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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ga Bard who wrote (185569)	9/23/2001 10:14:49 AM
From: DMaA	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Why didn't Bush mention Canada in his speech? Could be because their PM dithered nearly two weeks on a decision to pledge full military support. September 23, 2001 A Chamberlain for our times By BOB MACDONALD -- Toronto Sun The tired, drawn face and weak, confusing actions these days of Prime Minister Jean Chretien raises growing doubts that he has the stomach and energy to lead Canada in the upcoming all-out war against international terrorism. Is it time that he -- like Britain's tired and confused Neville Chamberlain when war against Hitler's Nazi Germany broke out -- step down as PM and hand the reins over to a more energetic and determined successor? Many Canadians and opposition parties are increasingly criticizing the 67-year-old PM for dithering nearly two weeks on a decision to pledge full military support, including fighting troops to the multi-national force being organized by U.S. President George W. Bush. And they're concerned about his refusal to declare that his government will go all out to find and eliminate terrorist groups in Canada -- along with those who support and finance them. In fact, Chretien even made the nutsy statement that there are no terrorists in Canada, despite his own CSIS intelligence service reporting it found 50 terrorist groups. Increasingly, many are angry that he dodges and weaves on a badly needed promise to toughen our sieve-like immigration and refugee system -- something that's given Canada the title "sucker nation of the world" for decades. There's also concern about Chretien's foot-dragging on a commitment to work with the U.S. to create co- ordinated border security and immigration-refugee systems to catch terrorists on both sides of the border. Make no mistake. All the above subjects will be discussed bluntly by Bush when Chretien finally visits Washington tomorrow and meets the U.S. president behind closed doors. The hard-driving American leader will want answers to the statement he made in Thursday's historic speech to Congress: "Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." Oh sure, there will be the "shoulder-to-shoulder" photo-ops of the two together that Chretien badly wants to show Canadians that all is right between him and the president. And there will be some nice-sounding public statements by both to claim they are "working together." But what Bush will demand is clear: positive answers for an all-out military commitment and promises to work closely together to clean out terrorists and toughen immigration-refugee systems on both sides of the border. Indications are that Chretien is clinging to a "peace in our time" hope: Trying to persuade Bush to accept substitutes for fighting troops, such as planes and taking over U.S. peacekeeping duties in the former Yugoslavia. And he's well aware that his native Quebec gave the lowest support for an all-out war against terrorism in the latest opinion poll -- just 59% compared to a national average of 73% and 79% for Ontario. It appears Chretien wants an anti-terrorist campaign that allows him to keep much of the weak immigration-refugee system in Canada that has long meant heavy immigrant votes for his Liberals. From the start, after the horrific attacks on New York's World Trade Center and Washington's Pentagon, Chretien has come across as a man in shock, unable to take the decisive actions so badly needed to meet such a serious threat. He did offer condolences to Bush and the victims. However, unlike other leaders like Britain's Tony Blair, he didn't go to New York to survey the devastation and boost the spirits of the rescue teams. He didn't even go to Washington. The fact that Bush left a mention of Chretien and Canada out of his historic speech was no mistake. Despite "diplomatic" denials all around, it was done to shock both Canadians and our PM -- to wake us up about Chretien's foot dragging. In fact, the Chretienites have refused to identify the 25-35 Canadians buried in the World Trade Center rubble -- calling such information "private." They must fear publicity about the victims will cause more demands for action from Canadians. Chretien didn't even attend a memorial service in Toronto last week for victim David Barkway. And on Friday when there was a memorial service in Hamilton for United Airlines pilot LeRoy Homer, husband of a Hamiltonian, Chretien was attending an Ottawa mosque, apologizing to Muslims for any harassment they might have received. Ah yes, and tomorrow, unlike Blair and others, he isn't even dropping in to New York to survey Ground Zero where Canadians lie. His flunkies claim he doesn't have the time. You see, after his Washington meet and photo-op with Bush, our harried, tired Prime Minister will rush in his taxpayer-paid jet to Toronto for an obviously top priority event: A Liberal party fundraising dinner. canoe.ca