My Foriegn Policy...

I am not sure what to think about this

On the one hand, I have some serious problems in the subtle language changes.

On the other hand, I think the Prime Minister is the boss and Foreign Affairs should do what it is told - even if it is stupid.

I think their job is to say "doing that will be a mistake for the following reasons" and then hopefully they will listen to reason.

If they don't - the bureaucrats are NOT supposed to supplement their own views for those of the Prime Ministers' Office.

That said, this is different than other issues. Just like in America, Canadian Foreign Policy is largely directed by the Leader of the Country - hence why he/she is the leader. They have advisors who are experts on every area - they are, after all, on the groud. That is their job.

Foreign affairs is, however, very different than other domestic policy issues. It really does work like a symphony - with several different pieces playing different roles/harmonies. In fact, Canada has often been a foreign policy arm of OTHER countries since WW1, and even before.

My personal view is that the PM has a larger strategy on any given suite of issues - and he knows that changing language whittles away certain assumptions about existing policy. They aren't all dummies, you know.

Do I agree with the changes in language in the cited article? I don't know - I am sure there is a reason behind it - I hope it isn't like what Mr. Bush did with foreign aid funding an foreign domestic abortion policy - but it might be.

And while I disagree with it - that is their policy decision to make.