Storm over NAFTA leak

[dancing-loon]

OTTAWA — The leak of a confidential diplomatic discussion that rocked the U.S. presidential campaign began with an offhand remark to journalists from the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Ian Brodie.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed yesterday to use whatever investigative means necessary to find the source of leaks that, he said, were "unfair" to U.S. Democratic candidate Barack Obama and may have been illegal — although opposition leaders insisted the Conservatives cannot be trusted to investigate political players on their own team.

Read full story here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

A fitting comment from a reader:

Westcoastser from Delta from Canada writes: My My. Aren't we lucky to live in a country so devoid of real problems (by real world standards) that such trivia becomes a head line grabbing story. We should consider ourselves lucky.

And I wondered, is there nothing more serious to do up on Parliament Hill?? One petty thing after another!:roll:

 

[Milko]

Opposition only fuels this leak. They make it even more legit despite Obama's position that it never happened. So it makes me wonder if Liberals, BC and NDP are all for Hillary Clinton?

 

[Scott Free]

It seems Harper just wants to make sure anyone who leaked information will be punished. It can be hard to run a tight ship in a "free" society. This is just the PM using terror to force government into silence.

"It is not in the interest of the Government of Canada, and the way the leak was executed, Mr. Speaker, was blatantly unfair to Senator Obama and his campaign,"

What a load of crap. Now we're supposed to watch what we say because it might influence the American political process? This is a blatantly contrived statement meant to bamboozle the Canadian public. What a stupid thing to say!

Either Harper is an idiot or he thinks we are.

 

[elevennevele]

Opposition only fuels this leak. They make it even more legit despite Obama's position that it never happened. So it makes me wonder if Liberals, BC and NDP are all for Hillary Clinton?

LOL. You guys see 'Liberals' in everything wrong with Harper's leadership problems. Everytime Harper screws things up on his end either by something he does or something his party does, there is a Liberal to blame somewhere for it.

Heck, if I had any complaint about the Liberals up until now, it's that they have been sitting on their hands rather than putting real pressure on Harper as an opposition. I mean you guys think the Liberals are the ones who stir sh't? Who's the a'hole putting out attack ads when there is no election going on?

Yeah, and I'm sure it was a 'Liberal' that made Harper admit on tape that his people were trying to offer Cadman financial incentives prior to a key vote.

 

[elevennevele]

Maybe if Harper's leadership wasn't so underhanded, all these issues wouldn't be swirling around his head all the time. The only thing I see is an opposition party that doesn't seem to know how to capitalize on every gift of an issue Harper hands them. Meanwhile, Harper is running attack ads on TV when there isn't even an election yet.

I would love to hear you folks honestly tell me that if it were the Liberals on the other shoe and was Harper back in opposition, Harper would just sit on his hands regarding all these same issues. That he wouldn't have his handlers making all sorts of accusations? Sure, he would just sit there, give Dion an nod and a wink, and then run out of Parliament to help an old lady across the street.

Come on people. Harper is running attack ads clipping Dion's statements and then piecing them out of context and then placing them with goofy images of the guy, and you guys call the Liberals petty for wanting to press legitimate issues surrounding this government? This compared to a guy who's side put out an attack that said that Paul Martin supported child porn on the campaign trail.

You guys will have to find me where Harper eventually apologized for that because I remember him standing by a bus not wanting to have to make any apology as reporters press him on it.

Oh yeah, but now he wants to sue Dion over comments on an issue he has yet to come clean with the Canadian Public regarding Cadman as he withholds information on the details of what really went on. Sure, the Liberals are petty by all Conservative definition.

 

[Scott Free]

Maybe if Harper's leadership wasn't so underhanded, all these issues wouldn't be swirling around his head all the time. The only thing I see is an opposition party that doesn't seem to know how to capitalize on every gift of an issue Harper hands them. Meanwhile, Harper is running attack ads on TV when there isn't even an election yet.

I would love to hear you folks honestly tell me that if it were the Liberals on the other shoe and was Harper back in opposition, Harper would just sit on his hands regarding all these same issues. That he wouldn't have his handlers making all sorts of accusations? Sure, he would just sit there, give Dion an nod and a wink, and then run out of Parliament to help an old lady across the street.

Come on people. Harper is running attack ads clipping Dion's statements and then piecing them out of context and then placing them with goofy images of the guy, and you guys call the Liberals petty for wanting to press legitimate issues surrounding this government? This compared to a guy who's side put out an attack that said that Paul Martin supported child porn on the campaign trail.

You guys will have to find me where Harper eventually apologized for that because I remember him standing by a bus not wanting to have to make any apology as reporters press him on it.

Oh yeah, but now he wants to sue Dion over comments on an issue he has yet to come clean with the Canadian Public regarding Cadman as he withholds information on the details of what really went on. Sure, the Liberals are petty by all Conservative definition.

