It isn't often I get to say this, really. Good for Stephen Harper. Well done.
Today, the Times of London (among others) reports that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed real leadership at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, condemning the horrific anti-gay legislation currently before the Ugandan parliament.
Good for Stephen Harper.
Curiously, some of the bravest Canadian stands against international injustice have come from Conservative Prime Ministers - John Diefenbaker and Brian Mulroney led the Commonwealth charge against racist apartheid in South Africa. Despite their pretty talk, Liberal Prime Ministers have been pretty much a bust on that score. It was Liberal Mackenzie King who refused to admit Jewish refugees from Naziism into Canada, for example.
The Times article also quotes UN AIDS envoy (and former Ontario NDP leader) Stephen Lewis, who spoke to the conference. According to Lewis, "Nothing is as stark, punitive and redolent of hate as the bill in Uganda."
Now if only the Archbishops of Canterbury and York (the latter a former Ugandan judge) could rise to the same level of moral insight as these three politicians.
1 comment:
Interesting observation Malcolm. You have mentioned this in your posts before but I still find it a bit surprising that the conservatives are against acknowledgement of gay relationships here but they would speak so strongly against other governments. Certainly Harper has never suggested killing gays, but as you note a bit ironic. On this one occasion I would agree... good job mister Prime Minister.
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