Stephen Harper has an eye for the use of history. It's a means to illustrate a desired image. But is he concerned enough about actual history? He spoke yesterday about creating the notion that conservatism is something that has an exclusive hold on certain elements of the Canadian identity - yet does so quite openly without firm footing in the facts. How unsatisfactory. Consider this:

He said in the last two decades there's been a broad embrace of policies once considered the domain of conservatives, from free trade to balanced budgets and spending restraint. "We saw the Liberal Party in the 1990s flip its positions on all these issues and adopt small c-conservative positions," Mr. Harper said. But there's also been a revival of pride in ideas and entities that conservatives have traditionally backed, Mr. Harper said, meaning not just policies and organization that Liberals and New Democrats say defines Canada. "Not just [in] things like Medicare and the [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] but [also] in our national military and other institutions," he said.

So, did you know that fiscal prudence and military honour are "conservative" values? Never mind that a conservative Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, increased the national debt more than any other leader or that provincial Conservative parties from Nova Scotia to Ontario to Saskatchewan led sometimes scandalously mismanaged governments, leaving records of debt and even jail terms. Never mind that Canadians of all stripes both answered the call and Liberals guided Canada's hand in military affairs in our darkest hours - Chris Taylor has the right read on politicizing the forces. Never mind it was a Tory who brought in the CBC and minimum wage and other socialist programs when they were needed. And it was the Grit MacKenzie King who led the fight against the Nazis and our Conservative Prime Minister Borden who understood the need to have a Unity government of both Liberals and Conservatives in WWI's toughest times.

Strange to see Stephen Harper take the credit for these things solely for his own kind. The good values of good governance, honouring one's duty are values all Canadians aspire to and some, regardless of party affiliation, achieve. Any half-way able opposition leader would run up and down him with the facts and leave him nothing but breathless. We do not live in those days, however. Sadder still is the lack of necessity as the Prime Minister could state instead that he seeks to capture the values held dear by all Canadians and to govern guided by those good principles. A missed opportunity to tell actual history and weave it into his own story...and his within it.

Other News For Day 8:

• Nuttin' yet.