Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

And finally

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, May 21, 2010 6:41pm - 46 Comments

Here is a picture of teen pop idol Taylor Swift seeming interested in a coffee table book about Canada she is being given by the Prime Minister.

Tags: Maple Leaf Forever, Stephen Harper, taylor swift

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

You ain't seen nothin' yet. Wait until Stephen and Rachel Harper jam with Justin Bieber on August 24 at Scotiabank Place!

Chuck Vs NBC

Bieber the god.. Bieber does not mess around, dude stole his hit from Raaaaaaaandy..
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d47751f7a0/raaaa…

Mandatory sentences is not a gimmick, god damn Justin….
Lord Kitchener's Own

If he goes from being photographed with Chad Kroeger to being photographed with Justin Bieber, I think I can get together a pretty sizable group of Canadians from all parties who will support a revolution.

Dee

Good to see Steve is keepin' it real. Hangin' with the regular Tim Horton's folks, going through the drivethru in his minivan, whilst wearing his blue sweater-vest, ordering himself a double-double before taking his son to hockey…. sheesh.
Hmmm, I wonder if Taylor Swift borrowed Steve's stylist before the photoshoot…
http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

Take that Bono, you are no Taylor Swift!

''Meeting celebrities isn't my shtick''
– Stephen Harper

Crit_Reasoning

Good ol' Bono. Check this out. It's only six years old, yet it feels oddly "retro" somehow:
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/features/celebritypolitics…

http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

If I could do animations on the comp, I'd start with that Swift/Harper picture, and then an animated picture of Bob Geldof interrupting with an ''Imma let you finish but i just want to say that Bono should be here right now'' routine.

But seriously… Martin had Bono, Harper is almost ready to go on tour with half of the 2001 Juno winners and a few current Billboard acts! Helluva shtick I guess!

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

You're going to love this: http://www.glowfoto.com/viewimage.php?img=21-1817…

Lord Kitchener's Own

I see no difference whatsoever between attending an international HIV/AIDS symposium with Bono and going backstage at a Taylor Swift concert to thank her for hanging out with your daughter, or having Bryan Adams come over to jam with you and your son.

http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

It just drives the lefty crowd crazy when Harper is seen as just an ordinary person and father.
As Oliver said on Power Play Iffy could invite the press gallery over and have him (Iffy) read to them.
You know what they say when they are laughing at you, you are really in trouble. A caucus revolt is brewing.
News that Chretien/Broadbent are discussing a possible coalition won't help Iffy's numbers at all.

WDM

Agreed. I always bring up how normal I am when having my private meetings with international music stars
Steve M

A man took his 10-yr-old to see a Taylor Swift concert, and because he's the PM, he gets a backstage pass and a chance to impress his daughter. It's no different than when he takes his son to an NHL game. Being the PM's kid is probably a pain much of the time, so I think it's nice when Ben & Rachel get to enjoy a few perks.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

In what way is being a PM's kid a pain much of the time?

Please don't tell me because some people don't like their dad… My old man was a teacher (in the same system as I was enrolled), I assure you I had more people telling me my dad was an idiot than Little Ben or Rachel. And don't tell me cause it's on TV, i doubt little Rachel is watching Evan Soloman.

Thousands and thousands of children live in hunger and abject poverty in Canada. Just today, I read about a child roaming the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver… Don't tell me being a PM's kid is likely a pain in the ass much of the time. Unless you are ready to squarely blame their parents for this.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

Not at all! i would hope Harper has nothing to do with the mother's crack habit…

However, for someone (Steve M) claiming how hard it must be to be a PM's kid, they seriously need to learn more about compassion.

Frankly, I couldn't care less who meets Harper or his kids, I really couldn't care less. Although, I do make a note of the hypocrisy when he claims meeting celebrities isn't his shtick. Quite clearly, it is and has been since he got the keys to Sussex. The fact of the matter is that it's fully expected that a Prime Minister (or President) crosses paths with various celebrities

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

Not at all! i would hope Harper has nothing to do with the mother's crack habit…

First of all, WTF?

Second, why are you playing along with obvious trolls?
http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

Fair enough, it is a bit useless.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

[youtube zB_nYKxGJX0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB_nYKxGJX0&fe... youtube]
http://intensedebate.com/people/TwoYen TwoYen

Wow! She wrote a love song for Stephen Harper! Let's see if Michael of Jack or Gilles can out do that? I think Stephen has just won the votes of many 20-something girls.
The Real Jan

Maybe he should have given her a copy of Lolita.
Steve M

First of all, I didn't say the little Harpers had it tougher than ALL other kids in Canada. Secondly, while I fully expect that they can't help but see or overhear some of the vitriole aimed at their dad, mostly I just meant that their Dad's job involves a lot of travel and long hours (And again, I know this is not unique!) that keep him away from home, plus they probably have to sit through a lot of boring official ceremonies.

I feel the exact same way about Obama's kids, btw.

Man, all this talk just because Harper got off a pretty good shot Martin's expense years ago. I think it was more about being a smartass than expressing a core belief, just as I don't actually believe that Chretien thinks pepper spray is for steak.
burlivespipe

And when Harper can turn it all into another "anything you can do I can do scummier" moment I guess it's hunky-dory in CON land.
The expression on the girl's face looks like the book's title is about abstinence and who's your daddy…
Curt

Sorry habitant. I misspoke.

http://intensedebate.com/people/WDM WDM

Sounds like Rachel has good taste in television.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Habitant Habitant

We can hope… But, you never know down the road. I mean, who could've predicted little Ben Mulroney was to degenerate into an etalk host.

