Canuck Politics

Prime Minister Harper offered Canada’s aboriginal peoples an official apology for the government’s involvement in the Indian residential school system and its ongoing policy of forced assimilation.

Opposition leaders also offered their apologies during a special sitting of the House of Commons. First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders were welcomed onto the House floor to respond to the apology.

Tags: First Nations, Inuit, Jack Layton, Mary Simon, Métis, non-partisan, Phil Fontaine, residential schools, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper

January 28 to February 13, 2008 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal leader Stéphane Dion are approaching a compromise on the future of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.

Harper set a conciliatory tone and Dion eventually dropped his long held demand that Canada exit combat operations in February 2009.

MacKay Editorial Cartoons: Critical week in Ottawa with Afghan debate, budget

Tags: Afghanistan, confidence vote, election speculation, General Hillier, Manley Report, NATO, non-partisan, Stéphane Dion, Stephen Harper, UN

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.

-Hon.  John Manley
former Liberal deputy Prime Minister

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

Green Party leader Elizabeth May and Liberal leader Stéphane Dion announced a deal between their parties to not run candidates against each other in their home ridings.

Dion supports including May in the televised leaders debate, and pledges to fight for her in Central Nova during the next election.

I will fight for 307 Liberals, plus Elizabeth May.
- Stéphane Dion

May says she supports Dion for Prime Minister in order to prevent Harper from being re-elected. She compares Stephen Harper to George Bush,vowing to avoid a scenario such as the last US Presidential election when Ralph Nader split the vote and helped re-elect George Bush.

NPD leader Jack Layton objects to the alliance, saying it is anti-democratic, while Conservative Monty Solberg says its a sign of weak leadership.

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Tags: Central Nova, election speculation, election strategy, Elizabeth May, Green Party, Jack Layton, leaders debate, Liberal Party, Liberal-Green alliance, Monte Solberg, NDP, non-partisan, not a leader, Peter McKay, Stéphane Dion