Harper's relationship with Obama means "Yes We Can" to a Conservative Majority
Well it looks like Stephen Harper has a hidden agenda after all. It is one of “hope” and “change”. It is an attitude of “yes we can” in our relations with the United States. Yesterday, Stephen Harper did well on his media tour in New York. Canada is on the radar in the United States, and the visit from President Obama has turned around the momentum in favor of Stephen Harper. In the past under George Bush; Harper took a lot of heat for “hidden agendas” and for being “too close to George Bush” or for “supporting the Republican Party”. Ironically, past statements from Michael Ignatieff would indicate that he is actually the George Bush clone who also would have led our troops to war in Iraq.
Today with George Bush gone and a popular US President replacing him, it is now fashionable to be close with the United States and after years of taking heat for his agenda South of the Border; Harper now finds himself with a close friend in Washington that can be worked with and who validates his past positions. On the environment we are not heading to Kyoto, we are heading to a global solution that includes the US, China and India – a position Harper has been pushing for years. Obama has promised to cut spending so that the US deficit is cut in half. He talks about tax cuts for the Middle Class. He offers an opportunity for Canadians to work with him on the auto sector, environment, economy, Afghanistan, trade and international affairs. Obama is a huge supporter of the mission in Afghanistan, an issue Stephen Harper has shown leadership on for quite some time. Obama also had praise for our financial system and the action Canada has taken to prepare for this global economic crisis. The endorsement of Harper policies from Barack Obama is huge, and Conservatives have every reason to play them up for electoral gain. Frankly, the better Harper’s relationship with Obama – the more likely we will be in obtaining our majority government.
Yesterday in the House of Commons, Obama’s name was mentioned frequently. Expect this to continue as Lawrence Canon meets with Hillary Clinton today. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has an opportunity to play President Obama’s best friend and have a real impact on foreign affairs issues. Politically it will become an asset and not the liability we have seen for the past 8 years. Given that Stephen Harper and Barack Obama are so close on their views, I wonder what this means for Jack Layton who ripped Obama’s campaign style off in the last election. Right now Layton and Duceppe seem to be acting like “cynics” and demonstrating a “No We Can’t” attitude while Prime Minister Harper is saying “Yes We Can”. Clearly Layton’s policies would clash with the new administration and Canadians should not be fooled by his cheap imitations. Obama is not a socialist nor is he on the extreme left. As for the Liberals, they may have a pro-American leader but they are not a pro-American party as people like Carolyn Parrish have demonstrated in the past. That leaves Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the best option for dealing with this new Barack Obama administration along with the Conservative Party. So far they are doing a great job protecting Canadian interests while at the same time expanding ties with our top ally and largest trading partner.
During the primaries and US general election, I took a fair amount of heat for campaigning and rooting for Obama to become President. Now that he has been elected, quite frankly he is our best bet for a majority government going forward in these uncertain economic times. It is good to see our party embracing him the way I did well over a year ago. It is now time to move forward on the agenda of increased economic, security and other integration with the US that could not be accomplished under the previous American administration. We have a friend in the White House who is loved by Canadians. Frankly there is no doubt in my mind that if Barack Obama was a Canadian politician and kept his views consistent with what they are right now, he would be more likely to find a home in the Canadian Conservative Party as oppose to the Liberals or certainly the NDP, Greens or Bloc. “Yes We Can” to a majority Stephen Harper. “Yes We Can!!!!”
-Darryl
Conservative Statements in the Hansard and Media over the past few days:
Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the hon. member is professing, the doomsaying scenario which he seems to luxuriate in, I can tell the House that we are working very closely with the sector, of course, with Premier McGuinty and the Government of Ontario, and with the Obama administration, to ensure that we have a vibrant car industry, not only for the present but for the future as well. That is what we are focused on, on this side of the House.
-Tony Clement
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member opposite will know, President Obama visited last week and praised the efforts that had been made by Canada, by the Canadian government, with respect to our economic stimulus. Canada, quite frankly, is a leading light in the world and is being used as a model in the G20, with respect to the way to handle the financial system and the way to regulate. Canadians can be proud of our financial sector.
-Jim Flaherty
Mr. Speaker, we do not agree with that suggestion. We have a plan to reduce greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020. These targets are more rigorous than the targets proposed by Mr. Obama, the President of the United States.
-Jim Prentice
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member dwells in the past in terms of 1990.
This is a government that is going forward, working on a plan that has been developed with the new administration in the United States. This is a plan that will lead the world in terms of the development of new energy research and clean energy technology. We are working on a dialogue with President Obama and his government that will provide leadership to the world in dealing with this problem, something that has never happened before in our country.
-Jim Prentice
Mr. Speaker, our position remains exactly the same as that already taken by previous governments. We all know that the individual in question has been charged with serious crimes against Americans. In that respect, President Obama has established a procedure. We intend to follow that procedure through to the end.
-Lawrence Canon
"There was lots of speculation that President Obama wanted to do a wholesale renegotiation of NAFTA," Day said. "We understand now that that's not on and we think there's ways of accommodating the environmental concerns and the labour concerns."
-Stockwell Day
“The President and I agree that both our countries must take immediate action to restore economic growth by lowering taxes, ensuring access to credit and unleashing spending that stimulates economic growth. We also agreed to strengthen our cooperation in the areas of environmental protection and global security,”
-Stephen Harper
Article from the Star: “Obama a closet Conservative”
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/590950
