MittRomneyandStephenHarperSinging fromtheSameRightwingCorporateHymn Book

NewsandViewsfromCanada
(ArticlewrittenforNorthstarCompass:http://www.northstarcompass.org/)

DonCurrie,EditorFocusOnSocialism,ChairCPS,MemberofEditorialBoard,Northstar Compass
January4,2012

www.FocusOnSocialism.ca

Mitt Romney US Republican Presidential candidate and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper,bothposingasmoderateconservativeshaveremarkablysimilarviewsonthevalue ofpubliclyfundedsocialprogramsinthetwocountries. Mitt Romney in the Republican Iowa primary accused President Barack Obama of turning theUSAintoaNorthernEuropeanwelfarestate,withoutofcourseexplainingwhythatis such a bad thing considering the fact that more than 40% of US citizens are without adequatehealthcare. 1 StephenHarper15yearsagoasvicepresidentoftheNationalCitizensCoalitionanAlberta right wing think tank, speaking at a June 1997 Montreal meeting of the rightwing U.S. Council for National Policy said: Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term, and very proud of it. 2 without of course explaining why Canadians shouldntbeproudofahardwonwelfaresystemsinceeveryCanadiandoeshaveaccesstoa publiclyfundedhealthcaresystem. The Canadian Health Care Act that imposes restrictions on private delivery of health care, routinelyviolatedwiththecomplicityofrightwingfederalandprovincialauthorities,isup for renewal in our country in 2014. Already the extreme right wing forprofit interests are campaigning to weaken and ultimately privatize the Canadian health care system. Progressive health coalitions, labour and poverty actions groups are fighting back. A big struggleisunderwayinCanadatopreserveitspubliclyhealthcaresystemthatwillculminate inthenextfederalelectionprobably2016. ThesituationinCanadawillnotbenewstocitizensofanydevelopedcapitaliststatesince similar struggles are underway in all EU, NATO countries. In the former socialist states strugglesarebeingwagedtorestorewhattheylostduringthecounterrevolutionaryevents of 198990. During the period of Soviet and European socialism the only concern of the people was how to make the fully funded, free and accessible health care system better, sinceitwasfullyguaranteedintheirconstitutions.

1 Hhttp://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF 8&rlz=1T4DACA_enCA314CA356&q=mitt+romney+accuses+obama+of+northern+european+welfare+sta te 2 Hhttp://thetyee.ca/News/2011/03/23/StephenHarpersEyes/

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Not satisfied with being on the same page with arch conservative Mitt Romney on social welfare issues, Prime Minister Harper further devalued Canadian sovereignty by assuring Democratic President Obama on December 23 2011 that the Conservative government of Canada is on the same page as the democratic government in the USA on socalled joint security.StandingbesidePresidentObamainWashington,PrimeMinisterHarpersaid: WhatthreatensthesecurityandwellbeingoftheUnitedStatesthreatensthesecurity andwellbeingofCanadaCanadahasnofriendsamongAmerica'senemies. 3 It is not for this Canadian observer to presume to speak for citizens of the USA on what threatens their security and well being, but speaking as a Canadian I reject my Prime MinistersassertionthatCanadahasnofriendsamongAmericasenemies.Suchhyperbole places our country in hostile opposition to most of global public opinion and innumerable governments and states that disapprove and resist US imperialist global and military strategicgoals. OnthesamedayPrimeMinisterHarpermadehisweakkneeddeclarationsinWashingtonhis foreignministerJohnBairdimposedalonglistofsanctionsonthegovernmentofPresident Bashar alAssad of Syria including illegally freezing Syrian assets and interfering with businessandinvestmentagreementsbetweenthetwocountries.TheHarperConservative government is well into another secret collaboration with its G7 NATO allies and their supportersintheArabLeaguetolaunchanotherLibyanstyleattackonasovereignmember stateoftheUnitedNationsthatposesnothreattoCanada. NATOsattackonLibyawasunderthecommandofaCanadianLieutenantGeneralCharlie Bouchard. Bouchard was in charge of bilateral USCanadian command as Deputy Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and has close tiestotheUSAirForce. 4 Canadian CF 18 fighter jets conducted 946 sorties, making up 10 per cent of NATO strike sortiesanddropping696bombsofvarioustypes.CanadasDefenceMinisterPeterMackay boasted:

Hhttp://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Obama+Harper+unveil+accord+border+security/5828712/story.ht ml 4 Hhttp://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23968
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"CanadaonceagainpunchedaboveitsweightaspartofaninternationalcoalitionThe men and women of the Canadian Forces confirmed their leadership position at NATO andtheroletheycanplayinsuccessfulinternationaloperations." MacKayavoidedsayinghowmanyciviliancasualtieswereinflictedonLibyancitizensorhow Canadianfighterpilotsoperatingat40,000feetdistinguishedbetweenGaddafisupporters and NATO backed socalled transitional government fighters. In time the full horror of whatwasinflictedbyNATOontheLibyanpeoplewillbefullyrevealed. What is important to note in Canadian government complicity and obeisance by the Conservative Government of Prime Minister Harper for USNATO imperialist strategy whetheritemanatesfromtheObamaDemocratsorthearchrightwingRepublicans,isthat whenitcomestoforeignpolicy,andwar,thecombinedLiberalandsocialdemocraticNDP oppositionpartiesinCanadasParliamentprovidefullsupporttoPrimeMinisterHarper.The Liberals and the Social Democrats seek to convince Canadians that Canada can wage imperialistaggressionabroadandretainaprogressivesocialsafetynetathome. Itisallthesame.Statemonopolycapitalism,imperialisminthe21stcenturyistheproblem, andsocialismistheanswer.

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