Was Harper A Young Liberal?

I was reading up on Stephen Harper in wikipedia, and was quite stunned when I saw it was written that Stephen Harper was a Young Liberal in his Highschool days.

Harper became involved in politics as a member of his high school's Young Liberals Club. He later changed his political allegiance because of the Trudeau Liberal government's National Energy Program (NEP), which he thought was harmful to Alberta's energy industry

I find this surprising, but due to wikipedia's flexability, and I wonder if this is true.

If it is indeed the case, this is quite telling. I think this demonstrates at least partially that the Young Liberals organization is a place for anyone to participate and get involved in politics.

Perhaps more telling is that Stephen Harper might still have been a Liberal if it wasn't for the National Energy Plan.

Hey Manley! When Did 4 = Everything?

It was recently announced Stephen Harper has appointed a panel to study the issue of Afghanistan. On this panel is former Liberal deputy minister, John Manley, "former clerk of the Privy Council Paul Tellier, former Tory cabinet minister Jake Epp, former Canadian consul-general in New York Pamela Wallin and Derek Burney, a long-time adviser to previous prime ministers and a former ambassador to the United States."

First off, John Manley is not smart. It could be argued John Manley is merely a hack of the Conservative Party, a dupe if you will, playing the role of a Liberal to 'determine' Stephen Harper's already decided conclusion. But I won't make such an argument, though I think it is perfectly valid. I'm not making it, because I don't have to to show John Manley is lacking of intelligence.

The very purpose of creating the panel is:

to examine four options including the status quo; complete withdrawal from Afghanistan; a transfer to another region of the country; or refocusing efforts on reconstruction that would allow for a new military contingent from another country to take the Canadian combat role.

That being said, "Mr. Manley made it clear he wouldn't be restricted to the four broad policy options enumerated by the Prime Minister. 'Everything is on the table,' Mr. Manley said."

So John Manley joined a panel that is limited to study four options, a panel created to study four options, and he thinks 'Everything is on the table'? John Manley should really just join the Conservative Party. Since I'm sure Manley knows from the outset that the Conservatives favour changing the definition of marriage, staying in Afghanistan for four decades, economic values trump social ones, and that freedoms are trivial; but Manley doesn't have to worry that he may be limited to those interests.....because "Everything is on the table."