Roundup: Theatrical tough talk

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It’s a bit of a strange thing, but we’re told that Stephen Harper decided to play tough at the G-20 summit in Australia, where he apparently told Russian president Vladimir Putin to “get out of Ukraine” while shaking his hand. And while the PMO tried to spin it as Putin “reacting negatively,” what the Russians say the response was, was “That’s impossible because we’re not in Ukraine.” This should have been predictable given the series of denials to date, while the only other response would logically have been “Make me,” thus calling Harper out on his bluff since we don’t exactly have the military capabilities to take on Russia. We just don’t. Harper’s chest-puffery follows on that of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who had previously apparently told Putin off for the downing of that Malaysian Air flight over western Ukraine, as it contained 38 Australian nationals. Given that we know that Harper and Abbott are members of the mutual admiration society, that they would engage in copycat techniques is not unsurprising, but still – it all comes across as stagey the whole way through – especially the way the PMO started boasting to the media there. Shortly before that, while in New Zealand, Harper said that he wants to ensure that any fight in the region of Iraq is against ISIS, and not against any government, meaning the Assad regime in Syria. He doesn’t want to go there, feeling the solution to that civil war remains a political one.

Good reads:

  • Susan Delacourt writes about the politics of fear in the wake of the shootings, the harassment allegations, and the attempts at whipping up xenophobia for support.
  • Elizabeth Thompson looks at the corporate standard Conservative MPs are using to mark holidays and commemorations, like Remembrance Day, and how crass they come off.
  • It sounds like the Liberals are blocking David Bertschi’s candidacy in Ottawa–Orleans, likely because of his leadership debt situation.
  • Terry Glavin writes about the deplorable state that the Yazidis find themselves in Iraq, with the West doing little to help them.
  • David Pugliese weaves the tale of the RCAF being forced to cough up another $22 million for continued participation in the F-35 programme, but not having the funds to do so.
  • Ishmael Daro says the government’s new anti-pot ads actually bolster the case for legalisation.

Odds and ends:

Both Patricia Davidson and Frank Valeriote announced that they would not run again in the next election.