Canadians are worried... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BENZ-LGB · #1 03-20-2003, 07:30 PM

From Reuters....

Stop Criticizing US Over Iraq, Canadian PM Says

Reuters
Thursday, March 20, 2003; 4:40 PM

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Jean Chretien, trying to clamp down on a wave of anti-American comments by his administration, urged Canadians on Thursday not to criticize the United States for attacking Iraq because this could be construed as supporting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

In recent days several members of the ruling Liberal Party -- including Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal -- have blasted the United States, which is by far Canada's closest ally and trading partner.

Canadian business executives are increasingly worried that the lucrative trade relationship between the two countries could be hurt if the criticisms do not stop. In particular, they say any clampdown on the border could be crippling.

Chretien, who said on Tuesday that an attack would be unjustified, did not criticize Washington on Thursday and said he hoped the war would be short with a minimum of casualties.

"At this point I think there is no use debating the reasons why some people think war is necessary and some people think it is not. We should not say anything that would comfort Saddam Hussein," he told reporters.

A government official said Chretien was "asking people to cool down the rhetoric" and added: "That is the time not to step up any personal attack."

Dhaliwal said on Wednesday that President Bush had let Americans and the world down by not acting as a statesman. He later issued a statement saying he had not intended to be disrespectful of the president.

Chretien came under fire from both Washington and right-wing opposition parties this week after saying Ottawa would not commit troops to the Iraq war because it had not been authorized by the U.N. Security Council. Opinion polls show that 75 percent of Canadians support his view.

"I want to assure everyone that we are continuing to take all necessary measures to protect Canadians and ensure our security. We are working closely with American authorities to ensure that our border and crossings remain safe and efficient," Chretien said on Thursday.

Transport Minister David Collenette said that security had been tightened at airports, ports and major railway stations.

The main opposition Canadian Alliance party, which has long insisted Ottawa should back Washington over Iraq, said the government's "embarrassing and gutless decision" not to send troops could damage Canada-U.S. relations.

"This government's position...has been guided simply by its reading of polls and a juvenile anti-Americanism," Alliance leader Stephen Harper told reporters.

Chretien's top spokeswoman resigned in November after calling Bush "a moron." Liberal Member of Parliament Carolyn Parrish blasted the U.S. administration last month saying she hated "damned Americans" and calling them "bastards."

Some 87 percent of Canadian exports go to the United States and Canada's economy is uniquely vulnerable to delays at the border, prompting some executives to rap Ottawa's Iraq stance.

Derek Burney, the head of flight simulator firm CAE Inc., said on Tuesday that the relationship was "too important for vacillation and too vital for detachment" and expressed frustration that Canada had not joined the U.S.-led coalition against Iraq.

The chairman of gold mining company Goldcorp Inc. sent Chretien a letter on Wednesday saying his stance on Iraq would "transform our once longest undefended border in the world into a formidable barrier to trade, capital, travel and friendship with our largest trading partner."

Trading relations are already strained in the wake of U.S. decisions to impose punitive duties on shipments of Canadian softwood lumber and wheat.

© 2003 Reuters

420SEL · #2 03-20-2003, 09:50 PM

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. We never were known for electing intelligent people. There was an interesting article in the Ottawa Sun a while back that detailed the fact that of our roughly 300 and some member elected parliament 300 and some were either former bankrupts, wife abusers, alcoholics, had criminal records for things like shoplifting, fraud and drug charges.

We are currently in the process of finding a new Prime Minister (thank God, and you can really you hardly call it a process as it is predetermined - we, as a nation, don't actually elect our national leader here) and most of the cabinet ministers are willing to say just about anything to warrant a spot on the evening news to get their faces and sound bited on television.

Over 80% of our exports go to the US so it just makes economic sense not to pull this kind of crap. I could follow the recent trend and say their remarks make me embarassed to be a Canadian - but they don't. They make me embarassed they are Canadians.

vrsmith · #3 03-20-2003, 11:50 PM

Everyone who opposes the US is either fooling themselves or
they are a fool. That includes the Canadian Prime Minister.
All they are saying is give the tyrant a chance. He is done.
The big problem with all of this is the fact that the previous
gulf war stopped at the Iraqi border. For reasons that escape
me, it wasn't resolved then. It should be now. If you let
Hussein have another 12 years, then what would happen?
As far as some Canadians' attitude these days, it is unbelievable.
There is no other superpower in history that has treated a
weak neighbor better than the United States has treated
Canada. We should do everything we can to support our
friend and benefactor. If we falter, then we must be
supporting Saddam Hussein and I can't believe that we
would stoop that low.

God bless America!

leathermang · #4 03-21-2003, 12:37 AM

More important is how we treated Japan and Germany after WW2.

mithra · #5 03-21-2003, 07:15 AM

I was about to go into a long winded rant about the ineffective, incompetent, self serving, brain dead individual that aludes to the fact that he is (for the present) PM of Canada. This character entered the human race and lost. Anyway... Jason , your last 2 lines state the way I feel more effectively than I ever could.

