Martin to make decision on missile defence: report (Canada)

[Minstrel Boy]

Martin to make decision on missile defence: report

OTTAWA - Days after his June 28 election win, Prime Minister Paul Martin discussed Canada's role in the U.S. missile defence program, said Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

...

The Prime Minister's Office says Martin gave no assurance on timing, but added that cabinet will decide on the program before October when Washington's first missile interceptors will be in place in Alaska and California.

...

Even if the vote goes before Parliament, the parties likely to support missile defence – the Liberals and Conservatives – have three times as many MPs as the NDP and Bloc Québécois put together.

"There seems to be a Liberal support and Conservative support for making sure that defence spending is a priority," said Cellucci.
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/07/12/missile_canada040712

Participation seen as a near certainty

OTTAWA—Just days after the federal election, Prime Minister Paul Martin informed American officials he would soon decide whether Canada will join the U.S.-led missile defence program.

Sources on both sides of the border indicate privately that Canadian participation is seen as a near certainty, and a government Web site has already begun extolling the benefits of the missile shield.

...

Martin spent much of the election campaign dismissing NDP suggestions that the missile defence program would turn space into a weapons zone.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1089583810001&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467&tacodalogin=no

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. He'll sign on, it seems.

[Spazito]

2. I wish someone would tell Celluci to go suck an egg...

that man is an embarrassment to his country and constantly interferes with the internal affairs of Canada. I despise him!

Now, to be on topic, I hope Martin stalls till the last possible moment, looks at the polls that will show bush is out in Nov and then says "stuff it" to him. That's my hope but I don't expect that to happen, sadly.

[Minstrel Boy]

3. He's like Bremer, without the army boots.

A graceless thug.

[Tommy_Douglas]

4. Just say no Paul...

Look at the election. Canadians made their displeasure known to you. Your government hangs by a thread. Hiding behind missles will never make us free.

[Spazito]

5. Agreed! The only thing that pulled Martin's "fat out of the fire" was...

the faux Conservatives were pro-bush, pro-Iraq invasion and occupation and Canadians did NOT want that so chose Martin or the NDP. The message was crystal clear, imo. Anything bush wants from Canada should receive a resounding NO from our government. When Kerry is President, that is the time for repairing our relationship, imo.

[Massacure]

6. You mean that money suck up program to defend us from that country

That collapsed back in 1991? Oh yea! I completely forgot about them. Why do we need to defend ourselves against them again?

I hope Martin says "NO!"

[struggle4progress]

7. Twenty years later -- it's STILL a scam! eom