Categories: Canada, Photo

Is the Prime Minister turning into a giddy celebrity hound?

How Stephen Harper ended up hobnobbing with the world’s megastars

by macleans.ca on Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:58pm - 26 Comments

Tags: Beatles, Bryan Adams, celebrities, Celine Dion, Chad Kroeger, KISS, Owen Hargreaves, Stephen Harper, taylor swift, Wayne Gretzky, Yo-Yo Ma

http://intensedebate.com/people/Scott_Tribe Scott_Tribe

“Meeting celebrities isn’t my shtick. That was the shtick of the previous guy.” -Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007 when asked why he refused to meet Bono to discuss funding for AIDS research and prevention in Africa.

wilson

Because meeting with Bono worked out so well for Paul Martin, eh.
None of the above celeb meetings were arm twisting for taxpayers money, nor a platform to later humiliate a Prime Minister. But if you don't see the difference, oh well.

JTC

Yes, and if you don't understand that you don't see things the way are, but the way *you* are, oh, well.

I find it astounding that political partisans are so mindless as to believe that there contradictions of what other partisans have had to say have any value whatsoever.

I'll bet that you're interested in hearing Arab and Israeli opinions on the Middle East question too. You appear not to have the damnedest notion of how subjective you are in your opinions. You just never grew up, I guess. Oh, well.
http://mach1231.tripod.com Max

Well Wilson, its up to the PM to make the distinction isn't it? Perhaps you're right though. Maybe he really doesn't care about AIDS prevention work in Africa regardless of whose name is attached to it. Being famous can bring you places ask Angelina Jolie , Roger Moore and many,many others, all of whom have given up their time to clamour for attention where respective governments have F-A-I-L-E-D. Such people are not OBLIGATED by fame to do these things but are wrought from a simple desire to make lives better for others, give some a voice who have none, and do some good in the world. Ifs its fundraising its fundraising, which a side benefit of educating people and raising awareness. All those pictures and photos above? IS THAT NOT SHTICK?

Boogard

9 celeb shots over 4 years seems perfectly reasonable for a G-8 leader. At least he didn't fly in a foreign rock star who believes Canada is committing genocide to deliver the keynote speech when he became leader, unlike Martin.
Annieprunes

I am no fan of that guy but seriously – meeting celebs. If you think this is an issue then you have no idea about the breadth of activities our politicians are expected to support. Yo Yo Ma??? Seriously….
Ric

A cover band? Really Maclean's what are you doing here? How many of the very few pics you offer are actually celebs wanting a pic with the PM? …next!

Ric.
crankshaft

A giddy celebrity hound? As opposed to what?

Pablo77

Trying to find another issue to slam the PM with?? Deal with real issues.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Thwim Thwim

It's all the same issue Pablo: He says one thing, then does the opposite.

If you're happy having opposite guy as your PM, well.. I guess that's on you.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Open_Democracy Open_Democracy

He's just trying to show us that he's one of us, you know, walks on two legs, puts his pants on one leg at a time.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/

Estelle

But he's not one of us… He has his own agenda. it took a swing through three different political parties to achieve his overwhelming ambition for power He's just looking for votes & photo-ops will not get them for him. Too many people distrust him because of the way he distances himself. by sending out his minions to address the really serious issues facing Canada, instead of doing the job himself.

http://intensedebate.com/people/VinceClortho VinceClortho

When Chad Kroeger is the guest speaker at the Conservative convention, like Bono for Martin, then you might have a point. It also might be one of the signs of the apocalypse and prompt the bigger question….Chad Kroeger can speak?
Brian

Oil spill in the Gulf, War in Middle East, Economic meltdown in Europe…….and your feature story is wondering if our PM is a celebrity hound. . I thought you were a newsmagazine, not Entertainment Tonight!! BTW, Mr Harper seems to be spending at least some time on running the country since we are in the best economic condition of almost any country in the world.

http://www.rhodoniagara.org Nick Yarmoshuk

The economic strength of Canada today is not Harper's or His minions doing . . . it is a direct result of Paul Martin who was Finance minister for Jean Chretien.

As for the celebrity hond . . . Harper is simply cow-towing t a an age group that he hopes will be stimulated to vote for him, when they decide to vote.
Estelle

So why doesn't he address these issues, instead of trying to force his own narrow views on us.

wilson

Click on the pics for commentary,
Celine Dion
What brings them together: A shared appreciation for what sinking ships can do for a career—Céline had the Titanic, Harper’s got the Liberals.

lol, it's fun Friday
get real

Let's see if I have this right. Our prime minister has "time" for useless photo ops. I think his time should be better spent on needs of Canada and not Gene Simons or taylor swift.

Tom

You sound like a desperate Republican complaining about President Obama's NCAA picks!
Happy

Did you even read anything above? That was not KISS, but a cover band. Your comment has been rendered useless.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Thwim Thwim

What's really sad is Gene Simmons and KISS could probably do more for Canada than a KISS cover band can. Shannon's Canadian after all, I could certainly see some benefit to KISS promoting Canada for tourism.. but a KISS cover-band?

http://mach1231.tripod.com Max

OHH! Like, no, he is not "turning into" a celebrty hound". He always was one. But those are Canadian "stars" so they dont count as much?

Im just waiting for the media to report on any celebs who report they will NOT meet with the man because they dont like his politics. That'd be funny if Jason Preistly decided he was too good for the PM, really.

But perhaps Brian Mulroneys son could do some phoning around Hollywood
delford t louis

….what if pm pro con was caught in bed with his lady who travels with him just to cut his hair! gawd..next scandal coming up for sure
delford t louis

can bono make up his friggin mind to be a rockstar or a poplitician? gawd gawdier gawdest
wftc

Hey! Did Bono register as a Lobbyist?