Opposition leader Stephen Harper has told Fox News in the U.S. that most Canadians outside Quebec support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, despite our government's decision not to take part in the war.

In an interview with the American TV network, Harper said he endorsed the war and said he was speaking "for the silent majority" of Canadians. Only in Quebec, with its "pacifist tradition," are most people opposed to the war, Harper said.

"Outside of Quebec, I believe very strongly the silent majority of Canadians is strongly supportive," the Canadian Alliance leader says.

In a segment to be broadcast across the U.S. and in 41 countries Friday night and repeated on the weekend, Harper says Ottawa's position on the war is hypocritical.

"We have a government here that says Saddam Hussein is a war criminal and maintains diplomatic relations with him during the conflict," he said.

"We have a government that says they're not supportive of the conflict but it becomes more and more obvious that we have Canadian soldiers and sailors involved in the conflict."

Harper has led the criticism in recent weeks over Prime Minister Jean Chretien's refusal to back the U.S. in its efforts in Iraq. On Thursday, the House of Commons debated a motion Harper tabled that called on Ottawa to back the U.S. in its war in Iraq and apologize for a slew of anti-American comments made by senior Liberals.

Harper told the House that Canada's position "diminishes only us," and added, "We are lucky to have the Americans as our neighbour, ally and friend.

"They are our biggest asset in this very dangerous world," said the Alliance leader.

Deputy Prime Minister John Manley told the House Canada's "thoughts and prayers" are with the U.S. but said the decision not to go to war is "consistent with decades of Canadian policy."

"It was our hope that by authorizing greater time for inspections that a broader consensus could emerge in the international community that it was necessary for the use of force," Manley said.

"We have stood apart because we believe it is the Security Council of the United Nations that ought to take responsibility for authorizing force."

Despite the fact that Canada isn't participating, Manley says Canada and the U.S. have "remained steadfast allies."

"Canada stands with its friends even if we cannot engage with them in this conflict," he added.

The motion also called on the government to "express its regret and apologize for offensive and inappropriate statements made against the United States of America by certain members of this House."

Such statements included remarks by a trio of Liberals -- including Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, who last week said U.S. President George Bush had let the world down by "not being a statesman" -- have cast a further shadow on the links between the two neighbours.

The comments have raised the ire of U.S. officials, including Ambassador Paul Cellucci who slammed Canada's stance in a speech last week, and Richard Perle, an influential advisor to the Bush administration, who called Chretien a "lame duck" in an interview published Thursday in the National Post.