Posted on 07/19/2006 9:22:14 PM PDT by STARWISE
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ordered his official plane to be diverted to Cyprus on Wednesday to pick up Canadians fleeing Israeli air strikes in Lebanon.
Harper was already in Europe at the end of a week-long official three-country tour and decided to divert the Canadian Forces Airbus he was flying in to take as many citizens as he could before returning to Canada.
The Canadian leader has been criticised for the speed the government has taken in arranging the evacuation and for having defended Israel's actions in Lebanon even after a bomb Israel dropped on Sunday killed eight Canadians.
Harper rejected the idea he had ordered the diversion simply to generate good publicity.
"Criticism in this kind of situation given all the complexities is inevitable," Harper told reporters before the plane took off.
"But one way or the other, we believe there's a real need here, and we can make a more-than-symbolic contribution to helping with the situation."
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
He expects to pick up 100 to 120 people, and those from a ship bringing in Canadians who wouldn't fit on Harper's plane would fly on one of the 6 planes the Canadian government was chartering.
Love that he dumped the press corps. They must be whining at full liberal volume.
LOL ..
great move :) Not only is it the right thing to do, the media will be slamming it as a stunt. Oh okay, so lets drop off the media with the PM to make room for other needy passengers :)
People who know nothing of Canada often critcize the country. Check out WW2.
Go Steven Go! I love this guy!
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