Stephen "Tim Hortons" Harper put Canada's prestige on the line in pursuing a seat on the United Nations Security Council but Portugal seems to have dashed his hopes.
Germany got through on the first ballot with Portugal and Canada neck and neck. On the second ballot, however, Canada's support faltered from 114 on the first ballot to just 78 second ballot votes.
With that Canada's comedian in chief folded his tent and skulked away quite predictably blaming the loss on Michael Ignatieff.
The Toronto Star notes that Canada's failure comes just 24-hours after a Canadian Forces plane carrying Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Chief of Defence Staff General Natyncyzk was denied permission to land in the United Arab Emirates. If the UAE tells you to shove off, you really do have a problem.
The Star is also reporting that Canadian Forces are also pulling up their tent stakes and leaving their supposedly secret base, Camp Mirage, in Dubai. Apparently we've been told not to let the door slam us on the arse on our way out. Rubbing our noses in it, we've been given 30-days to clear out for good.
10 comments:
I wouldn't want to be Harper's dog when the PM gets home from work tonight.
Soudras is already blaming Iggy. Typical Con lies.
"Typical" indeed but the fury and venom in their denouncements spoke volumes. Harper feels humiliated just as he was humiliated by Dubai and the UAE on the weekend. There's even word that Canada's stature at NATO headquarters has tanked.
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Maybe Steve should do the honourable thing and fall on his.
Is it just me or have the media (once again) failed to report the complete story on the UAE/Dubai unceremonious expulsion? All the Harpercons had to do is open up access to their commercial airlines to land in Canadian airports. Does that even sound like an unreasonable request? Or am I missing something?
Then there is the CBC playing nursemaid to Harper again with today's poll on this story. The question, "Is the UN irrelevant?"
How about asking, "Has Harper embarrassed us on the world stage?"
If the world is more influenced by what our opposition leader says, then Ignatieff should be the PM. Soudas likely is too stupid to see that if he is blaming the loss on Iggy.
BY, I think TorStar gave a full explanation of the incident. Harper got his nose out of joint, took the UAE position as ungrateful, and kicked a chair at them. Telling MacKay's flight to move on was pretty indicative of the Emirates' view of Harper.
Harper has constantly embarrassed Canada on the world stage from his intransigence on global warming, to his far Right views on reproductive issues, to Israel, to the U.N. itself - remember the Tim Horton's photo-op. TorStar reports that Canada is even being sidelined at NATO headquarters.
One-third of Canadian voters may not understand that Harper is a miserable, mean-spirited punk but the international community plainly sees him for what he is.
You ascribe to much to Stevie; it's not "tim Horton", its more like, "timbit".
@Beijing..the CBC is practically tripping over itself these days trying to prove it's not "left wing". As if it ever was. The whole organization is pathetic.
Well I am very sorry that Canada didn't get elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, but I am very happy that Germany finally got it. We are paying the third highest due to the UN and we stand for world peace and climate protection. I guess we deserve this chair.
Cathryn, I think Germany is entirely deserving of a seat on the Security Council. I review the publications of Chancellor Merkel's climate change advisory council, the WGBU, and they're light years ahead of anything you'll find in North America. Congratulations.
Our far Right government sought to give Canada a place of prominence on the world stage. It certainly put its vision of Canada on the world stage. Other countries took a look, weighed up what they saw, and moved on.
Tell me MOS where can I find the Iggy comments regarding the UN seat? I've been looking but cannot find anything. I cannot engage the CBC on computer here in South Korea either. I am assuming from the comments on your blog and others that Iggy made remarks about Canada which were not very comlimentary. This was a time for him set aside his political wants and to be proud that Canada was even being considered and should have kept his MOUTH SHUT!! Afterall, Harper is NOT going to be PM for much longer. And yes, the rest of the world is thinking that Canada is presently a lame duck. Anyong
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