Posted on 03/10/2005 11:00:53 PM PST by albertabound
MP Apologizes for Anti-US Comment
Thu March 10, 2005 5:19 PM GMT-05:00 OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian member of Parliament charged with improving ties with the United States apologized on Thursday for saying "let's embarrass the hell out of the Americans in front of other countries".
The gaffe by Marlene Jennings came exactly two weeks after Canada's Liberal government irritated Washington by refusing to join the U.S. missile defense system.
Jennings -- the parliamentary secretary for Canada-U.S. relations -- reports directly to Prime Minister Paul Martin, who came to power in December 2003 saying he wanted better relations with Washington.
"I would apologize to the members in this House that my comments were a little bit exaggerated. I apologize," she told the House of Commons elected chamber of Parliament.
Jennings, who is herself half-American, accused the United States on Tuesday of refusing to adhere to trade treaties it had signed with Canada. One way to strike back, she suggested, was to shame Washington internationally.
"Let's embarrass the hell out of the Americans in front of other countries that they are attempting to negotiate with on new binational trade agreements ... let's just do it on the public scene," she told a parliamentary committee.
The opposition Conservative party, which says the Liberals have a history of needlessly antagonizing Washington, demanded that Martin fire Jennings for making her remarks at a time when the United States is blocking imports of live Canadian cattle.
"The Liberals have once again shown their anti-American bias ... This strategy is like poking someone in the eye and then asking them for a favor," Conservative legislator Diane Finley told Parliament.
Last November Martin kicked MP Carolyn Parrish out of the Liberal caucus after she stomped on a George Bush doll on a satirical TV show.
Please, do not send any more democrats up here, they give us Albertans a bad name.
Too late. We heard you loud and clear. No mulligans.
And we wouldn't think of embarassing Canada. No need to.
Ya know, the thing about these incidents is that we expect this sort of thing from overseas, but when it's coming from people who are so much like us, it's like having your little brother badmouth you behind your back. It feels a lot more personal.
Words are cheap. We want to see a change in policy toward your neighbor to the South. Then it might mean something.Participate in missile defense, then your apology will carry some meaning. Otherwise, it's just diplomatic gobbledygook.
Yes, it really is more like a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta than a responsible govering authority, too laughable to take serious. I take solice in the fact that Ottawa is 2500 miles away from me.
Sound more like asking some one a favor and then poking him/her in the eye...
We don't send 'em up there, they grow a yellow streak and run that way naturally whenever war breaks out or they need a place to hide from their lawbreaking ways... lol
Well, keep your chin up. Understand that we are quick to toss those who betray us into the axis of weasels camp. Really sick of the US-bashing. Its not personal.
"Sound more like asking some one a favor and then poking him/her in the eye..."
MP: "Er, that asteroid is projected to hit Toronto. Any chance you guys would use your SDI thingy to vaporize it?"
Pres Rice: "........"
'Jennings, who is herself half-American, accused the United States on Tuesday of refusing to adhere to trade treaties it had signed with Canada. One way to strike back, she suggested, was to shame Washington internationally.'
Especially since she was born in the USA. Please do not confuse her with Peter Jennings. It seems that the Jennings' of this world have a thing about biting the hand that feeds them.
I've been to the Calgary Stampede, for example, and I didn't ever feel like I was in a foreign country. The money thing throws you, but heck, Alberta and Saskatchewan are so much like North and South Dakota and Montana, it's spooky. We used to road trip to Winnipeg when I was in college and it was always a great time. Sure, their politics are way screwed up, but I think you can blame a lot of that on their absolutely worthless media.
That is nonsense, we may be cursed with a bad liberal government and for that we are subject to fair and just criticism. Please do not exaggerate the problem with unfounded B.S.
We host more than a few anti-Americans right here.
My point made, yours well taken.
Agreed.
Calgary Stampede!
I am truly envious. Closest I was able to watch was via television.
My grandfather and father-in-law, as well as other family members carry on that proud cowboy tradition.
Nothing beats a good rodeo.
This sounds like an example of "Cutting off your Nose to spite your Face". Can Canada afford these types of politicians?
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