On misdirection

It's already been pointed out that Lawrence Martin's bizarre comparison between Harper and Trudeau is way off base. But just in case there was any doubt, Gordon O'Connor undercuts one of Martin's key premises, ensuring that the Cons can't be plausibly seen as nationalists in any meaningful sense:

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor says he's willing to re-open the debate on ballistic missile defence.

He says the Conservatives would be ready to re-consider the issue if the Americans once again invited Canadian participation in the plan, which is designed to use a limited number of missiles to screen against small-scale attacks from terrorists or rogue states.

O'Connor says the government would have to consider the benefits to Canada of joining the program, but the final choice would be made after a debate and vote in Parliament.

It's hard to see what O'Connor thinks the Cons stand to gain by bringing up the issue again. It's been well-reported that even key American figures have said Canada is better off to stay out of the program. And there's no reasonable prospect of any of the opposition parties supporting the program.

Yet O'Connor seems determined to carry forward the wrong side of a losing issue (both in substance and in likelihood of passage). And while one can find some Trudeau-style stubbornness in the Cons' refusal to acknowledge reality, the end result is again that Harper is more than willing to take directions from Bush rather than operating by his own compass.