There's a bit of a furor going on right now between Stephen Harper and Hu Jintao due to some remarks by Harper on China's human rights record. Subsequently, China has stomped it's feet and cancelled a meeting between the two leaders. Meanwhile, Harper has said that he won't "sell out to the almighty dollar", exchanging values on human rights for the value of potential trade.

Well excuse me Mr. Prime Minister, but you are a fucking hypocrite (as usual). I remember in the dying days of our much-underrated Liberal government, the Liberals were constantly lambasted by the Conservatives for criticizing the Bush administration and refusing to cooperate with the "war on terror". Jean Cretien and Paul Martin were labeled as "anti-American"; criticized as eroding Canada's closest ally and potentially damaging trade.

Well fancy that! Here we are in the present and we find now-Prime Minister Stephen Harper damaging relations with another huge trading partner, and acting like he's the God-damn champion of Canadian ethics.

Now, far be it for me to defend China, of all countries. But when you're a head of state you have to learn a little diplomacy when it comes to criticizing the internal policies of your neighbors. Otherwise, they won't talk to you at all and nothing gets done. Any reputable head of state knows this... unless of course you're some Albertan economist who heads a lame-duck government that the majority of people didn't vote for.