See what I mean Stephen Harper is no statesmen?
David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada said that the U.S. does not recognize Canada's claim to Arctic waters. This comment was made in response to "Harper's proposed plan to deploy military icebreakers in the Arctic to detect interlopers and assert Canadian sovereignty over those waters".
Reports today said that's not news, that it's well-known the U.S. and other countries don't recognize Canada's claim on Arctic waters, and that an international agreement is still pending. Now, I didn't know this. But Harper should have. He's prime minister designate now.
True, Wilkins, in his diplomatic capacity should not have gone shooting off his mouth. But instead of responding with diplomacy, Harper retorted with defensive immaturity and blurted, "It is the Canadian people we get our mandate from, not the ambassador of the United States". Thems are fightin' words. Trying too hard to establish his authority and prove he's no American pansy I say.
Harper also said, "Sovereignty is something, you use it or you lose it." Well pretty boy, can you just see the glass half full instead of half empty? How about getting out of that protectionist punitive either-or mindset and into more abundant thinking?
Martin would have said something like, "We have yet to obtain agreement from the international community over rights to the Arctic waters. Mr. Wilkins has a responsibility to voice what he believes is right for his country, just as Ottawa has a responsibility to do do what's right for Canada and the protection of those waters. We'll continue to work together to come to an agreement on this issue."
See. Live and let live. Not it's them or us.
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If Martin had said what he said, he'd jump all over Martin and call him anti-American. So now he's been elected on his Conservative stance, he's already adopting a more Liberal persona even before he takes office.
It's political pandering to garner votes so he can say, See, I'm not a Conservative fundamentalist like you thought, in case the opposition brings his minority government down. He's already in a safe place, but he's not broadminded enough to think that. He's just beating the dead horse some more.
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