(Canadian)Liberal senator: 'Screw the Americans'

National Post(Ottawa Citizen) ^ | March 27, 2003 | Jack Aubry and Robert Benzie

[saluki_in_ohio]

Liberal senator: 'Screw the Americans' Laurier LaPierre ready to quit over disputed quotation in Senate transcript

By Jack Aubry and Robert Benzie The Ottawa Citizen

Thursday, March 27, 2003

A Liberal senator has been thrown into the firestorm of shaky U.S.-Canada relations after the Senate's Debates quoted him shouting "Screw the Americans" during a Senate sitting this week.

The quote was attributed to outspoken Senator Laurier LaPierre, who has expressed anti-American sentiments in the past, in the official transcript of Tuesday's Senate sitting. Opposition MPs and senators were quick to jump on the quote as another example of the Liberal government's strong anti-Americanism.

Mr. LaPierre told the Senate yesterday that he had been misquoted in the transcript and that he had in fact shouted: "So did the Americans." But his attempt to correct the Debates, which requires unanimous consent, was blocked by opposition members who said they wanted to listen to a tape of the sitting first.

A shaken Mr. LaPierre said he would offer his resignation to Prime Minister Jean Chretien since "his honour" was being challenged by the opposition members.

This latest Liberal caucus controversy came a day after U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci delivered a stern rebuke to the Canadian government, saying his country was disappointed that Canada had not joined the "coalition of the willing" to fight the war in Iraq.

The Bush administration has been irked by remarks by Carolyn Parrish, a Toronto-area Liberal MP, who said she hated American "bastards," and Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, who said President George W. Bush's decision to go to war shows he is "not a statesman."

Mr. Cellucci said there is a "growing perception" among Americans that Canada, like France, is a source of knee-jerk objections to U.S. foreign policy.

Answering questions about Mr. LaPierre's apparent quote, Mr. Chretien said if the senator actually said it, "it is completely reprehensible."

"I was not aware of it and if it was said, I reprimand that. I do not think that is acceptable to use language like that," said Mr. Chretien.

Mr. LaPierre, a former broadcaster, acknowledged he has used excessive language in the past, but he has always apologized when he has gone too far.

His voice cracking with emotion, he told the Senate that he has a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter living in the United States and he would not have used the expression "screw," since it is not part of his vocabulary.

"I do not use that kind of language that way. I use other kinds of language, but not this one," said the senator tearfully.

When he was interrupted by some opposition senators across the floor, Mr. LaPierre became indignant and said: "I don't have anything more to say, since obviously I have no honour and I will have to speak to the prime minister to determine whether I should resign or not."

In Toronto, Ontario Premier Ernie Eves inserted himself yesterday into the diplomatic crisis surrounding Mr. Cellucci's remarks by writing a letter to the U.S. ambassador condemning the federal government and supporting Washington on Iraq.

Taking his lead from Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, Mr. Eves wrote Mr. Cellucci to say he agrees with the criticism of Canadian neutrality.

"This morning at our cabinet meeting, members of our executive council were unanimous in our support for you and your fellow Americans," Mr. Eves wrote.

"We believe it is important to support our good American neighbours to the South as you have been our allies and our friends for many decades now," he continued.

Speaking to reporters in Brampton, Mr. Eves denied he was intervening to deflect attention from his administration's many domestic problems.

"It is how I happen to feel. I phoned Ambassador Cellucci (Tuesday) afternoon after his remarks to make sure that he understood ... exactly how I felt," said the premier, who has advocated Canada's participation in the Iraq invasion for a week.

In Ottawa, Senate Speaker Dan Hays said he would rule later on Mr. LaPierre's point of order to change the Debates, the Senate's Hansard.

-With files from Rick Mofina and Mark Kennedy

[rebel]

The leftists of Canada are part of the world leftist movement. They are unamerican at the core. By unamerican I mean that they hate and despise the princples that founders set forth in our founding documents. Those principles enshrine the freedom that has allowed this county to become the moral and material power that it is.

They must destroy the US to achieve their Marxists goals. They must be opposed at every turn with freedom and strength.

[SouthernFreebird]

"I do not use that kind of language that way. I use other kinds of language, but not this one," said the senator tearfully.

