Harper to name Michael Wilson as Ambassador to U.S.

[shoop]

So Harper has made up his mind pretty quickly on the new ambassador to the U.S.

Turns out it will be Michael Wilson. Here's the story.

Finally some good news for Harper. May not be the darling of the left, but at least he will improve relations with the U.S. and will energize the base of the CPC.

[Transplanted Caper]

Good choice! Hopefully this ends all the rhetoric between us and the Americans

[tml12]

So Harper has made up his mind pretty quickly on the new ambassador to the U.S.

Turns out it will be Michael Wilson. Here's the story.

Finally some good news for Harper. May not be the darling of the left, but at least he will improve relations with the U.S. and will energize the base of the CPC.

Agreed.

Who cares if it pleases the left? Let it please the Canadian business community and the majority of Canadians who want a better work/travel/continental relationship between the two countries.

[Shakeyhands]

whats with all of this Left Right division really? Can't we leave that to the Americans?

Wilson is a good choice for Harper, safe and it brings out the Tory in all of them (bleeeck)... As far as "repairing" relations goes, Harper will have to step very carefully on this one.

[shoop]

Harper will make some good things happen very quickly with the U.S. Resolving softwood lumber. Creating a better framework for dealing with recurrences of BSE. Most importantly, being able to work professionally with the President of the United States. (He probably is best to not go hunting with Cheney though.)

Wilson is a good choice for Harper, safe and it brings out the Tory in all of them (bleeeck)... As far as "repairing" relations goes, Harper will have to step very carefully on this one.

[tml12]

Harper will make some good things happen very quickly with the U.S. Resolving softwood lumber. Creating a better framework for dealing with recurrences of BSE. Most importantly, being able to work professionally with the President of the United States. (He probably is best to not go hunting with Cheney though.)

Wilson is a good choice for Harper, safe and it brings out the Tory in all of them (bleeeck)... As far as "repairing" relations goes, Harper will have to step very carefully on this one.

Agreed Shoop...if he gets those things done with style and honour we'll be going David who? in about three weeks time...

[no1important]

Wilson sold us out under Mulroney and now he is getting a reward from Harper.

[geoffrey]

Wilson sold us out under Mulroney and now he is getting a reward from Harper.

NAFTA helps us and hurts the Yanks.

GST was another good thing at the time, a significant improvement on the tax system before it.

[ritamd]

Can we say puppet Harper loud enough? Mulroney and the boys have him dancing!

[scribblet]

Its an inspired choice, and good common sense to choose Wilson, it should help to improve U.S. Canadian relations considerably.

Harper will make some good things happen very quickly with the U.S. Resolving softwood lumber. Creating a better framework for dealing with recurrences of BSE. Most importantly, being able to work professionally with the President of the United States. (He probably is best to not go hunting with Cheney though.)

Wilson is a good choice for Harper, safe and it brings out the Tory in all of them (bleeeck)... As far as "repairing" relations goes, Harper will have to step very carefully on this one.

[ritamd]

Why would you suggest that Michael Wilson would make things better? Odd thought

[concerned citizen]

Wilson sold us out under Mulroney and now he is getting a reward from Harper.

How did Wilson sell us out? the FTA and NAFTA are the reasons that we have a trade surplus. The GST replaced a tax that was 6% higher (the Manufacturers Tax was 13%) and we are able to get rebates from this tax where we weren't able to get anything from the previous tax.

I really like this appointment because along with some of the key cabinet positions it shows that Harper is supporting former Tories instead of Reformers and should help in the next election.

[Canuck Monk]

I really like this appointment because along with some of the key cabinet positions it shows that Harper is supporting former Tories instead of Reformers and should help in the next election.

Yeah, I'm glad that some old Tories will get some good positions. Good choice.

[Montgomery Burns]

Wilson sold us out under Mulroney and now he is getting a reward from Harper.

How did Wilson sell us out? the FTA and NAFTA are the reasons that we have a trade surplus. The GST replaced a tax that was 6% higher (the Manufacturers Tax was 13%) and we are able to get rebates from this tax where we weren't able to get anything from the previous tax.

I really like this appointment because along with some of the key cabinet positions it shows that Harper is supporting former Tories instead of Reformers and should help in the next election.

Totally agree.

Just one minor quibble--the MST was 13.5%. It originally started out at 9% but being a hidden tax, it was constantly nudged up. My prices dropped when the GST replaced the MST. Additionally, the duties (some as high as 18%) I was paying were phased out over 5 years. For all the previous uproar over NAFTA, I didn't hear any complaints from my customers.

Mulroney did the right thing--our economy has been relatively prosperous since NAFTA.

