So what should we do, Mr. Ignatieff?

[bloodyminded]

With harper getting tough on china means harper doubled the grain sales, and he also had canada put on the most favourite tourist destination, something chretien could not do with all his bowing. China is a funny place ,I can see them having more respect for someone that is not afraid to stand up to them then bow at every chance. I always wondered why chretien gave them 1 million a week in aid, coulkd that have been a bribe to set up his business with strong in china?

One of the points that has developed in this thread is that Harper is not "tough on China."

Jeez, the guy makes a couple of remarks a few years ago--of which he is now backtracking--and everyone thinks he's John Wayne?

[PIK]

One of the points that has developed in this thread is that Harper is not "tough on China."

Jeez, the guy makes a couple of remarks a few years ago--of which he is now backtracking--and everyone thinks he's John Wayne?

BULLSHIT Harper made it clear he is no chretien and is not going to look the other way.

[bloodyminded]

BULLSHIT Harper made it clear he is no chretien and is not going to look the other way.

Yes...years ago.

I should think that his current actions are more interesting and important than is his past rhetoric.

[Saipan]

From the leftist media:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/china-publicly-scolds-harper-for-taking-too-long-to-visit/article1386656/

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/732778--harper-s-belated-china-dialogue

From the right:

http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/Harper+visit+India+maybe+China/2065650/story.html

[nicky10013]

From the leftist media:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/china-publicly-scolds-harper-for-taking-too-long-to-visit/article1386656/

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/732778--harper-s-belated-china-dialogue

From the right:

http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/Harper+visit+India+maybe+China/2065650/story.html

So a paper that endorsed Harper in the last election is a leftist paper? I guess what you define as leftist paper comes and goes as you please - more like whenever you want to cry about the left wing media conspiracy being after the right. It's funny, right wingers like yourself complain about groups like immigrants, minorities as victims despite the fact that right wingers are the biggest victims group out there. Nothing is ever the right's fault, the lame stream media is always to blame.

[Saipan]

So a paper that endorsed Harper in the last election is a leftist paper?

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has it.

Any actual link?

[nicky10013]

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has it.

Any actual link?

Really?

An election rarely offers perfect choices. Voters are called upon to sort through a catalogue of inputs — issues, policies, past records, regional affiliations, personalities, etc. — in casting their ballots. On balance, Mr. Harper remains the best man for the job in the tough times now upon us. He deserves if not four more years, at least two more years. By all logic, he should be cruising to an easy majority. That he is not, and has proven incapable of holding north of 40 per cent in public support, will hopefully persuade him to be mindful of the penalty he pays for failing to address these two persisting anxieties.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article714679.ece

[Saipan]

Really?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/article714679.ece

If you read all it's neutral to lightly left. Most other G&M is more left.

[nicky10013]

If you read all it's neutral to lightly left. Most other G&M is more left.

Ahahaha you're taking an endorsement for Harper and turning into a left leaning op-ed? Give it a break.

[Saipan]

Give it a break.

Take a break. Words like "failing" are not exactly endorsement.

[Argus]

One of the points that has developed in this thread is that Harper is not "tough on China."

Jeez, the guy makes a couple of remarks a few years ago--of which he is now backtracking--and everyone thinks he's John Wayne?

I think Canadians, by and large, want their leader to be tough. I think Harper's instincts are there, but the jackals are on his back every time he refuses to give in. Just look at the opposition howling and gnashing teeth and pulling at their hair because Harper hasn't bowed down to the UAE and given them undeserved air rights. Every time the UAE takes some childishly inappropriate response, as in refusing McKay permission to land or even overfly their so-called country, closing Canada's base, and now imposing visa requirements on Canadians the Liberals and NDP are chasing down the media to demand he surrender and go crawling to the oil sheiks - like they presumably would.

I'm one of those on the other side who thinks Harper should tell the UAE to go F**k themselves, and, in fact, in John Wayne fashion, not only not give them more air routes but cancel their landing rights, and for that matter, cancel their overflight rights. Force them to stay outside of Canadian airspace and use up extra fuel and time on northern routes to the US.

Likewise, my lip curls at Ignatieff's demand Harper crawl before the Chinese and beg their forgiveness for his rather mild criticism a few years back. You're right that it was hardly any big thunderous attack, or anything like that. All Harper did was criticize their human rights record and then refuse to bow down before them like Chretien did. "Oh my God! You're offending the Chinese! Oh my God! You're offending the Emerites! Oh the horror!"

Where I come from if some punk throws an elbow at you, you throw one right back. Apparently the Liberals believe you should instead apologize for your face getting in the way of that elbow.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Argus

[Saipan]

Finally we have Prime Minister with spine.

Unlike Obama who bows down to his zipper in front of Arab King.

[PIK]

I think Canadians, by and large, want their leader to be tough. I think Harper's instincts are there, but the jackals are on his back every time he refuses to give in. Just look at the opposition howling and gnashing teeth and pulling at their hair because Harper hasn't bowed down to the UAE and given them undeserved air rights. Every time the UAE takes some childishly inappropriate response, as in refusing McKay permission to land or even overfly their so-called country, closing Canada's base, and now imposing visa requirements on Canadians the Liberals and NDP are chasing down the media to demand he surrender and go crawling to the oil sheiks - like they presumably would.

