Friday, August 04, 2006

Harper Panders to Quebecers, Again

All of sudden, Mr. Contrite offers this to a Quebec only audience:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper stepped back from his initial assessment of Israeli attacks as "measured," telling a Quebec television station Friday that things have changed and such judgments are more difficult.

"Frankly, we were talking about three weeks ago when Hezbollah took Israeli soldiers hostage, and an initial response," Harper told the TVA network.

"But now we have a completely different situation from three weeks ago, as I've said many times. We have a full-blown conflict, almost a war, and it's hard to say whether a response is proportional to another. It's a war."

Frankly, when Harper made his initial comments this was already a war by any "measure", so the re-assessment looks like convenient revisionism. Harper is merely trying to appease Quebec voters, who are overwhelmingly rejecting his foreign policies. How is that other world leaders were able to use the word "disproportionate" three weeks ago, while we offered apologies? What does it say about Harper that he was unable to accurately view the landscape immediately? Harper is insulting Quebecer's intelligence with this transparent politicism.

At an earlier press conference, for all of Canada, Harper stood firm and actually referenced "three weeks ago":
"The position of Canada remains unchanged," Harper said. "We decided together with all the members of the G8 three weeks ago that what we want is peace. We want stability in this region in the world."

I'm curious what Harper will say if on a Alberta only radio station?

2 comments:

D said...

"I'm curious what Harper will say if on a Alberta only radio station?"

He'd probably blame the entire situation on the Liberals and the gun registry.

Jeff said...

Wonder if anyone has told Heather Reisman...