Can We Trust This Guy?

Well, after missing his opportunity to address the United Nations last year, in lieu of a double double and a tour of an Ontario Tim Horton's plant Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed this week to grace the body with his presence. Contrary to all the spin at home, the delegates were less than impressed. 


They packed the house for Obama - no real surprise there- and for Doris Leuthard   a Swiss politician and   member of the Swiss Federal Council and head of their Federal Department of Economic Affairs but when Harper's turn to speak came up, the place emptied out. Not a good sign for a leader trying to hustle a seat on the Security Council.

Despite his past criticism of the international body and working multilaterally in general, he praised the UN's record. I thought Harper spoke well and said a number of things which rang true for me. He cited the United Nations for their good work, recognized Canada's contribution to the body over several decades and praised Canada's traditional multilateral approach.

The problem is, I just don't trust the guy. He is a shrewd politician. His record clashes with his rhetoric.

• Under Harper's direction in 2007,  Canada was one of only four countries to vote against the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights
• When it comes to global warming Canada under Harper's rule has been noteworthy for its obstruction of meaningful and serious efforts to tackle this most urgent of global issues. At last year’s COP15 UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen, The Harper government was singled out for condemnation.  George Monbiot a respected British environmental scholar and activist said, “This thuggish petro-state is today the greatest obstacle to a deal in Copenhagen.” As leader of the opposition Harper once called the Kyoto Protocol "a Socialist Scheme."
• His stance on international law defies logic.  His is the only western government to leave one of its own citizens, Omar Khadr, languishing in America’s illegal concentration camp, Guantanamo Bay.
•  Rather than keeping Canada's even handed approach to the middle east under Harper Canada become Israel's best friend, supporting them through their worst  transgressions and alienating most Arab states.

Most UN delegates either went for an early lunch or some say, they boycotted Harper's speech. No doubt they have been watching Canada's less than stellar performance internationally.  Actions speak louder than words and no doubt the greatest stumbling block to winning the seat is Harper's record. So who knows? 


To be honest I am not sure I want our country to sit on the Security Council under this Conservative government.  It saves the embarrassment later on.

Across Canada on a Unicycle

A few weeks back while on my way to Vancouver, heading down hill from Manning Park, I blogged about seeing a unicyclist heading up. It seemed like an impossible task but, there he was with a backpack on his back, pedaling up that hill. It was an amazing sight.

I wanted to stop and get a photo but traffic was tight behind me and there was really no place to turn around so a few km down the road I gave up the idea and continued west. (Just for the record I swiped the photo to the left from Philip's website)

I thought he was just another eccentric, half mad westcoaster, but it seems I was wrong. Philip Schleihauf is from Ottawa and is riding his unicycle 5000 km across Canada from town to town camping, couch surfing and resting in hostels while he spreads awareness and raises money for Invisible Children.

Invisible Children is an organization dedicated to helping end the longest running war in Africa. Their main focus is freeing the child soldiers who make up 90% of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). These kids are abducted by the army at a young age and are forced to observe, endure, and commit acts of unimaginable violence. Philip is accepting donations to help with the overhead costs of the trip. All proceeds will go to the Invisible Children organization.

He has a website which he is updating as he goes. This is one tough kid and a great cause. I will make a donation and hope you will too.

Amazingly, there seem to be two people unicycling across Canada right now. The other guy, Dave Cox seems to be doing the trek to promote unicycles.

It is Certainly Spring in Vancouver

Penticton to Vancouver is a good drive. I just love the pine and grass hills between The Okanagan and Keremeos. The only problem was that it rained off and on the whole trip.

On the way down from Manning Park, in an area of steep hills and twisty road I passed a guy, with a backpack on a unicycle, working his way up the hill. That was when I knew for sure that I was in B.C.

Vancouver as always, is lovely. I drove into town in a light rain but during the short work I made of my fish and chips and a beer in what used to be the overlooking English Bay Cafe, it cleared off.

As I walked by the edge of Stanley Park three bald eagles were circling the heron rookery by the tennis courts causing quite an uproar from the nesting herons. A couple of braver herons harassed them for a while and eventually the eagles got bored and headed of to hunt somewhere else.

In the park, the walkers and cyclists were out in force and the sea wall would have been crowded had there not been a brisk westerly breeze.

It is a tough town to beat in the spring.