Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Our Place in the World Under Harper



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.