Canada News World

Harper to be honoured as world statesman

September 19, 2012 | Jewish Tribune

(Photo Credit: PMO Canada)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be honoured with the World Statesman Award from the Appeal of Conscience Foundation at New York’s Waldorf Astoria on Thurs., Sept. 27.

The award recognizes Prime Minister Harper “as a leader of integrity who has earned the respect of his people for his commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and peace in the service of humanity,” according to a statement issued by the foundation.

The award will be presented to the prime minister by 1999 World Statesman awardee Dr. Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state. Former President Bill Clinton will be the honorary chairman of the event; serving as honourary co-chairs will be former Presidents George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter and former Secretaries of State Kissinger, George Schultz, James Baker, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

In addition, Vikram Pandit, CEO, Citigroup, and Virginia Rometty, president and CEO, IBM, will be given the Appeal of Conscience Award.

The Appeal of Conscience Foundation is an interfaith organization founded in 1965 by its President Rabbi Arthur Schneier to promote religious freedom and human rights throughout the world.

Tags: ally Canada featured Israel Prime Minister statesman Stephen Harper World World Statesman Award

http://profiles.google.com/skinnydips skinny dipper

Stephen Harper–a leader of integrity who has earned the respect of his people for his commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and peace in the service of humanity. You’re kidding?

C from B.C.

Stepehen Harper is plenty worthy of this award — and I am not kidding!

Anonymous

Is Stepehen Harper a different person? Otherwise, I’m not sure what you’ve seen of the Canadian PM but he sure doesn’t have anything to be proud of.

http://www.facebook.com/Pepperfire Tina Brooks

Are you kidding me??? The man has thrown out CEDAW, decimated Aboriginal rights, lied repeatedly to the Canadian people, been charged and found guilty of Contempt of Parliament and flagrantly cheated using Robocalls in the last Federal election.

Climbing into bed with Mr. Netanyahu does NOT make one a “leader of integrity” and he has absolutely NOT “won the respect” of anyone. Most definitely NOT “his people”.

Good God where do you Americans get your propagand??? O_O

Anonymous

This has nothing to do with Netanyahu and Iran.

Anonymous

He does not have the respect of his people. He is practically a dictator who shows no respect for Canadians or his fellow MPs. This is a disgrace.

Anonymous

And I say this as a Jew who has lived in Israel and keeps Shabbat.
Chris Wright

Many Canadians disagree with you – no one is naive enough to believe he is perfect (nor is anyone), but for many reasons, he does have our respect. Calling him “practically a dictator” is silly at best – there are dictators in our world today and the result of their rule is tragically apparent. Canada is not in that situation, thankfully.

Anonymous

What exactly do you respect him for?

Anonymous

What does Zionism have to do with it?
Gb137

@ Uh…clem : So because these are large corporations that automatically disqualifies them and makes them uncool? As for Negroponte, Chretien (a former Canadian Liberal PM), Kissinger (who is known the world over for his diplomatic know-how [and yes, I am sure if you were in his place, you wouldn't have made any mistakes and you would have an even better record than he has]) these are statesmen, people who dedicated their lives to furthering the interests of their country, and have done so very successfully -I wish you their success!

As for the Zionism comment: Since when does Zionism disqualify one’s credentials? I guess if you are advocating for the submission and appeasement of the west as is often the case on the die-hard left then it explains a lot. But if like many of us you understand Zionism and respect peoples right to their homeland, history and culture -then you probably wouldn’t have anything against the Jews or Zionism.

For the record, hating on Zionism is just another form of (ill)disguised anti-semitism. By and large Canadians respect both our prime minister and all of its constituents (and yes that includes Jews/Zionists!).

@Tina: This is not an american source, but rather a Canadian one!

uh…clem

@Gb137: Corporations do not have a “conscience”, a construct which applies only to human beings, not trees, or institutions. Their only imperative is the bottom line. Where’s the “conscience” factor in the BP spills in the Caribbean or the death squads of Coca-cola in Colombia??

Funny you focus on Negroponte and Kissinger. Negroponte oversaw death squads in Honduras and Nicargua during the Reagan years. And, of course, Kissinger was the main architect of the counterrevolutionary wars, sponsored by the US, in Cambodia, Indonesia, Chile. Where’s the “conscience” in that? You mention his “mistakes”, the all-time favourite excuse for the crimes of war perpetrated by the West in the past 60 years. They were secret (from the public, that is) policy decisions, not mistakes. And could you please explain how “the west”, the strongest military powers in the world, which includes Israel, are subject to submission and appeasement. What a topsy-turvy world view you have!

As for Zionism I am probably aware of more varieties of Zionism than you can shake a stick at (Shabtai Zvi?). Unfortunately for its supporters, the form of zionism which came to prevail (the settler colonialist form), with a big boost from several empires (UK, US and the 3rd Reich), is not palatable to mainstream public opinion so its nature is obscured here in North America (but not in Israel, itself, strangely). It wouldn’t hurt for you to read Zeev Sternhell’s The Founding Myths of Israel. Superb analysis and historical overview. I myself would be completely comfortable with one of the spiritual Zionists, such as Martin Buber, but not those of “territorialist”ilk.

FYI I’ve been “combatting anti-semitism” for over fifty years (when I first came to political consciousness) so your barb about that misses its target.

Nice talking with you.

TristanMC

Agreed!
El Huracan

@Gb137 “most of us Canadians that have re-elected you,” UNTRUE – our faulty electoral system ensured he was reelected. Harper has no conscience.

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Canada News World

Harper to be honoured as world statesman

September 19, 2012 | Jewish TribunecloseAuthor: Jewish Tribune Name: Jewish Tribune Site: About: no bio enterdedSee Authors Posts (6954)

September 19, 2012 | Jewish Tribune