Repair Canada-U.S. rift, think-tank tells Martin

OTTAWA - The most urgent priorities facing prime minister-in-waiting Paul Martin is to repair Canada's relationship with Washington and implement swift reforms to the parliamentary system, including the election of Senators, says a leading think-tank headed by a close associate of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

The Public Policy Forum, run by David Zussman -- a key private sector advisor to Mr. Chrétien -- surveyed 75 senior executives across the country and concluded Canada's role in the world has "diminished" over the last decade under Mr. Chrétien's rule.

Mr. Martin was urged to lead an early trip to Washington accompanied by Canada's premiers and territorial leaders as a kind of "rapid symbolic action" that will signal to both Canadians and Americans that the new Liberal government intends to work more energetically at the U.S. relationship.

"Participants felt clearly that Canada's status or influence has diminished," said the report. "For instance, we have a vital and strategic relationship with the United States, yet we have allowed that relationship to deteriorate in recent years."

Mr. Martin has said he wants to improve Canada-U.S. relations, but the timing of a meeting with President Bush will be dependent on whether Mr. Chrétien stays in office until February.

The influential think-tank said the new Martin government must focus on Canada-U.S. relations with the same resolve that the former finance minister did in eliminating the $42-billion deficit.

The business leaders cited anti-American remarks and certain legislative initiatives that have raised the ire of the Bush administration. Several Liberal MPs and Cabinet ministers have made disparaging remarks about President Bush, while Mr. Chrétien has criticized Mr. Bush's right-wing social policies and massive tax cuts.

The Bush administration has also complained about Canada's plan to decriminalize marijuana, the lack of funding for the military and expressed displeasure at Canada's outspoken refusal to co-operate in the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The Policy Forum recommended Mr. Martin create regular bilateral contacts with the U.S. administration and seek annual meetings with the President, and called for greater parliamentary contact with Congress.

"Creating a positive personal context is critical when dealing with a superpower," the report said, an idea that was adopted by former prime minister Brian Mulroney, but repudiated by Mr. Chrétien.

Insiders say Mr. Martin understands a positive relationship with the President is essential to achieving foreign policy objectives as Mulroney was able to do on free trade and acid rain during the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr.

Mr. Martin was urged to begin a comprehensive review of foreign policy and to focus on Canada's underfunded and over-worked Armed Forces, particularly ageing equipment, poor pay and living conditions of rank-and-file troops.

"There was particular frustration and some embarrassment over the state of the Canadian Forces," the report said.

In a move long sought by the Canadian West, the Policy Forum said senators should be appointed only after being elected through a provincially recognized process, an idea adopted by Mr. Mulroney but rejected by Mr. Chrétien when he came to power in 1993.

The report said Mr. Martin must clean up the patronage system and depoliticize appointments to government boards and agencies and called for immediate proposals to give greater powers to parliamentary committees.

"Any observer of Parliament today would come away with a long list of reasons not to run for public office.... Parliament has lost its effectiveness as a check on the power of the executive," the report said. "Political appointments are another area where the old back-room style no longer fits with the thinking of the country."

Mr. Martin has said a major goal is to address the "democratic deficit" by giving backbench MPs more of a role in shaping government policy and scrutinizing federal spending.

The report said there are "far too many examples of mismanagement with no apparent consequences" to bureaucrats and expressed concern about the quality of the public service and its growing inability to attract and keep talent.

Canada hitched their wagon to the French and their buddy Saddam Hussein, why come to America? They should go to France to continue their efforts to oppose and counterbalance the United States. I am sure that the frogs will protect Canada in the place of the United States. The commercial climate for Canadian products in France will be superior for Canada too. It would be a win, win, win for all concerned.

"Mr. Martin was urged to lead an early trip to Washington accompanied by Canada's premiers and territorial leaders as a kind of "rapid symbolic action" that will signal to both Canadians and Americans that the new Liberal government intends to work more energetically at the U.S. relationship."

Spare me the empty symbolism.

"Participants felt clearly that Canada's status or influence has diminished," said the report. "For instance, we have a vital and strategic relationship with the United States, ->yet we have allowed that relationship to deteriorate in recent years."<-

Correction. You caused the deterioration.

"The business leaders cited anti-American remarks and certain legislative initiatives that have raised the ire of the Bush administration. Several Liberal MPs and Cabinet ministers have made disparaging remarks about President Bush, while Mr. Chrétien has criticized Mr. Bush's right-wing social policies and massive tax cuts."

No no no see.. you raised the ire of a good many Americans not just the administration. And guess what? Those 'right-wing' tax cuts are working...eh?

"The Policy Forum recommended Mr. Martin create regular bilateral contacts with the U.S. administration and seek annual meetings with the President, and called for greater parliamentary contact with Congress."

No please stay the hell away from our congress, you have proven unworthy.

->"Creating a positive personal context is critical when dealing with a superpower,"<- the report said, an idea that was adopted by former prime minister Brian Mulroney, but repudiated by Mr. Chrétien."

Oh please, how about a little graditude for living under our protective wing for 50 years?

"There was particular frustration and some embarrassment over the state of the Canadian Forces," the report said.

Which is smaller than New York cities police department, but you get what you pay for.

Sorry but I'm not buying. Your aditudes must change first. You're the ones that want to be EU-2 with your anti-American insults. I say go suck an egg.

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