You mustn't follow, little shrub...

Well Dubbya's approval ratings are in the toilet following his new plan for Iraq. This provides me some fodder to examine steve's foreign policy approach.

Since his election as Canada's exalted and supreme leader of Canada's new government, Steve has charted a different international course from not only that set out by the previous Liberal Govwernment but also one that is different from the traditional role that Canada has played.

Steve's government has, to be sure, loaded up on military supplies for the forces. Defense lobbyist turned Defense Minister O'Connor has ploughed forward with several large procurements, using sole-source and non-competitive contracting as his preferred method of selection of vendors.

Harper has tried to use Afghanistan as a wedge issue during the Liberal leadership race. He has said that any discussion of the role of the mission demonstartes a lack of support for the troops. This is the same line that the Republicans have been using unsuccessfully with respect to Iraq for a couple of years with disastrous
results.

Canada has a rich history in international relations using the so-called 3D approach which favours equal attention to Defense, Diplomacy and Development. Think of Canada's historic role as a nation of peacekeeping. In fact, this year we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pearson's Nobel Peace Prize.

As well, Canada fought successfully for the R2P (Right to Protect) doctrine at the United Naations, has served as an honest broker for years in many parts of the world, and used its clout and membership in many international bodies to make progress on issues such as land mines, AIDS funding and many others.

Finally, Canada has a tradition of building civil society through development assistance, be it in the form of education for girls in Afhanistan or training the judiciary in Ukraine or providing health and food assistance to African countries such as Malawi.

To date, the extent of his diplomacy on the world stage was to complain that other countries have not sent enough troops to Afghanistan, while on the Development side it was limited to a botched photo op with Josee Werner.

I use these examples to illustrate the point that Steve just doesn't get the complexities of the world in which we live. Sure he has done well for defense, but without the other 2 Ds - we run an even greater risk of being seen as Bush's little helper.

And my sense is that Canadians want a thoughful leader who will take a Canadian approach to International Affairs.