Harper at G8 - 2007

[August1991]

As Schwarzenegger said, "I'm 6'2, they look up to me."

Well, Harper's 6'2 too. So Putin and Bush look up to him, and look into Harper's clear, cold blue eyes.

From all reports, and for a guy that has never travelled abroad, Harper has done well. (Harper's wife has travelled alot and I'm sure he listens to her. In addition, Harper's the kind of guy who reads his briefing books and listens attentively in briefings - IOW, External bureaucrats love him.)

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

[Shakeyhands]

As Schwarzenegger said, "I'm 6'2, they look up to me."

Well, Harper's 6'2 too. So Putin and Bush look up to him, and look into Harper's clear, cold blue eyes.

From all reports, and for a guy that has never travelled abroad, Harper has done well. (Harper's wife has travelled alot and I'm sure he listens to her. In addition, Harper's the kind of guy who reads his briefing books and listens attentively in briefings - IOW, External bureaucrats love him.)

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

PLEEEEEEASE tell me you have your pants on!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure you've been reading the same news that the rest of us have August...

Lecturing Putin and siding with more weaponization of Europe by the US was not a highlight that made me proud. Nor was the lip service on the enviroment, its amazing that all these Enviroment deniers are on the bandwagon now.

and those

clear, cold blue eyes

are set waaaay too close together.

[capricorn]

This is not what Elizabeth May and Stephane Dion want to hear: "Harper Shines at G8."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...eae785e44f1&p=1

Reducing GGE to 50 percent of 1990 levels by 2050 is the compromise position on climate change taken at the G8. As Ian MacDonald says, 50 by 50 has a nice ring to it. Looks like Kyoto has been given the heave-ho.

Harper and the Conservatives are certainly in need of good news these days. This is a boost.

About Harper's eyes, does that make him a semi-cyclops?

[noahbody]

Lecturing Putin and siding with more weaponization of Europe by the US was not a highlight that made me proud. Nor was the lip service on the enviroment, its amazing that all these Enviroment deniers are on the bandwagon now.

It's actually missle defence. Are you against missle defence, which serves as a deterrent to war? Guess you're pro-war then.

Regardless, do have a link that supports Harper siding with this? CBC reported Harper was secretly supporting the missle defence. I assume by saying "secretly" they have no idea if he is or isn't and they're making up news again.

[jdobbin]

This is not what Elizabeth May and Stephane Dion want to hear: "Harper Shines at G8."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...eae785e44f1&p=1

Reducing GGE to 50 percent of 1990 levels by 2050 is the compromise position on climate change taken at the G8. As Ian MacDonald says, 50 by 50 has a nice ring to it. Looks like Kyoto has been given the heave-ho.

Harper and the Conservatives are certainly in need of good news these days. This is a boost.

About Harper's eyes, does that make him a semi-cyclops?

Harper Shines at G8 meeting sounds like a headline that might have come from the chief speech writer of the Mulroney days.

Wait, it IS the former Conservtive guy himself who wrote the article.

http://lianmacdonald.ca/bio.html

Previously, he was Minister of Public affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Washington from 1992 to 1994 and chief speechwriter to the Prime Minister of Canada from 1985 to 1988.

Forgive me if I don't believe the fawning from his quarters.

[jdobbin]

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

All the fawning aside, it still means Harper intends on doing nothing as he states here.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070608/..._harper_climate

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it would be difficult for Canada to meet greenhouse-gas targets unless the United States also signs an emissions treaty.

He says at the closing news conference of the G8 summit that unless the U.S. - and ultimately Mexico - sign an international agreement, such targets would penalize the Canadian economy.

[noahbody]

All the fawning aside, it still means Harper intends on doing nothing as he states here.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070608/..._harper_climate

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it would be difficult for Canada to meet greenhouse-gas targets unless the United States also signs an emissions treaty.

He says at the closing news conference of the G8 summit that unless the U.S. - and ultimately Mexico - sign an international agreement, such targets would penalize the Canadian economy.

It doesn't state he intends to do nothing.

[ScottSA]

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

All the fawning aside, it still means Harper intends on doing nothing as he states here.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070608/..._harper_climate

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it would be difficult for Canada to meet greenhouse-gas targets unless the United States also signs an emissions treaty.

