Canuck Politics

The five federal party leaders debate the election issues in the English language debate.

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Tags: 2008 federal election, Afghanistan, carbon market, carbon tax, Conservative Party, economy, Elizabeth May, environment, foreign affairs, 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, new Canadians, political fundraising, recession, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper, US financial crisis

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

Stéphane Dion responded to speculation the government may prorogue the current session of parliament in order to set a new agenda with a Throne Speech this fall. Any progress on un-passed bills would be lost, unless the government took steps to reintroduce the bills into the new session.

Dion asked the government to carry forward Bill C-30, The Clean Air and Climate Change Act, should they decide to prorogue. Dion also re-stated his demand that the Canada immediately notify its NATO allies that it will end its combat mission in Afghanistan when it expires in 2009.

However, Dion would not commit to defeating the government over these issues, or to supporting a Bloc Québécois threat to bring down the government over Canada’s role in Afghanistan.

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Tags: Afghanistan, climate change, confidence vote, election speculation, environment, Kyoto Accord, Liberal Party, NATO, Stéphane Dion, throne speech

May 28 to June 8, 2007 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes Canada’s climate change plan to the G-8 meeting in Berlin, saying it can be an example to other nations of how a country can reduce greenhouse gases outside the Kyoto framework.

Harper pressed for an inclusive approach that would allow nations currently without Kyoto targets, who together produce 70% of the world’s greenhouse gases, to participate in an international agreement in the post-Kyoto round of negotiations.

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion, NDP leader Jack Layton, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, environmentalist David Suzuki continue their opposition to the government’s plan, saying Canada must meet its Kyoto targets beginning 2008.

Leaders at the G-8 agreed for the first time to work toward absolute cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.

Tags: Angela Merkel, climate change, David Suzuki, Elizabeth May, environment, G-8, Germany, Green Party, greenhouse gas, Jack Layton, Kyoto Accord, Michael Ignatieff, NDP, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day