Harper leaves Americas summit firm on Cuban exclusion

[IcedCanuck]

My linkHarper leaves Americas summit firm on Cuban exclusion

CARTAGENA, Colombia — Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to the Summit of the Americas with the goal of bolstering valuable ties with the region, but risks leaving on a sour note because of the Conservative government's position on Cuba.

Canada and the United States have emerged as the outliers at the conference as Latin American and Caribbean countries united in the final hours in their support for Cuba's presence at future meetings.

Already, Colombia host Juan Manuel Santos has declared that Cuba's exclusion -- on the grounds it is not a democratic country -- is "unacceptable."

Ecuador and Nicaragua are simply boycotting this year's summit, and powerhouses Brazil and Argentina were threatening not to sign on to any declaration that did not address Cuba's absence.

There has also been a split between north and south over the drug trade. Many leaders have called for a new, open discussion about new solutions to drug related violence -- possibly including legalization of illicit drugs.

But Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama have said they cannot support anything but the prohibition of those substances.

Harper announced Sunday more funding to help Central American countries combat the crippling violence caused by drug cartels that has wreaked havoc in the region.

A new Canadian Initiative for Security in Central America will spend $25 million over five years to help with the training of law enforcement agencies and the providing of police equipment.

Harper's main goal at the summit has been to promote Canada as a destination for trade and investment, and to support Canadian businesses as they seek new opportunities in the region.

The Conservative government is trying to revitalize its five-year-old Americas Strategy, a policy of focused engagement in the region.

Harper will fly to Santiago at the close of the summit for an official visit to Chile.

[tdlfoto]

really disappointing, though entirely predicable.

[Dbone]

The real story was the dozen US secret service who were sent home after not paying for their prostitutes

Now, if you're going to loose your job over something such as this... at least PAY for the services provided and go out with a little dignity LOL

[IcedCanuck]

The real story was the dozen US secret service who were sent home after not paying for their prostitutes

Now, if you're going to loose your job over something such as this... at least PAY for the services provided and go out with a little dignity LOL

Damn, I didn't hear anything about that.

Edit:

Just read an article about it. Pretty funny actually.

[mazolaman]

Damn, I didn't hear anything about that.

Edit:

Just read an article about it. Pretty funny actually.

Kind of Ironic.

Prostitution is illegal (although I don't think it is in that part of Cartegena), and as soon as they get the chance to do it, they do it....

May as well take a similar attitude to the "drugs war" that is failing miserably, and turning parts of Mexico and South America in to lawless lands.

Don't get me started on the Cuban exclusion....

[randomhero1090]

Again, US does just a little bit of business with China. But not Cuba?

[sloth]

Again, US does just a little bit of business with China. But not Cuba?

I'll explain by using the ironic lawmaker defense... There are no laws that prohibit trade with China. There are laws that prohibit trade with Cuba.

And that is why we cannot do business with Cuba... it is against the law.

[danistalking]

I read in the Globe and Mail that our Prime Minister (Harper) said that the reason that they(Canada) is opposed to Cuba being included is because of a technicality which states that the countries attending the summit of the Americas must be democracies and that hopefully Cuba will be able to fit the requirements when the next summit comes around (2015 in Panama).

[tdlfoto]

I read in the Globe and Mail that our Prime Minister (Harper) said that the reason that they(Canada) is opposed to Cuba being included is because of a technicality which states that the countries attending the summit of the Americas must be democracies and that hopefully Cuba will be able to fit the requirements when the next summit comes around (2015 in Panama).

Hopefully Canada is democracy at that point too

[randomhero1090]

I'll explain by using the ironic lawmaker defense... There are no laws that prohibit trade with China. There are laws that prohibit trade with Cuba.

And that is why we cannot do business with Cuba... it is against the law.

That's too funny.

Quick side story. Back in the early 90s, there was a cement factory near my home town that wanted to burn waste as fuel. The waste was to be transported in from NY and NJ. A local state senator came to speak at my school, and I asked him about it. His response...

"There is interstate commerce and INTRAstate commerce, state senators tends to focus on INTRAstate commerce as it relates closely to the state. Next question..."