SHYNE · #6 03-21-2003, 08:51 AM

The damn idiot who talks out of the side of his mouth (spitting on people within a 2 metre radius of him) is a very poor representation of educated, hard working, understanding and respectful Canadians. (read-Jean Chretien)

Mr. Dhaliwal is the moron in my opinion. Chretien is even bigger.

We are (economically speaking at least) America jr. People who think we can just ignore the issues in America are in a fantasy world.

I would like to express my appreciation for you Americans. You are looking out for the best interests of North America. The measures which you take to protect your security ensure the freedoms we take for granted here.

Best regards,

Mike McKinney

blackmercedes · #7 03-21-2003, 09:19 AM

You Yanks slay me! It's allright for you guys to slam everyone else's leaders, governments, people, and culture. But, heaven forbid anyone should say even the slightest thing about you and your precious POTUS.

I take the former approach. Politicians become politicians of their own free will, and I think the first line of their job description is to stand in public and take verbal tomatoes. It means owning up for each and everything you do, and never shrinking from scrutiny.

We Canadians, in general, think our PM Chretien is an idiot. Not a stupid man. He's well educated, successful outside of politics, and took his party to one of the strongest majority governments since WWII. But, he's an ass. His actions are at time obviously self serving. He waffles on important issues, obviously cow-towing to some interest unseen.

He cares little for Canada. He's purposely sabotaged the incoming leader of the party. He's left us hanging on the edge of economic ruin with David Dodge running the Central Bank. He let Alberta take steps towards private health care, in contravention of the Canada Health Act. He bent over and let Canada take it in the tush in all our recent trade negotiations. He circumvented democracy by using his cabinet and committee positions to nullify backbenchers and use them as voting tools to run the nation in a dictatorial manner. And the sad thing is that those backbenchers let themselves be used like that. Spinless simpletons.

Why would we join the war? Our military is in sad shape thanks to years and years of vicious funding cuts.

To go off on a tangent, I'm really worried about the fate of the Kurds. I hope that the US has not sacrificed them to the Turks in exchange for airspace. have we traded genocide for the removal of a dictator? Their plight seems pretty much ignored/marginalized during this whole thing. If our PM wants to stand up for something, maybe that could be it.

PC Dave · #8 03-21-2003, 09:32 AM

I wouldn't worry too much, John. Once again, America has exceeded your expectations (not too difficult, apparently). The Turkish overflight deal seems to be on hold because the Americans jointly took the northern oil fields with the Kurds, and are preventing Turkish forces from entering northern Iraq to grab the fields. The Turks are said to be furious (www.debka.com).

BTW, apparently not all Canadians are worried. The crowd at the Islanders' game in Montreal last night booed loudly at the playing of the U.S. national anthem.

blackmercedes · #9 03-21-2003, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PC Dave
The Turkish overflight deal seems to be on hold because the Americans jointly took the northern oil fields with the Kurds, and are preventing Turkish forces from entering northern Iraq to grab the fields. The Turks are said to be furious (www.debka.com).

I am glad of this. Of course I was concerned. Just yesterday, the deal seemed to be "on."

The Turks saw an opportunity to eradicate the Kurds. They also perhaps saw an opportunity to grab some oil assets, though I have no idea why anyone would think that. The US will control every drop of oil in Iraq. Did anyone think otherwise?

84300DT · #10 03-21-2003, 09:54 AM

MONTREAL (AP) -- Fans booed during the playing of the U.S. national anthem before the New York Islanders' 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

The sellout crowd of 21,273 at Bell Centre was asked to "show your support and respect for two great nations" before the singing of the American and Canadian national anthems.

But a significant portion of the crowd booed throughout Star-Spangled Banner in an apparent display of their displeasure with the U.S.-led war against Iraq. More than 200,000 people turned out for an anti-war demonstration in Montreal last Saturday.

-no matter what's going on , the above shows no class at all.
nobody should boo another country's national anthem.

my .02 from an ex-pat canuck from montreal.

blackmercedes · #11 03-21-2003, 10:11 AM

While I personally would not boo a national anthem (what's the point?) I do hold dear, again, the right to do so. If that's how those folks express their opinion, then that's up to them.

It is rude, though. Calling them all stupid is equally rude and small-minded. No one takes the high road anymore. Everyone jumps right on down into the ditch while screaming at someone for being in the ditch. Nice.

vrsmith · #12 03-21-2003, 12:53 PM

The hockey crowd in Vancouver cheered the American anthem
last night.

leathermang · #13 03-24-2003, 05:11 PM

It is a sport. There are customs in sports and one is playing each teams national anthem before a game. It WAS stupid to be rude to a bunch of JOCKS who have nothing to do with the policy of the country which they live in.