Tim is understandably excited that Chris Alexander has decided to run for the Conservative Party in the next election. As we all know, there is a big difference between a "star" candidate announcing they want to run for office and actually getting elected to parliament (see MacKenzie, General Lewis as one of many examples).
Mark Holland has been an outstanding MP for Pickering-Ajax with strong local credentials that date back to his time as a city councillor and I have no doubt the people in the riding will once again put their trust in Mark.
But as with many stars, I wonder if Stephen Harper has gotten himself a bit more than he bargained for. Today's Globe story says that " disagreements over party policy on Afghanistan prompted him to reject the offer [from the Liberals]and join the Conservatives instead."
I know the Liberal party position on Afghanistan. As Michael Ignatieff stated again in his foreign-policy speech this week, the Liberals will end our current military role in 2011 and will adopt a "different role focusing on a humanitarian commitment to help rebuild the country and strengthen hard-won gains." There is still more definition needed (and debate to be had) over what that humanitarian role looks like but Ignatieff has not wavered at all that our current military mission ends in 2011.
Prior to today, I was under the impression that Stephen Harper's position on Afghanistan was, for all intents and purposes, identical to Ignatieff's. That was what parliament adopted, after all, and I thought that this was something of a consensus between the parties.
Chris Alexander obviously heard something different; something about Michael Ignatieff's position was different from Stephen Harper's and he liked Harper's better. That's of course fair; the Prime Minister has the right to change his position on Afghanistan, it would just be nice if he shared his new position with the rest of us. Or is it possible that the Conservative's new star is off-side party policy on Day 1? Shock and maybe even a little bit of horror might then ensue.
So Tim, can you explain to me what the Conservative party position on Afghanistan is that Alexander agrees with - and that is clearly different from the Liberal position?