He says at the closing news conference of the G8 summit that unless the U.S. - and ultimately Mexico - sign an international agreement, such targets would penalize the Canadian economy.

Perhaps he said that because it's true. In fact, no one can meet Kyoto targets except China, who can meet them because it isn't affected by them. He should do even less than he is doing to chase this political silliness in the guise of science.

[jdobbin]

Perhaps he said that because it's true. In fact, no one can meet Kyoto targets except China, who can meet them because it isn't affected by them. He should do even less than he is doing to chase this political silliness in the guise of science.

Harper's strategy was to do nothing. Now we will see if he can sell that policy in Canada.

[ScottSA]

Perhaps he said that because it's true. In fact, no one can meet Kyoto targets except China, who can meet them because it isn't affected by them. He should do even less than he is doing to chase this political silliness in the guise of science.

Harper's strategy was to do nothing. Now we will see if he can sell that policy in Canada.

In point of fact, Harper has done more about this CO2 silliness in 6 months than the Liberals did in a decade. That's not a hard thing to do since the Liberals did precisely nothing except sign a treaty and then ignore it unless GWB was in town, when they could take it out and flagellate him with it.

[fellowtraveller]

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

Is it just me, but are generalizations and slurs on Anglos now acceptable here and in Quebec?

[jdobbin]

In point of fact, Harper has done more about this CO2 silliness in 6 months than the Liberals did in a decade. That's not a hard thing to do since the Liberals did precisely nothing except sign a treaty and then ignore it unless GWB was in town, when they could take it out and flagellate him with it.

The Liberal policy was indeed a mess. The Tory one is so full of loopholes and exceptions as to be more of the same.

[Leafless]

Harper is a typical WASP, polite, white bread, straight English Canadian. English Canadians are embarrassed of themselves and yet Harper seems to figure out his own way among foreigners and be decent. So, I'll throw in something exotic. The clips that I've heard of him in French are good. Il est sortable.

In a strange way, I think Harper has made English (and even French) Canada proud.

Is it just me, but are generalizations and slurs on Anglos now acceptable here and in Quebec?

August makes certain he prescribes on a regular basis his pro French assertions, relating to his believe that Canada indeed is composed of two separate important nations separate from one another, even to the point of whatever the PM says can be dissected and analyzed as good or bad for Quebec independent of other provinces in Canada.

I just push the ignore button and write him off as a 'want to be' separatist/sovereignist.

[capricorn]

This is not what Elizabeth May and Stephane Dion want to hear: "Harper Shines at G8."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news...eae785e44f1&p=1

Reducing GGE to 50 percent of 1990 levels by 2050 is the compromise position on climate change taken at the G8. As Ian MacDonald says, 50 by 50 has a nice ring to it. Looks like Kyoto has been given the heave-ho.

Harper and the Conservatives are certainly in need of good news these days. This is a boost.

About Harper's eyes, does that make him a semi-cyclops?

Harper Shines at G8 meeting sounds like e headline that might have come from the chief speech writer of the Mulroney days.

Wait, it IS the former Conservtive guy himself who wrote the article.

http://lianmacdonald.ca/bio.html

Previously, he was Minister of Public affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Washington from 1992 to 1994 and chief speechwriter to the Prime Minister of Canada from 1985 to 1988.

Forgive me if I don't believe the fawning from his quarters.

Actually, I have read a few more articles that point out Harper is nurturing a relationship with European countries and is distancing himself from Bush. He also said positive action to combat climate change will not be possible unless the large and rich countries get on board. Here is one:

"It is now clear that, at least on some issues, Canada finds itself closer to the European Union than perhaps many observers expected."

and,

"Harper even offered veiled criticism of countries such as the United States and China that have not set specific targets for cutting emissions."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/stor...350ee1f&k=63764

We may not agree on the message he presented at the G8. Nevertheless, Canada is so irrelevant and insignificant in the G8 and internationally, I think is is quite a feat when our Prime Minister has enough guts to push his views forward forcefully before that group of countries. This may not help him politically at home but it elevates his profile.

[Argus]

Perhaps he said that because it's true. In fact, no one can meet Kyoto targets except China, who can meet them because it isn't affected by them. He should do even less than he is doing to chase this political silliness in the guise of science.

Harper's strategy was to do nothing. Now we will see if he can sell that policy in Canada.

