stephen harperer

From today's New York Times...

A Conservative Evolves, and Leads a Canadian Race

By CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Published: January 16, 2006

HUNTSVILLE, Ontario, Jan. 14 - "God bless all of you, God bless Canada!" is the way Stephen Harper finishes every campaign stump speech as he appears to be heading toward a landslide victory to become prime minister.

Although not known for kissing babies, Stephen Harper, campaigning in Huntsville, Ontario, on Saturday, has worked to soften his image.

It is an unusual line in a country where politicians do not customarily talk about God or their religious beliefs, where church attendance is plummeting and same-sex marriage has become legal and widely accepted despite the opposition of many religious leaders.

"It sounds very American," said Jackie Mitchell, a 45-year-old music teacher who attended a Harper rally on Saturday in this woodsy, rural community. "But what he's saying is, let's get the country moving."

The reference to God may be a signal that Mr. Harper and his Conservative Party are preparing to take the country in a very different direction after 13 years of Liberal rule characterized by a softening of drug laws, an expansion of the rights of gays and a distancing from United States positions in foreign affairs. (read le rest ici)

(95% props to the wonderful Anonymotronic for letting us know about the article - minus 5% for not providing a link to our site, even though he said he would... months ago...)