Don't dictate to me, Canada's Martin tells US

[jjw1965]

RICHMOND, British Columbia (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin escalated a war of words with the United States on Wednesday, telling Washington not to dictate to him what topics he can raise in the run-up to Canada's January 23 election.

But U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins, who warned Canadian politicians on Tuesday not to bash the United States as part of their campaigning, denied on Wednesday he was trying to control the election debate.

Story

 

[Ocean Breeze]

RICHMOND, British Columbia (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin escalated a war of words with the United States on Wednesday, telling Washington not to dictate to him what topics he can raise in the run-up to Canada's January 23 election.

But U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins, who warned Canadian politicians on Tuesday not to bash the United States as part of their campaigning, denied on Wednesday he was trying to control the election debate.

Story

the frichen US Ambassador should retire quietly to his office and keep his frichen mouth shut. this is not his show. End of story.

 

[Jay]

If the president of America ran a campaign based on anti-Canadian rhetoric, I think you would have a problem with it.

 

[Jo Canadian]

 

[Ocean Breeze]

Re: RE: Don't dictate to me, Canada's Martin tells US

If the president of America ran a campaign based on anti-Canadian rhetoric, I think you would have a problem with it.

you mean they don't?? :wink:

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

There was plenty of anti-Canadian rhetoric in the last US campaign, Jay. Security, trade, and the fake war on drugs were all issues that led to some Canada-bashing.

The last US ambassador here spent his entire tenure bashing Canada. Wilkins has done a fair bit of that himself.

 

[Alberta'sfinest]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

I live in Canada, and I don't really care if the US used anti-Canadian rhetoric, and they do by the way. Our cultures are moving in totally different directions, and we don't even have the same political system, or even the same economic system. We should have conflicting views simply because they are a capitalist republic, and we have a socialist democracy. We'll never see eye to eye, and any prime minister who tries to make us see eye to eye is a traitor to Canadians. The average Canadian has a much higher quality of living than the average american, and we have more to over come due to our geographical location. Canada is about increasing the middle class and reducing disparity, and the US is about exploiting the middle class to increase disparity. If you don't like it, move.

 

[Ocean Breeze]

Re: RE: Don't dictate to me,

I live in Canada, and I don't really care if the US used anti-Canadian rhetoric, and they do by the way. Our cultures are moving in totally different directions, and we don't even have the same political system, or even the same economic system. We should have conflicting views simply because they are a capitalist republic, and we have a socialist democracy. We'll never see eye to eye, and any prime minister who tries to make us see eye to eye is a traitor to Canadians. The average Canadian has a much higher quality of living than the average american, and we have more to over come due to our geographical location. Canada is about increasing the middle class and reducing disparity, and the US is about exploiting the middle class to increase disparity. If you don't like it, move.

good job A's finest. We need to define OUR own direction , our own identity ......and move with OUR choices .

Personally I get sick of the US Ambassadors trying to run things here ........but that is the "american " way. :roll: :roll: So it is up to us not to fall for that crap...,

 

[Summer]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

My fiance and I were having an interesting conversation last night about Canada and the U.S. Quite frankly, we both agree that if whoever comes out on top in your upcoming election really wanted to rein in the U.S., that could possibly happen. After all, if Canada's government were to put its foot down HARD and call GWB & Co. on the carpet for real, the fact that you are not only our biggest trading partner but also our next-door neighbor might give the Bush administration pause. It isn't as though the U.S. could attack Canada in retaliation, as that would at the very least lead to extreme censure by the rest of our government and possibly even armed insurrection right in the streets. On the other hand, it isn't really as though we could cut diplomatic ties with Canada either, as that would usher in its own fallout of epic proportions on this side of the border, both in terms of our economy and in public and governmental opinion. So Bush & Co. would have to actually figure out a way to resolve the problem.

Yeah, okay, we were drinking while we had this conversation, but still....

