How Sweet It Is!
I attended a BBQ this evening where the Right Honourable Stephen Harper was the guest of honour. The PM was in Regina to, among other things, film a cameo on Corner Gas and tour the RCMP training academy. This was the first time I had ever seen the Prime Minister in person and the first time I’d ever spoken to him and shaken his hand.
I will admit, I wasn’t always a Harper fan. I thought he lacked charisma and didn’t seem like a real “man of the people.” Well, while virtually all of my hesitations about Harper have long ago disappeared, tonight they were swept away for good. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Going into the 2006 Federal Election I still wasn’t completely sold on Harper. However, he was the leader of my party, so I got behind him for the greater good of the Conservative Party of Canada. That said, I thought that he proved himself in the campaign and by the time he became our Prime Minister I was in full support of his leadership. After taking office he has impressed me time and time again by keeping his promises and taking firm stances on issues. In particular, I was impressed by the way that he responded to the situation in the Middle East between Israel and Lebanon; it was so refreshing that we had a leader with resolve after being led by the Dithering Paul Martin!
Tonight, though, Harper showed that he was a skilled speaker and is, most definitely, a man of the people. No, he does not exude charisma, nor does he fill one’s belly with fire. And, he does not emanate qualities of grandeur. Instead, he has a gifted ability to connect with the common man, for he is one himself. In fact, after delivering his speech (which lacked the grandiose rhetoric that is often synonymous with political speeches), Harper stayed around to personally meet and greet attendees for nearly two hours while others ate dinner. (Plus, I must say that these were not people whose votes Harper was trying to win, but people who were almost exclusively party supporters.) Finally, once it was dark outside, Harper made his way back into the city.
This made me think of all the criticism Harper received when he chose to travel to the North to meet with residents of Nunavut rather than speak at the AIDS Conference in Toronto. After meeting him, it was clear why he would make such a choice. It was not, as people have alleged, because Harper doesn’t consider AIDS to be an important enough issue or because he is homophobic, but because he places a higher value on opportunities to connect with real Canadians than to hob-knob with international dignitaries and celebrities. Is this so wrong?
Canadians should be proud that they find in their Prime Minister a man who isn’t afraid to take a stance, follows through on campaign promises, and knows how to connect with real people. After years of leaders who nary have exhibited even one of these traits, how sweet is it to have a leader so adept at all three.
I will admit, I wasn’t always a Harper fan. I thought he lacked charisma and didn’t seem like a real “man of the people.” Well, while virtually all of my hesitations about Harper have long ago disappeared, tonight they were swept away for good. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Going into the 2006 Federal Election I still wasn’t completely sold on Harper. However, he was the leader of my party, so I got behind him for the greater good of the Conservative Party of Canada. That said, I thought that he proved himself in the campaign and by the time he became our Prime Minister I was in full support of his leadership. After taking office he has impressed me time and time again by keeping his promises and taking firm stances on issues. In particular, I was impressed by the way that he responded to the situation in the Middle East between Israel and Lebanon; it was so refreshing that we had a leader with resolve after being led by the Dithering Paul Martin!
Tonight, though, Harper showed that he was a skilled speaker and is, most definitely, a man of the people. No, he does not exude charisma, nor does he fill one’s belly with fire. And, he does not emanate qualities of grandeur. Instead, he has a gifted ability to connect with the common man, for he is one himself. In fact, after delivering his speech (which lacked the grandiose rhetoric that is often synonymous with political speeches), Harper stayed around to personally meet and greet attendees for nearly two hours while others ate dinner. (Plus, I must say that these were not people whose votes Harper was trying to win, but people who were almost exclusively party supporters.) Finally, once it was dark outside, Harper made his way back into the city.
This made me think of all the criticism Harper received when he chose to travel to the North to meet with residents of Nunavut rather than speak at the AIDS Conference in Toronto. After meeting him, it was clear why he would make such a choice. It was not, as people have alleged, because Harper doesn’t consider AIDS to be an important enough issue or because he is homophobic, but because he places a higher value on opportunities to connect with real Canadians than to hob-knob with international dignitaries and celebrities. Is this so wrong?
