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U.S. is 'walking the walk' when it comes to environmental issues, David Wilkins says
OTTAWA — The Bush administration issued a sharp, public rebuke today to Prime Minister Paul Martin for dragging the Canadian-U.S. relationship into the federal election campaign. Ambassador David Wilkins said Canada risks damaging one of the world’s best relationships by focusing on short-term political gain.
“It may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner constantly,” Wilkins said in a speech to the Canadian Club at the historic Chateau Laurier Hotel, next door to Parliament Hill.
“But it is a slippery slope, and all of us should hope that it doesn’t have a long-term impact on the relationship.”
America may be an easy target, said Wilkins, adding he understands “political expendiency.
“But the last time I looked, the United States was not on the ballot for the Jan. 23 election,” he said to scattered applause.
It was the only applause from a crowd of several hundred throughout the 20-minute speech.
Wilkins did not name the prime minister directly but it was clear from the context of the remarks that he was referring to Martin.
Speaking on the campaign trail in Surrey, B.C., Martin hotly denied he was being overtly anti-American for electoral purposes — even as he used Wilkins’ comments to impugn Conservative Leader Stephen Harper.
“I will defend the Canadian position and I will defend our values and I will defend our interests against anybody,” said the prime minister.
Without prompting, he added that “if the thesis of Mr. Harper is that the only way to have good relations with the United States is to concede everything to the United States, then I do not accept that at all.”
Martin, who touted a more mature relationship with the United States as one his priorities when he became prime minister in 2003, has been talking a hard line against Washington throughout this autumn’s heated election run-up.
The prime minister has been particularly critical of the U.S. position on softwood lumber duties and failure to ratify the Kyoto accord on greenhouse gas emissions.
Wilkins, a long-time supporter and confidant of President George W. Bush, left absolutely no doubt the Bush administration was sending a message directly to Martin.
Less than a week after the prime minister raised hackles in Washington by specifically naming the United States for lacking a global conscience on climate change, Wilkins threw the words back at the prime minister.
He pointed out that America’s record is far superior to Canada’s on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
“I would respectfully submit to you that when it comes to a `global conscience,’ the United States is walking the walk,” said the ambassador.
Liberals have denied they are using anti-American rhetoric as election fodder. But a senior Liberal campaign organizer was clearly delighted at news coverage last week that suggested Canada’s ambassador in Washington, Frank McKenna, had been called on the carpet by the Americans over Martin’s undiplomatic climate change talk.
Wilkins also mentioned the softwood dispute, noting that the U.S. Commerce Dept. cut the contentious tariffs on Canadian lumber in half last week.
He defended the continuing American occupation in Iraq, saying ``freedom is on the march.”
And on looming passport requirements for Canada-U.S. travellers, Wilkins said the two countries can work together to mitigate the impact but that Canadians have to appreciate the new American mentality. “Bottom line: Canada should understand that 9-11 forever changed my country,” Wilkins said of the September 2001 terrorist attacks.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&c=Article&cid=1134473177349&call_pageid=968332188774
OTTAWA — The Bush administration issued a sharp, public rebuke today to Prime Minister Paul Martin for dragging the Canadian-U.S. relationship into the federal election campaign. Ambassador David Wilkins said Canada risks damaging one of the world’s best relationships by focusing on short-term political gain.
“It may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner constantly,” Wilkins said in a speech to the Canadian Club at the historic Chateau Laurier Hotel, next door to Parliament Hill.
“But it is a slippery slope, and all of us should hope that it doesn’t have a long-term impact on the relationship.”
America may be an easy target, said Wilkins, adding he understands “political expendiency.
“But the last time I looked, the United States was not on the ballot for the Jan. 23 election,” he said to scattered applause.
It was the only applause from a crowd of several hundred throughout the 20-minute speech.
Wilkins did not name the prime minister directly but it was clear from the context of the remarks that he was referring to Martin.
Speaking on the campaign trail in Surrey, B.C., Martin hotly denied he was being overtly anti-American for electoral purposes — even as he used Wilkins’ comments to impugn Conservative Leader Stephen Harper.
“I will defend the Canadian position and I will defend our values and I will defend our interests against anybody,” said the prime minister.
Without prompting, he added that “if the thesis of Mr. Harper is that the only way to have good relations with the United States is to concede everything to the United States, then I do not accept that at all.”
Martin, who touted a more mature relationship with the United States as one his priorities when he became prime minister in 2003, has been talking a hard line against Washington throughout this autumn’s heated election run-up.
The prime minister has been particularly critical of the U.S. position on softwood lumber duties and failure to ratify the Kyoto accord on greenhouse gas emissions.
Wilkins, a long-time supporter and confidant of President George W. Bush, left absolutely no doubt the Bush administration was sending a message directly to Martin.
Less than a week after the prime minister raised hackles in Washington by specifically naming the United States for lacking a global conscience on climate change, Wilkins threw the words back at the prime minister.
He pointed out that America’s record is far superior to Canada’s on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
“I would respectfully submit to you that when it comes to a `global conscience,’ the United States is walking the walk,” said the ambassador.
Liberals have denied they are using anti-American rhetoric as election fodder. But a senior Liberal campaign organizer was clearly delighted at news coverage last week that suggested Canada’s ambassador in Washington, Frank McKenna, had been called on the carpet by the Americans over Martin’s undiplomatic climate change talk.
Wilkins also mentioned the softwood dispute, noting that the U.S. Commerce Dept. cut the contentious tariffs on Canadian lumber in half last week.
He defended the continuing American occupation in Iraq, saying ``freedom is on the march.”
And on looming passport requirements for Canada-U.S. travellers, Wilkins said the two countries can work together to mitigate the impact but that Canadians have to appreciate the new American mentality. “Bottom line: Canada should understand that 9-11 forever changed my country,” Wilkins said of the September 2001 terrorist attacks.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&c=Article&cid=1134473177349&call_pageid=968332188774