Missile Defense Comments by Canada's New U.S. Envoy Spark Uproar

[Tsiyu]

By Beth Duff-Brown Associated Press Writer
Published: Feb 23, 2005

TORONTO (AP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin was expected to announce later in the week that Canada will not sign on to the U.S. ballistic missile plan, after his newly appointed ambassador to Washington triggered a row by suggesting Ottawa had already joined the contentious program.
Most Canadians are opposed to the missile defense shield, which is in the midst of testing interceptors capable of taking out incoming missiles. Some believe the umbrella, when fully implemented, could lead to the weaponization of space and an international arms race.

The Foreign Ministry insisted Ambassador Frank McKenna's comments on Tuesday referred to a previous military agreement, not the proposed missile shield. That was not good enough for opposition politicians, who said Martin had betrayed Canadians by "secretly" signing on to the shield program.

A spokesman for the U.S. Northern Command, Michael Kucharek, said there has been no change in Canada's involvement in U.S. ballistic missile defense programs.



more:
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBJC7B5J5E.html

[thecrow]

1. Three cheers for the sanity of Paul Martin !

Canadians are smart not to want weapons in space.
If only some of their smarts would rub off on the US!!
O8)
:grouphug:

[Tsiyu]

2. yeah, we need Canuck smarts drifting

down on the Chinook winds.

"Trickle Down intelligence?" :shrug:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. When I think of missile defense shield, I think of two castaways on

an island no more than 100 feet across, completely covered with trees, threatening each other to burn them in order to claim the shade for themselves. The planet just won't accept this sort of insult. I don't see it happening.... not without serious repercussions.

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. hmmm - gotta watch the wording carefully here - -

.
.
.

I just moved 50 miles AWAY from our northern NORAD site in North Bay, Ontario - where we USED to have nukes - they were supposed to have been removed decades ago . .

The site is still active, and VERY restricted - I drove cab for awhile in 2002/2003, and delivering staff to the site, you can't get even close to the entrance - drop them off in a parking lot, and they go through an underground tunnel to the entrance, and through various security checks before they even get to the front "door" (a little 19 TON door that is)

Statements as oblique as "there has been no change in Canada's involvement in U.S. ballistic missile defense programs" unnerve me somewhat . .

No Change - OK -

from what date ?? :shrug:

Interesting read on Canada's Ballistic Missile Policy/Participation, and links to more info - clik on image below -