Posted on 07/01/2005 8:51:57 PM PDT by NorthOf45
McKenna blasts American ranchers group after homegrown mad cow case
Beth Gorham
July 1, 2005
WASHINGTON (CP) - It's "hypocritical in the extreme" for a "very selfish" U.S. ranching group to keep blocking Canadian cattle when Americans now have a homegrown case of mad cow disease, Ambassador Frank McKenna said Friday.
"The logic is so overwhelming that I find it difficult to imagine that this border won't be reopened," he said during a Canada Day interview in his office with a stunning view of Capitol Hill.
McKenna, now four months into the job as Canada's top envoy to the United States, blasted members of Montana-based R-CALF, saying they merely want to restrict supply to keep U.S. prices higher and make more money.
But what they're really doing, he said, is threatening the long-term viability of U.S. processors, who've already lost about 8,000 jobs without a steady supply of beef.
R-CALF contends in a court fight that will play out this month that Canada's cows are unsafe because of three mad cow cases and shouldn't be allowed over the border.
But officials confirmed this week that a Texas-born cow has also developed the disease. America's only other case was an Alberta-born animal in Washington state.
"We now have the (United States) being exposed to the full folly of this closed border - they have their own case of mad cow," said McKenna.
"If one were to follow the logic of R-CALF, then the borders should be shut against American beef to the rest of the world."
McKenna, who has developed a reputation for aggressively pursuing Canadian interests, said one of his main goals has been trying to sharpen Canada's image south of the border.
Now he wants some of the two to three million expatriate Canadians living in the United States to help.
On Friday, he launched a program first mentioned last month called Connect2Canada to develop a network of expats willing to study up on Canadian issues and sell the country while dispelling some persistent myths.
By next week, the embassy will send out about 100,000 e-mails and then begin collecting more names.
McKenna, a former New Brunswick premier, said his direct approach in the United States seems to be working, although it's hard to measure success.
"I find that when I get into a spirited defence of Canada, Americans accept it without pushback, very graciously.
"They like direct talk here, it's the way they live their lives . . . They really like the idea that we're out promoting the country" and taking note that Canada's "turning the corner" on some important issues, like spending more on defence.
Canada's political volatility made the job "more confusing" at first, said McKenna, who also held a wreath-laying ceremony Friday for nine Canadian-born recipients of the U.S. Medal of Honor at Arlington National Cemetery.
"I think for a while it would affect one's credibility a bit because naturally Americans would raise the question as to whether or not your government can deliver on a commitment.
"It wasn't very intense, but in a conversation one might have to dispel that particular view."
President George W. Bush, he said, "is friendly and quite warm towards me, I think because I represent Canada.
"I think he has very good feelings toward Canada. He expresses that to me on the occasions when we meet."
McKenna, who has a picture of he and Bush in his office, along with another of Bush's father, said the president "repeatedly made a point of telling me that he truly understands that Canada has its own set of politics issues.
"They know from time to time we'll have differences of opinion, but they also know that in a tight corner, we can count on each other."
Touted as a potential successor to Prime Minister Paul Martin as Liberal party leader, McKenna shied away Friday from questions about his future ambitions.
"It's just not a question that one can give an answer to because either answer provokes further discussion," he said.
"I was very proud to be premier of the province of New Brunswick, but even during those 10 wonderful years that I enjoyed so much, I never stopped saying publicly that I'm a Canadian first and a New Brunswicker second," he added.
"I've always spoken passionately about Canada because I think we have a lot to be passionate about. But it should never be considered as part of a campaign for any other office."
He probably has a point.
Yeah, on the top of his head.
Excuse me, Mr. McKenna. If we have problems of our own, why do we need yours?
This is a problem on both sides of the border and it should be worked on ... together.
Tell that to McKenna. He talks as if he has some kind of entitlement.
Yeah. I think that sums-up his attitude. The US is "hypocritical" and "selfish".
The US policy is hypocritical only if you perceive that Canadian ranchers have some kind of right to US markets -- which they don't. As to his use of the word "selfish", well, some nations still regard self-interest as a good thing.
Since Mr. McKenna is obviously exploiting a vulnerability, rather than offering assistance, it makes him a bit of a Trojan Horse.
If the Canadian steers stay north in Canuckstan, so much the better.
This McKenna jerk just reaffirmed my impression of Canadians. Who the hell does he think he is coming to the USA and blasting us?
He can shove his Canadian beef where the Good Lord split him (he'd probably like that)
It's important to realize that the R-CALF suit is actually against the USDA. The U.S. Government wants to lift the ban on the importation of Canadian beef, and R-CALF is fighting it.
So, McKenna's "beef" (heh!) is with a group of self-interested American ranchers, not the U.S. I think his comments are pretty clear on this point.
He didn't refer to the US as hypocrytical ... it was his assessment of R-CALF.
Exactly ... his beef is with R-CALF, not the US. McKenna is a staunch supporter of the US.
Mr. McKenna would be well-advised to obtain a severe attitude adjustment if he wants friends on this side.
He's not blasting us, unless you're a dues-paying member of R-CALF.
McKenna attacking R-CALF means no more to me as an American citizen than it would if Vincente Fox decided to criticize Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Neither group represents me or my interests. H-ll, I'd criticize them myself.
He didn't refer to the US as hypocrytical ... it was his assessment of R-CALF.
That's my point, his "promoting relations" means to come here and criticize, so that Canada can get the US market back.
But what he does is show his "smug" ass international elitism towards us. We don't need Canada or it's beef, we are doing well now without Canada.
Canada is no longer an ally of the USA, and with McKennas coming south of the border, we won't be allies any time soon.
Canada needs the USA, we don't need them
I think your profile page should be nominated for the freeper "profile page of the year".
As far as working together... I agree, but someone in Canada should have a talk with McKenna about name calling. I tell my daughters (3 and 5) that it not polite to call people names, and they should treat others as they want to be treated.
Mr. McKenna is a guess in America, yet in our backyard he calls us "hypocritical in the extreme" and "very selfish". I think he should go home, and the great country of Canada should send someone with more respect for their host country.
Holtz
JeffersonRepublic.com
And R-CALF's goal has been to sue the USDA, have an injunction entered banning the importation of Canadian beef, and rake in the profits stateside while you pay top dollar for your burgers.
If McKenna is guilty of "promoting relations" for self-interested economic reasons, R-CALF is guilty of destroying them for the selfsame reasons.
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