Canadian Press kisses prime ministerial ass.

[tuvor]

PARIS (CP) - Stephen Harper's first major international diplomatic foray is ending in dramatic fashion with a humanitarian flight by the prime minister to Cyprus to help evacuate Canadians from the Middle East conflict.

The surprise, last-minute effort is a fitting exclamation point on a week-long trip through London, St. Petersburg and Paris that has been dominated by events in Lebanon.

(snip)

His military Airbus A310 - the same modestly refitted plane once dubbed an extravagant "Taj Mahal" by former prime minister Jean Chretien, who never flew in it - will be able to hold upwards of 100 evacuees when it returns to Canada.

That's in part because all 21 Canadian media travelling with the prime minister were left behind in Paris.

For some observers, that may lay to rest any notion that the mission is as much a communications exercise for Harper as a humanitarian one.

http://wireless.canada.com/news/national/story.aspx?id=340690b7-8726-4378-990b-ccfa63dda44b

[glarius]

1. Canadian press are left behind but Harpers official photographer is NOT!

Enough said!

[tuvor]

3. Will he allow them to ask questions upon his return?

[glarius]

5. I hope the people boo him loudly when they see him!

This phony humanitarian act of his makes me want to throw up. Why do he and his wife (and photographer!) have to be on the plane? There's 3 more seats for people if he wasn't on the plane.

[tuvor]

6. CBC Radio suggested this morning that he wouldn't be getting off the plane

That would mean only an official photographer will be able to record anything firsthand about Harper's latest stunt.

[Spazito]

2. Not surprising coming from canada.com...

They were Harper cheerleaders during the election. Canadians aren't going to fall for this, I am pretty sure, no matter how they try and paint his ass to look like a rose.

[daleo]

4. I think they are basically "Canwest on the internet"

That's been my impression. And definitely, they were and are Harper cheerleaders.

[HEyHEY]

10. Well, it is a CP story, that's what pisses me off n/t

[ClusterFreak]

7. A "fitting exclamation point"???????????????

Are they kidding??

What Harper is doing is nothing more than a nakedly opportunistic, baldly political, and completely disingenuous photo-op. Period.

:puke: (<<<now that's a fitting exclamation point!)

[MrPrax]

8. Hope the editorialist got

at least a breathe mint afterwards...because Harper doesn't do reacharounds.

"For some observers, that may lay to rest any notion that the mission is as much a communications exercise for Harper as a humanitarian one.

So you listen up you 'some observers' -- Harper is a good guy, leaving the media behind, shows he is MORE concerned about Canadians, and not some tasteless photo op.

"a fitting exclamation point"

You bet, Big Brother...a successful conclusion to a successful G8 conference where Harper dazzled them with his statemanship and put Canada's case forward on the international stage...Oh wait a minute...I missed that part.

But a fitting exclamation point nonetheless...doubleplusgood

[HEyHEY]

9. Yikes, I expect more from CP. That is really terrible

But, being the time of year this is, maybe it was written by an intern.