Posted on 09/23/2009 2:53:21 AM PDT by Clive
UNITED NATIONS -- Canada will boycott Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the United Nations on Wednesday, saying his outbursts about the Holocaust and Israel are "shameful."
Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will be at the world body to attend the opening of the UN General Assembly's annual debate, but officials signal he and other members of the Canadian delegation will vacate the Canadian seats when the Islamic republic's President approaches the podium.
Walking out of the chamber is seen as a strong diplomatic show of disgust at the UN -- and since the chamber is generally packed on the first day of the annual summit, Canada's empty seats will not go unnoticed.
One of the first speakers of the day will be U.S. President Barack Obama, who is making his debut address before the assembly.
"President Ahmadinejad's repeated denial of the Holocaust and his anti-Israel comments run counter to the values of the UN General Assembly, and they're shameful," said one Canadian official.
"He uses his public appearances to provoke the international community, and that is why Canada's seats will be empty."
The gesture is a step stronger than one announced on Tuesday by the German foreign ministry, which asked other European Union member states to walk out of the General Assembly chamber if Mr. Ahmadinejad again denies the Holocaust, or makes anti-Semitic statements.
The Canadian initiative will be welcomed by Israel, which on Tueday urged all delegates in the 192-member chamber to stay away when Mr. Ahmadinejad speaks.
"A few days ago he gave a new speech of hate," Gabriela Shalev, Israeli ambassador to the UN, told Israeli army radio. "The simple fact of leaving the room during his speech, or not to be present during it, is a symbolic act."
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(Excerpt) Read more at nationalpost.com ...
Just goes to show: Careful how you zip up when you’re trying to show the world who has the biggest cannoli.
I would have walked out on Resident O’s stinking traitor speech.
I would rather they walk out on Obama!
Oh, Canada! way to go!
Canada is doing the right thing, why can’t we?
Heh, those are the BIG ones for when I have a REAL “WTF”...:)
I’d say it was an act of God. I’ll leave it up to you as to what God it was.
“The representatives of the free countries should walk.”
They probably will; we’re just not part of that club anymore.
“Canada will boycott Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at the United Nations on Wednesday...”
...meanwhile, U.S. representatives will kneel at his feet.
If they keep taking the moral high ground, they'll have to walk out on Obumble as well.
Every day it’s something... I am so f***ing disgusted by the current regime in DC it makes me sick.
True. Now Obama will have to throw Canada under the bus with Honduras, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Israel.
While the Canadians are out of the session, they might use that time to initiate reform of their health care system.
I hear ya. Was just saying this morning that I can’t even wrap my brain around the insanity that is happening right now.
We have a Congress who can see and hear that the American people clearly DO NOT want this healthcare “reform” and yet they could absolutely care less. They will walk right over the people who put them there, those they are supposed to represent and slam it through anyway.
It’s absolutely disgraceful and we all ought to be outraged.
We are losing this country, our civil liberties are being taken from us at rapid speed.
If the nation doesn’t wise up and I’m talking REAL SOON it’ll be too late.
Hell just froze over.
No, Canada's elected leaders have bigger stones than the United States' elected leaders. Big difference.
snoring wrote: “Canada has been a loyal ally for most of our histories; with the exception of the War of 1812 when we (U.S.)attempted to invade Canada which was understandable and the Vietnam War. Otherwise, I believe they’ve been in the Fray with us every time...”
I wish this was true but it isn’t. Frankly, Canada has choked on almost every occasion when a truly loyal ally would have stood up: starting with the Berlin Airlift, Cuban Missle crisis, Vietnam, Grenada, Able Archer, Panama,first Gulf war, attempted coup against Yeltsin, Second gulf war.
After sept 11, Jean Chretien said it’s nothing to do with us and attempted to blame the victim. It was only after he figured out the economic consequences of a closed border that he agreed to send troops to Afghanistan
Every day Canada is looking more and more inviting!
Can’t the freedom loving countries of this world find the guts to employ the best sniper out there to remove the Lybian nutjob and the Iranian nutjob? It would not be that difficult. Just a thought.
Seems the lone Iranian AWACS, while flying over Terhan at the climax of a miltary parade, bumped into one of the escorting F5s - both planes landing in a flaming wreak on the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini...
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