US ignores Canada says outgoing envoy

[Montgomery Burns]

During a recent , outgoing Canadian envoy to Washington, Michael Kergin, lamented that no one in the US pays much attention to Canada. Simply put, Canada is important but not prominent. He explains:

"I could be down here on the corner of Constitution and Pennsylvania and yell the worst implications against the White House and I don't know that people would care very much or notice. It would have to be pretty awful to get a footnote in the Washington Times (newspaper)."

While Kergin whines about being ignored, he believes that the US Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci, is listened to even while sleeping.

"In Canada, if Paul Cellucci snores loudly at night, there's somebody around who's going to say he's in an awful foul mood and he's going to hit us tomorrow on our lack of military (resources)."

It probably hasn't dawned on Kergin that the US already has to listen to a reeking pant load of leftists that are home grown so it would be redundant to listen to Canada. Not only that, but having a reputation as a haven for drug users, Islamic terrorists, and US military deserters probably harms overall Canadian credibility among American conservatives.

But Michael Kergin is not the only source of complaint about Canada being irrelevant on the international stage. According to commentary in the National Post, Canada has become a bit player due to long-term neglect of international responsibilities. As a blunt example, the newspaper explains:

"Our refusal to participate in the U.S. ballistic missile shield, a project that would protect Canadian and American cities alike from immolation, is perhaps the best example yet of how thoroughly fantasy and reality diverge in Ottawa. On Thursday, our government declared it would have nothing to do with the shield -- a foolish gesture meant to placate the pacifists in the Liberal caucus. But the next day, our PM advanced the conceit that the Americans would still have to consult with us before activating the system. One can practically hear the howls of laughter emanating from the few Washington officials who still bother to inform themselves of Ottawa's pronouncements: Can anyone seriously imagine that the President would ask our PM for permission to shoot down a missile heading for a U.S. target?"

Michael Kergin might want forego his whining in favor of recommending positive changes like the newspaper did.

[Fortunata]

All Canada wants from the USA is fair trade as part of our free trade and to be consulted in decisions that directly affect us.

We expect the USA to do as we do, but they don't. That always surprises and offends us. We have no aspirations toward global domination; oil for freedom is an anethema. So we move along at our own speed doing our own thing.

People worry too much if the USA notices us. As we have discovered lately, if we're noticed it probably doesn't bode us well.

As far as the BMDS goes; if the USA is going to use trade against us because of our opting out, it will hurt them too. Let them buy from China. Let them buy 3 or 4 of Chinese made goods instead of one from us. They'll need to. It's mostly junk. Have at 'er.

[Montgomery Burns]

Until Canada can put an end to its MadCow problems, there is going to be problems with the beef trade.

All the US wants is some kind of support from Canada - especially in the WoT - considering that Canada is a haven for Islamofascists.

You can't complain that they are distressed that their so-called "ally" was in bed with Saddam Hussein and put oil blood money over the freedom of 25 million people.

What if the US ignores Canada and decides to buy from China? If so, Canada is screwed! 85% of Canada's exports go to the US. Who would buy from Canada if the US put Canada on "iggy"? Not Europe. Their continent is a bloody mess and they have a low standard of living, i.e., they have glacial, if any, economic growth.

[Shakeyhands]

Until Canada can put an end to its MadCow problems, there is going to be problems with the beef trade.

Please explain to me, and I will admit that I don't know exact numbers, how it is that the US has had maybe 1 case of Mad Cow and the Canada has had 3+ yet they have most likely 10 to 15 X more cattle? I think they cover it up when they have a case, surely the number of head that they have would spawn more cases. Seems unlikely that it wouldn't solely based on numbers.

All the US wants is some kind of support from Canada - especially in the WoT - considering that Canada is a haven for Islamofascists.

As far as the first sentence goes they do, remember Afghanistan where the terrorists really are? As for the second sentence, well I just think you are a bigot racist. Aren't they calling Muslims something different on FNC yet?

You can't complain that they are distressed that their so-called "ally" was in bed with Saddam Hussein and put oil blood money over the freedom of 25 million people.

There's a Canadian connection to the Oil for Food issue? I think thats a red herring, there was a US connection too. And I am pretty sure that none of the cases had any official Gov't sponsership.

What if the US ignores Canada and decides to buy from China?  If so, Canada is screwed!  85% of Canada's exports go to the US.  Who would buy from Canada if the US put Canada on "iggy"?  Not Europe.  Their continent is a bloody mess and they have a low standard of living, i.e., they have glacial, if any, economic growth.

What a myopic view! I think the US would see the value of a trusted and honest trading partner pretty quickly, just like we would if they ever quit being so protectionist and rash.

[kimmy]

All the US wants is some kind of support from Canada - especially in the WoT - considering that Canada is a haven for Islamofascists.

As far as the first sentence goes they do, remember Afghanistan where the terrorists really are? As for the second sentence, well I just think you are a bigot racist. Aren't they calling Muslims something different on FNC yet?

"Islamofascist" does not refer to Muslims in general. "Islamofascist" is a term directed at those more commonly refered to as "Islamists", Muslims seeking to replace secular democratic institutions with Muslim theocracy and Sharia law.

