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Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper will be Canada's next prime minister
Canada’s Conservatives, led by Stephen Harper, walked away with a narrow win in Monday’s elections (Globe and Mail), defeating the moribund Paul Martin administration and ending thirteen years of Liberal Party rule. Harper’s Conservative Party won 124 seats in Parliament—still short of the 155 needed to win a majority—and will likely face a divided House of Commons (Canadian Press). Harper ran a disciplined campaign focusing on specific policy proposals: making government more accountable, lowering sales tax, cutting crime rates, and improving healthcare (BBC)—and thawing icy relations with Washington.
A Conservative win could improve Canada’s on-again, off-again relationship with the United States (NYT). Ties between Washington and Ottawa have been strained (Bloomberg) over a longstanding softwood-lumber trade dispute and the Liberal government’s refusal to back President Bush on the war in Iraq or on a shared missile defense system (WashPost). Harper has said he would reconsider the ballistic missile scheme (AP). He has also said he plans to increase the country’s defense spending, expand its peacekeeping missions, and tighten border security to deter terrorists from crossing. These reforms are so Ottawa can “make foreign policy decisions that are not only independent but are actually noticed by other powers around the world” (Reuters).
The Ottawa Citizen says voters have given Harper a mandate to transform and restore faith in Canada’s government, while the Toronto Star, whose home town voted Liberal, says a Conservative-led minority government will give the bedraggled Liberals time “to rethink their leadership and vision.” A CFR Task Force report, “Building a North American Community,” offers suggestions for increasing security cooperation among the Canadian, U.S., and Mexican governments.
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The report of this bipartisan Task Force of distinguished leaders and experts represents a strong consensus on the importance of repairing America's immigration policy. It makes the case that maintaining America's political and economic leadership depends on attracting talented and hard-working immigrants, and on securing the country's borders in a smart, effective, and humane way.
This report finds that nuclear weapons will remain a fundamental element of U.S. national security in the near term, and makes recommendations on how to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. deterrent nuclear force, prevent nuclear terrorism, and strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
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Complete list of Task Force reports
Identifying international threats and acting on them may be the most difficult job for U.S. policymakers. This report
provides an actionable road map for managing international threats before they erupt into crises and makes a strong case that preventive action is not a luxury but a necessity.
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Complete list of Council Special Reports
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