Stephen Harper the only true leader

Ok, I missed the debates last night, I admit it. Instead I volunteered with youth to hopefully impart wisdom, accountability, leadership, and citizenship. Hopefully, I played a small part in helping to turn this young men and women into future leaders.

It is too bad that Stephane Dion, Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe, and Elizabeth May couldn't have learned a bit of leadership, humility, and humanity. It would help them actually be a leader in the true sense of the word. Instead they are merely the heads of their respective parties.

What do I mean by this?

Each of the other opposition leaders said a few nice words and then attacked the recipient of the compliment.
"He's a professor like me. He's an honest man," Layton said looking directly at Dion. "Unfortunately his party, for 13 years, didn't have a stellar record."

May said Harper was "a good father. Your kids are lovely and I think that your efforts for Canada are based on your principles but obviously I feel your principles will change Canada and take Canada in a dangerous direction."

The most awkward moment fell to Dion, a fierce and often dismissive critic of the separatist cause, who had to say something nice about Duceppe.

"I think he does his best to help Quebecers. We disagree with the means, of course, but we're working towards the same goal," Dion said. "Mr. Duceppe is right when he says he doesn't want Mr. Harper to get a majority government but I think he's lacking ambition. We need a progressive government to work for all Canadians and that's what the Liberal party can offer."

Contrast that with what Stephen Harper said:
"I can say good things about Jack," Harper said and then rhymed off several initiatives, such as the accountability act, the residential school apology, and the motion recognizing Quebec as a nation within a united Canada, on which both leaders work. "You did a lot of good work with the government. You're honest and I do appreciate that."

No attack against Jack Layton. Just an honest compliment from an honest man.

A strong leader can see the good characteristics in their opponents, a strong leader can separate the person from the policies, a strong leader recognizes that people can strongly believe in their principles and believe that they are doing the best for their country.

A weak leader calls people names, smears them, and otherwise attacks them at a personal level.

All leaders have done this in the heat of the moment in question period, but it is good to see Stephen Harper rise above the fray and show the example and act like a Prime Minister.

We're better off with Harper