Wasn't that the Liberals' policy for thirteen years? A policy you had no problem with?

[jdobbin]

Wasn't that the Liberals' policy for thirteen years? A policy you had no problem with?

I had a big problem with that. I continue to have a problem with the Tory continuation of that do nothing policy.

[ScottSA]

Wasn't that the Liberals' policy for thirteen years? A policy you had no problem with?

I had a big problem with that. I continue to have a problem with the Tory continuation of that do nothing policy.

What would you like them to do?

[jdobbin]

What would you like them to do?

I have stated what I think they should do in various posts around this forum.

If Harper wants to do something that will grow the country economically, I have stated categorically that he could save Canadians billions by investing in zero emission geo thermal, investing in the east-west power grid, placing hard caps on industrial emissions and setting standards that California is setting on car mileage and emissions. I think money should stop being wasted on subsidizing car purchases and on ethanol. I think the government should invest in new technologies.

The Tory policy is so full of holes as to do nothing.

Canada could potentially be the largest geo-thermal country in the world if the government acted. It would save Canadians trillions of dollars in energy costs.

[Shakeyhands]

Lecturing Putin and siding with more weaponization of Europe by the US was not a highlight that made me proud. Nor was the lip service on the enviroment, its amazing that all these Enviroment deniers are on the bandwagon now.

It's actually missle defence. Are you against missle defence, which serves as a deterrent to war? Guess you're pro-war then.

Regardless, do have a link that supports Harper siding with this? CBC reported Harper was secretly supporting the missle defence. I assume by saying "secretly" they have no idea if he is or isn't and they're making up news again.

I'm against stupidity, so yeah I guess I am.

This was jan 06

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...me=election2006

This was Dec 05

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...ion2006&no_ads=

this was two days ago...

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.ht...4c-8bb6d3b2d58b

pretty sure the leopard hasn't changed all its spots...

Luckily, if he keeps his word, he won't be able to sign on to it with a minority.

[BC_chick]

He should do even less than he is doing to chase this political silliness in the guise of science.

May I remind you that Sarkozy and Merkel are both conservatives who support Kyoto and are not global-warming deniers. In fact, Bush and Harper are the two exceptions amongst all G8 nations, so if anything.... it's a cross-Atlantic "political silliness," it has nothing to do with right vs. left.

[capricorn]

Is it cross-atlantic when China and India, who are 2 of the most polluting countries, are given passes on acting on climate change. Isn't China a signatory to Kyoto? I believe so.

[Michael Bluth]

Is it cross-atlantic when China and India, who are 2 of the most polluting countries, are given passes on acting on climate change. Isn't China a signatory to Kyoto? I believe so.

Kyoto is all about talking the talk. It doesn't matter what you do. It's what you say that is the most important thing.

Harper didn't meet with Bono ergo he is a facist, right-wing nutbar.

[jdobbin]

May I remind you that Sarkozy and Merkel are both conservatives who support Kyoto and are not global-warming deniers. In fact, Bush and Harper are the two exceptions amongst all G8 nations, so if anything.... it's a cross-Atlantic "political silliness," it has nothing to do with right vs. left.

I think Harper is still not convinced. His response has been that it impossible for Canada to do anything so it won't.

[capricorn]

Is it cross-atlantic when China and India, who are 2 of the most polluting countries, are given passes on acting on climate change. Isn't China a signatory to Kyoto? I believe so.

Kyoto is all about talking the talk. It doesn't matter what you do. It's what you say that is the most important thing.

Harper didn't meet with Bono ergo he is a facist, right-wing nutbar.

My thoughts exactly.

BTW, China is a signatory to Kyoto, sort of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kyoto...ed_and_ratified

[BC_chick]

Is it cross-atlantic when China and India, who are 2 of the most polluting countries, are given passes on acting on climate change. Isn't China a signatory to Kyoto? I believe so.

Wow, could your response be any more irrelevant?

Scott was making global-warming a political issue in which he denied the science behind it and implied that the such views are nothing but nonsense from the left. I argued that the difference of opinion in the science of global-warming is not a right/left issue, but if anything, a cross-Atlantic issue given that Sarkozy and Merkel would fall into the "lefty hogwash" category under Scott's definition.

Where you got the idea that I'm defending China or India's role in Kyoto, I have no idea.