Earlier this week ConservativeHome drew attention to the outstanding conservatism of Australia's John Howard. Also hugely promising is Canada's tax-cutting, Kyoto-sceptical, tough-on-crime Stephen Harper. He visited Britain last month en route to the G8 Summit in St Petersburg. Whilst in London he called on Margaret Thatcher and gave a terrific speech to the Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce. The speech received zero coverage in the UK media. That is unfortunate as it was hugely positive about Canada's relationship with Britain. Pasted below are a few key extracts from Mr Harper's speech. They're well worth a two or three minute read...
A tribute to the legacy of the British Empire: "Now I know it’s unfashionable to refer to colonialism in anything other than negative terms. And certainly, no part of the world is unscarred by the excesses of empires. But in the Canadian context, the actions of the British empire were largely benign and occasionally brilliant."
The great bond between Canada and Britain in defeating evil: "When Britain has bled, Canada has bled. A generation of our young men share eternity with British Tommies in the fields of France. Another generation of Britons and Canadians fought side by side against Nazi fascism. Yet another helped our American cousins prevail over the menace of Soviet communism. And ever since that brief, illusory moment when we thought we were witness to “the end of history,” we have been allied in a new global conflict. It is a conflict without borders. A conflict fought abroad and at home. A conflict in which the aggressor stands for nothing yet seeks to impose its will. Through the destruction of terrorism. Through the slaughter of the innocent. And through the perversion of a faith. So once more we face, as Churchill put it “gangs of bandits who seek to darken the light of the world. And once more we must appeal to our values, marshal our resources and steadfastly apply our will to defeat them. This war on terror will not be easy. Nor will it be short. But it must be won. And Canada’s new national government is absolutely determined, once again, to stand shoulder to shoulder with our british allies, to stay the course and to win the fight."
After years of Liberal weakness Canada is reassuming its defence responsibilities: "Ladies and gentlemen, during last winter’s election campaign, i made it crystal-clear where my party stood on national defence, foreign policy and the fight against terror. We promised to rebuild Canada’s long-neglected armed forces. To reassert Canadian sovereignty over our arctic territories. And to reclaim the modest leadership role we once held on the world stage. And this is exactly what we have been doing since Canadians gave us their trust on January 23rd. One of my first actions as Prime Minister was to visit our soldiers in southern Afghanistan - who are standing shoulder to shoulder with British forces in the Kandahar and Helmand provinces. Together, they’re taking the fight to the Taliban and helping the Afghan government assert control over these areas. And they are helping the Afghan people rebuild their war-ravaged country. Canada, like Britain, has committed to this mission for at least two more years. And committed to doing our duty for global peace and security over the long term. Which is why my government increased defence spending by two and a half billion pounds (over $5 billion) in our first budget. We are expanding the Canadian armed forces by recruiting and training 23,000 new regular and reserve troops. And we are providing them with the tools they need to carry out their missions. Last month, we launched a major new military procurement program."
Canada is an energy storehouse: "Our government is making new investments in renewable energy sources such as biofuels. And an ocean of oil-soaked sand lies under the muskeg of northern Alberta – my home province. The oil sands are the second largest oil deposit in the world, bigger than Iraq, Iran or Russia; exceeded only by Saudi Arabia. Digging the bitumen out of the ground, squeezing out the oil and converting it in into synthetic crude is a monumental challenge. It requires vast amounts of capital, brobdingnagian technology, and an army of skilled workers. In short, it is an enterprise of epic proportions, akin to the building of the pyramids or China’s great wall. Only bigger. By 2015, Canadian oil production is forecast to reach almost 4 million barrels a day. Two-thirds of it will come from the oil sands. Even now, Canada is the only non-OPEC country with growing oil deliverability. And let’s be clear. We are a stable, reliable producer in a volatile, unpredictable world. We believe in the free exchange of energy products based on competitive market principles, not self-serving monopolistic political strategies. That’s why policymakers in Washington – not to mention investors in Houston and New York – now talk about Canada and continental energy security in the same breath. That’s why Canada surpassed the Saudis four years ago as the largest supplier of petroleum products to the United States. And that’s why industry analysts are recommending Canada as “possessing the most attractive combination of circumstances for energy investment of any place in the world.” British companies are already significant players in the Canadian energy sector. BP has been there for 50 years. It’s already one of our leading producers of natural gas and it has a major stake in Canada’s next huge gas development - The Mackenzie River delta in the northwest territories. BG group has also accumulated a large exploration stake in the mackenzie river valley. There are trillions of cubic feet of gas in the region, and we are hopeful that the huge pipeline needed to deliver it to southern markets will finally go ahead.
