Posted on 11/29/2004 7:13:33 AM PST by youngtory
Opposition leaders won't be welcome at any of U.S. President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Paul Martin's handful of meetings Tuesday. Both NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe have been all but frozen out of the president's two-day visit.
A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office said the Bloc and NDP's written requests to meet with Bush will be turned down.
"This is a government-to-government relationship," the official said. "That is protocol."
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will get a brief opportunity to meet Bush on Tuesday, but only because rules require it, the official said.
Layton accused the PMO of pushing aside opposition leaders in an attempt to shield Bush from having to address touchy issues like ballistic missile defence.
FORMAL REQUEST
Layton said together the opposition leaders represent more Canadians than Martin's Liberal party does.
"Frankly he is actively preventing the view of a majority of Canadians from being expressed to the president," he said. "I don't think that's acceptable for a minority party leader."
Layton pointed out that all opposition leaders were invited to meet one-on-one with Mexican President Vicente Fox during his state visit to Ottawa last month -- without Liberal chaperones.
A Bloc Quebecois spokesman said Duceppe sent a formal request to the U.S. embassy for a meeting with Bush, and until it's answered they still hope Duceppe will be able to speak with the president.
Bush is expected to touch down in Ottawa shortly before noon and head into a series of meetings with Martin and a working lunch.
The president will address about 700 VIPs at a dinner Tuesday night. Invitations have gone out to the premiers, cabinet ministers, opposition leaders and Canada's business elite.
Bush will head to Halifax early Wednesday and give a 30-minute speech at Pier 21, thanking Canadians who helped stranded Americans after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
I'm glad also. Bush has taken the gloves off, and he knows who our friends really are. Best of luck to your leader.
I hope Harper and Bush talk about ways to revive Canada's Conservatives. It would be great to have our governments moving in the same direction again. Hope there are a lot more of you young tories out there, and glad to see you on this forum. Keep that Free Dominion growing.
Bush would accomplish as much setting down to talk to Osama bin Laden. Nothing.
Sounds like the Canadian dealer pulled a SMACK DOWN on the fringe left. Good for him!!
I also hear that Bush will be having dinner with hundreds of people in my home town of Gatineau but only certain people are invited.
I'm glad that my leader is meeting your leader too.
( I just enjoy it when I get to call G.W. my leader:)
From an old SNL news skit: "I AM CANADA! FEAR MY WRATH!" hahaha...fear my barren tundra,more likely. I grew up about 1 hour from the Canadian border in NY, and people went to visit Canada for 2 reasons:their strippers are wilder, and marijuana is their only cash crop.
Agreed they're not relevant in Canada either because their parties don't have a chance in hell of forming the government.
Do you mean actual Town of "Gatineau" along Highway 148 or are you talking the combined municipality that includes Hull?
The combined municipalities that include Hull.
Cool area.
Take care
hawk (Kingston, Ontario)
I think it would be a terrible mistake for Bush to so much as say "Hello" to the leader of the "Bloc Quebecois" - and I think Bush's team knows that.
I wish the President had not bothered with the expense and time out of his busy days to visit Canada.
They are so energized against him, it reads like another war to be fought up north. Do people in Canada get so bored they have to have something to hate to feel alive?
He should have sent a nice Christmas Card and been done with it.... pardon me: "Holiday Card" to Canada...they don't have Christmas do they?
Our President doesn't suffer fools....
He refused to meet with Arafat...
He has put Chirac on the "to do" list...
He decided his "friendship" with Fox of Mexico, was one sided.
He has refused to bow to the corrupt U.N....
Our LEADER, is addressing the critical mission of our era - unlike the cowardly bastard Clinton, that preceeded him.
Why should he waste his valuable time listening to the brain farts of Canadian clymers?
Semper Fi
Nice post by the way.
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