Normally mild-mannered sa国际传媒 is ruffling feathers around the world, and a lot of the fuss has been caused by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The prime minister, who has not been a fan of the United Nations, raised eyebrows by not addressing the UN general assembly, even though he was in New York when other world leaders were speaking there. He sent Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird instead.
Not content to snub one international organization, last week he unloaded on another one, the Commonwealth 鈥� the earnest club made up largely of former British colonies. The prime minister announced he would boycott the Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka next month because of Sri Lanka鈥檚 human-rights abuses and might cut sa国际传媒鈥檚 financial support to the body. Harper said Sri Lanka鈥檚 behaviour flies in the face of everything the Commonwealth stands for, and he questioned whether the organization is worthwhile.
When other countries, including the U.S., signed the Arms Trade Treaty to control the flow of weapons around the world, Harper wouldn鈥檛 pick up the pen, preferring to study it some more. He refused funding for abortions for child brides and women who have been raped in war, which makes sa国际传媒 look heartless.
In what seems like a case of picking on the little guy, Baird raised the ire of the president of the Maldives, who complained to Harper that the foreign affairs minister made derogatory comments about his country鈥檚 election process at a Commonwealth meeting in New York.
But even the big guys are not immune from sa国际传媒鈥檚 newfound pugnaciousness. Harper said he would 鈥渘ot take 鈥榥o鈥� 鈥� from U.S. President Barack Obama on the Keystone XL pipeline project.
That kind of talk will probably play well among his constituency back home, but it鈥檚 not the way Canadians usually conduct business with our biggest trading partner.
Of course, Canadian leaders shouldn鈥檛 be afraid to speak frankly about things that matter to us. Too often, we live up to our reputation of being the world鈥檚 most agreeable people.
Human rights is one area where we should make our voice heard, as Harper did early in his time as prime minister when he took China to task and as he is doing with Sri Lanka.
While Harper鈥檚 defence of human rights is welcome, his newly combative stance on the international stage leaves Canadians wondering what it all means.