British firms invested nearly three billion pounds (over $6 billion) in our energy and metals sectors last year. And i think we’ll see even more British investment as word of Canada’s stature as the west’s most important energy storehouse gets out."
God save The Queen: "Ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude by saying that I have no doubt that the “bonds of comradeship” Mr. Churchill talked about in the early 20th century will remain just as strong throughout the 21st. The “little island” and the “great dominion” are eternally bonded by language, culture, economics and values. That’s why our business relationships are so strong and successful and why they will only growing stronger in the future. It’s why our troops are again serving side by side – this time in Afghanistan - defending freedom and building democracy. Why our intelligence services are working hand in glove to keep our homelands safe and secure. And why iIam honoured to have had this opportunity to speak to your organizations today. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. God bless Canada and God save the Queen."
I would be very interested in receiving a YourPlatform piece from any ConservativeHome reader who would like to advocate a Conservative foreign policy built around stronger relations with the Anglosphere and Commonwealth nations. Please email me here.
I recall hearing that Canada is even more infected with political correctness than we are. Any chance that the political climate will undermine its onward march?
Posted by: Richard | August 04, 2006 at 18:19
I had almost given up on the Canucks, but this reads very well indeed. I will take it with just a pinch of salt, given that he was addressing a largely British audience in London, but I have no reason to doubt his veracity.
We should lose no opportunity to champion the Commonwealth and to remind our natural anglosphere Commonwealth allies that we value them highly. Never again should we behave to them as did Heath on European entry.
One thing Dave might bear in mind is that Howard and Harper are deemed to be crashing bores. I'll take policy-rich bores over policy-lite charmers every time.
Posted by: Og | August 04, 2006 at 18:40
harper is great- but there's a leftwing majority in parliament and given the way immigration has increased the left vote in Ontario permananttly the right may never win a decent majority-let's hope that not's the case
Posted by: tory2 | August 04, 2006 at 19:50
what's so good about being against kyoto?
Posted by: matthew | August 04, 2006 at 21:20
The Canadian PM is to be commended for demonstrating that there is a third way for Britain between the twin embraces of Europe and the USA… the Commonwealth, a group of some of the most stable, rich and dynamic nations linked to the UK by history, a shared outlook and friendship.
Closer political and economic links with Canada would surly benefit both countries and cause none of the angst that our relations with Europe and the USA are prone to do.
For an alternative British world view have a look at www.unitedcommonwealth.org
Posted by: Christopher | August 04, 2006 at 21:25
Who said John Howard is a crashing bore, Og? The guy stays fit, has gone crowd-surfing, and belts out showtunes when he's "on the turps" at election night parties.
Posted by: Alexander Drake | August 04, 2006 at 23:22
I for one believe we should champion a Commonwealth free trade area as a stepping stone to worldwide free trade.
Posted by: Richard | August 04, 2006 at 23:23
Great. A "Conservative" who does not understand why Thatcher put the fuel escalator in place.
I am thankful that somewhere less volatile than the middle east has reserves of fossil fuels, but burning fossil fuels is part of the problem not part of the solution,
Thatcher recognised this.
Posted by: Benedict White | August 04, 2006 at 23:43
Oh on the free trade thing, I would have felt a whole lot more comfortable with building a free trade ever closer union sort of thing with the common wealth, after all many of these people fought for our freedom against nazism etc.
Posted by: Benedict White | August 05, 2006 at 00:12
But in the Canadian context, the actions of the British empire were largely benign and occasionally brilliant."
Not just Canada - the USA too...........but the Jewel in the Crown is India. To have made possible the world's largest democracy and to see next door the disaster that is Pakistan - shows the two sides of The British Empire.
There is far too little pride in India in this country and far too little comprehension of a common history with Anglo-Indians spurned by both societies - think of Merle Oberon and the fictions they had to make up about her racial origins...........and yet how renowned today is the stunning Aishwarya Rai
Posted by: TomTom | August 05, 2006 at 11:44
Is there any minister with specific responsibility for the Government's dealings with the Commonwealth? If there isn't, there's an argument that there should be.
