Job Discussion Forums

[valley_girl]

Just warms your heart, eh?

[khmerhit]

Most Uncanadian. makes me suspect his father was English!! Even so, outward shows of iciness are not necessarily accurate indicators...

[Guy Courchesne]

Canadian humoUr...

http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/photogalleries/gallery_cap_btm.html?g=elexcartoons060124#

[ls650]

Right-wing, left-wing, whatever... Harper looks and acts like a frickin' weasel. Ugh.

[valley_girl]

Iciness...now there's a word I would use to describe Harper's demeanor. Can't you just hear him whispering to his sons during their 'photo op' moment, "Smile you little b@$%#!"

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Gee, I didn't know Canada was a democracy!

[ntropy]

How many of you with a 9-year-old boy do you really think would let his Dad kiss him in front of his new school with cameras recording everything for the world? I've got one and he would die if I did that. At home would be another matter.

Finally, do an internet search using "kiss" and "Harper" and see him planting one on the Mrs that would melt platinum.

[valley_girl]

Yes, Jizzo, we actually do have more than one party!

Ntopy, I know kids generally don't want affectionate goodbyes from "the rents" (particularly after age 7 or so), but the handshakes were just so contrived. It was so 'politician'. KWIM?

Nonetheless, Harper's got bigger fish to fry, like protecting Canada's sovereignty in the north and training 15,000 new soldiers (even though we only have the capacity to train 5,000 per year). You go, Harper. You go.

[RyanS]

Yes "Protecting" Canada's sovereignity in the North the same way its being done in the south. Almost all of what is considered "Canadian" in the corperate world is American or own by other capitalists. Molson, Tim Hortons, Hudson's Bay, our three steel corperations, Bombardier. We don't have control over our resources, all diplomatic and trade agreements have to appease the United States, remember how much outrage they had with Canada when we wanted to trade more with Cuba? In some US Newspapers they called for Manifest destinity. We're not allowed to be self-suffient on our resources because of Clauses in NAFTA, we're a net exporter of OIL but we import oil to make American businesses competative, we're not allowed to nationalize anything without paying almost every corperation in in the market 10 years of projected profits and so on. Hell not to mention the allowance of whole patients on everything but the entirity of a human being. Which means plants, cells, ideas and everything can have a patient. Yes protecting Canadian Sovereignity is really on the agenda. Considering missles in space and no control over our airspace will soon be an everyday reality.

[valley_girl]

Our country is currently preparing for war. I don't know who they think is going to be protecting our "sovereignty" in the North.

I wonder if Harper is going to try to reverse the decision on the missile defense plan. Then again, perhaps he's too busy preparing a vote on same-sex marriage.

That's it...I'm not reading the paper anymore...I'd rather be ignorant than terminally p.o.'d!

[Guy Courchesne]

The decision on the missile plan was made a long time ago. We are in and always have been. The real decision has always been what to tell the Canadian public. Canada has been at Colorado Springs/NORAD since the 40's and the Americans have been working with us in the north since the same time.

Politicans lie, whatever side of Question Period they find themselves on.

[valley_girl]

Canada won't join missile defence plan

Last Updated Thu, 24 Feb 2005 21:32:18 EST
CBC News

OTTAWA - Canada has said no to the U.S. missile defence program, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced Thursday.

The prime minister said the decision was made following extensive discussions with Foreign Affairs and National Defence.


Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew in the Commons, Thursday.
"Let me be clear: we respect the right of the United States to defend itself and its people," said Martin.

Canada will continue to work with the U.S. for the common defence of North America, but our efforts won't be concentrated on missile defence, the prime minister said.

"Canada remains steadfast in its support of Norad," said Martin.

The nearly $13 billion allocated for the military in Wednesday's budget proves Canada is committed to taking its share of responsibility for national and international security, he said.

The outgoing U.S. ambassador to Canada reacted swiftly, saying the decision to defend North America now rests with Washington.

"We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty � its seat at the table � to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada," said Paul Cellucci.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew told the House of Commons about the prime minister's decision, which Pettigrew said was based on policy, and not emotion.

Pettigrew said he informed U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of Canada's decision on Tuesday during NATO meetings in Brussels.

"Of course, the U.S. is disappointed. They recognize and respect our decision," said Pettigrew.

While NDP foreign affairs critic Alexa McDonough praised the decision, party leader Jack Layton criticized the prime minister for telling the American secretary of state before informing MPs.

When asked Wednesday during Question Period whether he was planning to reject missile defence, Martin suggested the decision hadn't been made.

"The government has stated all along that it will make the decision when it is in Canada's interest to do so," said Martin.


FROM FEB. 22, 2005: Martin will reject missile defence: report

The issue was thrust into the spotlight earlier this week when Canada's new ambassador to Washington, Frank McKenna, said Canada is effectively already taking part in the program by allowing the missile program to use Norad.

During a visit to Canada in December, U.S. President George W. Bush publicly urged Martin to join the program.

When he first took office, Martin suggested he supported joining the plan, saying he believed Canada should be at the table when it comes to any discussion of the defence of North America.

Critics of the program say it could lead to a new arms race and the weaponization of space.

[Guy Courchesne]

Yeah, I've been keeping up on it. I have no doubt that we are participating in the program, but the hubbub in CDN politics and media is much more about what level of participation we are talking about, mainly, how much money to pay, as is the most obtuse factor your average Canuck can relate to.

When push comes to shove and when the doodoo hits the fan, historically, Canada has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the US. Vietnam is the only exception, but even then, Canadians were fighting there too.

[valley_girl]

I don't follow politics that much...just catch blurbs here and there, but I remember all the hubbub over that 'decision' last year.

I know that Canada usually stands with the U.S., but we did say no to Iraq and then - publicly, at least - another no to the missile defense plan. Bush then made some unfortunate remarks which resulted in his being wildly unpopular on this side of the border. He visited Halifax last year and was met with lots of picketing. He said, "Thanks to the Canadians who waved with all five fingers." LMAO

Ironically, my boyfriend probably knows the answer to the missile defense question, but he isn't able to talk about such things with me. Drives me nuts.

[RyanS]

Ya, while Paul Martin offically said "No" to the public behind the scenes NORAD funding went up to help out with the missle defence plan.

Like how Dalton McGuinty is defending Public Medicare by destroying it.

I went to Ottawa to protest the fascist on November 20th, 04. There was about 20-30k of US on the streets on a cold tuesday afternoon. Coming all the way from Toronto and Montrael. While the Newspapers can make front page news and the cover story of like 50 people protesting Tax Hikes on Corperations and the Rich in Toronto we got a 10 sentence blurb on page 11 of the newspaper; it wasn't even an honest depiction either saying saying there was less then 1,000. On Bill O'Reilly he said there was only 20 Canadians who were snubbed off by passerbys when Bush came.

Anyways, they swore in Harper's Cabinet yesterday, there are some very extreme right-wing in important positions, Minister of the Enviroment is an Anti-Kyoto woman I believe they mentioned worked for an Oil Corperation.

Stockwell Day is minister of Public Safety, yay, the RCMP is in this Lunatic's control. I think it also extends to CSIS not sure.

I don't remember many of the others, the Minister of Culture's new job will be destroying the CBC.

Okay, ya, I know my thoughts aren't organized...