Wajid Khan, MP to join Harper's team

[Abeja de Almirante]

pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?ca...=1&id=1268

Prime Minister Harper announces Special Advisor on South Asia and the Middle East
8 August 2006
Ottawa, Ontario


Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the appointment of Wajid Khan, MP, Mississauga--Streetsville as Special Advisor on South Asia and the Middle East. Mr. Khan will travel to these two regions in the coming weeks and report on medium and long-term opportunities to further Canadian engagement there in early October.

“Canada has an increasing number of interests in both South Asia and the Middle East,†the Prime Minister stated. “I am delighted Wajid Khan will be sharing his insights on future developments with the Government of Canada.â€

Wajid Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan and served in the Pakistani Airforce before moving to Canada in 1974. He has significant contacts, experience and cultural familiarity with South Asia and the Middle East. He has long been a prominent voice in the Toronto Pakistani and Muslim communities. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004.

“Canada’s commitment in Afghanistan has focused the country’s attention on these regions,†Mr. Khan said. “I support our commitment in Afghanistan and offered my services to the Prime Minister as Canada plans for the future. I will report to him on my first-hand experiences and observations from these regions.â€

Wajid Khan will work with Canadian diplomats as he travels in these regions and prepares his report.

I wish this is what had been done with Emerson, let him work with the Conservatives from the Liberal benches. Of course this new fellow might cross the floor too.

 

[Duplicitous]

If you ever listened to the fan590 you know wajid, he had commercials on 24/7 with Gord Stellick. He owns Dufferin Mazda.

 

[Mark Dowling]

Maria Minna is already lobbying for him to be tossed from the Lib caucus. Very shortsighted as it only draws more attention to the divisions in that party on this issue.

 

[afransen TO]

She's concerned that he is only a mole for Harper and therefore should not be privy to Caucus discussions. I agree with her.

Wajid fell for it... I think Harper (or his advisors at least) were trying to engineer such a situation within the Liberal party. If he was genuinely interested in Khan's help without deliberately causing trouble for the Liberals, Bill Graham would have been informed sooner than immediately before it was announced.

 

[cacruden]

It is all just partisan politics.

I do agree that it would have been politically wise(r) to offer Emerson a position in cabinet -- while remaining a Liberal... and let the Liberals argue about it....

But this is actually different. The only thing this person is doing is travelling to the region and reporting back. He holds no position in cabinet, and is not much difference than any other person in goverment being asked to perform a specific task (judges, civil servants, etc.).

If he is actually a "spy" I would be very surprised -- you don't want to let the other side know you communicate :b

This type of attitude only creates an us vs them attitude -- a political game -- where nothing other than winning over your opponent means anything.

 

[Duplicitous]

Maria Minna, former minister of everything forgetable and unimportant. I grew up on the Danforth where she represents and still keep my ears open to the old 'hood.

A clear example of electing a person who embodies the do no harm, by doing nothing - philosophy.

 

[Mark Dowling]

afransen TO

If Minna thinks Khan would tell Harper confidential information about Liberal doings then she should be calling for him to be kicked out of the party completely. It is an appalling inference to make about a fellow Liberal and she should have to back it up.

 

[afransen TO]

The stakes are high enough that to trust Khan might be dangerous. If his loyalty is in question, having insight into the strategy the Liberal party will be taking on various issues (not just Middle East) could be of enormous strategic advantage going into a possible Fall election.

You may think it's overly paranoid, but to me, Harper is the kind of politician to do this. It's obvious that this is at least partly a ploy to drive a wedge in the Liberal caucus. Of all the middle-east advisors Harper could ask, he chose a Liberal MP? Please...

 

[adma]

Hey, you can never go wrong with an obvious hairpiece

 

[Mark Dowling]

it's fair to doubt harper but why doubt Khan?

 

[afransen TO]

Oh, I don't know. It's easy to create doubt and difficult to gain trust?

 

[Duplicitous]

The stakes are high enough that to trust Khan might be dangerous. If his loyalty is in question, having insight into the strategy the Liberal party will be taking on various issues (not just Middle East) could be of enormous strategic advantage going into a possible Fall election.

This is exactly what is wrong with both the US and Canadian political systems, more emphasis on partisan and selfish objectives, less on effecting positive change and bipartisan consensus.

It is all about the Liberals, not the objective. To be fair the Conservatives, Bloc and NDP would all be as petty. But this is a glaring example of self interest before national interest.

 

[afransen TO]

I'm not satisfied that Mr. Khan is the only and best qualified middle-east advisor Harper could have asked. Surely with our large population of people of various nationalities from the Near East, Harper and his inner circle could have found someone other than a member of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Plain and simple, it was a crass and calculated political move. The fallout should reflect more poorly on the Conservatives than the Liberals.

 

[beaconer]

If you ever listened to the fan590 you know wajid, he had commercials on 24/7 with Gord Stellick. He owns Dufferin Mazda.

Yeah, that one and Sal Korman from Kory's on the Danforth (247 on the FAN).

Love when Landry does Wajid commercial spoofs.

 

[tudararms]

"Harper and his inner circle could have found someone other than a member of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Plain and simple, it was a crass and calculated political move. The fallout should reflect more poorly on the Conservatives than the Liberals."

Or people will feel he acted in a non-partisan way, in the interest of the nation over those of the party, to solicit the assistance of a qualified person. I guess on whom this will reflect poorly will be a matter of one's own blatant bias, no?