Stephen Harper
© The Canadian Press/Adrian WyldCanadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivers his address to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Thursday January 26, 2012.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper used his speech at the World Economic Forum, Thursday, as a means to outline his government's plans in the month's to come.

As reported in the Globe and Mail, Harper vowed "major transformations" including a change on how Canadians finance their retirement. He will overhaul the immigration system. He will make oil and gas exports to Asia a "national priority" and aggressively pursue free trade in India and Europe.

While what he said was quite significant, it's where he said it that's leaving some scratching their heads.

NDP finance critic Peter Julian says that was very disrespectful to Canadians.

"(It's) particularly very disrespectful to Canadian seniors to roll out this type of speech among the world's billionaires in Davos rather than addressing us here as home," Julian told Yahoo! Canada News.

"Seniors are very concerned about the lines in the speech that dealt with pensions.

"I don't know (why he made those announcements in Davos). It's profoundly disrespectful. I can't presume to know what's in his mind. All I know is that these are not things he raised in the Federal election campaign. He promised to be moderate; he promised to be collaborative. We're certainly seeing that the sweater vests are off now."

York University political scientist Dr. Dennis Pilon says what we're seeing here is a "trend of contempt for Parliament from the Harper Conservatives."

"Harper makes important statements elsewhere because he really doesn't care what anyone but his supporters think," he told Yahoo! Canada News.

"They know they can do pretty much anything they want until the next election and don't see any reason to pretend that they are listening to the opposition or their opponents in civil society."

The prime minister's office did not respond to an email requesting comment.