What lies beneath

Scott Piatkowski highlights one side of the Cons' agenda which has somehow managed to stay largely hidden (at least within the mainstream media) since they took office:

Mention the phrase “Stephen Harper's hidden agenda” and most Canadians are likely to assume you're referring to his party's pre- Paleolithic stance on social issues such as abortion or same-sex marriage.

But since being elected last year, the reality is Harper has been equally at pains to hide his real views on foreign policy matters. The reason for this subterfuge is not all that mysterious: he knows that there is absolutely no market for a foreign policy that is blatantly pro-American.

Just how captivated is Harper with the rocket's red glare? In 2003, Harper made a speech to the Montreal Economic Institute in which he called for the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. to have “cabinet rank.” According to Harper, “this will directly link the activities of our government in Ottawa to our activities in Washington.”

The incredible suggestion received little attention at the time, which makes it far easier for the Conservatives to pretend it was never spoken. But even if one accepts the notion that Harper has experienced a genuine change of heart on the proposal, the fact that he thought it was a good idea at the time speaks volumes about the depth of Harper's willingness to pledge allegiance to Washington...

His other comments at the time indicate a clear willingness to allow American military objectives to determine Canadian policy. At an event in April 2003 dubbed the “Friends of America Rally,” Harper called the U.S. “our best friend in the whole wide world.” On Fox News, Harper told Americans that he was speaking “for the silent majority” in Canada endorsing the war (in Iraq)...

With (minority-Parliament) political considerations in mind, Harper's desire to fulfil the wishes of his “best friend in the whole wide world” has been relegated to lower profile issues such as the egregiously one-sided softwood lumber agreement that his government signed last year.

While the Conservatives continue to pretend they're maintaining a respectable distance, Canadians would be well-advised to watch for more signs of the mask slipping. And if Harper is successful in gaining a majority, we can expect the hidden foreign policy agenda to be revealed in its entirety.

As much as the Cons have done to shroud their entire government in secrecy, it's worth noting just how much further they've gone when it comes to talks about North American integration. And it would only make sense that the extra layer of denial and obfuscation exists due to the content of the discussion - i.e. that the Cons' longstanding desire for further integration (and proportionally less Canadian independence) has already been thoroughly discussed between the Cons and their American counterparts.

Not that the Libs are anything close to blameless in getting the SPP process started during their stay in power. But it seems clear - from both Harper's past positions, and the extra walls surrounding Canada/U.S. relations today - that the Cons are looking to push the issue much further. And based on those signs, it's entirely possible that a Con majority would lead to not just a revealed "agenda" for future discussion, but a fully-formed and agreed plan to give up even more of Canada's ability to think and act for itself.