The House Is In Session

Canadian Government Policy Statements

"Canadians are rightly sickened by [ISIS's] savage slaughter of anyone who doesn't share their twisted view of the world. We know their ideology is not the result of 'social exclusion' or other so-called 'root causes'.
"It is evil, vile, and must be unambiguously opposed."
"Israel is the front line. And anyone among the free and democratic nations that turns their back on Israel, or turns a blind eye to the nature of Israel's enemies does so, in the long run, at their own peril."
"We will not rest until the people of Ukraine are free to choose their own destiny. Free from Russian boots on their soil, free from intimidation."
"When we took office, in this era of global markets, Canada had free trade agreements with only five other countries. The previous government had taken us virtually out of the game of trade negotiations. Now, with free-trade agreements with 43 countries, Canada will have one of the greatest trading networks in the world."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife, Laureen, wave after a speech to supporters on Monday in Ottawa. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

He covered the playing field, and then some; from Canada's Conservative-led government's firm grip on the country's economy, to hurling Canada with a measure of removed restraint into the Islamic fundamentalist threat, to distaste for Russian aggression against Ukraine and for good measure the terrorist Hamas threat to Israel's continued existence. And then of course, a day after the Prime Minister addressed Conservative partisans, he sat in for the results of his speech, in the House of Commons.

Summer break over with, Members of Parliament were no doubt delighted to return to Ottawa and Parliament Hill to resume the nation's business. And it was of course, business as usual, with the opposition happy to hold the government's feet to the fire of critical claims of abuse of power. The "root causes" insert in his mention of Islamist fanaticism gave the courtesy of recognizing an especial concern of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.

The Prime Minister sees no value in having people "sit around trying to rationalize", or "figure out its root causes", when it comes to the Medieval brutality meted out by Islamist jihadists. "Through fire and water", he emphasized Canada's linkage with and support of the State of Israel; linking the struggle against the extremist Islamic State to the country's support for Israel, albeit most emphatically through this current Conservative government whom the other parties bemoan has lost its impartiality.

Neutral to the issues of brutality, terrorism, mass slaughter and signal atrocities? Not the Conservative government, though elect either of the alternatives and neutrality, which the government's critics characterize as "balance" is set to return. To the great satisfaction of a large enough number among the electorate. Clearly, the "progressive" Liberals would see no problem in returning Canada to its fence-sitting former stance publicly and within the United Nations. The NDP's stance under its current leader Tom Mulcair, perhaps not so much, refreshingly.

To a grilling from the opposition Mr. Harper stated Canada has no intention of sending combat troops to Iraq, dismissing opposition demands for a parliamentary debate on the topic. Going halfway, House Speaker Andrew Scheer granted a Liberal demand for an Iraq deployment debate, for Tuesday. Tuesday dawned on schedule and so did the "emergency" debate on Canada's considered response to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant threat.

And so, where was the Leader of the Liberal Party, the very party that insisted on the necessity of such a debate? Nowhere to be seen. And nor was the Prime Minister present, logically enough, since he saw no need for such a debate, to begin with. Which left NDP Leader Mr. Mulcair the singular person of presence, apart from Green Leader Elizabeth May, supported by fewer than two dozen (out of 308) Members of Parliament who deigned to make themselves present.

Which gave Mr. Mulcair a splendid opportunity to blast the front-running Justin Trudeau.