The Harper Conservatives sought to regain the moral high ground today, with a stunning series of announcements intended to burnish the government's democratic and human rights credentials.
The day began with a morning press conference by the Prime Minister himself, where Stephen Harper sharply criticized Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for suspending the Majlis (parliament). Harper called for the immediate re-opening of the Majlis. He asserted, "You can't just shut down Parliament whenever it suits you. It goes against my deepest values to deny the Iranian people the right to have their voices heard."
Shortly after Harper's press conference, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, defending the government's three-year extension of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan, attacked the Taliban as, "a bunch of fundamentalist know-nothings, who trample on women's rights and would drag their nation back to the Middle Ages based on their narrow religious views."
Industry Minister Tony Clement was quick to chime in, "It's vital that Canada stay in Afghanistan until we teach the Afghans that official corruption is wrong. It's not OK to waste public money by funnelling it into projects in your own tribal area."
Later, during question period, Defence Minister Peter McKay issued a stern warning to Cuba, after that island nation was reported to have mobilized hundreds of soldiers to assist with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Paula. "What the government of Canada objects to is that these troops are being sent into the disaster area without a vote in the National Assembly. Of course, no vote would be required if the relief efforts could be carried out behind secure fences, but these troops are filling sandbags right out in the open."
Michael Ignatieff was quick to condemn McKay's remarks, but then changed his mind and agreed with him.
The day concluded with Public Safety Minister Vic Toews condemning China's recent crackdown on human rights activists in that country. "You can't just allow police to beat innocent people in the streets and then round them up by the hundreds and jail them without charge. Canadians would never stand for such actions. I'm calling on the United Nations and Amnesty International to conduct a full investigation."
Media reaction was overwhelmingly positive. CTV (owned by Bell), Citytv (owned by Rogers), and Global (owned by Shaw) all applauded the government's tough stance, saying Harper has made Canada an example for the world when it comes to defending democratic freedoms and human rights. The CBC also characterized the government's moves as "courageous", after receiving a phone call from John Baird. If the NDP or Bloc said anything, it wasn't reported.
No comments:
Post a Comment