Only an idiot would try to make Canada colder.
Posted on 12/13/2005 5:42:26 PM PST by Brilliant
OTTAWA/SURREY, British Columbia (Reuters) - The United States made an unprecedented foray into Canada's election campaign on Tuesday, warning politicians not to bash Washington in their bid to win the January 23 election.
But an unapologetic Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin responded immediately by saying "c'est la vie" -- that's life -- if the United States did not like his remarks, and he would not accept anyone telling him he cannot defend his country.
In a hard-hitting speech in Ottawa, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins lamented what he called relentless and incessant criticism of his country, which he speculated might begin to sow doubt about the strength of the binational relationship.
"Canada never has to tear the United States down to build itself up," Wilkins said.
"It may be smart election politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner. But it's a slippery slope and all of us should hope it doesn't have a long-term impact on our relationship."
Wilkins did not name the prime minister directly, but he specifically targeted a comment made last week at the Montreal climate change conference in which Martin called on the United States to heed a "global conscience" and join efforts to combat global warming.
That remark -- on top of criticism of U.S. policy on lumber, guns, passports and Iraq -- appeared to have riled the White House the most, particularly since Canada has a proportionally worse record than the United States on reining in greenhouse gas emissions.
"I would respectfully submit to you that when it comes to a 'global conscience' the United States is walking the walk," Wilkins said, addressing the Canadian Club of Ottawa.
"And when it comes to climate change, we are making significant progress, greater progress than many of those who have been most critical of the U.S."
In the campaign for the June 2004 election Martin regularly said Canada did not want U.S.-style health care, fiscal deficits, taxes or attack ads.
But in the last several months, particularly in frustration over U.S. refusal to eliminate duties on Canadian softwood, he has made more direct attacks on U.S. policy, and continued to do so during the election campaign.
Martin refused to back down on Tuesday in Surrey, British Columbia.
"That our friends do not like what we say -- well, c'est la vie. I'm going to defend Canada and I'm right on softwood lumber and I'm right on climate change and I won't let anybody tell me that I should not defend my country," he said.
He also dismissed the idea that he was trying to single out Washington as part of his election campaign.
"I have not made the United States or any country a target in this campaign," he said, noting that he had outlined Canada's stand on softwood lumber and climate change long before the election was called.
Martin, whose minority government was brought down on November 28 after an official report detailed Liberal kickbacks which were used in election campaigns, currently leads Conservative leader Stephen Harper in the polls but not by enough to regain a majority in Parliament.
If the U.S.wants to reduce Canada to the level of a begging supplicant, all it has to do is outlaw travel from Canada for the purpose of medical treatment allegedly available in Canada.
Some of the best doctors in the Bay Area of Kalifornicate, escaped from the Canadian "health system"...
Their loss, our gain..
I wonder why they left that socialist paradise ????????
Semper Fi
Sounds like it might be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire, if they moved to San Fran.
The community falling apart, or is this just acting?
And besides if we annexed Canada it would be like having one giant blue state to the north. The Republicans would never win again.
Then the damn Canucks can shut up about us defending our country! After we build a southern wall, we should proceed straight away with building a northern one.
Yup, but if we trade NYC and New England for everything west of Ontario, we'd both be happy.
Relations may be bad, but at least it occurs at a time when we don't have to worry about the Canuck military. "Fifty-four forty or fight" is no longer a necessary slogan. We can just redraw our northern boundary a bit further north whenever we wish to.
"Canada never has to tear the United States down to build itself up," Wilkins said.
Yahh right, that's why their evening news runs more stories about bashing the US, than even positive news about their own country most of the time.
The canadian women would never let that happen. They would never get any decent action if a northern wall went up.
Paul martin is more concerned with the visible minority,
the frenchman and the first generation immigrant. All who
could give a rat's ass about America.
Just the other day somebody cornered martin when he was
walking out of a store with a christmas wreath.
The reporter asked him if he would call it a christmas wreath
or holiday wreath. Martin stammered, became flush and
was at a loss of words. He didn't want to offend the
canadian secularits (this from a guy who proclaims to
be christian). His answer......it is a 240 dollar wreath..ha ha ha. You think a moron like this cares what he says
about the united states.
Get real folks.
Only an idiot would try to make Canada colder.
Toronto IS bashable, N & NW Ontario are not.
"I'm really tired of all the self-righteous preening about this "climate change" bilge. It's a fraud."
That, and it's hypocritical.
Paul Martin declaiming us for burning oil is like a drug pusher chastizing his clients for using drugs.
There's a simple solution to meet his concerns.
Canada can stop selling us oil.
The Canadian health care is a big joke! My Mother-in-law has heart problems and today her DR. wanted to admit her into the hospital, but there were no f'ing beds available. Apparently she was told to go home and that they would contact her as soon as they could find a bed. But get this -she was 10th in line to get a bed -yeah 10th!
It is now almost 8 hours and now she is down to number 6!
I'd respectfully disagree. Heck, half of our citizens (or more) couldn't find Canada on a map. Americans basically don't care about Canada.
Sadly I have observed that Canada defines inself by bashing the USA.
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