Posted on 08/26/2004 10:14:09 AM PDT by SB00
I won't apologize, Parrish says MP referred to U.S. 'coalition of idiots' in speech yesterday
SUE BAILEY CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin didn't ask Carolyn Parrish to retract her latest anti-American slur, and the maverick MP has no plans to back down, she says.
Martin phoned soon after Parrish lobbed her latest verbal grenade but didn't ask her to apologize, she said today.
"I believe in free speech and I am a colourful speaker," she said in an interview. "I occasionally will use terms that other people find bold.
"That's me, and I'm going to stop trying to fit into some cookie-cutter mould that somebody else has tried to design for me."
She made the comments as critics demanded that Martin take action.
Parrish made international headlines last year for publicly muttering: "Damn Americans, I hate the bastards."
The Toronto-area MP landed in hot water again Wednesday for calling missile defence supporters "a coalition of the idiots."
Martin publicly rebuked her, saying "there is no room in this debate for that kind of language."
Then he picked up the phone.
"He talked about options" but did not ask her to say sorry, Parrish said.
"The tone was quite business-like and acceptable," she said of the five-minute call. "He's a very nice man."
Martin's inner circle weighed in today on Parrish's comments.
"I think she should have kept her mouth shut," Immigration Minister Judy Sgro said as she arrived for a cabinet meeting.
Defence Minister Bill Graham said the remark wasn't helpful in a situation that requires "civilized discussion."
And a group that lobbies for individual rights and better government said Martin should do more.
The National Citizens' Coalition called Parrish "an intolerant, anti-American zealot" who should be pressed to apologize.
"So far Martin's response to her brainless remarks has been tepid to say the least," said vice-president Gerry Nicholls.
"It's time the prime minister made it clear to the world that Parrish does not speak for Canadians."
Parrish at first denied Wednesday that she had made the remark, and asked media not to report it.
"I did become concerned that the issue was going to be me and ... the word (`idiots')," she said today. "And I just thought: 'Ugh. Darn. Here we go again.'
"Then I settled down and gave it some serious thought and said: 'No, I'm not going to back down from this.'"
Debate over Canadian participation in the U.S. plan to build a space-based missile shield promises to be hot this fall as the minority Liberal government grapples with a divided House of Commons.
Canadians should be concerned that missile defence could speed the global weapons race and spur rogue countries to design missiles that could breach such a shield, Parrish says.
She has been speaking on the issue with little media interest until now, she said.
"Suddenly, because there's one word in there that people find very exciting, I'm getting tons of coverage. It's a criticism of the media, if I may be so bold."
Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, told the CBC that Parrish is entitled to her opinion.
"Canada is a free country, people can express their opinions how they see fit," Cellucci said in Goose Bay, Nfld.
Keep telling yourself that....lol.
When Japanese troops landed in Alaska and invaded U.S. soil, Canada sent troops planes and ships to help chase them out. The only country to invade Canada was America. The last Canadian troops killed in a combat zone were killed by you guys in Afghanistan so cut the crap.
http://www.nationalreview.com/frum/diary040104.asp
You might be interested in this recent article about the U.S minor hockey team. Also,if you count our troops in Afghanistan and our naval ships in the Gulf, I guess we did lift at least one finger. You guys really need to get over this Parrish bitch, She hates us westerners more than she hates you folks. Every time she opens her big yap, us western conservatives gain more popularity.
You beat me to it. : )
My point is that your joke implies punishing all Canadians because of what our government does. If you have a beef with liberals, take it to the liberals.
I suspect you may be thinking of Alanis Morrisette and her little act at the Junos ... commenting on the censoring of artists. It might have been Avril too, theer are many up here who have too much to say. At any rate, why would one listen to what artists have to say about politics? Are they more knowledgable than their listeners?
"Please get your facts correct before posting."
Thank you for your numbers and I have no reason to doubt them. It is unfortunate that I truly don't recall the author of the poll numbers that I posted. Be that as it may, what I previously posted were public numbers that were being circulated at the time.
AND, yes, you can still stop by for a beer, just don't bring any of that strong stuff that you people from the North drink.......that stuff makes me sick and makes for a very short night. LOL
Good deal. Many of us are disgusted by the attitudes of some eastern Canadian political activists and we do not hold these politicians in high regard out here.
I agree. And I think it was Alanis Morrisette that I had read about. Anyway, I dont want or mean to disparage all of Canada for the remarks and actions of Canadian liberals. You Canadian conservatives have it pretty rough up there to begin with.
What I take issue with is the pols and newspapers up North that want to put their 2 cents in where it doesnt belong. Case in point was when the Toronto Sun (Sun or Star? not sure what the name is) printed a column asking for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. That was a big WTF?!?! moment.
Emailed letter to Parrish office
Honorable Madam,
As a Canadian trying to hold my head up high living in the United States, working very hard to undo the ever growing animosity between the two countries, you again have put your size tens into your mouth and lowered the bar soundly like the backwoods person you appear to be..
You have a responsibility Madam to treat your office with respect as those who voted you in trusted you to do.
You are creating more and more problems between Canada and the United States and rather than relieving yourself of your hatred, you are paving the path to many jokes about you personally down the line.
I trust your term will be short-lived and the diplomats can get back to mending the fences you have so stupidly broken down.
I know for a fact many of my personal friends - rather than the "idiots" you describe have higher IQ's and educational degrees than you can ever hope to achieve.
In disgust,
Sorry - the e-mail addy is:
parric@parl.gc.ca
I took me long enough. I read that article a few times and something really bothered me about it. Well, I happen to check the date and guess what?
It was written on Apr 1. Well April Fools on me.
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