PM picks Muslim Liberal MP as adviser

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elevennevele

Electoral Member
Mar 13, 2006
787
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Canada
So how do you Harper supporters wish to defend this? PM Harper has decided to take cues on how to approach the Middle East and Afghanistan from a Liberal Muslim MP, Wajid Khan. Either he is going to act on recommendations from the Liberal MP, or he is just out to try some estranged PR stunt that only he has the details.

Now I’ve already heard much from you Harper supporters to have heard your stance, not only against the Liberals but those of the Islamic faith. I’ve also heard much pro Israeli rant.

Either way, he has decided to use ‘a Liberal’ to try to shield himself from whatever repercussion he has already started against the Conservative party for his Bush-like stance on the Middle East.

However, the rub that gets me about this assignment is that Khan took the Ontario campaign chair for Joe Volpe after the other guy resigned because Volpe was too pro-Israeli with the Middle East conflict.

So is Harper expecting a pro-Israeli report from Mr. Khan, a Liberal Muslim that he can hang his opponents on?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060809.wadviser09/BNStory/National/home

POSTED AT 12:39 AM EDT ON 09/08/06

PM picks Muslim Liberal MP as adviser on Mideast

CAMPBELL CLARK

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reached across party lines for foreign-policy help, appointing a Liberal MP as his adviser on the Middle East and Afghanistan.

The sudden appointment of Mississauga Liberal MP Wajid Khan, a Muslim Canadian, to advise the Conservative government on the thorny political issues was made with the last-minute blessing of interim Liberal leader Bill Graham.

Mr. Khan, who served in Pakistan's air force before coming to Canada in 1974, said he will travel to the region as Mr. Harper's envoy and prepare a report for the Prime Minister by Oct. 1, primarily dealing with the Middle East conflict and Canada's role in Afghanistan.

Mr. Harper's advisers said that report will provide an additional perspective to that provided by Canadian diplomats abroad.

Mr. Khan declined to say where he stands on the Middle East, telling a reporter he is heading into his role with an open mind.

He voted against the Conservative government's motion to extend the mission of Canadian troops in Afghanistan past 2007, although he said he supports the mission but believed Mr. Harper's government did not allow enough debate.

Mr. Khan's appointment comes as polls suggest that Mr. Harper's support of Israel in the Mideast conflict may have hurt public support for his Conservative government. However, Mr. Harper's advisers insist that the appointment was not sparked by the current crisis and that Mr. Khan will have a mandate to present his views on a broader region, including South Asia.

“I think the credit goes to the Prime Minister,” Mr. Khan said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “He has reached across party lines. I think this is a supra-partisan issue, a non-partisan issue, and he realized that I have experience and depth of knowledge of that region, and he's asked me to do some work for him.”

Mr. Khan, who is seen as a shrewd political organizer and is prominent in Toronto's Muslim-Canadian community, was first elected in 2004. He said he will remain a Liberal MP and Ontario chair for the campaign of Liberal leadership candidate Joe Volpe. Mr. Khan took the Volpe post after Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis resigned, citing Mr. Volpe's pro-Israeli stance in the Middle East conflict.

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iARTthere4iam

iARTthere4iam

Electoral Member
Jul 23, 2006
533
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Pointy Rocks
I think it is refreshing that the PM is trying to find in the Canadian government the best, most qualified, person for a position, instead of giving it to his best friend or supporter. Mr. Kahn said he did support our role in Afghanistan (though he didn't think enough time was given to debate).Also, he must not be too anti-Israeli if he doesn't mind Volpe's position on Israel. Mabey on Mr.Kahn's mission to afghanistan he will be able to use his knowledge and experience to assist the mission. That would be a good thing.
Your venom against the PM expresses the worst kind of partisan politics.
Whatever Mr.Kahn reports, I am glad Harper has done this. It shows that the PM can think and IS thinking about the middle east and afghanistan.
GO STEVE!
 
iARTthere4iam

iARTthere4iam

Electoral Member
Jul 23, 2006
533
3
18
Pointy Rocks
ya, his hidden agenda...terrifying.
I hope he has a whole host of other such terrifying ideas.
I just laugh when I hear the liberals complaining about khan's appointment. their hostility is ridiculous, it is totally based on party politics rather than good governance. I just keep liking harper more and more.
The liberals are gonna be out for a while.
 
G

Graeme

Electoral Member
Jun 5, 2006
349
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First get things straight Mr. Khan offered to be the advisor and the conservatives accepted as he is the person in parliament best suited for the job.

I don't see what explaining needs to be done. The liberals don’t' like it because he still goes to the liberal meetings where they try and figure out ways of hurting the conservatives. If a liberal is advising the conservatives on the middle east, then the liberals can't really take as many pot shots on decisions being made. Some liberals think there may be a conflict of interest which will be bad for the Liberals.

You see the liberals don't care if the best people for the job are running the country. They just want to be the ones in control.

Khan is Pakistani he was a fighter pilot in the Pakistani air force, he was also shot down once.
 
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