Just days before the May 2 federal election, WikiLeaks released over 1,800 diplomatic cables related to Canada today.

The documents include critical comments of Canada’s approach to aboriginal land claims and Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s crime agenda.

A cable dated January 22, 2010 and signed by U.S. ambassador to Canada David Jacobson was critical of Harper's stance on crime.

The cable states that while the Conservatives “continue to trumpet their crime agenda,” the government passed only three out of its 17 justice bills in 2009.

“The Conservatives have used the crime agenda to great effect, and have made it an essential part of their ”˜brand’, in spite of the fact that they have not actually passed most of their proposed crime and security legislation,” Jacobson wrote.

The ambassador was particularly critical of the implementation of the Truth in Sentencing Act.

“The PMO apparently provided no explanation why it will end up waiting four months to enact its own sentencing credit law, but the delay has not prevented the PM from using crime – and the bill – as a partisan issue and to prep for imminent Senate appointments,” he wrote.

Jacobson was also critical of the Liberals in another cable from January 5, 2010 titled "Liberals Chart Renewal in 2010."

He wrote that "the Liberals' muted response to PM Harper's late December prorogation of Parliament...suggests a lack of energy and hands-on leadership (Michael Ignatieff reportedly remains on vacation in France)."

He went on to say that the Liberals "face a tough road ahead if they hope to beat the Conservatives in the next federal election."

Another cable from the U.S. embassy in Ottawa dated August 21, 2009 indicates the border conflict between the Canada Border Services Agency and the Mohawk community of Akwesasne highlighted the “lack of clarity” between federal and provincial governments and Canada’s aboriginal populations.

The cable states that “lack of a standard model for resolving comprehensive land claims, self-government agreements, and the absence of a clear legal definition of what constitutes an ”˜aboriginal right’ have resulted in complex multi-year negotiations, a significant claims backlog, and friction between aboriginal communities and the federal and provincial governments."

The document indicates that "slow progress on self-government and land claims pose ongoing human rights challenges."

"As long as Canada lacks a clear legal definition of aboriginal titles and rights, effective mechanisms to resolve First Nations grievances in a timely manner will remain elusive," it reads.

Another diplomatic cable, dated February 29, 2008, indicates the Conservative government delayed introducing a copyright bill due to public opposition.

According to the document, former industry minister Jim Prentice told former U.S. ambassador David Wilkins that some Conservative cabinet ministers and MPs opposed tabling a copyright bill in 2008 “because it might be used against them in the federal election”.

Today’s release of cables will be followed by thousands more over the coming days, according to WikiLeaks.