Posted by: EML | August 05, 2006 at 17:40
Kyoto is bad science, and bad policy.
Kyoto is bad science, in that even if global warming was real, it would not be necessarily true that it was caused by humans.
Kyoto is bad policy, in that even if global warming was real and caused by humans, the correct response would not be crippling the most productive economies, and shifting work to less productive economies.
Posted by: Don Meaker | August 06, 2006 at 04:10
I really don't understand why it is apparently a Conservative badge of honour to be against Kyoto. Matthew and others on this site must stand up and say that we don't buy this idea that global warming doesn't exist. And I for one will fight attempts to turn our party into a religious right, minority-bashing, mean spirited, pollution-spewing appendage to American neo-conservatism.
Posted by: changetowin | August 06, 2006 at 10:04
My understanding is that Harper asked to see David Cameron when he was in London but our great leader could not find time in his diary. Not good for UK Canada relations.
Posted by: Umbrella Man | August 06, 2006 at 13:32
"I really don't understand why it is apparently a Conservative badge of honour to be against Kyoto."
It's an import from the US, where for some reason it's become politicised. New issues like this have an almost random impact on the political spectrum, depending on historical fluke, gibberish generlisations, and local political impact.
For example, the left in France is strongly pro-nuclear, but here it become synonymous with CND. Or how religion has become a political force in the US Christian right, but in Britain it's more coherent within the psuedo-socialist heritage of the comfortable/lazy middle classes (ie Blair's designer Christianity).
In the US, the right has largely taken on environmentalist as a new enemy, clumsily collating it into a woolly ball of "disliked things" (eg communism, foreigners, the UN, and the 60s). The centrists (I won't say leftwingers, since they more or less don't exist in the US) has no great enthusiasm for Kyoto either, largely driven in the media and congress by the breathtaking power of the oil/car lobbies, but will give it occasional speaking room out of sheer oppositionalism.
Posted by: Andrew | August 06, 2006 at 19:44
Thanks Andrew - very interesting analysis.
Posted by: changetowin | August 06, 2006 at 23:09
changetowin? What, your allegiance? You've just spouted off a string of liberalisms that cindy sheehan would be proud of. 'Religious right'? If by that you mean Christian, then yes, most Christians are intelligent enough to seek out the Conservative parties around the world. 'Minority-bashing'? Of course here you're referring to the democrats in the US, no? Liberals are proven to be the parties with the worst records on minorities; giving speeches which sound great and buy the minority vote, yet do nothing for them. 'Mean-spirited' and 'neo-Conservative'? Don't even call yourself a Conservative and quit trolling on our sites.
If you'd care to remove your asshat for just a moment, allow me to direct you to some facts on Kyoto: http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,123013,00.html
Finally, as my Parthian volley (love the site but don't know when I'll be back), one of the greatest British sayings ever exported to the other side of the Atlantic: "Piss off!"
Posted by: Gen. Lee Wright | August 07, 2006 at 20:48
You sound a very intelligent chap Gen Lee Wright or should I call you 'loonieburger'-not.
Posted by: malcolm | August 07, 2006 at 21:29
I just discoverd this blog, Indeed this was a great speech and hopefully heralds a move towards closer relations between Canada and the UK, perhaps even Australia. I liked the www.unitedcommonwealth.org idea's. Perhaps we can even start to consolidate our forces officialy in afghanistan and form a commonwealth brigade like in Korea and Malaya back in the day, spare us having to rely on dubious european support when the bullets start flying.
Posted by: Brent | August 08, 2006 at 16:49
I've met Canadians worried about being absorbed into the USA and Brits worried about being absorbed into the EU. Being Australian, my worry is that we will be left with no plausible partners at all. We are never going to be an Asian country: we are fundamentally a British country, although it isn't terribly fashionable to say so.
Given that Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK (CANZUK) have essentially the same culture, values, institutions and history, the obvious solution is a return to more meaningful cooperation. Reciprocal citizenship rights, free trade, closer defence ties, and so on.
This is more or less the view advocated by the Federal Commonwealth Society (www.unitedcommonwealth.org), of which I am a member.
Posted by: Ian | August 08, 2006 at 19:09