PM Harper: A Class Act
From Greg Weston’s column in Sun Media papers today:
Less than an hour after a massive earthquake turned Haiti into an unimaginable hell of death and devastation, Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued an extraordinary call to action, remarkably putting the first Canadian rescue team on the stricken island by the next afternoon.
By all accounts, the launch of Operation Hestia (goddess of the hearth) was vintage Harper: No nonsense; no excuses.
It all started Tuesday evening, minutes after word of the Haitian catastrophe reached Harper’s office.
The PM was briefed aboard his jet as he arrived in Ottawa from a day-trip to Quebec, and immediately issued two clear orders from the plane.
First, the forever hands-on Harper demanded he be kept at the centre of the action and fully informed at all times.
Second, he made it crystal-clear that the Canadian government would do everything possible to come to the aid of the Haitian people – immediately.
One insider says everyone from the military brass to the high-ranking bureaucrats got the PM’s message: “He wanted it done, and he wanted it done two hours ago.” Defence Minister Peter MacKay was also sitting in a government jet, his flight delayed on the tarmac at Halifax airport, when his marching orders arrived from the PM’s plane.
Again, the directive from Harper left no room for interpretation.
As one senior official observed: “It was clear to everyone that by the next morning, the prime minister didn’t want to hear what anyone planned to do, but what we had already done.” Still on the runway in Halifax, MacKay was immediately on the phone to Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.
Don’t let anybody tell you that Canada was too slow to react.
Donate to the Canadian Red Cross here.
Copyright 2010 ERWIN GERRITS. All Rights Reserved.
17 COMMENTS
1 Alberta Girl
Contrast that with the Liberal gov’t five years ago in Indonesia.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/12/29/dart-tsunami041229.html
“The federal government has faced questions as to why Canada has not yet sent out its 200-member rapid response unit, which can operate a mobile command centre, a medical facility, and water purification equipment capable of producing 100,000 litres of clean drinking water.
Officials have said the team is not a “short-term response mechanism” and usually isn’t deployed within the first 72 hours of a crisis.
But they did not rule out sending it.
On Wednesday, Graham again said that they must look at whether sending the response team is appropriate, whether the affected countries need it, and whether it’s worth moving the unit, which would cost $15 million to $20 million.
“We do not send it without first ascertaining whether or not it’s going to be useful on the ground and whether the countries can absorb it and use it,” he said, adding that no country has yet requested the response unit.
“I think that’s the responsible way of responding,” he said. ”
Nuff said
2 Erwin
WOW! And what a contrast it is! Thanks for posting this!
3 Mirkle
Class act, my foot! The man saw his plummeting poll numbers & when this opportunity landed in his lap, he grabbed it like the drowning man he is, to use it to pump up his own PR. It is well known that Harper NEVER does anything that is not, first and foremost, for his own self-interest politically.
4 Pissedoff
This is a far better response than the Libs and the tsunami, but what happened to all the money Canadians contributed and Martin promised to double? Just asking.
5 Erwin
You’re funny. Now, go away and look for a brain. And some compassion.
6 grandma
you are a pathetic little man.
I feel sorry for you.
Harper did the right thing for the right reasons and you are so small minded that you belittle the efforts of not only the government but of Canadians.
Get over yourself and learn to cheer when Canadians do the right thing.
It is happening a lot more now than during the liberal reign.
7 caz
Politicians do that…your statement Mirkle only illuminates how little you know about politics. You’re a newbie obviously and have no idea how EVERY politician does exactly the same thing. I’d suggest you consider for a moment how partisan YOU ARE given that you just bitched in print about how dastardly the PM was for mobilizing the appropriate agencies to get to work NOW in Haiti.You’re an idiot and unfortunately there are far too many mindless morons like you out there. Think before you speak if that’s even possible and realize how stupid you seem given your comments. If the situation was reversed and your precious Iggy were to have given the same reply.. how furious you would be that someone could be so stupid as to make that comment. Hypocrites!
8 wilson
”vintage Harper: No nonsense; no excuses”
When the going gets tough…Harper makes fast deliberate decisions.
Nothing ‘iffy’ about our Prime Minister.
9 Simeon
I am proud of Prime Minister Harper, all of Canada should be proud of a man who takes control and follows through on his actions.
10 Ti-Guy
When the going gets tough…Harper makes fast deliberate decisions.
Drunk so early in the day again, I see, eh Wilson?
Or do you just not bother sobering up at all anymore? I wouldn’t blame you…
11 Larry
Ty-Guy…liberaldom’s answer to a full rectal exam.
Sheesh
12 wilson
LOL
Ti-Guy, you must have me confused with one of your Liberal MPs!!!
I know what make of vehicle I drive!
13 maryT
Waiting for lib trolls blaming the PM for causing the Haiti quake, so he could do good and get into the good graces of the GG so she will grant him an election and all Haitains in Canada would vote for their conservative candidate.
14 Joshua
This is what i was meaning when i elected the MPs for Harpers party.No nonsense in the foreign affairs arena.Gee must be those values eh?It isnt low road, high road issue.Its doing whats right issue.People are hurt from a natural disaster.We help.
And alberta girl nails it too.Gotta love the net.
15 Ti-Guy
Ti-Guy, you must have me confused with one of your Liberal MPs!!!
I know what make of vehicle I drive!
You’re confused. I wasn’t talking about driving…like when the married Conservative MP Vic Toews committed adultery and drove it home by impregnating a Parliamentary assistant.
I was just commenting on what a sloppy lush you are.
16 Kevin Bracken
If only prorogue-gate wasn’t such a mouthful
17 Erwin
I believe they’re still on their Christmas break
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