Straight Talk

Former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper issues scathing denunciation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

He thinks that Putin needs to be "sanctioned, excluded, and punished at every turn"

by Charlie Smith on February 24th, 2022 at 7:22 AM
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      In a relatively rare move since leaving office, former prime minister Stephen Harper has issued a public statement about an international issue.

      "The Putin regime used recent years of well-intentioned Western outreach and dialogue to his full advantage," Harper declared. "But the lessons of 1938 remain true today.

      "There can be no further compromises; no naive 'resets' or diplomatic niceties," he continued. "Dictators must be dealt with like all bullies; with resolute unity and force."

      Harper, who was prime minister from 2006 to 2015, also stated that Putin's "territorial conquest" must never be recognized.

      "Putin and his gang must be treated like the full global pariahs they have chosen to become," the former prime minister stated. "They must be sanctioned, excluded, and punished at every turn.

      "Ukraine must be re-armed and re-supplied for self defence. And NATO allies, all countries who have in the past risen to defend freedom and human rights from darkness and dictatorship, must stand ready to honour their full treaty commitments."

      Harper's statement stands in sharp contrast to former U.S. president Donald Trump's recent description of Putin as a "genius".

      Another high-profile U.S. right winger, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, has also described Putin in gentle terms as he amassed a massive amount of firepower near Ukraine's boundary, calling the situation as a "border dispute".

      To Democrats, Carlson asserted, "anything less than hatred for Putin is treason".

      Meanwhile, Alberta premier Jason Kenney has called for "a hard global embargo of all Russian oil & gas imports".

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