We know that such people exist. Whether Canada is in fact a "haven" for such people is a question that Canadians are afraid to ask for fear of being branded bigots (as we've just seen.)

-kimmy

[PocketRocket]

You can't complain that they are distressed that their so-called "ally" was in bed with Saddam Hussein and put oil blood money over the freedom of 25 million people.

I thought that this dance had been danced to death, but okay....

Who armed Saddam Hussein in the 80's???

To use your own phrase, who was "in bed" with the Bin Laden family in the 90's???

How many other tin-pot dictators were set up by US foreign policy in the past 50 years or so???

Being the toughest kid on the block, both economically and militarily, allows the US to play fast and loose with the rules, and she continues to do so when and how she sees fit, international opinion, UN resolutions, and WTF rulings notwithstanding.

America chooses who it acknowledges and who it ignores selectively, according to the agenda of the day.

If Canada was trumpeting the benefits of BMD, you can bet your a$$et$ that the USA would be holding forth such an endorsement as a shining example of her ability to co-operate with other countries.

But I think that they would do well to actually show us at least ONE succesful test of the BMD system.

Unfortunately, all the tests to date have been miserable failures.

Not only are they asking us to buy a horse that is unproven, that asking us to buy a horse that has shown a complete and total inability to run.

Personally, I think the last thing we need is a bunch of anti-missile-missiles that are completely unpredictable.

Show me a working system and you might convince me to change my view.

[waynej625]

An independent task force is recommending that Canada, the United States and Mexico become a single trading zone, much they way the European Union is heading. The plan hinges on new security measures.

Former deputy prime minister John Manley is one member of the task force, which was sponsored by the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations. These groups are involved in promoting free trade.

Now we know why Manley wanted so bad to be Prime Minister of Canada, not that what we got in Martin is any better, because he too is ready, willing, and able to deliver Canada to his Corporate buddies.

Every time Martin and the Lieberals talk tax breaks he is referring to breaks for his friend's in the corporate sector and not those of us who are actually footing the bills in this country. At one time the tax burden was split roughly 50/50 between, Canadian citizen's and the Corporations, now I believe that ordinary Canadian's are carrying roughly 85% of the burden while the Corporate Welfare bums are taking their obscene profits off-shore where taxes are lower.

Who do Canadian's think wrote and promoted the concept of "Free Trade" in the first place, but the corporate sector. This concept is all about helping this sector, and this sector alone thrive while social and economic standards for Canadian's is gradually lowered to the level of a third world country.

It is time for Canadian's to wake up and start demanding that Corporate Welfare has to end, and for Canadian's to start looking at labels on products before they make that purchase, whether it be clothing or whatever. If it is not "Made in Canada," maybe we should be just putting it back on the shelf. No wonder the Corporate sector outsources their manufacturing to third world countries, because Canadian's are dumb enough to continue purchasing their products. If Canadian's stopped buying goods manufactured outside of Canada, these corporations would be forced to relocate back here or simply go out of business. The same applies to our cousin's and neighbours to the south, they too have made the same mistakes and allowed the corporate sector to call the shots.

[waynej625]

Here's hoping that Martin doesn't further turn Canada over to his friend's in the corporate world, like the former idiot who wanted to be PM, John Manley. Just what we need to finish destroying Canadian independence.

It is not the United States I have a problem with, it is corporate America led by Bush and his friend's at Halliberton. Americans have been sold a bill-of-goods just like Canadian's by our government's following a corporate agenda. I trust Martin and the Liberal Party about as far as I can throw them.

[Montgomery Burns]

Shakeyhands:

As far as the first sentence goes they do, remember Afghanistan where the terrorists really are? As for the second sentence, well I just think you are a bigot racist. Aren't they calling Muslims something different on FNC yet?

So there are no terrorists in Iraq and Iraq never sponsored terrorism? Thanks for the info. I guess I should watch the CBC more often to get The Pure Truth.

And sorry for calling the Islamofascists Islamofascists. I should have known better and called them insurgents, militants, guerillas, or activists.

[caesar]

So there are no terrorists in Iraq and Iraq never sponsored terrorism? Thanks for the info. I guess I should watch the CBC more often to get The Pure Truth.

That is the opinion of many experts prior to the USA invasion of Iraq. Now the country is awash in terrorists.

You don't have to watch CBC for that information; just open your ears and listen.

[Montgomery Burns]

caesar:

That is the opinion of many experts prior to the USA invasion of Iraq. Now the country is awash in terrorists.

Care to name these experts? It is a fact that Iraq was harboring terrorists and sponsored international terrorism.

AS for Iraq being awash with terrorists now, of course! That was Bush's brilliant plan. Like moths attracted to a lightbulb, they cannot resist going after the US in Iraq. Better the US track and whack them there than on the streets of the USA.

Please turn off the CBC propaganda and open your mind and your eyes.

[The Terrible Sweal]

You can't complain that they are distressed that their so-called "ally" was in bed with Saddam Hussein and put oil blood money over the freedom of 25 million people. 

Given that Hussien was assiduously catered to by US goverments for years, that you should make such a comment, suggests either that you think readers here are such idiots they will believe such bilge, or that you are.