With the way the Liberals have been acting, it's been difficult to find any real opposition to the Harper Tories. But alas, the search is over:
Canada is at risk of losing its international reputation due to the inaction of the Harper government, says former Conservative prime minister Joe Clark. After delivering a speech to his alma mater, the University of Alberta, Mr. Clark said while the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper is “efficient and focused,” he has problems with its purpose on some issues.
“My concerns are in large part about our role internationally, where I fear we are at risk of losing an enormous Canadian advantage and reputation simply because we are not refreshing our high reputation in the developing world.”
Mr. Clark, who was foreign affairs minister in Brian Mulroney's government from 1984-91, told the audience the problems facing the world involve conflict between people who come from different cultures and belief systems and yet have to live together.
He said Canada deals with that essential diversity better than any other country.
“We are trusted internationally, in a world where it's very important that someone is able to come in and draw others together,” said Mr. Clark.
But Mr. Harper's style is to emphasize differences, “a difficult and potentially dangerous course to follow,” Mr. Clark later told reporters.
Rather than taking principled stands on international issues, I guess Mr. Clark would have us go back to the days where we were praised by the dictators, terrorists and human rights abusers? Sounds like a plan.
UPDATE: Thanks to Gabby for pointing out Paul Wells' response, which is devastating:
It's just a fact that Harper managed to reconcile the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance memberships where Clark had been trying, with exceedingly modest results, for years. It's just a fact that Harper could have done so earlier and that the main obstacle to his success was Joe Clark. It's just a fact that when the two parties did replace themselves with a new unified party, the only ones who didn't join the spirit of reconciliation were the Clark faction of the Progressive Conservatives: Clark, Scott Brison, John Herron. And that only Clark was unwilling to reconcile with... the Liberals by joining them. The great conciliator of High River spent his last months in Parliament sitting alone as an independent. He did not wish it so and it's sad that it happened, but it did.
...
Clark never minded divisive policies if they would keep Alberta social conservatives out of his party. He loved all the policies Liberals loved (well, not all Liberals -- there is a social-conservative wing in that party too, and Clark spent his career well to their left) -- but wanting to be conciliatory does not produce reconciliation.
