Categories: Capital Read, Inside the Queensway

Credit where credit is due: A really pretty darned solid statement by the PM on the situation in Iran

by kadyomalley on Monday, June 22, 2009 2:08pm - 21 Comments

“The reaction of the Iranian authorities to the demonstrations in Iran is wholly unacceptable. The regime has chosen to use brute force and intimidation in responding to peaceful opposition regarding legitimate and serious allegations of electoral fraud.

“Basic human rights, including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, are being ignored. Demonstrations have been banned and demonstrators beaten. Injured protestors have been arrested when they arrive at hospitals for treatment. Journalists have been prevented from covering protests and subjected to arbitrary detention and arrest. Foreign press credentials have been revoked.

“Canada calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately cease the use of violence against their own people, to release all political prisoners and journalists – including Canadians – who have been unjustly detained, to allow Iranian and foreign media to report freely on these historic events, and to conduct a full and transparent investigation into allegations of fraud in the presidential election. The voices of all Iranians must be heard. I have directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to ensure that Canada’s views are conveyed to Iran’s top representative in Canada.”

“Canada continues to be a strong and consistent voice calling on the Iranian regime to fulfill all of its human rights obligations, both in law and in practice. For six consecutive years, Canada has led a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the United Nations General Assembly. Canada continues to support freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Iran and around the world.”

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Tags: iran election, prime minister stephen harper, who says ITQ never praises PMO?

More by kadyomalley

http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

I agree. The Prime Minister's statement is excellent.

Kat

But why is it that whenever a reporter wants to write a nice and/or positive story on our government, they have to title it: "Credit where credit is due"?

Have the journalists taken on the role of the opposition where it is simply their job to oppose? And should they feel an urge to be positive, do they have to make excuses right there in the headline?

Just asking…

http://intensedebate.com/people/KadyITQ KadyITQ

Because when I was writing it, that was the headline that I decided to use. It *is* a pretty darned solid statement — honestly, I'm not sure if there's anything I can think of that should have been it, but isn't, or is, and shouldn't be — and for that, PMO gets credit, said credit being due.

(Just answering.)
john g

I agree…the headline subtlely implies that you are normally reluctant to give credit to the PM, or that your default position is to be critical. I.e. "I usually don't agree or approve of what the PM does, but in this case credit where credit is due…".

You may not have intended it that way, but that was the first thing I thought when I read the headline as well.

http://intensedebate.com/people/KadyITQ KadyITQ

You know, I have rarely, if ever, posted statements from either the prime minister, or opposition parties, but given the questions that were being raised about the apparent dearth of official comment coming from the Canadian government on this issue — between Tuesday and Sunday night, we had exactly two releases, both from Lawrence Cannon, and the second simply a slightly updated version of the first, I really don't think it is inappropriate to note that this is a surprisingly substantial statement from PMO.

john g

Agree completely with you (and with Mike T. below actually, this is a hard statement to screw up). Only commenting on the wording you chose for the headline.

http://wordhunter.com Dennis

I agree. Kady has to be apologetic to the Harper bashing audience she's developed. It's just how I see it and this blog.

Mike T.

The Harper government: Performing at an acceptable level in an area where no downside exists.

whoop.
Wayne

So far this the toughest statement by a leader of a nation leastwise that I have read and i have read a few of late … period …. deal with it harper haters!

http://intensedebate.com/people/M_A_N M_A_N

"deal with it harper haters! "

Should not that sentence be appended with the word "Dawg"?
Otherwise, an excellent use of teenage angsty vernacular. Points taken off for poor grammar and capitalization, though perhaps this is a regional lexicon?
B+

Wayne

a B+ ? soory i haven't gooten that far in day care kinegaeten yet.

http://michaeltripper.com Michael T

….and days after Iggy made his own – methinks Harper's moral compass is not quite as robust as Mr. ignatieff's. Full stop.
http://intensedebate.com/people/robins111 robins111

Good statement, and to the point.

Kudo's to PMSH
Kevin

You're absolutely right Kady – a solid statement.

But it also boggles the mind. Our PM apparently making a pitch defending human rights? What have they done with Harper?

Mike T.

He's actually got an OK record on saying empty words against blatant abuses in countries he has no intention of actually upsetting. It's the human rights his base finds unpalatable here in Canada he tends to get antsy about.

Ryan Sparrow

To be fair, he made some tough statements wrt China, that did upset China. However, also to be fair, his denial of rights to Khadr and Abdelrazik presumably playing to the small but vocal racist component of the conservative base has proven to be a big mistake.
Mike T.

China's real interest was essentially zero. What, they didn't take a meeting? Ooooh, the int'l community was rocked. Look, the Canadian PM talked tough for a few seconds but was never prepared to do anything, China acted miffed for an even shorter period of time, people went back to their corners and maintained a mutually lucrative trade arrangement based on inhumane working conditions and environmental irresponsibility.
http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Well, better late than never…….he should have said something "days" ago, but what the hell.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

Why? What difference would it make if the Prime Minister has issued a personal statement over the weekend, instead of Monday?
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

Why? What difference would it make if the Prime Minister had issued a personal statement over the weekend, instead of Monday?

Mulletaur

"For six consecutive years, Canada has led a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the United Nations General Assembly."

In other words, since the rape, torture and murder of Canadian Zahra Kazemi by Iranian security. Glad our government hasn't forgotten. I have not forgotten. I hope nobody will forget Zahra.