本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Canadian PM accused of plagiarizing speech
Story Highlights
Opposition says Stephen Harper speech was copied from one by Australian PM
Speech, supporting Iraq war, came when Harper was opposition leader in 2003
Harper spokesman says speech was five years ago, issue not relevant now
Candidates to hold debates this week ahead of October 14 election
TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Canada's main opposition party on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of plagiarizing a speech by former Australian Prime Minister John Howard that urged the country to join the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
The Liberals released transcripts and video of a speech delivered by Howard on March 18, 2003, and one given two days later in the Canadian Parliament by Harper, who was then the opposition leader.
Opposition Liberal foreign affairs spokesman Bob Rae said nearly half of the speech Harper delivered, calling for Canadian troops to be sent to Iraq, was a word-for-word recitation of the speech by Howard. Both Harper and Howard are conservatives.
Canada's Liberal government at the time turned down Washington's request to send troops. Australia sent troops early on.
Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke said the speech is five years old and the Conservatives are not going to get drawn into a discussion of issues that have no relevance to Canadians.
Earlier this month, Harper triggered an October 14 election in a bid to bolster his party's grip on power.
"How does a political leader in Canada's Parliament, on such a crucial issue, end up giving the exact same speech as another country's leader," Rae said in excerpts of a speech he gave in Toronto on Tuesday.
"Mr. Harper couldn't find his own voice, so he borrowed someone else's. This isn't just deeply embarrassing for Mr. Harper -- he would have been expelled from ... a university for pulling this stunt (it's called plagiarism) -- but it speaks to the heart of what is deeply wrong with the Republican Conservative government of which he is the leader."
Rae said it is further evidence "of how Canada's foreign policy is now in lockstep with the right-wing foreign policy of the Bush administration" in the United States.
Teneycke, Harper's spokesman, called the charge a desperate move ahead of the national leaders' debates on Wednesday and Thursday night.
"It was five years ago. It was three Parliaments ago, two elections ago when he was leader of a party that no longer exists," Teneycke said of Harper, who was leader of the right-of-center Canadian Alliance party at the time. The party later merged with the Conservative party.
Liberal opposition party leader Stéphane Dion said Harper's speech matters despite being five years old.
"Canadians want their country to speak with its own voice on the world stage. It's true for the prime minister. It's true for the opposition leader," Dion said.
"Stephen Harper plagiarized the 'coalition of the willing' of George W. Bush about the war in Iraq. Stephen Harper should be expelled."
Recent polls show the Conservatives could win the majority of seats in Parliament. As a minority government, they've been forced to rely on the opposition to pass budgets and legislation.
Harper's Conservative party unseated the Liberal party in 2006 after nearly 13 years in power; Canada has had closer ties with Washington since. Harper's Conservative party has long studied the prolonged political success that Howard's right-wing government had in Australia.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
Story Highlights
Opposition says Stephen Harper speech was copied from one by Australian PM
Speech, supporting Iraq war, came when Harper was opposition leader in 2003
Harper spokesman says speech was five years ago, issue not relevant now
Candidates to hold debates this week ahead of October 14 election
TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Canada's main opposition party on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of plagiarizing a speech by former Australian Prime Minister John Howard that urged the country to join the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
The Liberals released transcripts and video of a speech delivered by Howard on March 18, 2003, and one given two days later in the Canadian Parliament by Harper, who was then the opposition leader.
Opposition Liberal foreign affairs spokesman Bob Rae said nearly half of the speech Harper delivered, calling for Canadian troops to be sent to Iraq, was a word-for-word recitation of the speech by Howard. Both Harper and Howard are conservatives.
Canada's Liberal government at the time turned down Washington's request to send troops. Australia sent troops early on.
Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke said the speech is five years old and the Conservatives are not going to get drawn into a discussion of issues that have no relevance to Canadians.
Earlier this month, Harper triggered an October 14 election in a bid to bolster his party's grip on power.
"How does a political leader in Canada's Parliament, on such a crucial issue, end up giving the exact same speech as another country's leader," Rae said in excerpts of a speech he gave in Toronto on Tuesday.
"Mr. Harper couldn't find his own voice, so he borrowed someone else's. This isn't just deeply embarrassing for Mr. Harper -- he would have been expelled from ... a university for pulling this stunt (it's called plagiarism) -- but it speaks to the heart of what is deeply wrong with the Republican Conservative government of which he is the leader."
Rae said it is further evidence "of how Canada's foreign policy is now in lockstep with the right-wing foreign policy of the Bush administration" in the United States.
Teneycke, Harper's spokesman, called the charge a desperate move ahead of the national leaders' debates on Wednesday and Thursday night.
"It was five years ago. It was three Parliaments ago, two elections ago when he was leader of a party that no longer exists," Teneycke said of Harper, who was leader of the right-of-center Canadian Alliance party at the time. The party later merged with the Conservative party.
Liberal opposition party leader Stéphane Dion said Harper's speech matters despite being five years old.
"Canadians want their country to speak with its own voice on the world stage. It's true for the prime minister. It's true for the opposition leader," Dion said.
"Stephen Harper plagiarized the 'coalition of the willing' of George W. Bush about the war in Iraq. Stephen Harper should be expelled."
Recent polls show the Conservatives could win the majority of seats in Parliament. As a minority government, they've been forced to rely on the opposition to pass budgets and legislation.
Harper's Conservative party unseated the Liberal party in 2006 after nearly 13 years in power; Canada has had closer ties with Washington since. Harper's Conservative party has long studied the prolonged political success that Howard's right-wing government had in Australia.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net