Harper's no-show an error - Chretien.

[#juan]

You had better check your facts...

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hDj_w_23ujE9tRZG5JdPwTpxXfmg

Federal government starts year with$500-million deficit as GST revenues plunge
Jul 25, 2008
OTTAWA — The federal government has started the new fiscal year in a rare deficit position, announcing Friday it was $517 million in the red after two months as tax cuts and a slowing economy sliced into revenues.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced government revenues fell by $1.6 billion combined in April and May of this year, or 4.1 per cent, less than the same period last year.
The government's take from the goods and services tax fell $876 million, or 20.9 per cent, largely as a result of the one percentage point cut in the GST that went into effect in January.

 

[wallyj]

77 groups have applied to protest in the area Chinese officials have designated for 'official' protests. So far,75 have been denied,with some applicants being carted off to jail. The other 2 applications are still under review. If only Harper had the clout of Papa Jean,things would be different,sure. Jean Chretien attended the Olympics once while Prime Minister,that was in Atlanta,and he is beaking off and getting press for this,WTF.

 

[Colpy]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hDj_w_23ujE9tRZG5JdPwTpxXfmg

Federal government starts year with$500-million deficit as GST revenues plunge
Jul 25, 2008
OTTAWA — The federal government has started the new fiscal year in a rare deficit position, announcing Friday it was $517 million in the red after two months as tax cuts and a slowing economy sliced into revenues.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced government revenues fell by $1.6 billion combined in April and May of this year, or 4.1 per cent, less than the same period last year.
The government's take from the goods and services tax fell $876 million, or 20.9 per cent, largely as a result of the one percentage point cut in the GST that went into effect in January.

Okay Juan, now I know why they are axing arts funding so hard....

Not to worry.

I don't like deficit spending either.

 

[china]

[SIZE=+1]Harper no-show at Beijing Games an error, says ex-Canadian PM[/SIZE]

China National News
Tuesday 19th August, 2008
(ANI)​

Quebec, Aug.19 : Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has said that current Prime Minister Stephen Harper absence from the Beijing Olympic Games has the potential of impacting negatively on future Sino-Canadian ties.

Addressing the Canadian Bar Association here, the Globe and Mail quoted Chr
étien as saying that such missteps were indicative of a government that naively fails to understand the enormous strides the Chinese regime has made in recent years, and warned that China has a long "collective memory" when it comes to international slights.

"There are always consequences in what you do. If you think that attacking them would be positive, what do you gain? It is the second-biggest economy in the world, and in 50 years, it will be the biggest economy. Suddenly, you break the bridge. It would be so easy to be there [at the Olympics]," he said.

Canadian trade missions once attracted thousands of people.

Chretien told the CBA that the: "Last meeting I went to, there was 300 people, and most of them were Canadian. You know, they have a collective memory there that is very important."

Chr
étien said Canada has to keep in mind that it is too small a global player to hector the Chinese or try to hurt them with boycotts.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Mr. Chretien continued his fusillade. "We are at the bottom of the ladder in terms of having any influence with China. Ask any businessman who has been to China, and he will tell you the same thing."

The Dalai Lama may be a well-received religious icon in Canada, Chretien said, "but for them (the Chinese), the Dalai Lama is not a religious leader."

 

[dancing-loon]

Here is China's reaction to Harper's no-show:

China's state-run media covers Chretien-Harper row

A front-page article in China's state-run English daily newspaper appears to indicate the country is angry over Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision not to attend the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Games.
........
Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson did attend the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies and has since dismissed any notion that relations between China and Canada are strained.

But CTV's Beijing Bureau Chief Steve Chao said the article indicates otherwise.
"China Daily acts often as a mouthpiece for the government and it also signals how the government feels about an issue," Chao reported Wednesday.

"The fact that this runs on the front page suggests China is very unhappy."

As prime minister, Harper has chosen to publicly criticize China on their human rights record -- a contrast to Chretien's "behind closed doors" approach, said Chao.

As a result, many Canadian businessmen have complained that relations with China have cooled, said Chao.

"The article here points to the fact that Stephen Harper has not visited China since taking office in 2006," he said. "For China, a major superpower, that is a big slight and they continue to hammer down on this point."

Harper does have an opportunity to mend relations if he chooses to attend the closing ceremonies of the Games, said Chao. However, the prime minister has provided no indication that he plans to attend.

Meanwhile, Harper fired back at Chretien on Tuesday saying he was being "a bit hypocritical" since he only attended one Olympics during his time as prime minister.

http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/abc...hretien_080820
-----------------------------------
I think they should now let it rest and forget about it. Harper certainly is not going to attend the closing ceremonies as a good little, obedient boy!:roll:

If China wants to sell their stuff, and we are willing to buy, I'm sure they'll swallow their little hurt.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

I wonder what the response on this forum would be if Harper did go to China? "bushes lapdog,lockstep with Bush,Bush'es puppet,etc." Harper could walk on water and many on this site would criticize him for not being able to swim.

