Canada drifts, Harper struts

Our federal government seems to be marking time. It seems to have only a vague idea what our future should be. Other than putting lots more people in jail, of course. Checking the Conservative Party website, all I see under Plan is a discussion of their current economic action. Not a word on anything else. I'm not looking for anything as grand as a vision, but some sensible plans for key areas would be a good idea.

As far as the biggest challenge facing us is concerned -- global warming -- our government does little, content to see what the Americans are going to do. When the U.S. firms up plan, we might get around to doing something. In foreign policy generally, we seem to rely on our southern neighbours. Our biggest domestic challenge -- bringing the native people's living standards up to the level of the rest of us -- doesn't seem to stir the Conservatives either. As for an election, even though the polls are favourable, they seem to have lost interest.

This lackadaisical approach puts me in mind of the last of the Klein years here in Alberta. Klein had no idea where he wanted the province to go and admitted as much. In fact, according to former Tory aide-turned-journalist Rich Vivone in his new book Ralph Could Have Been a Super Star, the only reason he hung around as long as he did was because his wife didn't want him to quit.

I hardly believe that's the case with Stephen Harper. My guess is he doesn't want to jeopardize his various opportunities to strut on the world stage. First, of course, is the Olympics, two weeks of world leaders traipsing through Canada. Then there's his hosting of the G8 and G20 meetings in June. Later this year there are visits to China and the Asia-Pacific summit in Singapore, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. There will of course be nothing but embarrassment in Copenhagen in December but then you can't win them all and global warming bores Mr. Harper anyway.

This is our prime minister's moment to bask in the international sun, leaving the cosmopolitan Iggy in the shade, and I don't think he intends to miss it.