The President comes to Canada II

Dec. 1 - Interesting front page for the online Toronto Sun today and caption.

The Sun is more supportive of President Bush than many Canadian newspapers and their coverage of his visit is fairly positive. Some aspects of the meeting not mentioned here:

U.S. PRESIDENT George W. Bush trumpeted a renewed friendship with Canada during his first visit to Ottawa yesterday, but bristled at criticism of his decision to invade Iraq. The president arrived at Parliament Hill surrounded by a 40-car motorcade overseen by police snipers on every rooftop and all manner of aircraft in the sky above.

[...]

Singling out Canada's military contribution in Afghanistan, Bush stressed that Canada and the U.S. share common values and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the face of terror.

"The United States is fortunate to have a neighbour with whom we share so many ties of values and family and friendship," Bush said. "We look forward to an even stronger relationship in the years to come."

[...]

The Canada-U.S. relationship has been in a deep chill since Bush was first elected in 2000. Former PM Jean Chretien, who had a warm friendship with former U.S. president Bill Clinton, did not build the same ties with Bush.

Martin has worked to repair that during the past three meetings with Bush. The president previously visited Canada to attend two international summits, but this is the first time he has travelled to Ottawa for private meetings with the PM.

[...]

Bush raised the controversial ballistic missile defence shield during discussions with Martin, a topic the Canadian government had kept off the agenda. "We talked about the future of NORAD and how that organization can best meet emerging threats and safeguard our continent against attack from ballistic missiles," Bush said.

Senior Canadian government officials downplayed the discussion, saying Martin reiterated his opposition to putting weapons in space and reminded the president that Canada is still debating whether to jump on board or not. Officials said Bush did not ask for Canadian support.

CNN coverage gives more detail about the beef ban which is hurting the cattle trade:

Bush said he understood Martin's frustration but that U.S. law requires the White House Office of Management and Budget to review proposed Agriculture Department regulations before his administration can lift the ban.

"I fully understand the cattle business. I understand the pressures placed upon Canadian ranchers," he said. But he noted, "There's a bureaucracy involved. I readily concede we've got one."

PM Martin's and Pres. Bush's full statements and response to reporters' questions are here. The president noted past wars in which Canada and the U.S. have fought side by side as well as the current campaign in Afghanistan:

Canada and the United States share a history, a continent, and a border. We also share a commitment to freedom and a willingness to defend it in times of peril. The United States and Canada fought side-by-side in two world wars, in Korea and the Persian Gulf, and throughout the Cold War. Today, we're standing together against the forces of terror. Long-term success in this war requires more than military might -- it requires the advance of liberty and hope as the great alternatives to hatred and violence.

All free nations appreciate Canada's leadership: leadership of the security and stabilization mission in Afghanistan; leadership which helped make possible the first free nationwide election in that country's history. Afghanistan is a world away from the nightmare of its recent past, Mr. Prime Minister. It is building a decent and democratic future. And I want to thank you for your help.

He didn't shy away from Iraq and re-asserted the right of Iraqis to consensual government and brought up Canadian involvement in Haiti:

We're also standing with the brave people of Iraq who are preparing for elections on January the 30th. Both of our nations have a vital interest in helping the Iraqi people secure their country and build a free and democratic society. I want to thank the Prime Minister's resolve and his support for this great cause. The Canadian government has pledged more than $200 million U.S. in humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance, and have agreed to relieve more than $450 million U.S. in Iraqi debt.

A free and democratic Iraq is rising in the heart of the Middle East. The success of liberty there will be a decisive blow to the ideology of terror and a model to reformers and democrats throughout the region. As we seek freedom for the Afghan and Iraqi people, America and Canada are working to further the spread of democracy in our own hemisphere. In Haiti, Canada was a leader along with the United States, France, Chile, and other nations in helping to restore order. Canadian police are standing watch in Haiti at this hour, and the Prime Minister just visited the country to further the cause of political reconciliation. I appreciate your briefing on your visit.

On Ukraine:

Prime Minister Martin and I also discussed the situation in Ukraine. I informed the Prime Minister that I talked this morning to President Kwasniewski of Poland. President Kwasniewski will again lead a delegation, which will include a representative of the European Union, to the Ukraine to encourage the parties to reject violence, and to urge the parties to engage in dialogue toward a political and legal solution to the current crisis. Our common goal is to see the will of the Ukranian people prevail. The Prime Minister and I want to thank President Kwasniewski for his efforts, and we wish him all the success.

On the decriminalization of marijuana in response to a question as to if it would affect the border:

It will probably affect those who use marijuana a lot more than it will affect the border.

and he then returned to the issue of security at the border and attempts to prevent "those who would do harm to either the United States or Canada from being able to do so ..." The next question also focused on marijuana, to which the president replied

I don't have a comment on what you're doing internally about that.

The claim has been made that marijuana hasn't been decriminalized yet due to pressure from the USA which feared it would enable more importation of the drug into the USA. I never quite understood that argument; it doesn't decriminalize the growth or distribution, only possession. The issue of medicinal marijuana usage is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.

There has been a great deal of speculation about the speech President Bush is to give in Halifax today and whether it will be on a par with the landmark Whitehall speech.

8:33 - Air Force One is now departing from Ottawa Airport. The CBC is reporting about 40 protesters have gathered in Halifax.

Posted by: Debbye at 07:11 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 1127 words, total size 8 kb.