U.S. ambassador should stay out of election: Harper
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 | 5:59 PM ET
CBC News
"I actually think the ambassador intervention was inappropriate," Harper said in Vancouver while campaigning for the Jan. 23 vote.
"I understand that the ambassador is concerned about our relationship, but there's inevitably going to be dialogue in that relationship among the parties during an election campaign."
Harper was responding to comments by U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Wilkins implicitly rebuked Liberal Leader Paul Martin for attacking U.S. policies to score political points, suggesting it could have an effect on the future of the cross-border relationship.
"I don't think foreign ambassadors should be expressing their views or intervening in an election," Harper said.
Harper, who appears to be trying to distance himself from the Bush administration, suggested Martin has been neither effective nor tough enough with Washington. He said he couldn't understand why Wilkins intervened, saying that in terms of Canada-U.S. relations, nothing Martin says can be taken seriously.
Harper compared Martin to a sneaky schoolboy.
"I always remember when you had the kid who was always name-calling from a safe distance. There really wasn't much risk of a fight, and Mr. Martin reminds me of that kid."
"Mr. Martin. He's the kid name-calling from a safe distance. He couldn't throw a punch to save his llfe."
NDP Leader Jack Layton also said Martin was posturing.
"The fact is, he's electioneering," Layton said at a Vancouver-area high school Wednesday. "He'll say anything to get elected. And whipping up the rhetoric against George Bush is very easy to do. The problem is, he hasn't delivered the goods."
"He thinks he can stand up and wag his finger at George Bush and somehow impress somebody," Layton added. "It's time he started delivering results. That would allow Canadians to be able to speak to the world."
"Canadians have known that the Liberals will say anything in an election to get elected. I think now the ambassador has discovered the same thing."
