Posted on 02/26/2005 1:12:18 PM PST by NorthOf45
Opposition hammers Liberals on missile decision
CTV.ca News Staff
February 26, 2005
Opposition MPs hammered the Liberal government on Friday about why Parliament wasn't consulted in the decision to not join the U.S missile defence program.
"The prime minister broke his promise to Parliament when he said there would be a vote," an angry NDP leader Jack Layton told the House of Commons during question period.
"Who's going to resign over this fiasco?"
Conservative Deputy Leader Peter MacKay, echoed frustrations that Paul Martin's government had acted without bringing the issue before Commons.
"The minister of defence, as recently as Tuesday, said any decision about missile defence would be discussed with members of the House," MacKay reminded the Liberals.
"While the marginalized minister of defence was assuring us of this, the foreign affairs minister was telling Condoleezza Rice we wouldn't participate."
MacKay demanded answers why Parliament was "so out of the loop."
Keith Martin, the parliamentary secretary for defence, said the Liberals only promised to bring the matter to Parliament "when there was an agreement to be signed. And there's no agreement."
After Martin announced his decision about the program on Thursday, reaction was stern and swift from Washington.
U.S. ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci said that from now on, the U.S. will decide when to fire at incoming missiles over Canadian territory. "We will deploy. We will defend North America," Cellucci said.
"We simply cannot understand why Canada would, in effect, give up its sovereignty -- its seat at the table -- to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada."
Shortly before Friday's question period, a defiant Martin said Canada would have to give permission before any missiles are fired over our airspace.
"We would expect to be consulted," Martin told reporters in Ottawa. "This is our air space. We're a sovereign nation and you don't intrude on a sovereign nation's air space without seeking permission."
But his strong words did little to blunt criticism and skepticism in the House.
Conservative MP Gordon MacKay said the prime minister's insistence on being consulted is "delusional."
"How can the prime minister realistically believe the U.S. will consult him?"
Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew also faced questions on Canada AM about shooting down a missile that might be in Canadian air space.
Pettigrew called it a "hypothetical question" and said Canada's defence policy is aimed at making sure that scenario never happens.
"We have identified our priorities in defence and security," Pettigrew said. "We believe that we should not contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons."
Also on Canada AM, Wall Street Journal reporter John Harwood said Canada will pay a price for not signing on to missile program, and the most likely area affected could be trade.
"One ramification of this is potentially some added tension on one of the other issues affecting Canada-U.S. relations, especially trade."
Harwood said on the surface, little will change, but Paul Martin's decision could spark a slow burn with the Bush administration.
"What this underscores is that there are limits to the fence mending that the president is trying to do with Canada and with countries in the European Union."
Well, I'm for one glad to see the conservative party fight the liberals on that. I read on some articles from people who blamed Harper for Dithers failing to show some real leadership, like what the hell?
I think the majortity are behind Martin. Polls in Canada are against missile defense. Good thing is that the US does not need Canada to deploy missile defense so MArtin's "no" does not mean much.
Martin is a buffoon if he expects the US to consult him.
Yah, I agree.
Enough are behind him for him to be elected PM. A solidly dumb move by a solidly dumb leftist though. I'm glad they are raising cain over this, but of course, only a good lefty really knows what is good for the people, so it doesn't really matter what the opposition says.
What Martin has to say about US firing a missile over Canada to stop incoming is pretty irrelevant. Of course if a missile is coming our way we will try to stop it and deal with Canada later on, Harshly, if thats what they want.
To be honest Canada seems to have a crazy mission to become irrelevant.
Insofar as any consultation can be done on any matters related to the defense of North America, that has to be done before the attacks are underway. Without Canada having consulted with us, whenever there's a choice between the debris of a downed missile hitting Montreal, which is of little importance to US interests, or hitting Hydro Quebec, from which we get much of our power, Montreal is going to bite the big one every single time.
Will the Frenchies vote one more time for a guy who would so quickly sell them out?
"I think the majortity are behind Martin. Polls in Canada are against missile defense."
Martin was in favour of missile defense when he ran for leader of the party.
He and Chretien could have opted out when Clinton was President. Chretien and Clinton were golfing buddies, still are.
Martin did nothing. He was in favour of it, never really said anything about it. Martin could teach John Kerry flip flopping skills.
The only news stories ever really written about it were reporting of wild eyed NDP, Bloc Que, Carolyn Parrish types ranting about the "weaponization of space". The media in Canada is all lefty with a few exceptions like Sun Media or the National Post.
Thus: Joe Sixpack in Canada really knows very little about missile defense. Polls may show a majority now against...
But where was Martin? Dithering as usual.
He could have used the pulpit to speak up for that which he supported and was still alive because he and Chretien kept Canada's participation alive for years. Polls often move and could easily be in this case.
While I am a card carrying supporter of Stephen Harper, I don't think he did much to speak out and do anything to move opinion either. I don't doubt that if he were PM we would still be in missile defense, but he wasn't going to ever fight an election over the issue.
The political class in Canada has no guts.
The Liberals, NDP and Bloc don't like Bush, never will. And if they can label Harper as too cozy with the USA they'll bury him.
This ends up being another gratuitous dig at the USA that will cost Canada for years.
The damn thing was only on the table because the Liberals and Martin et al and Clinton put it on the table, were in favour of long ago, and were still in favour until recently.
We have a world class "flip flopper" here, the likes of which would have John Kerry spun in circles.
We just consulted you, you refused to take responsibility for "your air space", now the US will make the call.
HINT:
The aerospace industry in Canada is mainly in Quebec.
Let your congress critters know.
liberalism = hipocrisy
More here ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1351730/posts
It's not like Canada could do anything about it. They would have to be able to shoot down our missle to be anything other than a bystander. Their government reminds me of junior-high-school student council.
There was a time that the Liberal Party of Canada fought and won an election over US missile placement (BOMARCS).
There was even a time that Pierre Elliot Trudeau allowed Cruise Missile testing in Canada, going against the polls.
There was a time the Liberals lost an election over their support of free trade.
"If we are forced to shoot down an enemy or terrorist missile headed for US territory, and if it happens to fall to earth on Canadian sovereign territory, will be happy to dispose of the pieces if they will just deliver them to the nearest border crossing".
Any possibility of shooting one of our anti-missle missles at anything aimed at Canadian territory should be reviewed on a case by case basis at the time of occurance.
It looks like the only decision the Canadian government will get is how to clean up the missile debris that end up littering their territory.
I get a kick how I post an article that obviously points out that Martin doesn't speak for all of Canada on this issue. But, there are still many here who beat their chest and say screw Canada. It's not about Canada as a whole ... it's about the libs interfering with everything that would be beneficial to our country ... just as the dems would do in the US.
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