The Shifting Balance of Power

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just announced a new ambassador to Washington: Gary Doer, who will resign as the New Democratic Party premier of Manitoba. The NDP of course is Canada’s left-most party, although Doer is a relatively centrist NDPer as they go. Back when Republicans were important, Harper sent one of Canada's leading conservatives: Michael Wilson, a close friend of George Shultz, and a legendarily tough on spending former finance minister. The steely-eyed Harper has apparently assessed however that the Dems are going to be running the show for some time. So he has suppressed his own inclinations and sent to Washington someone who can speak the language of Pelosi and Obama. Just another example of how the implosion of the GOP has ramifying implications for conservatives around the world.