[TastyManatees]

Please read the entire piece.

It's author, Lawrence Martin, considers himself a pretty smart guy and an expert on U.S./Canadian relations. He has quite a wide readership. I won't comment on the immature, uneducated arrogance it takes to publish something like this when your Prime Minister has to come hat in hand to beg from the President of the United States...and plans on doing so again in the near future.

Tasty Manatees

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

How revolting. Thanks for posting it. A nice reminder of why half that country speaks French.

[TastyManatees]

Ping.

[SolutionsOnly]

I used to be very pro-Canada in the very recent past, so I find myself a bit surprised at how easy typing 'Screw Canada!' comes off my fingertips. It's kind of a shame, but it is what it is.

[mitchbert]

Lawrence Martin is a snooty and arrogant writer who sees nothing but what his own irrational disdain of America wants him to see. That being said, note that PM Paul Martin (no relation, I'm pretty sure) is no Chretien by any stretch. He became very wealthy as head of Canada Steamship Lines and has many strong business connections to the U.S. and is sidelining the ignorant Chretienites who mewl about the U.S. like a bunch of jealous crybabies.

His people have had contact with Bush's people for some time before the change in leadership here. He's already making moves to undo some of the damage wrought on our military by Chretien's fools and is dropping the rediculous "Canada as a moral leader" BS that was so prominent with the Chretien era. Also recall that while he lived in Quebec (not unrealistic for the business he was in) he hails originally from Windsor, Ontario (across the border from Detroit) so he doesn't share the smug arrogance common to native French Quebecers.

There's absolutely nothing in his political or personal makeup that would suggest that he won't actively try to repair the damage in relations Chretien seemed so proud of.

All this being said, he's still a Liberal and I hardly can see myself voting for him, but until the (new) Conservative Party gets it's feet on the ground we're probably stuck with him. Frankly, if we have to be stuck with a Lib gov't I'd rather have him heading it than any of the alternatives. At least he lives in the real world and knows what it's like to make a payroll. Chretien sat in the House of Commons for 40 years and was driven by nothing more than raw political ambition.

Interestingly, Martin kiboshed all of Chretien's pet projects immediately upon taking office. In a further (and pleasant) surprise he immediately announced an accelerated agenda to replace our military's aging and decrepid Sea King helicopters, a program Chretien famously cancelled immediately upon gaining office. This was a hard slap in the face to Chretien. These two men never liked each other. Should be interesting to watch.

[Snuffington]

God, Canadians are stupid. (Heh, heh)

[Graymatter]

I just read every word on the page you linked, and enjoyed it immensely.

[Billthedrill]

Condescending twit, isn't he? Mr. Martin can characterize this as a chastened, intellectually inferior Bush bowing to the clear moral and mental superiority of his northern neighbor if it makes him feel better. It certainly doesn't matter to Bush...or to me.

[headsonpikes]

Lawrence Martin is Paul Martin's Monica Lewinsky.

Lawrence Martin - Journalist-Fellator.

But it's okay - he gets paid to do it.

[hershey]

This guy's got a hugh inferiority complex, and no wonder. It must be hard to live right next door to the US.

[jagrmeister]

LOL. This is so simple-minded and pompous, I can't help but laugh. Paul Martin came hat in hand and Bush tossed him a nickel. Let's see if Martin behaves. If not, he'll be an another irrelevant world figure unable to engage the world's sole superpower.

[wayoverontheright]

Bush's concession to Martin was only partially about Canada, it was also a message to the people of France and Germany that if you replace those fools you are now saddled with, then something good may well happen to you.