If I could shake Harper's hand, this is what I'd tell him

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If I could shake Harper's hand, this is what I'd tell him

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By Gerald Caplan December 12, 2014

Gerald Caplan is an African scholar, former NDP national director and a regular panelist on CBC's Power and Politics.

Stephen Harper made international news the other day when he ran into President Putin at a G20 meeting. "I guess I'll shake your hand," he told the Russian bear, "but I have only one thing to say to you: You need to get out of Ukraine."

So we now have the election ready

Mr. Harper – not only a "trained economist" into whose good hands Canadians can entrust their material wellbeing, but a bold, outspoken international statesman who stands up to bullies and speaks truth to power. If you don't believe me, ask his horde of zealous flacks.

But what gave Mr. Harper the moral authority to order Vladimir Putin around? Who in the world is he to be accusing any other head of government of improper acts? Imagine what Canadians might want to say to him if he ever agreed to meet anyone who wasn't carefully preselected by his handlers. Imagine what the Premier of Ontario might say.

If I ever had the opportunity, I would shake Stephen Harper's hand, but I'd sure have a lot things to say to him. Here are just a few:

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