Facing a crisis, Harper instructs MPs to be less confrontational

BRIAN LAGHI AND STEVEN CHASE



From Thursday's Globe and Mail



November 19, 2008 at 10:08 PM EST



OTTAWA — After three years of leading one of the most combative federal governments in recent memory, Stephen Harper is telling his MPs that it's time they take the high road.



MPs and officials across government were given marching orders by the Prime Minister recently and told to shelve the aggressive ways of the first term in favour of a kinder, gentler attitude. It was a message, say sources, that the PM himself delivered recently to his caucus.



"He has told cabinet and caucus to stay on the high road," a senior Tory told The Globe and Mail Wednesday. "However, we are not to be punching bags. We are advised to respond in a firm, fair, factual way."



The PM, according to one senior government member, told MPs that women in the caucus are particularly good at verbally sparring with opposition members without coming off as too combative.



Since being re-elected in October, the Tories have purposely adopted a new, less confrontational attitude toward opposition MPs in the Commons, in part, experts say, because they cannot afford to be seen fighting relatively inconsequential battles while the economy falters.