SKYSERVICE_330 From Canada, joined Sep 2000, 1313 posts, RR: 8 Posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 416 times:
Harper chooses Arctic over AIDS
PM speaks of sovereignty in Nunavut, critics say missing forum `not excusable'
Aug. 13, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTOPHER MAUGHAN
STAFF REPORTER
He couldn't be farther away without leaving the country.
Up to 22,000 researchers, patients, and caretakers convene in Toronto today for the opening of the 16th International AIDS conference, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be north of the Arctic Circle, touring a military base.
I have to agree with Stephen Lewis, that this is a dreadful mistake in political judgement. The Arctic is always going to be there for Harper to visit while the AIDS conference will only be for a week. Harper should be at the conference.
Your thoughts?
"Courage, my friends; 'tis not too late to build a better world. "
SFOMEX From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 379 times:
"I've asked time and again why he isn't coming, and the answer I keep getting is that he doesn't want to be booed," he said.
It's not a good excuse, for sure. The fight against AIDS is way too important to miss this conference. However, I do understand why some conservative politicians don't go to these events. They know that most participants have a political agenda too and many of them won't show some elemental courtesy to the politicians from the other side of the spectrum. President Bush had a similar experience with the NAACP meetings. They kept inviting him to the very same gatherings where they attacked him and his policies. If you hate him so much, why do you want him in your meeting?
Boeing744 From Canada, joined Jun 2005, 1551 posts, RR: 20 Reply 3, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 363 times:
Arctic sovereignty?!? The only time we have ever had land disputes in the north are with the Danish (Greenland). Does he really think that Denmark is going to invade northern Canada for a hunk of ice floating in the Arctic Ocean?!? Mr. Harper has to get his priorities straight, or he will find himself in need of a job, come next election. The AIDS conference is indescribably important compared to this.
Quoting Photopilot (Reply 1): I'd tell you what I think of Stephen Harper as Prime Minister and a PC politician, but if I did so I'd be permanently banned by this forum.
As a politician and leader of my country.... what a waste of oxygen!
As a neo-con right wing idealogue.... passable.
Value of his ideas for Canada.... $1.00
Voting him out of office at the next election.... PRICELESS ! ! !
AerospaceFan From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 361 times:
I wonder when Harper will finally reveal his secret plan to privatize health care. I have suspicions that he wants to do just that.
I'm not a big Harper fan, even though he's a Conservative. (And, for that matter, just because someone is Conservative (or conservative) doesn't mean that I would approve of him.)
It seems that Harper has a lot of convenient excuses these days for any possible faux pas.
Good to see an American following Canadian politics.
I agree with you that Harper probably wants to privatise health care. But will he be able to? I doubt it. It is too much of a dividing issue, and he won't be able to pass anything by the Liberals, Bloc and NDP.
IMHO, the best thing Harper has done in his term so far is set our country up for a nice, long Liberal government, and a stronger showing by the NDP.
NeilYYZ From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 2647 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 354 times:
I support Harper, hell, I even voted for him, but it is definatly a mistake not to be at the conference. He could always make an appearance during the week I suppose, but I doubt it at this point.
Quoting AerospaceFan (Reply 4): I wonder when Harper will finally reveal his secret plan to privatize health care. I have suspicions that he wants to do just that.
He'd be an idiot to try that here. Even though I'm not against the idea providing it has the ability to keep the public health care system operational. Personally, I tore all the ligaments in my ankle and partially tore two tendons in the ankle a couple of weeks back, the doctors told me that I would have to wait 7-8 months for surgery, so I figure I'll go down and get it done in Texas and just stay with family for a while, sure it'll cost me, but at least I'll be walking sooner.
It may be too early to drink scotch... But it is NEVER too early to think about it...
AerospaceFan From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 343 times:
Quoting Boeing744 (Reply 5): I agree with you that Harper probably wants to privatise health care. But will he be able to? I doubt it. It is too much of a dividing issue, and he won't be able to pass anything by the Liberals, Bloc and NDP
I agree it would be very divisive. Polls consistently say that a strong majority of Canadians would oppose the privatization of health care.
And I do think that his minority government would be at risk, particularly from the NDP, if he were to propose it -- at least without the proper "sanitizing". It would be relatively easier, however, for him to introduce his program by dribs and drabs, causing subsidized health care to die the death of a thousand cuts. And perhaps this is what he would do.
He could easily say that a parallel program that encourages private referrals would fulfill the Canadian Supreme Court's mandate for better health care, for example. And then, in years hence, the "lessened need" for public health care would be used to justify cutbacks in the public system. And so on.
He's a pretty crafty fellow, and he presents a very moderate face. He and his "wise men" have learned the lesson of his predecessor, whom I think a lot of people found, frankly, scary.
Quoting Boeing744 (Reply 5): IMHO, the best thing Harper has done in his term so far is set our country up for a nice, long Liberal government, and a stronger showing by the NDP.
And, Harper has done his party no favors through his statements regarding the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.
Quoting NeilYYZ (Reply 6): He'd be an idiot to try that here. Even though I'm not against the idea providing it has the ability to keep the public health care system operational.
That seems quite reasonable.
Quoting NeilYYZ (Reply 6): Personally, I tore all the ligaments in my ankle and partially tore two tendons in the ankle a couple of weeks back, the doctors told me that I would have to wait 7-8 months for surgery, so I figure I'll go down and get it done in Texas and just stay with family for a while, sure it'll cost me, but at least I'll be walking sooner.
I'm sorry to read of your condition, and I wish you a speedy recovery.
Boeing744 From Canada, joined Jun 2005, 1551 posts, RR: 20 Reply 8, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 336 times:
Quoting AerospaceFan (Reply 7): And I do think that his minority government would be at risk, particularly from the NDP, if he were to propose it -- at least without the proper "sanitizing". It would be easy for him to introduce his program by dribs and drabs, causing subsidized health care to die the death of a thousand cuts.
Yes, but his minority is already at risk. I doubt that he would even try any means of privatisation.
Quoting NeilYYZ (Reply 6): Even though I'm not against the idea providing it has the ability to keep the public health care system operational.
I also am not fundamentally against the partial privatisation of health care. I would be more in favour of a tiered system, but only if it was a very careful process, with support from the majority of Canadians.
Quoting AerospaceFan (Reply 7): And, Harper has done his party no favors through his statements regarding the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.
No, nor has he gained friends in his party by re-opening the gay marriage debate. Many of his own party are questioning this, even though they are against same-sex marriage. Notably Deputy PM Peter MacKay (con.), and Cabinet Minister Loyola Hearn (con.) have voiced their concern about re-opening a finished debate. Harper is running his own agenda, and seems to have no concern for the opinions of Canadians, or even his own party.
Derico From Argentina, joined Dec 1999, 3340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (3 years 2 months 4 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 227 times:
Quoting Boeing744 (Reply 3): Arctic sovereignty?!? The only time we have ever had land disputes in the north are with the Danish (Greenland). Does he really think that Denmark is going to invade northern Canada for a hunk of ice floating in the Arctic Ocean?!? Mr.
Not Denmark, the United States has threatened Canada militarily over the Arctic.
In rich countries people buy the candidate, in poor ones candidates buy the people (and in one it is both).
Sponsor Message: 
From Canada, joined Sep 2000, 1313 posts, 
From Cuba, joined Jul 2002, 1682 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Argentina, joined Dec 1999, 3340 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