Bob

"Thousands and thousands of children live in hunger and abject poverty in Canada"

First off, that's a ridiculous exaggeration. There are actually few truly homeless children in this country.

Second, and more on point, what the hell? Because Harper, like all of his predecessors, and every other leader in the free world, has failed to end poverty he shouldn't be able to take his kid to concert? Fuck off.

http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

Steve M……absolutely right. He is rapdily becoming the teflon PM. The opposition throws sh.t at him and nothing sticks. That's because many Canadians see him as the man who got us thru the recession and is managing the country well given the minority parliament and he is facing three left wing party's in the House. It drives the anti Harper crowd nuts and can you see it in the comments on this blog and others. They can only attack the PM personally.

Problem is the opposition and the media focus on process, strategies and tactics. Canadians ignore that stuff and watch to see if the economy is improving, is unemployment gradually moving down and are taxes low. Those are the things that most Canadians focus on. The rest is white noise to them.

hosertohoosier

From Harper's awkward pose I think he is demonstrating that meeting celebrities really isn't his shtick. I mean he'll do it, but badly. Then again, Martin's relationship with Bono wasn't exactly smooth. It was pretty transparent that Martin was papering over the fact that he had been a major budget cutter as finance minister, and ultimately failed to live up to his promises to Bono. Maybe what we should really ask is why these celebrities are wasting their valuable time talking to a bunch of politicians nobody has ever heard of.
http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Boy, when you don't see kids much they sure change overnight.

They've both grown up so much. I think Rachel looks like Loreen and Ben looks like his dad.
http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Just looking at the photos – boy have they been doctored up or what.

Harper look slim?

What does Harper think this is – Vogue?

http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

OntarioTown……couldn't make a comment without taking a shot.

I suspect Harper has the same problem many of us men do. Any weight gain goes right to the stomach. As such his weight goes up and down as he probably yo yo diets like many of us.

http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Personally I don't give a fiddler's damn Harper's weight. I'm talking about "misrepresentation" here. He's got a gut and you don't lose that in 24 hours. I don't think he's as fat as some like to joke about and he has a middle-age spread – it's his own personal decision what to do about it.

It's the phonyiness that bothers me.

But, hey, you don't care about the lies and misrepresentations unless you can use against the Libs – double-standard hypocrite.

http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

OntarioTown……..You know you really need to relax. Harper is going to be around for a long time. Get use to it.

You are so jaded and constantly wear a tinfoil hat that you think the gnomes in the PMO doctored the photo. Come on. Get real.

Hypocrit? It takes one to know one. You and I will probably not agree on much but you need to take off the rose coloured glasses. He is the best on offer. When somebody else comes along then we can decide if we want a different leader. However, I sure as h.ll don't want a man who has come back to Canada believing it is his divine right to be PM running the country and who leads a corrupt party.

http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

This is just too much fun, I better stop. It doesn't take much to get you going LOL. You are easily angered and fall into the trap – too, too funny.

Again, all I asked is who picks out the gifts and I get this pathetic tyrade – too funny.

Go out and enjoy your long weekend – life's tooshort to be so angry all the time.

Yes, the photo has been doctored – it doesn't take much too realize that

LOL

Have a great weekend there guy

Ted

Caption:

I would like to give you this book of charcoal etchings I made of you.
http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Who decides on gifts? Does anyone really think she cares about a book like that?

She's young, and probably not very well educated and could care less about this kind of book.

What idiot decided on the gift?

http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

OntarioTown…Aren't we the judgemental one. You really must be a Liberal. Arrogance personified.

http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

On my case today are you hollinm? Again, who the hell picks the gifts?!

And, you must be a Conservative – head in a box personified.

http://intensedebate.com/people/avr avr

Who decides on gifts? Does anyone really think she cares about a book like that?

Could be worse. Could have been a gift basket of random DVDs.

http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

You have a point.

Do other leaders give gifts to entertainers?

Not a stab here, just wondering.

jarrid

Well I'll start getting concerned if Harper starts pretending to be trendy, cool and hip like Paul Martin Jr. did towards the end of his ill-fated reign. Yeah, I'll start worrying when Harper dons a black leather jacket like Paul Martin Jr. did during the 2006 campaign. He looked,

downright,

creepy.

Reader

It's ' toward ' dude. Only ' liberals ' add the ' s '.

Doom

2-0-1-2
jarrid

OT, sorry, but I can't help remarking how the main stream media is giving Barack Obama a free ride on the environmental catastrophe occurring in the Gulf of Mexico and now on the shores of Louisiana.

The Obama administration seems impotent to do anything about the problem except to blame BP.

Finger-pointing isn't exactly leadership.

BCer in Mtl

So I suppose we can all look forward to Harper supporters no longer using "But the Liberals did it too" (Defcon 3 or 4 I recall) as an excuse?

jarrid

I said BP, British Petroleum, not PB, President Bush.

Lord Kitchener's Own

Well, I'd say it's a little disingenuous to say that Obama's only pointing fingers at BP, when all the Republicans want him to do is stop pointing fingers at BP.

Sure, arguably Obama should be doing more than blaming BP, but as the Republicans want him to do LESS than blaming BP, he doesn't really have as much political wiggle room as you suggest.