Canadians should be concerned about North Korea's mssile testing, Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned after meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush. "Missiles that are fired in the direction of the United States constitute a threat to Canada." Harper said.
Hours earlier, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it had test-launched seven missiles from its east coast earlier in the week, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to Alaska.
The United States and Japan have led the chorus of voices warning of serious consequences if North Korea persists in firing missiles. But North Korean officials vowed Thursday to carry out more tests.
Bush also warned Canadians of dangers during a joint news conference after he and Harper met at the White House in Washington. The President noted that a North Korean missile fired toward the United States could travel off course and accidentally strike Canada. "[North Korea] could be seemingly firing a missile at the United States — this is all speculation — that could be headed toward the northwest of our country and it wouldn't take much for it to get off course." Bush said.
Harper said his Tory government wasn't prepared at this time to open the debate on whether Canada should reverse an earlier Liberal decision and join the U.S. ballistic missile defence program.
But after the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that he understood the need to have a "modern and flexible defence system" to combat missile threats.
Check it out at CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/06/north-korea.html
I think that the Conservatives should open debate and reverse the decision of the former government, so that Canada is part of the U.S. missile defense program.
Hours earlier, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it had test-launched seven missiles from its east coast earlier in the week, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to Alaska.
The United States and Japan have led the chorus of voices warning of serious consequences if North Korea persists in firing missiles. But North Korean officials vowed Thursday to carry out more tests.
Bush also warned Canadians of dangers during a joint news conference after he and Harper met at the White House in Washington. The President noted that a North Korean missile fired toward the United States could travel off course and accidentally strike Canada. "[North Korea] could be seemingly firing a missile at the United States — this is all speculation — that could be headed toward the northwest of our country and it wouldn't take much for it to get off course." Bush said.
Harper said his Tory government wasn't prepared at this time to open the debate on whether Canada should reverse an earlier Liberal decision and join the U.S. ballistic missile defence program.
But after the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that he understood the need to have a "modern and flexible defence system" to combat missile threats.
Check it out at CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/07/06/north-korea.html
I think that the Conservatives should open debate and reverse the decision of the former government, so that Canada is part of the U.S. missile defense program.