 Summit will be held at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario.

Link

Isn't that the riding of Tony Clement that he won by 7 votes or something? Huntsville is a quaint little resort town. I've been to that lodge and paddled on Mary Lake. Wasn't that near where those young Islamists had there training camp?

For security, I guess they can just control all the roads into Huntsville.

[guyser]

I thought you were joking!

Link

Isn't that the riding of Tony Clement that he won by 7 votes or something? Huntsville is a quaint little resort town. I've been to that lodge and paddled on Mary Lake. Wasn't that near where those young Islamists had there training camp?

For security, I guess they can just control all the roads into Huntsville.

15 votes actually.

You paddled on Mary Lake? Thats my cottage lake.Where on the lake were you?

As for control there are only 3 roads into Deerhurst so that will be easy. If it is springtime when the summit is held, they sure as hell wont need security in the bush. The F'in musquitoes, black flies, deer flies and no see-ums will do the job just fine. The bugs are brutal this year. Reminds me of Winnipeg.

[g_bambino]

Only in the eyes of the Canadian media.

Well, that's obviously not true. The article quoted in the original post in this thread was from The Telegraph - a UK paper.

[August1991]

You paddled on Mary Lake? Thats my cottage lake.Where on the lake were you?

A long time ago, young, I paddled down the Oxtongue River and wound up in Mary Lake - if memory serves.

The roads will be easy to control but I feel sorry for those security guys who will have to walk through the woods getting eaten alive.

-----

I have only watched internittent TV reports of this summit. On Russian TV, Harper is not mentioned at all. I thought I saw the back of his head in one report. I think he's seated beside Berlusconi.

This is Harper's third summit. He's a quick study and knows the drill now. He's met the players. (Keep in mind that Harper has very little foreign experience. He didn't travel much in the world. His wife has travelled much more.) It bothers me to say this but our military in Afghanistan mean that Harper can speak more firmly. (It bothers me because politicians still use military power to determine a pecking order.)

To be honest, I think both Dion and Harper do/would do Canadians proud in such settings. They're both intelligent, savvy people. In Harper's case, I think that it's a good thing for Canada that WASP English Canada finally has a genuine representative on the world stage.

Edited July 8, 2008 by August1991

[noahbody]

To be honest, I think both Dion and Harper do/would do Canadians proud in such settings. They're both intelligent, savvy people.

Dion is passionate and principled and might have more integrity than most politicians, but he is a follower through and through. From what I've seen, he's far from intelligent. He might be book smart, but that's about it. He has a big heart that unfortunately gets in the way of his brain.

The idea of bringing Taliban prisoners over to Canada was one of his best.