Not hard to see the French in him....lol

[daddypatriot]

The Canadian politician has violated one of the first rules of politics, taken from Mark Twain: it's best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than open it and remove all doubt.

[albertabound]

http://www.ontariopccaucus.com/splashen/index.htm

[Critter]

I have two bass in my pond, and you can fish it for the low low price of $1998.50. :)

[PGalt]

Canada has become a province of France.

[saluki_in_ohio]

The leftists of Canada are part of the world leftist movement. They are unamerican at the core. By unamerican I mean that they hate and despise the princples that founders set forth in our founding documents. Those principles enshrine the freedom that has allowed this county to become the moral and material power that it is.

It is bad enough that we have filthy socialist/leftist/liberals going around the country spewing their anti-American gutter hate, we shouldn't have to put up with it coming from northern border.

The Canadian Liberals/socialists have been spewing their rather hostile anti-Americanism for years, and it is about time we woke up to it!

[Pete'sWife]

Canada = France = Daschle/Pelosi (and any other Demorat you care to name)

[wayoverontheright]

Canadian)Liberal senator: 'Screw the Americans'

You lefties were saying it was about oil, now it's about sex. Which is it?

[saluki_in_ohio]

You lefties were saying it was about oil, now it's about sex. Which is it?

They compromised, now its "No sex for oil!"

[Dont Tread On Me Eh?]

Ontario is less conservative than Massachussetts. Any Canadian Freepers have any details on Mr. Eves?

I used to live in Ontario. Mr. Eves was originally the deputy Premier and finance minister to Mike Harris, the conservative Ontario Premier from 1995-2002. Mike Harris really is as conservative as they come - lowered welfare rates, cut the hell out of tax rates, initiated private school tax credits (sort of a way to do vouchers without really calling them vouchers)... Harris announced his resignation, and the Ontario Conservative party elected a new leader. Ernie Eves won by quite a bit. He's somewhat of a "red Tory", or the Canadian equivalent of a RINO. That said, he's still VERY pro-business, and I think that he understands the importance of openness to the American business market to the 95% of Ontarians living in Southern Ontario. Whether he actually supports the war on Iraq, I'm not so certain, but he certainly does truly understand the significance of maintaining close Canada-U.S. ties - a concept that Chrétien has thus far failed to grasp.

[kidd]

Thanks!

[Tamzee]

Conservative Canadians are currently organizing large support America rallies.... could be very, very nice :-)

[orbitboy]

for the last 20 years we go to minoki on the winnipeg river in early june, this year I cancelled our reservation (cost me $100) and we're going to upper min...never liked the canucks up there anyway

[A2J]

Mr. LaPierre told the Senate yesterday that he had been misquoted in the transcript and that he had in fact shouted: "So did the Americans."

"Screw the Americans." "So did the Americans."

"Screw the Americans." "So did the Americans."

Yeah, I can see where he could have been misquoted (sarcasm off).

[Grig]

"Whether he actually supports the war on Iraq, I'm not so certain"

He has been clearly against the postion taken by the Federal Liberals. So has Ralph Klien, the PM of Alberta.

[Grig]

The quote is not accurate. The senator said "So did the Americans" in reply to another senator pointing out the sale of arms to Iraq by France and Germany. The audio of this has been replayed several times on the radio here in Ottawa and he did NOT say 'Screw the Americans' Not that that's a huge improvement or anything. The misquote was latched onto by a candidate for the leadership of the PC party and used to make political hay, in spite of the fact that the PC party is not supporting this war either.

[Grig]

I heard the audio of it myself, it VERY clearly is NOT 'Screw the Americans'.

[N. Theknow]

Senator Laurier LaPierre, Opposition MP.

I always thought MP stood for Member of Parliament not Mealy-mouthed Prick.

[IvanT]

Ontario is less conservative than Massachussetts. Any Canadian Freepers have any details on Mr. Eves?

Ontario usually votes Conservative provincially, but Eves, unlike his predecessor, is a 'red' Tory. But he does recognise the importance of our province working in close quarters with the U.S. for security reasons, and is actively pursuing working even more closely with the American government. While I don't like some of his other policies, he's really our only option, and I like what I'm hearing from him regarding the U.S., security and the like, so I'll likely vote for him. Not that there are other options anyway.