I don't watch television anymore so I haven't seen these adds your talking about but they sound slimy and underhanded. I'm sure Dion is aware that he would win a defamation suit. Obviously he doesn't want to do that which is crazy on his part. People tend to believe this kind of propaganda (simple) and if the target doesn't defend himself people tend to take it as evidence of truth. He really should sue. He is getting some poor advice somewhere.

I don't like any of the political parties in Canada. They are the political elite and the scum of the universe. There are so many issues that they should be bringing up but don't. I am left convinced by inductive logic that they are all pretty much on the same page.

It really isn't an issue for me which as***le is running things. The issue for me is that they are running things. The whole lot of them are part of a criminal cartel and I'm not interested in playing their games.

They only have authority because too many people take them seriously.

 

[Kreskin]

Jack Layton has added yet another demand for an investigation. This would be investigation demand number 12,033 in just the last month. If Jack was ever PM he could hire all of the unemployed to carry out his forensic political requests and still not have the capacity to fill the orders. It would be the most employed profession in the country.

 

[Milko]

LOL. You guys see 'Liberals' in everything wrong with Harper's leadership problems. Everytime Harper screws things up on his end either by something he does or something his party does, there is a Liberal to blame somewhere for it.

Heck, if I had any complaint about the Liberals up until now, it's that they have been sitting on their hands rather than putting real pressure on Harper as an opposition. I mean you guys think the Liberals are the ones who stir sh't? Who's the a'hole putting out attack ads when there is no election going on?

Yeah, and I'm sure it was a 'Liberal' that made Harper admit on tape that his people were trying to offer Cadman financial incentives prior to a key vote.

Just for the record I am a member of Liberal party.

 

[elevennevele]

Just for the record I am a member of Liberal party.

Well, I'm not a member and I'm sorry to have addressed to you specifically, but I can't understand why on these boards that everything the Conservatives do that seems dirty, or underhanded, or is unethical, some reference to the Liberals is made in an attempt to give them some sort of ownership of the problem.

Gee. Looks like I just answered my own question.

 

[lone wolf]

Sour grapes - considering it's a Tory-annointed program. Imagine: Some damn Yankee threatening to cut off a Canadian Rightists' ride on the American gravy train....

Woof!

 

[I think not]

Jack Layton has added yet another demand for an investigation. This would be investigation demand number 12,033 in just the last month. If Jack was ever PM he could hire all of the unemployed to carry out his forensic political requests and still not have the capacity to fill the orders. It would be the most employed profession in the country.

LOL, sorry I couldn't resist. :lol:

 

[dancing-loon]

It seems Harper just wants to make sure anyone who leaked information will be punished. It can be hard to run a tight ship in a "free" society. This is just the PM using terror to force government into silence.

"It is not in the interest of the Government of Canada, and the way the leak was executed, Mr. Speaker, was blatantly unfair to Senator Obama and his campaign,"

What a load of crap. Now we're supposed to watch what we say because it might influence the American political process? This is a blatantly contrived statement meant to bamboozle the Canadian public. What a stupid thing to say!

Either Harper is an idiot or he thinks we are.

Hi, Scott;
remember a few years ago, when a certain liberal minister-lady called Bush a moron? Chretien didn't bat an eyelid over it!

 

[MikeyDB]

Just a quick question...

When the United States decides it's "OK" (profitable) to import dangerous/poisonous toys and doo-dahds then sell them to Canadian firms bound by NAFTA agreement not to impede the profitability of American businesses....

Who imagines for a moment that anyone can trust an American not to do everything they possibly can to work-around...bypass (extra fee at border crossings etc.) wail and moan to WTO and NAFTA bodies anything..... while they feel just swell about filling their own marketplace with questionable goods?

NAFTA.....just another branch of the river that Ottawa has sold Canada down in the name of making money.

 

[coldstream]

I don't know how the Americans, Obama and McCain, got the impression that NAFTA is so popular up here. NAFTA has been more devastating to Canadian economic interests than it has to the Americans, and it has been utterly devastating to all 3 participants in NAFTA. The only winners are the slimy, greed besotted international trading and financial interests who barter down fair wages, full employment, currency stability, industrial integrity to enrich themselves. Unfortunately it seems clear that the corrupt and tangled U.S. electoral system is completely beholden to these interests.. BOTH Democrats and Republicans.

 

[Nuggler]

I don't know how the Americans, Obama and McCain, got the impression that NAFTA is so popular up here. NAFTA has been more devastating to Canadian economic interests than it has to the Americans, and it has been utterly devastating to all 3 participants in NAFTA. The only winners are the slimy, greed besotted international trading and financial interests who barter down fair wages, full employment, currency stability, industrial integrity to enrich themselves. Unfortunately it seems clear that the corrupt and tangled U.S. electoral system is completely beholden to these interests.. BOTH Democrats and Republicans.

