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01/17/2005 Archived Entry: "Missile defense scheme, a done deal?"

An interesting tidbit from InfoShop: "On the French CBC website, a news article was published on the first page for a brief period of 12 minutes before disappearing. "

"The article mentions that according to an official memo emanating from the Ministry of Defense, Prime Minister Paul Martin has already given his support to the Republican administration regarding the missile defence system." The link to the article still exists, however. For those who do not read French, this Canwest News article provides much the same information. Martin has vigorously denied that a decision has been made but an array of critics have come close to calling him a liar and demanding open debate in Parliament.

The Toronto Star captures the general Canadian opinion of the missile defense proposal in an editorial entitled Steer clear of missile defence, which states, "Doing right is saying no to ballistic missile defence, and yes to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons." Canada is so suspicious of Bush and his designs on Canadian resources, including its air space, that the new ambassador to Washington, named just this Friday, was "immediately forced to deny he was 'cozy' with President George W. Bush's administration." (McKenna is a director with the Carlyle Group, an influential global investment firm with headquarters almost next door to the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.) When you think of it, the denial is rather bizarre. In essence, the former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna hurried to reassure the Canadian people that he did not have a close relationship with the people whose job it is for him to influence. Meanwhile, and despite his protestations, one of McKenna's first official statements was to voice approval of U.S. security inspectors setting up shop at Canadian ports.