Unsettled

The Star reports on yet another example of the Cons embarrassing Canada abroad, as Maxime Bernier's trip to try to help broker an Israel/Palestine peace deal hit a snag when it became obvious that Bernier lacked any clue about the issues being dealt with:

A change in direction on a potentially explosive foreign policy issue – or just a new minister unsure of his brief?

That was the question for Canadians here yesterday, the second day of a two-day visit to the Holy Land by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier.

And the answer is: nobody seemed to know...

The confusion on the potentially explosive issue of Israeli settlements arose Sunday when Bernier was twice asked during a West Bank news conference whether Ottawa – which officially opposes new settlement activity by Israel – makes a distinction between housing construction in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

Both times, the Canadian minister pointedly ignored the question. The second time it was asked, he abruptly ended the news conference and left the room.

Of course, it would be even worse if Bernier was indeed trying to send up a trial balloon to selectively support new settlements. But it would seem obvious that if Bernier was indeed seeking to break new ground, he'd at least have been aware of that fact, not to mention willing to make some attempt to defend the position.

Instead, it looks all too likely that Bernier's trip, like so many other Con excursions abroad, is based solely on a desire for photo-ops rather than any prospect that the Con government has anything useful to contribute. And the more discredited the Harper government continues to become around the world, the more reason Canadians will have to wonder why it should be taken seriously at home.