No Bush gave Harper orders to stay home and shut up..........................:lol::lol::lol:
Besides Harper is no Dalai Lama, he is just a snake looking to bite with a poisonous venom…..

 

[karrie]

How much are these guys paying you to plaster their banners all over CC china?

 

[karrie]

Personally, I think Harper was in a no win situation. Go, and it's pandering to a country with a dismal human rights record, and, like others have said, being Bush's lap dog. Don't go, and it's snubbing a world super power.

Personally, I'd rather be the country that ISN'T anyone's lapdog. I'd rather be the country that stands on its own principles rather than following the trail of money.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Soc, I think you are getting off topic here....

My great forum friend just slightly… :smile:

 

[Risus]

Personally, I think Harper was in a no win situation. Go, and it's pandering to a country with a dismal human rights record, and, like others have said, being Bush's lap dog. Don't go, and it's snubbing a world super power.

Personally, I'd rather be the country that ISN'T anyone's lapdog. I'd rather be the country that stands on its own principles rather than following the trail of money.

Good reply!

 

[dancing-loon]

Why the Chinese Particularly Like Canadians

Many Canadian tourists I have met in Beijing during the Olympics told me that they received particularly warm welcome from the Chinese when their Canadian identities were revealed. They were curious of the source of such favourable reactions. Canada has a peace-loving and culturally inclusive image that the Chinese find easy to like.

There are also two Canadians that immediately come to mind when the Chinese think of Canada. The first one is Mark Rowswell, a University of Toronto graduate who moved to Beijing in 1988 to further his study of the Chinese language and accidentally embarked on a soaring career as a beloved TV personality. Widely known in China by his Chinese name Dashan (which means Big Mountain), Rowswell has become China's most popular foreigner. His fame and popularity is largely predicated on his ability to master the Chinese folk language and his deep understanding of the Chinese culture. For the Chinese people who eagerly want to be understood by the rest of the world, Rowswell's efforts are greatly appreciated and his success is well respected.

Then there is another Canadian who has laid the foundation of friendships between the two countries as early as in 1938, long before the establishment of Sino-Canadian diplomatic relations in 1970. That Canadian is Dr. Norman Bethune, who traveled to Yan'an, China in 1938 and helped the Chinese in their struggle against the Japanese in the Second Sino-Japanese War. As a tireless and inventive surgeon and a great teacher, he saved hundreds of lives by performing emergency battlefield surgical operations and medical training for Chinese doctors, nurses and orderlies. Tragically, in 1939 Dr. Bethune died of septicemia from a cut he received when performing surgery.

Dr. Bethune's selfless humanitarian efforts and spirit of internationalism have deeply touched the hearts of all Chinese people. Mao Zedong especially published an essay entitled In Memory of Norman Bethune. Many statues in his honour have been erected throughout the country. Movies and TV series were made to document his legacy. The Bethune Memorial House located in Gravenhust, Ontario has also become a popular destination to many Chinese tourists.

While Mark Rowswell is well liked in China as "the friendly guy next door", Dr. Norman Bethune is loved and highly respected by the Chinese people as a national hero. Both men have contributed to the particularly favourable impressions of Canadians by the Chinese people.

http://www.beijing2008blog.ca/2008/08/beijing.html
------------------------------------------
Isn't it wonderful the ordinary Chinese people like us? Forget Harper! Who needs him?

 

[elevennevele]

Personally, I'd rather be the country that ISN'T anyone's lapdog. I'd rather be the country that stands on its own principles rather than following the trail of money.

Haw! Well that sure isn't Harper. That stuff about standing on principles and not being somebody's lapdog. We use to 'Stand Up For Canada.' Yeah, before that wasn't just a slogan as a campaign gimmick. Just like the slogan, 'transparent and accountable government,' or 'running a clean government.'

Now however this government abandons all sorts of Canadians. Outside and inside our borders. 'Gee, what was that Canadian doing in a UN observation post?' was the kinda question Harper asked after 'our' UN observer got blown to smithereens by the Israelis. Did Harper ever get down to the bottom of that? Did he even ask for an apology?

By the way, whatever happened to that billion dollars the WTO said we should have received for lumber disputes anyway? Oh yeah, Harper let the US have those monies despite international courts ruling in our favour, and despite the dire straits our lumber industry was in financially.


.................



But I regress. This forum is about Harper's inability to handle foreign affairs with China to the detriment of our relationship, our ability to influence, and potentially to the detriment of the standard of living of our citizenry as an economic consequence due to souring relations with one of our largest trading partners.