Canuck Politics

Tags: 2008 federal election, Afghanistan, carbon market, carbon tax, Conservative Party, economy, Elizabeth May, environment, foreign affairs, fundraising, George Bush, Gilles Duceppe, Green Party, greenhouse gas, healthcare, immigration, Jack Layton, Kyoto Accord, law & order, leaders debate, Liberal Party, majority government, minority government, National Unity, NDP, recession, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper

New election ads from the Liberal Party draw parallels between the foreign and economic policies of Stephen Harper and George W Bush.

Harper, Howard, Bush and Iraq

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Tags: 2008 federal election, Afghanistan, economy, foreign affairs, George Bush, hidden agenda, Liberal Party, political advertising, Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper confirmed Canadian Forces will withdraw from Afghanistan in 2011 as per the legislative agreement reached with the Liberal Party earlier in the year.

Tags: 2008 federal election, Afghanistan, foreign affairs, Stephen Harper

January 22, 2008 - The Manley Panel recommends Canada remain in Afghanistan until the local government can maintain its own security, contingent on NATO providing additional troops and equipment in Kandahar.

Stephen Harper appointed former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister John Manley in October to head the independent panel considering Canada’s future role in Afghanistan.

Despite the report, Stéphane Dion holds to his position that Canada should end its combat role when it expires in February 2009.

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• Final Report: Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan (PDF)

Tags: Afghanistan, foreign affairs, Jack Layton, John Manley, Manley Report, NATO, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Harper appointed former Liberal deputy Prime Minister John Manley to head an independent and non-partisan panel of 5 prominent Canadians to review the Afghan mission, and Canada’s future involvement in Afghanistan after the current mission expires in February 2009.

The panel will deliver its report in January 2008.

Good policy is good politics.

- John Manley

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion welcomed the creation of the committee but insisted the combat mission should end by February 2009.

NDP Leader Jack Layton dismissed the panel as a partisan delay tactic, saying Canadian forces should withdraw from Afghanistan immediately.

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Tags: Afghanistan, foreign affairs, Jack Layton, John Manley, Manley Report, non-partisan, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper

September 25, 2007 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper answered questions from members of the Council on Foreign Relations, a US-based non-partisan think tank for international affairs.

Harper answered questions on a wide range of issues including climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, the differences between the US and Canada, and why America is ‘hated’ but Canada is not.

Harper said there is a high possibility of another minority government after the next federal election, but that Canada’s foreign policy would not change even if they achieved a majority.

I believe that when it comes to foreign affairs and global security, this is one area where you do what is right in the long-term interests of the country, your allies and the world … Under a minority government, this government’s foreign policy will not be any different than it would be under a majority government.

Tags: Canada-US relations, Council on Foreign Relations, environment, foreign affairs, Kyoto Accord, Stephen Harper

August 21, 2007 - President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Mexican President Felipe Calderon held a press conference to end this year’s Security and Prosperity Partnership meeting. The leaders answered questions about the SPP, conspiracy theories, Afghanistan, Canadian Arctic sovereignty and the Northwest Passage.

Harper, Bush, Calderon take questions

The SPP summit was held amid growing suspicions of a secret agenda, and accusations that police tried to incite violence by posing as protesters.

Union leader stops police provocateurs

Anti-globalization activists claim the SPP and other supra-national agreements threaten the sovereignty of Canada and other member states.

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Links:

• Video: Quebec police admit going undercover at Montebello protests

Tags: Afghanistan, agent provocateur, Arctic, conspiracy theories, Felipe Calderon, foreign affairs, George Bush, globalization, Mexico, national sovereignty, Northwest Passage, sovereignty, SPP, Stephen Harper, trade, United States, USA