Members of the ruling party calling Americans morons, bastards, coalition of the idiots, stomping on a George Bush doll on State TV; it was deeply embarrassing and unprofessional. Having amicable relations with a wealthy country of 300 million that buys 85% of your exports is A Good Thing™.

[scribblet]

Wilson sold us out under Mulroney and now he is getting a reward from Harper.

How did Wilson sell us out? the FTA and NAFTA are the reasons that we have a trade surplus. The GST replaced a tax that was 6% higher (the Manufacturers Tax was 13%) and we are able to get rebates from this tax where we weren't able to get anything from the previous tax.

I really like this appointment because along with some of the key cabinet positions it shows that Harper is supporting former Tories instead of Reformers and should help in the next election.

Good points, Wilson has the political smarts, business experience and grasp of bilateral issues that will command respect south of the border. Necessary to repair relations.

[Spike22]

This guy is like the Eveready Bunny he keeps going and going...he is going to be 69 this year so his time in the position might be limited. Does he not want to retire or is power/position too great to turn down.

[margrace]

This guy is like the Eveready Bunny he keeps going and going...he is going to be 69 this year so his time in the position might be limited. Does he not want to retire or is power/position too great to turn down.

So now we know who really controlled Harper. A lot of Mulroney and some of Harris's main men are surfacing. All I can say is the Canadians are pretty nieve.

[wellandboy]

This guy is like the Eveready Bunny he keeps going and going...he is going to be 69 this year so his time in the position might be limited. Does he not want to retire or is power/position too great to turn down.

So now we know who really controlled Harper. A lot of Mulroney and some of Harris's main men are surfacing. All I can say is the Canadians are pretty nieve.

Yeah and why Harper asked the most qualified man for the job, David Emerson to stay on in International Trade.

[scribblet]

This guy is like the Eveready Bunny he keeps going and going...he is going to be 69 this year so his time in the position might be limited. Does he not want to retire or is power/position too great to turn down.

So now we know who really controlled Harper. A lot of Mulroney and some of Harris's main men are surfacing. All I can say is the Canadians are pretty nieve.

Hmmm, methinks the naivette is on the part of those who think anyone 'controls' Harper, wonder who 'controled' Martin or Chretien. Odd terminology at best.

[ritamd]

Can we say not prepared to govern loud enough on the part of harper et al?

Love hearing people from the right defend Wilsons appointment and Emmersons crossing the floor. It shows Canadians how full of hyprocrisy the "new" CPC are. The same old lying liars as the Mulroney government was and now apparently is yet again.

[Spike22]

Can we say not prepared to govern loud enough on the part of harper et al?

Love hearing people from the right defend Wilsons appointment and Emmersons crossing the floor. It shows Canadians how full of hyprocrisy the "new" CPC are. The same old lying liars as the Mulroney government was and now apparently is yet again.

Like they say politics a bit*h and you better have thick skin and not give a hoot about what people think or say. People are plain ignorant if they think the liberals have exclusive rights to scandels and backroom politics.

[fixer1]

Of course Liberals did not have exclusive rights to back room deals and politics. They just perfected it and called it their order of the day run of the mill operations. I am glad they are no out. The only thing that would make me happier is to learn that at their leadership convention, they all got sick and died. But ahlass I never get my wishes granted. It is too bad, as that would really be making the world a better place

[daniel]

Interesting how the man who created the splinter party that nearly destroyed the PCs over the GST has now given a plumb job to the man who created the GST.

Of course he can resolve the lumber dispute. We've already seen how he and his team bent over backwards to get a last minute deal from the Americans who couldn't have cared less at the time.

[wellandboy]

Interesting how the man who created the splinter party that nearly destroyed the PCs over the GST has now given a plumb job to the man who created the GST.

Of course he can resolve the lumber dispute. We've already seen how he and his team bent over backwards to get a last minute deal from the Americans who couldn't have cared less at the time.

Compared to the Liberals, whose devistatingly brilliant tactics yielded no results whatsoever.

[scribblet]

Interesting how the man who created the splinter party that nearly destroyed the PCs over the GST has now given a plumb job to the man who created the GST.

Of course he can resolve the lumber dispute. We've already seen how he and his team bent over backwards to get a last minute deal from the Americans who couldn't have cared less at the time.

Compared to the Liberals, whose devistatingly brilliant tactics yielded no results whatsoever.

I've seen very few people actually defend Harper on this even conservatives are concerned. What I find astonishing is even though Harper did nothing illegal or against the rules, all of a sudden old Reform policies are acceptable e.g. recall an MP. Also interesting how everyone can justify Belinda's actions but not Emerson's.

I'll get as indignant over Emerson when others get just as indignant over the other floor crossers and want them recalled.