Inkless Wells

Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW
He also offers his thoughtful perspective of Stephen Harper’s last 10 years in his recent eBook, The Harper Decade.

Howard's way: Ancient history lessons

by Paul Wells on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 11:06am - 33 Comments

The day’s Conservative rebuttal talking point seems to be that it is trivial and condescending of the Liberals to dig up “five-year-old speeches.” The great thing about the statute of political limitations is that it’s so flexible.

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  • boudica

    Two cents, he didn’t to with Afghanistan in the works.

  • Two Cents

    It was Jean Chretien who committed Canada to Afghanistan and Paul Martin who made the decision to send our troops to Khandahar.

  • Matt

    PW re. Iraq war: sorry, you misunderstood me. I’m suggesting that the “plagarism” charge of Mr. Rae is stale and Kenney’s attack on Rae’s governing of Ontario isn’t because one is more significant than the other. If I understand the implication of your question correctly, it’s that Harper should still be legitimately open to critique for his flip-flop on the Iraq war issue. And fair enough. You’ve criticized him on that point directly on a number of occasions, and much of the rest of the media haven’t, and as far I’m concerned it’s fair game. That begs the question of why Rae has to attempt to bolster that critique with the plagiarism vehicle. Why not say “Harper was wrong about Iraq, is dishonest about Iraq, is two-faced about Afghanistan, and shouldn’t be trusted with our foreign policy and military commitments anymore?” I think that argument is what you’re trying to suggest, and it’s fair (I could argue the points, but whatever). But I think pointing out that Rae is making that argument in a weenie-like way is also fair.

  • BobO1

    Well, Ignatieff seemed pretty supportive of the war in October, 2003.

    http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s992679.htm

    …I supported the war, but it seemed to me essential that there be vigorous dissent…..

  • Nicola Timmerman

    Didn’t Jack Layton recently copy word for word part of one of Barack Obama’s speeches without giving credit to Obama? I seem to remember this was discovered.

  • Paul Wells

    Matt: Fair point. To sum up: You’re fair. I’m fair. Alles fair.

  • Wayne

    Hwey Nichole = there is whole gang of them you got Dion channeling Suzuki you got Bobby R. and his little music copied well and right issue and the list goes on and on and on.

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