Posted on 02/22/2005 1:41:08 PM PST by FYREDEUS
Despite previous denials by the federal Liberals, the next ambassador to Washington says Canada is already part of the United States' controversial missile defence program.
Speaking to reporters today in Ottawa, Frank McKenna made it clear on Canada's position on the continental missile shield.
"We are part of it now," he said, "and the question is, what more do we need?"
McKenna, who begins his job on March 1, made the comments after appearing before a Commons committee examining his appointment.
He also pointed out that Canada agreed last summer to an amendment to Norad -- North American Aerospace Defence Command -- to make its missile warning function available to the U.S. commands conducting ballistic missile defence.
"There's no doubt, in looking back, that the Norad amendment has given, has created part -- in fact a great deal -- of what the United States means in terms of being able to get the input for defensive weaponry.''
Earlier, McKenna told the foreign affairs committee he didn't know why U.S. President George Bush had publicly urged Prime Minister Paul Martin to sign onto the plan when he visited Canada late last year.
"What does 'sign on' mean?'' asked McKenna.
Martin's Liberals have consistently denied having made any decision on the U.S. missile defence program.
In Parliament's question period, the opposition demanded a clear answer regarding Canada's involvement.
Defence Minister Bill Graham continually repeated that Canada agreed to the NORAD amendment, but that "we still have yet to make any decisions in terms of ballistic missile defence. This decision will be made in accordance with Canadian needs and Canadian appreciation of our strategic interests in support of the defence of North America . . . "
"And that's all there is to it," he added.
Graham admits to sharing information with the Americans through Norad, but points out:
"That is not the same as sending a missile up to intercept another missile -- that decision will be taken in the course of good time by the Prime Minister of Canada."
CTV's Mike Duffy observed that "It's a bit like having a fire alarm system in your home... Yes, we will be watching the heavens in terms of watching for incoming threats. The Norad agreement of last August calls for that. Then, the Norad central command will make the decision on whether to fire back. We're offering our alarm system for their strategic response, they in turn will decide how to respond to it."
Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde, who is on the foreign affairs committee, said Tuesday that McKenna's comments about Canada's commitment to the missile plan were "surprising."
"It is a kind of acknowledgment that no one in the government would have wanted before to make,'' said Lalonde.
At the Liberal party's national convention in two weeks, delegates will debate resolutions calling on Canada to abstain from the missile shield program.
The U.S. missile defence system has been plagued with problems.
In mid-February, a test of the system failed, when an interceptor missile did not launch from its island base in the Pacific Ocean. A similar problem occurred during a launch in December.
Before the Dec. 15 launch, it had been two years since a test had been conducted. The success rate previously was five-for-eight.
With files from The Canadian Press
It seems even Liberals can see the obvious benefit of participating in North American ballistic missile defence.
GOOD NEWS! we're IN! [but lets pretend not to be completely in just yet eh?]...or ARE WE?
Is this perhaps ONLY a 'test balloon' for the Libs?
McKenna 'leaks' then, depending on the degree of hue and cry from the pink-press and public, our ever-courageous PM either chickens out and backpedals citing Grahams comments to indicate 'we never REALLY agreed to THAT MUCH involvement' or if apparent public tolerance or acceptance of the idea shows he can get away with it quietly [re?]commits this country to full participation eh?
Well even if its a test ballon lets hope the ultimate result is the LATTER.
Canada's just pissed because they are the drop zone when we intercept the ones coming over the pole.
Paticularly when taken into consideration that the other plan has all eight cities being destroyed.
"We're offering our alarm system"
????? Excuse me? We pay for those radar sites and we man those sites with U.S. forces. Your alarm system indeed.
^rolling eyes^
LOL!!!
Most Canadians live within 100 miles of the U.S. border...so if you intercept them in Canadian airspace over our Pole [thanks by the way for recognizing that the pole is in Canada because some Scandinavians dont] then we probably wont mind TOO much ;-)
We really don't have a choice but to include Canada. It is simply not in our best interests to have puss oozing mutant zombies crossing the border and eating the brains of our cattle.
We would have to protect Mexico too, except no real, self-respecting country would want to attack it.
Beside that, there's no way we could stop puss oozing mutant zombies from spilling over the U.S. Mexican border. That's just conventional wisdom.
I agree...opponents who argue that "an imperfect shield is worse than no shield at all" kinda strikes me like a police officer saying he wont bother to wear his ballistic vest because it doesnt cover his head and mostly isnt rifle proof.
Those who it DOES save wont complain.
Scenario a few years hence; North Korea gets stupid or mistakenly fires eight ICBMs at San Diego, LA, Frisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Seattle, Portland and Vancouver.
How can any opponent of missile defence think it can be somehow 'worse' to SAVE Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle and Vancouver than for ALL EIGHT cities to be nuked???
Such people's mindsets are simply incomprehensible to me.
I grew up in the projected blast radius :-( of a DEW Line base during the 'Bad Ol Days' and it was a Canadian Forces Base so I'd imagine we paid at least for some of its construction eh? and definitely not manned ONLY with Americans though I'd suppose our NORAD partner did have some personnel stationed there as well [I was only inside it twice and dont remember any USAF uniforms but could have missed them since I was more interested watching the big radar rotate inside the radome]
Or are you speaking of new sites being built for the new missile defence program?
LOL Duke...well we'd certainly want to eat the brains of your cattle cuz ours all have Mad Cow eh ;-)
Worse possibility; our puss oozing mutant zombie mad cows might start crossing the border instead and eating your brains...;-)...
It's February in Florida ... I thought most Canadians lived here! :)
You're right, that probably is worse, but only because we MIGHT be able to justify shooting humanoid puss oozing mutant zombies, but puss oozing mutant zombie mad cows? PETA would be all over us!
But hopefully, the cows would eat them first.
Of course, the point is moot because you're under our missile defense umbrella.
So, you're from Canada, eh? Minnesota or Michigan? ;)
Dithers changes his mind ... again:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1349059/posts
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