I'm one of those on the other side who thinks Harper should tell the UAE to go F**k themselves, and, in fact, in John Wayne fashion, not only not give them more air routes but cancel their landing rights, and for that matter, cancel their overflight rights. Force them to stay outside of Canadian airspace and use up extra fuel and time on northern routes to the US.

Likewise, my lip curls at Ignatieff's demand Harper crawl before the Chinese and beg their forgiveness for his rather mild criticism a few years back. You're right that it was hardly any big thunderous attack, or anything like that. All Harper did was criticize their human rights record and then refuse to bow down before them like Chretien did. "Oh my God! You're offending the Chinese! Oh my God! You're offending the Emerites! Oh the horror!"

Where I come from if some punk throws an elbow at you, you throw one right back. Apparently the Liberals believe you should instead apologize for your face getting in the way of that elbow.

Great post, one thing I have notice on other boards is people are slowly starting to pull their heads out of their asses and starting to pay attention to what is going on.

[nicky10013]

Finally we have Prime Minister with spine.

Unlike Obama who bows down to his zipper in front of Arab King.

Bahahahahaha

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_taQYqkdHicg/SwtDmMaVKhI/AAAAAAAABJU/CYW8Ff-Ok6Y/s1600/bush_saud.jpg

[bloodyminded]

....

Edited November 15, 2010 by bloodyminded

[bloodyminded]

Where I come from if some punk throws an elbow at you, you throw one right back. Apparently the Liberals believe you should instead apologize for your face getting in the way of that elbow.

If this is so, Harper would appear to be in a greement....his vaunted "instincts," which are entirely your partisan impression, notwithstanding.

You think we should view Harper based on your impressions of his untested "instincts," rather than on his demonstrable actions.

[bloodyminded]

Take a break. Words like "failing" are not exactly endorsement.

The piece is--"exactly"--an endorsement for Harper.

Why is it so difficult for you to admit you're wrong...dead wrong....completely wrong?

[KeyStone]

Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel peace prize not long ago. For those who don't know about him, he's a Chinese dissident imprisoned for expressing his belief that China ought to lighten up a little. China is mightily pissed, of course. They are demonstrating their displeasure in the way all dictatorships do, by throwing their weight around.

The Norwegian government has felt the wrath of the Chinese, canceling various agreements nad meetings. There was a Norwegian minister actually in China for meetings, and they were abruptly canceled. That the Norwegian government has no say in who gets awarded the Nobel prizes is as irrelevent to the Chinese as the fact the Danish government didn't have a say in what cartoons newspapers choose to publish was to the Muslim wack jobs.

The Chinese are also putting pressure on foreign governments not to attend the awarding of the Nobel Prize. So how many will bow down and how many will go anyway?

And what exactly would Michael Ignatieff advise? I mean, given he's basically been hounding the Tories for years about not being on their knees before the Chinese Communist dictators. So far, of course, Ignatieff has chosen to say absolutely nothing about the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. Which is rather curious since he likes to portray himself as a great internationalist and defender of human rights.

So if Ignatieff was PM would we bob our heads to the Chinese, perhaps in exchange for a promise of some more tourists or a manufacturing contract or two, or would we attend the ceremony regardless?

Ignatieff is doing what polticians in opposition do. They criticize every move the current government makes.

If Harper comes out tough against the Chinese, Iggy says they should be soft. If they're soft on the Chinese, Iggy says they should be hard.

I believe Harper is doing the right thing here. Criticize the Chinese publicly, regardless of whatever backlash we get.

Besides which, even though China is a big trading partner, we give them mostly raw materials, and they give us mostly finished goods. Therefore, they need us a lot more than we need them.

Harper knows this, and our economy is well prepared to suffer a decline in trading relations with China. In fact, in many ways we would welcome it as a form of protectionism that the WTO can't object to.

[Guest TrueMetis]

Bahahahahaha

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_taQYqkdHicg/SwtDmMaVKhI/AAAAAAAABJU/CYW8Ff-Ok6Y/s1600/bush_saud.jpg

It never fails and I laugh every time.

[Saipan]

Why is it so difficult for you to admit you're wrong...dead wrong....completely wrong?

'Cause you're wrong...dead wrong....completely wrong.

[bloodyminded]

'Cause you're wrong...dead wrong....completely wrong.

You said an endorsement is not an endorsement...because (like most editorial endorsements) there was included some criticism.

So you can't read. Not my fault.

You still can't admit you're wrong, even though you know you're wrong. You're a coward.

[Saipan]

You said an endorsement is not an endorsement...

You said that - again.

I said failure is not an endorsement.

You're a coward.

Hope you don't get depressed if I don't join you in name calling matches. You're much better.

[bloodyminded]

You said that - again.

I said failure is not an endorsement.

You can't even have an honest discussion. Too bad.

Hope you don't get depressed if I don't join you in name calling matches. You're much better.

Much better, yes.