Canadians in Lebanon: Can Stephen Harper Weather the Storm?

If we ever needed good news it is this week. The mainstream media is full of the conflict in Lebanon, rockets going back and forth. There might be other people getting killed in the Congo and the Darfur region of the Sudan, but you’d never know it. Anything to do with the “middle east” gets play in the western media.

                                               Chittigong Hill Tracts Near Bandarban, Bangladesh


No, this is not East West. The last time I heard form Enamul he was in Osaka working his way home. However, the events of the last couple of weeks in Israel and Lebanon are having some big political reverberations here in Canada. With 50,000 Canadians in Lebanon, the Harper government faces its first big international test. What should they do? What should they do next?

Unfortunately nothing can help 7 Canadians who died in the conflict last week. Israel released a statement from their embassy expressing “deep sorrow.” That will be little solace to the Montreal family who are grieving over their loss. Stephen Harper’s support for Israel before the G-8 summit seems a bit premature now. With Canadians dead from Israeli bombs, Stephen Harper needs to shift his tone.

That seems to be happening. What we have happening now is a modern day “Dunkirk”. The Canadian government has leased six commercial ships, which could be used to transport as many as 4500 people a day out of Lebanon. The hope is to get them out on harm’s way into Cyprus.

Sounds spooky to me. The logistics of such a nightmare for a small country like Canada are steep. Who’s captaining the boat? What role would the military have in such a rescue mission? Would Canadians have to pay for such a rescue?

The list goes on and on. However, Canadians are still stranded in a war zone. Foreign Affairs Minister Peter McKay goes on television telling Canadians to register with the embassy and check their web site. Canadians hunkered down in a daily barrage wonder what’s up with that?

The politics surrounding this are scurrilous. Former NDP leader Alexa McDonough chimed in on the mess in Lebanon by saying Stephen Harper should have been anticipating some of this instead of trying to please George W. Bush. At a time when 50,000 Canadians are in danger, I couldn’t believe that attitude. It would seem Canadians are cutting the Harper government some slack on this one.

Not so if the Liberals were still in power. Something tells me if the Libs were in power everybody and their dog would be criticizing their moves on behalf of stranded Canadians. They got criticized for their effort when the Tsunami struck. This wouldn’t be much different. If the Conservatives aren’t successful in getting Canadians out, there will be hell to pay in the political world.

You might ask what are 50,000 Canadians doing in Lebanon when a war is going on? Well, there wasn’t a war going on last week at this time. However, this isn’t the most peaceful neighourhood in the world. Anybody that goes there needs to weight the risks.

I do that when I travel. No, I’ve never been to the “middle east.” I’ve never been to a war zone. However, I’ve been in some dodgy places. Canadians should be wary wherever you travel. Taking precautions only makes sense.

Let me give you an example. As many of you know I’ve traveled on three different occasions to visit my friend and colleague Dr. A.K. Enamul Haque. In Bangladesh security is always on Enamul’s mind. He doesn’t go anywhere with his family unless its secure. In fact his home is behind an iron gate secured by guards.

I’m sure I cause him security nightmares when I’m there. I mean how do you hide a big white guy in the middle of Dhaka? It’s pretty hard and I’m sure I’ve stood out many times.

One such time was on our way to the Chittagong Hill Tracts near the Burmese border. The region is known for its beautiful hills and topography but also for an indigenous insurrection against the Bangladeshi government. Tourists have only recently been allowed to visit.

So along comes me in 2003. We are stopped at a roadblock and I’m asked to get out of the car and “register” with the police. My passport is taken and I’m escorted to a desk to sign papers. Long story short, I get through that and enjoy a beautiful stay at a nice hotel in the nearby town.

A month later after I’m home armed insurgents storm the hotel and capture its manager and hold him hostage. Think about it? What would I have done if those armed insurgents had found me? Call Stephen Harper? Check the web site to see if I was registered?

The bottom line is I would be on my own and I couldn’t really expect the Canadian government to do a lot about it. I understand that long before I ever go there.

Sure Lebanon is different. 50,000 Canadians can’t be all wrong. However, that part of the world isn’t known for its good neigbours policy. Taking responsibility for yourself in foreign lands should always be top drawer. Getting out this time may be a challenge.