I think its great Jay is sharing this information with us, but I still wonder what is the genus of the strategy behind Canadian foreign policy. Is it make it up as you go along, what ever the bankers or multinationals say, is it based on a specific ideology or value system.

Lots of questions can be asked when one looks at the completely backwards positions taken on the Israel-Lebanon war and the current Russia-Georgia-Kosavo situations where Harper policy seems to conflict depending on the conflict to suit the neo-con agenda.

If we are a nation that goes by the rule of law then shouldn't also our foreign policy be consistently based on some kind of value system rather than false flag alliances?

Judging from Mr. Hills propoganda, the federal government is in fact a massive foreign aid agency, masquerading as a Canadian parliamentary government.
I am not against the Conservatives (consider the alternatives)
metalman.

I wish the Conservatives would have spent a few thousand dollars to send Mr. Harper to attend the official opening of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Apparently his decision to snub the Chinese by not attending has ruffled a lot of feathers over there and may have something to do with the fact that the B.C.-Canada pavilion has been virtually deserted on any given day - almost a complete lack of Chinese visitors has been reported in the media.

But, smart and smooth diplomacy has never been a forte of Mr. Harper...so perhaps it's just par for the course.

Jay writes..."I have continued to hear from people that they also believe we have a moral responsibility to help those less fortunate around the world."

Thats fine Jay but we need to look after our own first and thats just not happening.

"In Budget 2007, we committed to doubling Canada’s international assistance by 2010-11. Canadian aid to Africa alone will already be doubled as of next year. Canada’s total international assistance for this fiscal year is $4.1-billion. The following are some recent examples of Canada’s aid to nations and peoples in need"

Keep on handing out more taxpayers dollars and increasing our taxes to pay for it and soon those countries that we have been giving our money to will be having to give to us.

"The list goes on and on and it signifies Canada’s recognition of the plight of people suffering through natural disasters, war, poverty, food shortages, and social unrest."


Lets not forget the 2 BILLION dollar hunting rifle and shotgun registry.

You know the one that your govt promised would be dismantled.

You gotta laugh at the liberals that try and use the Olympic no show as some sort of partisan attack. After all, ask yourself where was the PM of Canada at the 2004 Summer Olympics? I'll bet most don't know or care, it only became an issue when Steven Harper became PM. It just shows you how low the left will get in Canada. You can bet if he had gone himself, they would have just labeled it a photo op.

Lostfaith, by including the cost of the gun registry are you trying to lay the blame on the Conservative party? Don't you know that we are in a minority government right now? Any attempt at removing the gun registry right now would result in a defeat, after all this was the Liberal parties answer to gun crime, and the other left wing parties fall all over themselves to ban guns.

The gun registry was the idea of the Kim Campbell Govt as a response to the Marc Lepine murders in Montreal. Any Govt,(including that of Campbells) that has been in power since is directly responsible for the costs surrounding it. That would include the conservatives.
I am very aware of the minority gov situation.

Ruez it doesn't matter who is in power.
All opposition parties whine the same way no matter what side of the house they sit on.
It's good of you to try and defend Harper though.

Kim Campbell eh? You have some sort of link to that info? I'm pretty sure it was a Liberal initiative since they made it law. Not to mention that Campbell was only in power for about six months.

"It just shows you how low the left will get in Canada. You can bet if he had gone himself, they would have just labeled it a photo op."

Perhaps. But the fact is that Harper did not go and the Chinese have concluded that this was an insult.

They may be unaware of how much our political system is screwed up by spin doctoring and partisan idiocy. If they knew they probably would simply write that insulting no-show off as bad blunder, because that is what it deserves to be called.