Community reaction to Harper's stance on pipeline debate, Iran, healthcare

Read the full transcript here.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper shared his stance on several hot button issues with Peter Mansbridge, CBC News' chief correspondent, in an interview that aired Tuesday night.

Mansbridge questioned Harper on the Northern Gateway pipeline, the prospect of military action against Iran, and the likelihood of a federally financed healthcare innovation fund, among other controversial issues.

The CBC community had a wide range of reactions to Harper's responses. The most hotly debated issue was the export of Canadian oil and energy to Asian and other foreign markets. Many commenters took issue with Harper's approach.

• "Mr. Harper is spinning a legitimate environmental review into a loss of sovereignty. It seems fair that if big foreign companies can invest in the development of the tar sands and dictate how and where the oil goes to market, foreign groups can also comment on what the effects of that development might be." - AllTogether
• "The environmental review process is for Canadians, and not to be used by Americans who want Canada to be 'one giant national park' for North America, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says. He does realize he no longer works for Imperial Oil, and that he is the Prime Minister of Canada right? I am only asking because sometimes I wonder." - Pi..... 
• "If foreign environmental groups have no say in the Northern Gateway pipeline, and cannot object to damage to the Great Bear rainforest, I guess we have no say on what happens to the Amazon. Or China's pollution. Or Japan's whaling. Or even Iran's nuclear ambitions, etc, etc, etc. Careful of the hypocrisy." - GVeers
  

Others were more supportive of Harper's position on key issues, with much of the positive feedback also focusing on energy policy.

• "Political allegiances aside, Harper is right. We need to have other markets for our products other than the US. The situation in the south is bad and only going to get worse, the way they are increasing their debt." - Canuck777
• "We all agree with the PM just on different levels. Eventually we should all come to the same conclusion, which isn't that hard to come to. To begin with we agree that outsiders trying to buy their own way to support the demise of our country through loss of jobs is unacceptable. It is not that the PM is taking one side or another, he is basically saying when the proceedings come make it fair, and what's fair is fair." - smart_guy
• "We need this pipeline badly, Canada has been getting the shaft on oil and gas for decades, we would all be better off if we didn't rely so much on Uncle Sam. The PM is right to look elsewhere; it's time Canada mature into its own country and not fear our future." - Donkeykick

What is your impression of the interview, overall? Which of the issues discussed do you consider most important? How satisfied are you with Harper's stance on the following matters:







(These surveys are not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)

Please feel free to comment on the prime minister's approach to any of the issues discussed, as well as the perspectives offered by the CBC community.

Thank you, as always, for following our coverage.