:thumbup:

 

[EagleSmack]

Just a quick question...

When the United States decides it's "OK" (profitable) to import dangerous/poisonous toys and doo-dahds then sell them to Canadian firms bound by NAFTA agreement not to impede the profitability of American businesses....

Who imagines for a moment that anyone can trust an American not to do everything they possibly can to work-around...bypass (extra fee at border crossings etc.) wail and moan to WTO and NAFTA bodies anything..... while they feel just swell about filling their own marketplace with questionable goods?

NAFTA.....just another branch of the river that Ottawa has sold Canada down in the name of making money.

Well hasn't Canada decided that it is "OK" to mine, process, and export asbestos, one of the most dangerous/poisonous minerals to countries who have not got around to banning it like every other industrialized nation.

Talk about profiting for questionable goods. There is not even a question on the dangers of asbestos. But as long as countries in Africa and the rest of the third world is buying it I suppose that is OK.

How can Canada even begin to critisize faulty toys when they have for years knowingly exported this highly poisonous stuff? KNOWING that it is killing and has killed thousands of people...and yes...women and children too! I guess as long as it doesn't explode on impact Canada can still be the self proclaimed moral voice of the world.

 

[lone wolf]

Well hasn't Canada decided that it is "OK" to mine, process, and export asbestos, one of the most dangerous/poisonous minerals to countries who have not got around to banning it like every other industrialized nation.

Talk about profiting for questionable goods. There is not even a question on the dangers of asbestos. But as long as countries in Africa and the rest of the third world is buying it I suppose that is OK.

How can Canada even begin to critisize faulty toys when they have for years knowingly exported this highly poisonous stuff? KNOWING that it is killing and has killed thousands of people...and yes...women and children too! I guess as long as it doesn't explode on impact Canada can still be the self proclaimed moral voice of the world.

In Africa and third world countries - places I remind you that don't have huge financial resources ... places that allow crazies with guns to roam and shoot at will - they have the choice between the prohibitively expensive manufactured insulating materials and asbestos. Nobody is twisting their arm to purchase on the cheap. Might do you some good to check and see how much asbestos is and was mined, produced and shipped from California and Arizona.

Has asbestos anything to do with NAFTA ... or is it something to divert the topic?

Woof!

 

[EagleSmack]

In Africa and third world countries - places I remind you that don't have huge financial resources ... places that allow crazies with guns to roam and shoot at will - they have the choice between the prohibitively expensive manufactured insulating materials and asbestos. Nobody is twisting their arm to purchase on the cheap. Might do you some good to check and see how much asbestos is and was mined, produced and shipped from California and Arizona.

Has asbestos anything to do with NAFTA ... or is it something to divert the topic?

Woof!

Well these threads spin lives of their own. I guess we should only go off topic in threads just to slam the US.

So I guess as long as crazies are running the country it is OK to sell them deadly toxins and kill their people. Now isn't that a switch! Again...as long as asbestos doesn't explode on impact...choking them slowly with cancer is A-OK!

With confidence I took you up on your challenge and checked about asbestos production. According to the British Geological Survey on World Mining I found the the US did not mine ANY asbestos. However Canada ranks as one of the top producers along with China, Russia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Khazakhstan...the home of Borat.

Congratulations!

 

[lone wolf]

Well these threads spin lives of their own. I guess we should only go off topic in threads just to slam the US.

So I guess as long as crazies are running the country it is OK to sell them deadly toxins and kill their people. Now isn't that a switch! Again...as long as asbestos doesn't explode on impact...choking them slowly with cancer is A-OK!

With confidence I took you up on your challenge and checked about asbestos production. According to the British Geological Survey on World Mining I found the the US did not mine ANY asbestos. However Canada ranks as one of the top producers along with China, Russia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Khazakhstan...the home of Borat.

Congratulations!

Did you say something about reading a book? Does it matter if you hold it upside-down while you're scrutinizing between lines for meanings that aren't part of the text? Where did I say it was okay to sell deadly toxins? (carcinogen, but why split hairs) Where did anyone say it wasn't okay to supply a market for them? What I said was it's THEIR choice. Who appointed you as spokesman for the what's wrong with the world club? I'm glad you have so much confidence in checking out current asbestos production in the United States. Now go take a look at the holes in Arizona and California from asbestos produced in the past. Please make sure your own doorstep is swept clean before you point out the dust one anyone else's.

Woof!

 

[EagleSmack]

Please make sure your own doorstep is swept clean before you point out the dust one anyone else's.

Woof!

My point exactly and thank you for proving it so eloquently.