Canadians should be proud that they find in their Prime Minister a man who isn’t afraid to take a stance, follows through on campaign promises, and knows how to connect with real people. After years of leaders who nary have exhibited even one of these traits, how sweet is it to have a leader so adept at all three.
posted by Saskatory at
12:11 AM
10 Comments:
I don't think the purpose of him going to the AIDS conference was to 'hob-knob'. It was to make a statement about the disease, to draw attention to the issue and to layout his government's plan for fighting it. Perhaps those with HIV aren't Harper's 'common man'.
Congrats on being snowblowed.
By
Anonymous, at 9:04 AM
So Harper attending the conference would have drawn more attention to the disease?
His governement's plan was to be laid out by Tony Clement, the Minister of Health. However, the atmosphere at the conference had become so politicized that any announcements that might have been made were postponed. Clement couldn't even light a candle at a vigil without being booed! Would that have been a good use of Haper's time?
I think it's unfair to say that someone with HIV couldn't be someone to whom Harper could relate. It's more likely that Harper's decision not to attend wasn't because of the people living with AIDS/HIV, but due to the ignorant, disrespectful, and blindly ideological activists who would have overshadowed any statement on the disease, attention Harper drew to the issue or presentation of a plan to fight the disease.
By
Saskatory, at 9:37 AM
I take your point re: Harper at the AIDS conference...but here's my two cents:
A massive international conference is happening on Canadian soil for the first time in a decade. In attendance are not only "dignitaries and celebrities", but also front line aid workiers as well as many, many people who are living with HIV/AIDS. As the Prime Minister of the country, I would expect Harper to have at least made an appearance. Given a speech perhaps, on how pleased Canada was to be hosting this event and how committeed it is in the fight against this global pandemic. Then, Tony Clement in his role as Minister of Health could have sat in on sessions and represented the government for the remainder of the conference, as is befitting of his position. There would have been *plenty* of time for Harper to then have made his way to the Arctic.
It was a poor move. Plain and simple.
By
Anonymous, at 12:46 PM
Jen,
I also take your point. While I don't know if I see it as plainly or a simply as you state it is, I do agree that he probably should have made a statement. However, I think that any speech he might have delivered or statements he might have made would have been drowned out by booing and heckling by inconsiderate attendees, virtually nullifying the effect of him appearing at the conference. What has concerned me more is the huge deal that the media, critics and the blind partisans involved with the conference made out of the fact that he wasn't there. Was the backlash even close when Chretien didn't attend in 1996? I quite honestly don't know, but I would venture to guess that it wasn't.
By
Saskatory, at 4:30 PM
I'm glad Harper did not attend the AIDs conference. His attendance would have been merely for show and would not have had any significance to the cause. Additionally, had he attended, do you think the AIDs conference would have received so much media attention? I think not.
I think he made a good move by going to Nunavut instead.
- nhung
By
Anonymous, at 8:45 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Anonymous, at 9:19 AM
Saskatory (can I use your real name, is that okay?),
While I owuld never condone it, the booing and hissing directed at Tony Clement was a direct response to the fact that the country's leader wasn't there. I don't feel that if Harper had attended, he would have been booed.
Nhung,
So when Harper makes a speech on *any* topic, it's just for show and doesn't further the cause? Your logic confuses me. I think the leader of a G8 nation speaking at an international AIDS conference being held in his country is a thing of significance.
Also, yes, I do think it would have gotten as much attention if Harper had attended. I don't think CBC Newsworld was broadcasting plenary sessions just because he wasn't there.
By
Anonymous, at 9:20 AM
Jen,
(Yes, you can use my name)
While you may be right, I think that Clement was booed not because Harper didn't show but because he is a member of a government with whose policies many attendees likely don't agree. Particularly, the fact that the party is perceived to be socially conservative doesn't help. I think it was similar to Michael Fortier being booed when he spoke at the opening ceremonies of the Outgames.
Incidentally, Brian Mulroney did show up to the conference in 1989 and was booed.
By
Saskatory, at 10:26 AM
This old Tory aged 55 has been involved in Tory politics for over 40 years -- when I stuffed envelopes as kid who admired John Diefenbaker.
I am very much impressed by your blog and will book mark it.
Keep up your excellent work !
By
Michael McCafferty, at 3:53 PM
I hope you had hand sanitizer with you. Muahahahaha!
By
Stephanie, at 3:37 PM
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