Wednesday, November 07, 2007

It's a context thing: Part 361.


Ah, the good old days, when Stephen Harper's Conservatives were driven by principle:

Canada cuts relations with Palestinian Authority
Updated Wed. Mar. 29 2006 10:19 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff

Canada is cutting aid and relations with the Palestinian Authority, Ottawa announced shortly after the Hamas government formally took power Wednesday.

The decision makes Canada the first country besides Israel to cut off aid.

"The contingency is that until such time as we see a change in position from the Hamas government and the Palestinian Authority, there will be no direct contact, and there will certainly be no aid flowing through that government," Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay told reporters Wednesday.

Nowadays? Ehhhh ... not so much:

Harper silent on Pakistan crisis
Canada adopts `wait-and-see approach' concerning sanctions
Nov 07, 2007 04:30 AM

OTTAWA–The Canadian government has decided to continue for now its $50 million aid program to Pakistan, despite Gen. Pervez Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is travelling in British Columbia, remained silent on the escalating crisis for the third straight day yesterday, but an official with the Canadian International Development Agency said the government is taking a "wait-and-see approach" before it makes any decisions.

"We are monitoring the situation in Pakistan closely to determine what adjustments may be required to the aid program as events unfold," Bernard Beckhoff, a spokesperson with the government aid agency, wrote in an email.

When questioned about the apparent inconsistency, Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay replied, "Well, sure, it would be awkward if we had any principles. Lucky thing, that, eh?"

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