International done without a hitch

Let's look at priorities.

The Chinese certainly put on a spectacular 29th Olympiad this month - despite badgering from various activists, unbelievable natural disasters, terrorist attack and threats and environmental concerns.

As International Olympic Committee chairman Jacques Rogge said in classic understatement, the games were "exceptional." I guess that's Olympicese for, "ye-e-e-ha-a-a!"

The London Olympic committee, which will host the 2012 games, has its work cut out for them, starting with teaching His Worship Boris Johnson to button his jacket while performing official duties before the whole world. What an embarrassment. I hope he didn't have mustard on his shirt.

The Beijing closing, like the opening, was a work of living art. What a performance by athletes and entertainers! What a gift by the Chinese people!

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's absence didn't take anything away from the events. Attendance at such events by government leaders is optional. Had former Canadian prime minister Jean Chretien not made an issue of it, the no-show matter wouldn't have been noticed. (Chretien only went to one opening in his tenure.)

Any idea China won't give the 2010 Vancouver Games full attention and regard because of Harper’s no-show had better be reconsidered. The Chinese will go wherever and do whatever is necessary to show their athletic skills to the world and reap gold medals.

Just try to keep them away!

And, they will do business with whomever there is a deal to be made.

Chretien himself has his own major international faux pas, one that was noticed around the world at the time: he missed King Hussein's funeral.

A powerhouse in the Arab and outside worlds, His Majesty passed away in February, 1999. As luck would have it, Chretien was on vacation - skiing - and refused to go to the funeral. The global event - and there is no other word for it - rivaled the funeral ceremonies of John F. Kennedy and Sir Winston Churchill, a regal and martial spectacle bar none - both things certain elements in the Liberal party disdain.

I can't image why Chretien keeps coming out of retirement (at the 2006 Liberal Convention, the Gomery matter aftermath, and now the Olympic comments). And, the Liberals make the error of responding to him.

It's not that the Liberals can't be pragmatic. With then prime minister Paul Martin, Harper's immediate predecessor, the party appeared to get back to its solid, realist and realistic roots.

Martin set out to establish better relations with the Americans, including taking up the cause of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) - at least in order to share in the technology and economic benefits. He attempted to set up a new international forum in order to solidify Canada's place in the world. He started the current Canadian military build-up.

The old Trutopian elements succeeded in poleaxing much of Martin's work, especially when it came to the Americans and BMD - an easy thing, with George W. Bush in office. The military reconstitution, far overdue and popular, remained for Harper to seize.

With talk of an election this fall, we can only wonder which Liberal party Harper's Tories will be facing: the Trutopian residue or the Martin blue Liberals (of which Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison was one).