Canada's honest broker

Stuart Seacole Smith

Well said Harper. A rare bit of political honesty and courage. Here's hoping for more of the same from other world leaders.

Alex Bensky

A Canadian leader with backbone who understands the threat to the west represented by the movement to isolate and demonize Israel--this is something new.And welcome. And, as you say, Melanie, not the sort of thing I am expecting from my president, at least not the current one.

I cannot forget the brave Iranians who took to the streets in their thousands and tens of thousands, daring their brutal government, chanting, "Obama, you are with us or with them!"

And Obama waited a week and then issued a mild "bearing witness" statement.

Maybe Harper can encourage some other western leaders to follow his example.

veryneat

I am proud of our prime minister, Stephen Harper. I forgive all his political mistakes because he takes such a courageous in this area where nearly all other leaders temporise........especially Obama, Sarkozy and Cameron who know better but do a lot worse.

MairT

A very admirable man, to be applauded and held in esteem. One politician that has not gone down the same sluice as the rest

David in Canada

Prime Minister Harper makes me mad at times but then he speaks the truth on Israel and I'm back in the fold. He makes me proud to be a Canadian!!!

Liz

A voice in the wilderness. I wonder how long before the goons go in for the kill.

Andy Gill

Corageous words from the Canadian PM.

Now how long before he's smeared as an Islamophobe in the British press?

Lorna H

Well, there seems to be signs of an unexpected awakening among the leaders of Western Democracy (ie., Angela Merkel). In Australia, if anyone from a conservative position makes an observation that might discomfort the PC police, that person is met with extreme indignation, hateful abuse, and accusations of being 'rascist' 'homophobe' etc. Hilary Clinton was here in Melbourne on Sunday, and she took on a bunch of under 35's. There were quite a lot of questions asked of her, one of which was 'Are you happy for women to be free to wear the burqa?' She said she has no problem with the veil, but the burqa represents a barrier to communication, a statement of ethnic separation, and a potential threat for terrorism, ie., in Pakistan terrorists had used the burqa to conceal explosives. These words are mine, but this was the essential message she stated unapologetically. She was such a breath of fresh air! Next day when asked if she supported 'same sex' marriage she forthrightly said no (my words again), but was ok with contractual relationships. The kind of thing that outrages the socialists Hilary could freely express without receiving a word of criticism, but were those thoughts expressed by a conservative there would an avalanche of hate.

Nick

Andy Gill, when have the British press shown an interest in the utterances of Canadian politicians?

Ask the man on the street who 'Stephen Harper' is and you'll be met with a blank look. Canada is a great nation (especially compared to its noisier neighbour to the south), but it's an anonymous one.

phil

A man of honour ,a mench ,and for me that is the highest accolade any man can achieve .

GaryO

So he's not a progressive then.

Well said Mr Harper and best of luck at the next general elections. We're all very proud of you, Sir.

Raoul

Harper's remarks should be reported widely in the world media, but they won't, of course. Their agenda is PC and not PeaCe.

James Murphy

Strange thing is that this guy is head of the same intensely PC country that has castigated and persecuted the indefatiguably heroic Mark Steyn throughout the past decade... Odd. Is a Canadian worm turning?

Lynn Johnston

This is the reason, that as a Canadian citizen who has been living in Britain for 35 years, that I have absolutely no wish to waste £800 becoming a British citizen. Not only has Harper stood up for Israel in this manner but the Canadian Government has stopped funding major NGO's who have been supported by anti Israeli funding. Reading the website of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and comparing it to the tosh on the Foreign Office website here shows how askew the values are in Britain. Is there possibly also a moral correlation with the fact that Canada didn't screw up its banking system and has managed to control it finances in the way a mature democracy should.

DougS

Surely a sign of the times when someone displays integrity and by doing so stands out from the crowd.

Witness:

Gordon Strachan (Middlesbrough FC)

Gary Hoffman (Northern Rock Bank)

and now: Stephen Harper

Osred

3 Cheers for Mr H. Its not often you hear good stuff like this from a national leader.

I'd like to see the walkout on the floor at the UN if he said the same there.

John P.

I'm rather proud of my P.M.

Mailman

Sadly those leaders of countries in the West which DO count (the US, France, UK et al) are all Chamberlains in disguise, only too happy to appease the arab world.

They will sell out Israel and wont have any remorse...after all, Israel had it coming!

Mailman

Archie

Indeed so, Miss Phillips, and would that there were more of his ilk, especially in that house of lies masquerading as the UN. I understand he has wrought excellent things in Canada, despite that country's sad tendency to uber-political correctness with the resulting vilification from the left which that brings.

wolf terner

Bravo Harper! I'm absolutely certain McKenzie and Dieffenbacher are rolling and spinning in their graves, anti-semitic scum that they were.

John Steadman

Excellent, Melanie. How do you manage to fit in time for eating and sleeping?

TGF UKIP

Not the sort of post likely to be written by the London liberal progressives who write and edit the Speccie much less the words likely to be spoken by the London liberal progressives known as the Tory Party leadership.

St Bruno

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said:
"Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israel mob tells us all too well, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are in the longer term a threat to all of us."

Therein lies the nub of the problem. Getting the message across to the vast mass of sheeple might be a little difficult. I have often thought one of the British Parliamentary family of 650 MPs and 777 Lords and Ladies would say something, out loud, in a similar way. I could never imagine our own PM say such words.

I just hope Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a strong canoe and stout pair of oars to ride the tsunami that could head his way.

Cliff Leckey

All is not lost with honorable men like this

Augustus

"Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israel mob
tells us all too well, that those who threaten the existence
of the Jewish people are in the longer term a threat to us all."

