Canada: Harper slyly goes 'outside' for cover on tough files

[Harold Schiffman]

 Sunday » December 9 » 2007

Harper slyly goes 'outside' for cover on tough files

Barbara Yaffe
Vancouver Sun


Saturday, December 08, 2007


A thrust by the Harper government to contract out thorny policy issues
to well-liked, highly respected Canadians reflects cunning political
strategy by Conservatives. In recent months, the government has
announced special advisory groups on everything from Canada's combat
mission in Afghanistan to climate change discussions now going on in
Bali, Indonesia. By reaching out to eminent individuals who reflect a
diversity of partisan philosophies, Harper accomplishes two things:

- He looks less partisan, less possessed of an ultra-right wing
agenda, a mudpie Liberals will be throwing every chance they get in
the run-up to a likely federal election in 2008.

- He reduces the risk that Canadians will directly blame his
government for policy choices on controversial issues.

For example, if voters don't approve of the Canadian delegation's
position out of the Bali conference, Harper will be able to push the
criticism on to a former Parti Quebecois premier. Pierre-Marc Johnson,
who led the Quebec government in 1985, was chosen by the PM to head a
four-member panel that is counselling government on positions to be
taken in Bali. The conference is being held to set global strategy
post-Kyoto. It's noteworthy that Johnson is from Quebec because
pollsters have found that Quebecers are among the most concerned
Canadians when it comes to climate change.

In a similar move, Harper announced in October a five-member panel to
advise him on future options for Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The
panel is headed by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley.

Manley in the past has been supportive of the Afghan mission. Yet he's
a member in good standing of a party that has taken a strong position
against maintaining combat operations around Kandahar.

Liberals will find themselves in an awkward position in slamming any
recommendations that flow from the Manley panel.

Harper also turned to a highly respected person for help with the
establishment of a public inquiry into allegations by German-Canadian
businessman Karlheinz Schreiber against former Conservative PM Brian
Mulroney.

In mid-November David Johnston was named by Harper to set terms of
reference for the pending inquiry. Johnston is an accomplished lawyer
and academic whose work is not likely to attract naysayers.

This week, Harper asked former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord to
lead a cross-Canada consultation on bilingualism. The government is
required to conduct consultations on the future of minority language
policy.

Lord, a Conservative, was a champion of bilingualism in an officially
bilingual province, one that has a superb bilingualism record. Lord is
"the very model of a bilingual and bicultural Canadian," a press
release announcing the appointment quite rightly notes.

In looking beyond Conservative ranks for some of the assignments -- as
in the Johnson, Johnston and Manley appointments -- Harper is
conveying a willingness to put aside his own ideology.

He knows -- just as his own party has been working to convince voters
that "Stephane Dion is not a leader" -- Liberals are keen to
characterize Harper as a scary right wing ultra-conservative.

Indeed, this is expected to become the mantra of the Liberal party as
it develops its campaign playbook. It's this fear about Harper's
doctrinaire tendencies that has reinforced hesitation through two
previous election campaigns about empowering Conservatives with a
majority government.

In his careful selection of appointees, Harper is trying to avoid
alienating core supporters. The non-Conservatives involved are not
viewed as strong partisans. Pierre-Marc Johnson is as likable a
separatist as there is. And Manley, who has held the industry and
finance portfolios in a Liberal government, comes from the right wing
of his party.

Harper is not the first prime minister to enlist help from key players
to make government appear earnest and ensure cover for future action.

Liberal Jean Chretien in 2001 appointed a royal commission headed by
New Democrat Roy Romanow to review Canada's health care system. In
1984 Conservative Mulroney appointed New Democrat Stephen Lewis as
Canada's ambassador to the United Nations.

That Harper has been making such an effort in this direction is a sure
sign that an election is not far off.

byaffe at png.canwest.com

(c) The Vancouver Sun 2007

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=b671bdee-befe-47e4-b503-b35c599559d2

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