So, we lost/abandoned our bid for a spot on the UNSC.
To no one's surprise, the first course of action by the government and Lawrence Cannon , was to blame the Liberals, specifically Michael Ignatieff.
The claim is preposterous of course, but I guess they get points for being consistent. No, I suspect there are a few reasons that we lost the bid, but they would relate to our government's foreign policies, not an opposition leaders answer in a scrum.
Should we take a brief walk down memory lane and recall what Harper promised Canadians?
Here are some excerpts from a speech Harper gave shortly after winning the 2006 election.
So what I want to talk to you about tonight is something I hope to accomplish in the longer term – if Canadians grant us the opportunity.
That objective is to make Canada a leader on the international stage. We want to ensure that we can preserve our identity and our sovereignty, protect our key interests and defend those values we hold most dear on the international scene.
If there is any one thing that has struck me for the short time I have been in this job, it is how critically important foreign affairs has become in everything that we do.
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So, during the time in which I am privileged to serve as Prime Minister, I intend to make this a country that leads.
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But we will only merit this honour if we lead the country – and if we lead it in understanding that all nations of the world will share a common future for better or for worse.
We will lead Canada toward that better world.
No, apparently we won't.
Via David Akin, here is Ignatieff's response to the loss.
4 comments:
It's a sad day for Canada in the UN but we deserve it. You don't act as we have acted and then make it all better at the last minute by making a speech and lobbying.
There are certainly other pressures at work in this failure but with a Canada that actually took a leadership role in the world, we could have easily won this.
Indeed, we could have.
As disappointed as I am, I'm sadly not surprised.
I'm not happy at all, nor am I surprised at Harper and his neo-cons striking in the dark at Ignatieff. If there is anyone who has a credible stance on foreign relations it's him. I'm dissapointed but I really feel that our country has gotten what it deserves for our stances towards despots like Uribe and fascist states like Israel. For Harper to think he could get away with cutting aid to Africa, turning his back on Sudanese sufferers, cutting us out of Kyoto and working his hardest to scuttle our efforts at progressive Cimate Change solutions at Copenhagen, I say "You sir, are an idiot."
I see it as an actual win!!!
I woulld be deeply trobled if Harper somehow sneaks in and he would now like a peacock marching all over and all over us with his POWER ...
his madness proven absurd no one is buying it outside of his bubble.
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