Stephen Harper says he, not Hillary Clinton, is running the country amid Liberal efforts to portray the U.S. Secretary of State’s recent rebukes of Canadian foreign policy as profound diplomatic setbacks.
And again today in Question Period, the Liberals called for the resignation of Status of Women Helena Guergis. The minister is not budging; she was up on her feet again, defending herself.
First up, however, was the Prime Minister explaining that he was the boss of the country.
“Whether it comes to our role in Afghanistan, our sovereignty over our Arctic or ultimately our foreign aid priorities it is Canada and Canadians who will make Canadian decisions,” the Prime Minister said as Liberal MP Bob Rae peppered him with questions and accusations about his bobbling of foreign affairs over the past two days.
Mr. Rae, the Liberal foreign affairs critic, was filling in for an absent Michael Ignatieff.
Mrs. Clinton, who was in Canada for two days of meetings, has provided the opposition with much ammunition, especially with her request that Canadian troops stay in Afghanistan beyond 2011 and her assertion that any attempt to improve the maternal health initiative must include access to abortion.
“What was supposed to be the Canadian signature initiative on maternal health has been described as completely inadequate by the two major allies … both the United States and the United Kingdom,” Mr. Rae charged.
“I wonder if the Prime Minister can explain how such a major diplomatic setback could be occurring in the build up to the G8, which Canada is hosting.”
A non-plussed Prime Minister said different G8 countries will have different priorities in terms of “specific things they fund.”
Helena Guergis, the minister of state for the status of women, responds during Question Period on March 31, 2010.— The Canadian Press
Meanwhile, four different Liberal MPs demanded Ms. Guergis’s resignation after revelations that multiple staff members from her constituency office wrote favourable letters about her to local newspapers. The Liberals alleged there were so many sent that Ms. Guergis must have known what was going on.
“With all these letters coming out, how can the minister continue to deny any knowledge of this orchestrated campaign?” Toronto Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi said.
This is the second spot of trouble for Ms. Guergis in as many months. Last month, she had to apologize for her outburst at a Charlottetown airport.
Ms. Guergis answered the first two questioners: “Mr. Speaker, I did answer this question yesterday in the House.” And Transport Minister John Baird answered two questions for her, saying she has addressed the issue and it was to focus on serving Canadians.
Despite the acrimony in the House today there was a very public display of solidarity.
All MPs wore blue striped ties in support of the battle against prostate cancer and NDP Leader Jack Layton, who is being treated for the disease. When it was his turn to ask questions, he thanked all his colleagues for their support.
“Who knows, maybe we can create some consensus on a few things here,” he said as he launched into his question about the growing consensus against additional employment insurance premiums.
The Prime Minister said he was “delighted to see [Mr. Layton] looking so good and so healthy.” And he joked that Mr. Layton looked, “even better in that blue tie,” referring, of course, to the Tory colour.
As for changes to EI premiums, Mr. Harper said it was out of his hands as the premiums are set by an independent commission.
