Harper's Cyprus trip: Publicity stunt or Goodwill?

I'm curious as to what you all think about Stephen Harpers' impromptu trip to Cyprus last week to pick up a hundred or so Canadians trying to flee Lebanon. Did he go as a caring, compassionate Canadian looking to help out a fellow countryman/woman in need of aid, as so many of us do on a regular basis..... or was this simply a publicity stunt to spur on positive news on him and the Conservative Party?

I think it was something he had to do.

If he hadn't stopped to pick them up he would have looked like a world-class jerk. The media would have had a field day with it. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on the trip. Even if he did have selfish reasons for stopping in Cypress, I doubt very much any of the people he gave a ride home cared about his motives.

i tend to agree. if he didn't make the stop he would have been screwed over. yet when he does he is questioned on motives. i can't say as i am overly fond of him but then again he was the lesser of three evils. but hey he did what needed to be done. has airforce one ever made a stop like that?

It wasn't just that. Its not like going from Moscow to Canada has a planned stop in Cyprus. Even going from France was the other way.

I think it would have been a non-issue had he just flown back to Ottawa, nobody would have publicly condemned him for not frying into Cyprus to help out.

I might have.

I think Harper's relationship with the media is so strained at this point that they would have written about it. This government never tells us what they are up to, so the press has to look for other things to talk about.

Mostly media event, teeny tiny itsy bit humanitarian goodwill. Boy did that back fire like a meth lab blowin' up in the "cooks" face! And the plane ride back? No one got (or chose not to publish or were discouraged from publishing) what actually happened. A friend of my missus was on that plane and does she and her daughter and mom have a story to tell... I'm workin' on it - so is the CBC Fifth Estate. Uh, things were not polite on that plane ride.

I'm gonna give her another week or two to decompress from the traumas of the experience and to let her arm and shoulder heal and we may just swing an interview with some exclusivity for ATS... get my missus to collect the experience (she's a social worker and published authour) and put it in form suitable for ATS hopefully.

Victor K.

I've heard some vague things about the plane ride. The words I recall hearing were intimidation and pressure. I'm not sure why that would happen, you'd think Harper would have gone out of his way for them. Regardless of what he is really like, he projects a coldness and lack of compassion. He needs a serious image makeover, and the plane ride could have been a good start.

Could you give me a heads up when they set the air date? I hardly watch tv at all any more, but I'd tune in for that. Something happened on that trip and I want to know what.

If you and the missus can swing an interview, that would be amazing.

The short story as I understand it is Mr. Harper was very upset at not being treated better or more warmly received by the "passengers" and words un-partlimentary and raised of voice were used by SEVERAL Canadian government officials in describing the gratitude expressed by some.

Uh, there may have been "officials" from the government of another nation on that flight too. I think that's what CBC 5th E. is angling on more than the verbal fisticuffs. He couldn't "really" turn the plane around once airborne could he? He is a Bilderberger after (or should I perhaps say, before) all eh.

I (embarassed at not knowing to speak and read more than enough French-Canadian to keep from starving and understanding what's happening in the garage and pit lane or call to the mock-grid at the MC roadraces) am frustrated as I know there are some vocal members of the Montreal French speaking community who were on the plane that have spoken out about this already. Even Monsieur Duceppe has spoken on it apparently. In what local hebdo "rag news" - I have no idea.

No, Canada should have handled this like the Swedes - ahead of time - with great record keeping of where their citizens were and contact info - the stuff of common sense. You see Swedes, unlike us Canadians actually register with their embassy in foreign nations as a matter of course during any extended stay much longer than a lay-over.

Uh, they were dialed-in and cut an 0.40 reaction time light on the green "tree" light to execute. Superior use of commonplace modern technology - cells and SMS text - absolutely freakin' brilliant and plain as the nose on your face - I mean how obvious.

I'm jealous that WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A SIMPLE AND CHEAP SYSTEM TO KEEP OUR CIVILIAN CITIZENS FROM BECOMING BOMB-MEAT SPLATTY-BITS DEAD - jealous, I tell you, Cedar Green with envy. I want it for every Canadian abroad yesterday, if not sooner. Right on top of the situation 24/7/365 where ever we have an embassy.

BTW: Mr. Harper has plenty of homeys in the MSM just NOT at the CBC, especially Susan Van Duzen (now that's a story that goes waaaaay back to Stevie's time as Deb Gray's secretary). CTV and other privately held media outlets NOT run from the West are only paying "lip-service" to this "Harper media kerfuffle" to guess what? Get their publicly funded competition at the CBC in a less favourable light as not having the ear of the PM. A cunning and well executed strategy - if somewhat dubious in ethic. Such an Op. They must be giggling.

The big thing IS Harper and his media handlers and "coach Frum or "Little Rummy" want all journalistic queries for the PM to be "cleared" approved and veted ahead of time like 43, sometimes with a Winnipeg-Ottawa-DC consult, listen to the language - it the same from all 3 sources everytime and turns up in Asper papers before anywhere else. No Helen Thomas caliber real questions thank you very much.

The normal media have to get used to that and like it or lump it - because the PMO and Privy Council sets the rules for that. Case closed. And we'll need to get aquainted with Cabinet Ministers that aren't allowed to talk in public much at all - and if they do it's scripted. Ever seen one take a real unscripted question in the scrum? Can you say deer in the headlights? Some who in previous years were comfortable and able public-speakers are now verklempt and sweaty and stuttery (eg: McKay and Ambrose) in oration.

This is hurting their political organization worse than it's hurting the media... Canadians may be pre-occupied and apathetic to lesser or greater degrees but sooner or later we'll awaken and smell the coffee and find it's taste bitter.

They have in a short time built the "walls" that may pen them in by doing this. Think about it in relation to this plane flight and statements of "measured response" and then think about other situations - Ambrose on Kyoto, Conner on CFB Gagetown Agent Purple etc. I believe there is a pattern - some may differ in opinion and that's a good thing too. And I came to ATS for UFO stuff... go figure.

Victor K.
Remember our 9.

[edit on 3-8-2006 by V Kaminski]