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'I'm nobody's puppet': Harper
The Toronto Star ^ | Jun. 15, 2006. 08:29 PM | SYLVAIN LAROCQUE

Posted on 06/16/2006 5:28:58 PM PDT by fanfan

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he’s “nobody’s puppet” and U.S. President George W. Bush doesn’t pull his strings.

“I see from time to time that the Liberals and members of the Bloc say that I am George Bush’s puppet and other things like that,” Harper said in a wide-ranging television interview with Radio-Canada that will air Sunday.

“Even if I think that people don’t always agree with me, they understand that I’m nobody’s puppet,” Harper told the French-language program Les Coulisses de pouvoir.

Harper has been criticized by his political adversaries and some commentators for being too cosy with Bush on issues such as the Kyoto Protocol and the military.

Harper also said during the interview that some Canadians don’t understand that terrorism is a global threat.

“I think that a lot of people in Canada are naive,” he said. ``The reality is that the terrorism threat is worldwide. We cannot escape it by closing our eyes.

“That’s the reason why we’ve have been in Afghanistan for several years. We are there because of the deaths of about 30 Canadians in the World Trade Centre (during the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City),” he said.

As for recent threats against him by the 17 terrorists suspects arrested in Toronto earlier this month, Harper said the threats haven’t “bothered” him.

“I accept the realities and the dangers of being a leader with these threats at this time,” he said.

On the subject of the so-called fiscal gap between the provinces and the federal government, Harper said he may have to impose a solution since the provinces can’t seem to agree on one.

Canada “is not always a federation that’s easy to govern,” he said.

Ottawa has indicated that the solution will come in the form of an improved equalization regime and an increase in federal transfers to the provinces for education and infrastructure.

But Harper has also made it clear that his government does not expect huge federal budget surpluses like those the Liberals have posted in recent years.

“I prefer to look at all transfers as a group and not to decide transfer by transfer. I think that’s impossible,” Harper said. ``You can’t deal with only equalization, only health. The former government tried to do that.

“If we can reach a consensus, it will be a consensus on all transfers.”

Although the issue is being watched closely in Quebec, Harper said he doesn’t think his approach will spur the sovereignty movement in the province.

“I think Quebecers have tired of this debate,” he said. “They don’t want separation; they don’t want sovereignty as it’s advocated by the Bloc and the PQ.”

Nor do they want a centralized Canada, as touted by the federal Liberals, he said.

Both are “extreme” positions, he said.

“It’s been a long time that Quebecers have had these choices and they decided to reject (these possibilities),” Harper said.

Harper also commented on his reported difficulties with the Ottawa press corps, which he said he doesn’t find that unusual.

“I like journalists, it’s maybe the journalists who don’t like me,” Harper said. “But I think there’s always tension between journalists and politicians in power. That’s the nature of things.”


TOPICS: Canada; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: harper

1 posted on 06/16/2006 5:28:59 PM PDT by fanfan
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To: GMMAC; Pikamax; Former Proud Canadian; Great Dane; Alberta's Child; headsonpikes; Ryle; ...

Canada ping!

Please FReepmail me to get on or off this ping list.

2 posted on 06/16/2006 5:30:31 PM PDT by fanfan (I wouldn't be so angry with them if they didn't want to kill me!)
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To: fanfan

"I'm Not...I'm Not!!!!" waaaaaa


3 posted on 06/16/2006 5:39:16 PM PDT by Codedog
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To: Codedog
?

Could it be you don't know balls and brains when you see them?

4 posted on 06/16/2006 5:46:47 PM PDT by kanawa
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To: fanfan

Wait, I thought Bush was Cheney's puppet. Can a puppet have a puppet? How far back does this thing go?


5 posted on 06/16/2006 5:47:18 PM PDT by Argus
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To: Argus
How far back does this thing go?

It's turtles all the way down.
6 posted on 06/16/2006 5:54:26 PM PDT by caveat emptor
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To: Codedog
You dog must be a provocateur.
7 posted on 06/16/2006 5:59:33 PM PDT by rocksblues (Liberals will stop at nothing.)
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To: caveat emptor

Thanks for clearing that up.


8 posted on 06/16/2006 6:00:33 PM PDT by Argus
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To: Codedog
"I'm Not...I'm Not!!!!" waaaaaa

Stick a sock in it, the LIEberals aren't paying you a dime for that drivel, they no longer control the federal purse strings.

The adults (HONEST adults) are back in charge in Ottawa.

Don't like that?

Seek asylum with any one of the mooching, money grubbing Aboriginal sub-regimes who don't like Harper either.

And have a nice weekend.
9 posted on 06/16/2006 6:21:59 PM PDT by mkjessup (The Shah doesn't look so bad now, eh? But nooo, Jimmah said the Ayatollah was a 'godly' man.)
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To: fanfan
Anyone who knows Harper and has seen him in action knows he's is firmly
planted in conservative philosophy and will do what's right for Canada.
It's too bad that in some quarters being a good neighbour and friend means
you're a puppet to that neighbour.
Conservatives on both sides of the border can totally disregard his
remarks as they were meant only for the Libs and media here and Stateside
10 posted on 06/16/2006 6:54:38 PM PDT by CaptainCanada ("Macht doch Eiern Dreck aleene!" (Take care of your own mess!).)
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To: CaptainCanada
I agree and we don't need or want "puppets" just right thinking strong leaders who understand how demented and adolescent the left really is. Oh Ya and corrupt.
11 posted on 06/16/2006 7:10:29 PM PDT by Archon of the East ("universal executive power of the law of nature")
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To: mkjessup; CaptainCanada

I think reality is driving the left crazy!


12 posted on 06/16/2006 7:19:07 PM PDT by fanfan (I wouldn't be so angry with them if they didn't want to kill me!)
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To: fanfan
"“I think Quebecers have tired of this debate,” he said. “They don’t want separation; they don’t want sovereignty as it’s advocated by the Bloc and the PQ.”

Nor do they want a centralized Canada, as touted by the federal Liberals, he said.

Both are “extreme” positions, he said. "

Finally -- someone actually understands the perennial debate about "separatism".

The Lieberals are centralists -- although they call themselves "federalists". Many Quebecers call themselves "sovereignists" -- which the LIEbrals equate with separatism. Actually, the various provinces (states) in a federation are sovereign -- in the powers assigned to them in the constitution. "Sovereignists" are essentially "states rights" federalists. LIEbrals are centralists, who ignored the federal government's responsibility for defense and trod on provincial rights to the point of fomenting separatistism in Quebec, and the West. Harper is a true federalist.
13 posted on 06/16/2006 7:41:29 PM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
Harper is a true federalist.

We are so lucky to have him.

:-)

14 posted on 06/16/2006 7:54:39 PM PDT by fanfan (I wouldn't be so angry with them if they didn't want to kill me!)
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To: fanfan

We are lucky to have him and we need to keep working to keep him!! The other alternatives look sicker every day. The more they expose themselves, the more unattractive and unappealing they look.


15 posted on 06/16/2006 11:04:18 PM PDT by Canadian Outrage (Conservatism is to a country what a bandaid is to a cut!! - Healing)
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To: fanfan

Harper is obviously very intelligent and as such does not have to be anyone's puppet.


16 posted on 06/17/2006 1:17:17 AM PDT by Fair Go
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