Compare that to the betrayal by Obama and all the lefties who don't show such willingness to defend Israel "whatever the cost".

Charlene

No wonder Canada is not facing huge debt like USA, and UK. God blesses those who bless Israel, not those who curse her. What a wonderful man unlike those that join the hate fest for political kudos. By the way am attending a UK uni and have noticed something being advertised on a flyer which is in Arabic. I hope and trust that it is above board as I find it troubling as I do not know what is says, why do these unis allow this? Surely if one is at a UK uni in England if one advertises an event or something it should be in English. I am not at a uni in Saudi. Very troubling and disturbing, wish I could go live in Canada.

valuethetruth

His speech brought tears to my eyes. Finally someone speaks the truth. I can only hope others will follow his example. Thank you PM Harper.

Steve

Our prime minister is without peer now among world leaders, apart perhaps from Vaclav Havel. Stephen Harper understands that if the Jewish nation is sacrificed to the forces of barbarism, the entire civilized world is at risk.

Canada's recent failure to be voted a seat on the UN Security Council (with Germany and Portugal winning seats in Canada's stead, with the support of the UN's anti-Semitic majority) is by now clearly a moral victory for Canada, since the seat was to be had only at the price of our national integrity. Let Europe play that game instead; but I wonder what the Canadian reaction will be if -- when appeasement fails and the fascists again threaten Europe's peace and security -- the Old World once more asks Canadians to sacrifice lives and treasure to save Europeans from their own folly.

Marcus from the USA

With a population of about 35 million people, Canada has a land area larger than the United States (which has a much larger population of about 310 million).

Perhaps PM Harper can grant some land in Canada for a Jewish state.

phil

Marcus from the USA
November 10th, 2010 6:52am have you thought about Greenland ,Namibia,or the tundra ,why not go and investigate them for us ?There will be lots of donations to help you on your way ,just send an address .

wayne job

Thank you Melanie for bringing this to the attention of the world, PM Harper seems to be a man principle, rare in a world of PC newspeak.
The UN has departments openly critisising liberal democracies for human rights failings and ignoring the blatant abuses in less than savoury countries.
That the UN openly is anti Semetic is a blatant abuse of their own charter. If Israel fails the world is headed for a dark age of evil not seen since Pol Pot had his way, only on a global scale. I urge all Canadians to cover Mr Harpers back.

Graeme Thompson

God bless Canada. Righteous among the nations.

Lazyranchhand

He said this to an anti-Semitism conference? Ooh, very brave position.

Stephanie Tohill

I really see no reason, for any country to stand up for Israel or any other country.

I don't much care about Israel. Nor do I care about the Palestinians. If, according to some this makes me anti-semetic/anti-arab then I couldn't care less

PHIL

Stephanie Tohill
November 11th, 2010 8:15am Thats the most comical statement I have ever seen on this magazine ,why do you feel it necessary to tell us ,oh and I will not be taking the 22 bus today ,but I WILL HAVE A BACON SARNY LATER ,FASCINATING WHAT !

Craig Strachan

@Marcus from the USA - You may not have noticed, but we are at a happy point in history where the Jewish state doesn't need a land grant from anybody.

Cabbie

'Obligated' Ms Philips?

@ Doug S you've intrigued me with this particular NE-linked triumvirate?

On two. I really would appreciate elaboration?

Gordon Ross

People like Marcus from the USA ought to know by now that there is only one land in which there can be a restored Jewish nation state, and that is the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel. There is no other place for it. No other land will do.

Marcus is no doubt one of that busy brigade which loudly and vigorously champions the 'human rights' and right to self-determination of all manner of peoples, but draws the line when it comes to the Jews.

Marcus from the USA

Although Israel now has the world's largest Jewish population (about 6 million Jews), the majority of the worlds 13 - 14 million Jews still choose to live in other countries.

To suggest that a Jewish state can only exist in Palestine is ludicrous, and the numbers show it to be so.

Also very few Jews can factually claim Palestine as the land of their forefather. A tiny minority of Israeli Jews are native to the land, and most Israeli Jews are immigrants or the children of immigrants.

Compare this with Israeli Arabs and Palestinians who have verifiable roots going back centuries.

We must entertain the option of re-establishing Israel elsewhere if we are to ever have peace in the region.

Gordon Ross

Marcus from the USA,
Nov.16,2.43 am

Jews are not the only people who “choose to live” in countries other than their homeland. Many Chinese, Japanese, Indians and Pakistanis (even soon after obtaining their independence from colonial rule) etc. etc. have chosen to live outside their homelands. The forebears of the many Irish who “choose to live” outside their homeland were driven from their land by poverty and foreign oppression.

Most of my Jewish forebears were expelled from our homeland by the Roman occupiers (whose Emperor Hadrian changed its name to ‘Palestine’), and thus began the Jewish diaspora, but we have succeeded in preserving our national identity and have always maintained our claim to our homeland and right to return there, as witness our prayers and literature over the past 2,000 years.

Marcus can no doubt tell us who the “We” are who “must entertain the option of re-establishing Israel elsewhere”, where that “elsewhere” is situated, and what he thinks the reaction of the people living in that ”elsewhere” will be to having a community of people that does not have any claim or ties to that “elsewhere” foisted upon them. Then, of course, we Jews will also have something to say about it ! He continues to promulgate the ‘anti-Zionist’ myth that, despite the ongoing violence and hostility between Sunni and Shiite, the various factions in Lebanon, Hamas and Fatah etc. etc., peace will reign supreme if only Israel can be removed from the area !