Harper in Australia

[Keepitsimple]

Stephen Harper is the first Canadian PM to be invited to address the Australian Parliament. He has shown more leadership and committment to the world stage than I thought was possible for a "rookie" PM. Many of his comments are intended for domestic consumption back home.......but it's refreshing to see his actual comments, rather than the summarized versions of some of our media. Here's some of what he said:

"We have neither the capacity nor the will to conquer or dominate," Harper said in the speech. Yet both countries have the capability to help make a difference in the world when required.

Following the address, Harper once again challenged his political opponents to make clear what Canada's role should be in Afghanistan after the current military mandate expires in February 2009.

"I hope the debate in Canada will turn to what we should do, what is the right thing to do," Harper said at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"Because I don't hear anybody in the world saying the right thing to do is to abandon the people of Afghanistan."

In his speech, Harper called Canada and Australia the globe's "bookends," and noted they have fought the same battles against terrorism, imperialism, fascism and communism.

"We are fast friends of - but fiercely proud of our differences with - our other strategic cousin, the United States," added Harper.

"For all these reasons, Canada and Australia are uniquely able to serve as a force for positive change in this troubled world. And we should commit ourselves to the service of that cause."

It was at that point in the news conference that Harper said Canada must set a course beyond 2009 and challenged opposition parties to state how Canada can finish the job it started.

"We should work toward that objective, rather than a particular arbitrary timeline," he said.

While stressing humanitarian and Afghan security issues in his remarks to reporters, the prime minister had used his speech to link the military efforts overseas to security at home.

"Because as 9-11 showed," Harper told the national assembly, "if we abandon our fellow human beings to lives of poverty, brutality and ignorance, in today's global village their misery will eventually and inevitably become ours."

Link: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070911/...1&printer=1

[mikedavid00]

"Because as 9-11 showed," Harper told the national assembly, "if we abandon our fellow human beings to lives of poverty, brutality and ignorance, in today's global village their misery will eventually and inevitably become ours."

I disagree with him on that.

[M.Dancer]

I disagree with him on that.

And your reasons are so eloquent.

[Topaz]

There's an election coming up in Australia and most people want Howard gone so perhaps the PM was trying to help Howard win some votes. Too bad the only time we see the PM's wife is when she travels out-of-country. I don't know if that the press fault or hers. As far as Afghanistan, the first thing is to withdrawal our troops until there is a fairer election and the all the crooks in the government are gone. How can you fight against an enemy, when they are being helped by the gov't over there!! Sure our forces want to help the people but the people can't be helped if there is corruption within the gov't. Why hasn't Harper and Bush said anything about that??