 

[mrmom2]

Alberta'sfinest you are a good read :headbang: 8) :wink:

 

[Ocean Breeze]

Re: RE: Don't dictate to me,

My fiance and I were having an interesting conversation last night about Canada and the U.S. Quite frankly, we both agree that if whoever comes out on top in your upcoming election really wanted to rein in the U.S., that could possibly happen. After all, if Canada's government were to put its foot down HARD and call GWB & Co. on the carpet for real, the fact that you are not only our biggest trading partner but also our next-door neighbor might give the Bush administration pause. It isn't as though the U.S. could attack Canada in retaliation, as that would at the very least lead to extreme censure by the rest of our government and possibly even armed insurrection right in the streets. On the other hand, it isn't really as though we could cut diplomatic ties with Canada either, as that would usher in its own fallout of epic proportions on this side of the border, both in terms of our economy and in public and governmental opinion. So Bush & Co. would have to actually figure out a way to resolve the problem.

Yeah, okay, we were drinking while we had this conversation, but still....

not too shabby , summer. :wink: You are "sounding" more and more like a Canuk......... very good preparation for your move here.

 

[Summer]

RE: Don't dictate to me,



I've been told for years that I think like a Canadian, so for me the move is probably going to be just putting me where I belong.

 

[Alberta'sfinest]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

Welcome to Canada Summer. You're exactly right, Bushco couldn't do a damn thing, as the interdependence between our countries isn't something that can be ended without catastrophic effects on both sides of the boarder. The US needs to except that Canada is moving in a different direction, and get along, cause it's not like we can just move.

 

[Ocean Breeze]

The US needs to except that Canada is moving in a different direction, and get along, cause it's not like we can just move.

but ya gotta admit......the idea (moving) is mighty tempting. :wink: .......and we would take summer with us :!: :wink:

 

[Summer]

:lol: 8) ccasion5: :hello1: :canada:

 

[Laika]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

Nice sig, Summer. Tom Robbins is one of my favourite authors!

He woud likely be my favourite, if not for a certain Canadian ultra-cool chick, Margaret Atwood.

 

[Andygal]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

I hope that Martin will walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

So far he has shown himself to be a blathering spineless wimp.

It's time the federal government got a backbone and told Bushie and his pals where they can shove their bad attitudes and explained to them that we aren't going to put up with anymore of their nonsense and that they'd better start abiding by NAFTA or we will just scrap it.

 

[Alberta'sfinest]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

Please explain what steps Martin didn't take, that he should have. From my perspective, he filled out the propper forms, went through the normal motions, and won in court on behalf of Canada in the lumber dispute. You can't just jump the Gun and just scrap NAFTA, as it's good for both nations. We have to wait and see what the final responce from the US is before we can start making threats to scrap a land mark agreement. It took me 3-1/2 years to get my insurance settlement from an accident, and some take almost a decade. Doing things properly, takes a rediculousely long time. He could have done nothing at all.

 

[Roy]

If the president of America ran a campaign based on anti-Canadian rhetoric, I think you would have a problem with it

yes I think it is rather childish to bring the US into our elections then tell them to butt out. Sure we are damn right to get mad at the Softwood tariffs, but how long did Martin have to beat his balls about the issue, I am pretty sure most rational Canadians can see through this. And as a Canadian I don't need to USA bash to feel better about myself, because I don't define our country as not Americans. Actually the Cons and NDP don't seem to be acting as childish as the Liberals are about the issue.

yes the issue about Canada came up in the US election in 2004, and there were some comments about Canadian drugs and whatnot that were questionable, but their election was not about bashing Canadians for short term political points. Down With Martin!!

 

[Alberta'sfinest]

RE: Don't dictate to me,

Don't people read all of the posts, especially the ones that already explain why your post will be wrong, before posting? You are a ignorant person if you don't read others posts, but expect others to read yours. You're wasting everyones time, and causing a breakdown in debate by doing this.

Tell me, what more did you expect Paul Martin to get done in a little over a year, in a minority government situation? It seems to me, that most of the time in parliament was wasted by the opposition asking the PM to step down because of a scandal that wasn't even fully investigated enough for them to even make this demand. The final report doesn't even come out until spring, but he's already getting punished. However, you're typical nowadays, in that the majority always believes that anyone charged with a crime is guilty. That whole adscam thing is blown way out of proportion. Everyone is bitching about the liberals giving work to their friends, but how many of us get work done through friends? I've also seen scams take place within a company without any of the other partners involved ever knowing about it, it's very possible that Paul Martin didn't know that the money was wasted, he only new how much money was in the program, and it wasn't his job to oversee it. I swear the world is living in a dellusional reality, cause the things I here are void of all rationalism and logic. What happened to benefit of the doubt. I think people are just sadistic, and like to see others misfortune, legitimate or not.