And here is another example...Of course, this example is from our far right, but still, this type of thing 'does get out in the media', although not as frequently, as our MSM is so very liberal.
Canada's Hate-America Gambit
By Stephen Brown
FrontPageMagazine.com | December 21, 2005
frontpagemag.com
Get power at all costs; keep power at all costs.
That is the principal dogma of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party which Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin translated recently into embarrassing outbursts of anti-Americanism. Intended to boost Liberal chances in the current Canadian election campaign, the Liberal leader decided to engage in some America-bashing in order to help his party maintain its twelve-year hold on power. Martin, playing shamelessly to Canada’s anti-American crowd, first took advantage of a United Nations climate-change conference’s presence in Montreal this month to castigate the United States for not signing the Kyoto Accords, saying, among other things, that America lacked a global conscience.
This, in turn, caused America’s ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, to respond to the unfounded charge, taking Martin to task for endangering relations between the two countries in order to attract votes, calling such tactics “a slippery slope.” Wilkins’ measured response, however, only served to present Martin with another opportunity to stoke anti-American sentiment when he angrily denounced the Bush appointee last week for interfering in a Canadian election.
“I am not going to be dictated to as to the subjects that I should raise,” Martin retorted. “I will make sure that Canada speaks with an independent voice now, tomorrow and always…”
But meaningless, cheap rhetoric aside, Martin and his anti-American antics shouldn’t be taken seriously.
The reigning Liberal government is one of the most corrupt in Canadian political history, having stolen millions of dollars in a scam involving a $348 million dollar federal government program and advertising agencies in Quebec. The inquiry into this sordid affair heard this year of nefarious doings that would have caused Soprano crime family members to turn green with envy. Millions of Canadian taxpayers’ dollars, it was discovered, were laundered for several years through Liberal-friendly Quebec ad agencies, which, after taking their cut, kicked the money back to the Liberal Party.
Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Bill Clinton’s good friend and Martin’s predecessor, was in office during these criminal misdoings. Naturally, he claims ignorance of any wrongdoing, although the inquiry heard that his brother had personally gone and collected at least one of the many envelopes of tainted cash (a fat one, to be sure) passed back to the Liberals, while his niece had a no-show job with one of the ad agencies involved. Martin, who became prime minister and Liberal leader two years ago after Chretien, also claims ignorance, although he was Liberal finance minister at the time as well as senior Quebec minister and head of the Quebec Liberal caucus in Parliament.
After the inquiry report was released earlier this fall, the minority Liberal government was defeated on a non-confidence vote in Parliament and had to call an election. As a result, the Liberals are now desperate to find votes to maintain their grip on power while diverting attention from the corruption scandal and other issues. Thus, Martin’s recent anti-American comments were actually an attempt to drain votes away from the socialist New Democratic Party, traditionally Canada’s most anti-American political party and home to various former Marxists. The Liberals currently find themselves in close races with the NDP in several ridings across Canada and believe that a strong, anti-American stance will attract NDP voters as well as keep traditional Liberals disgusted with their party’s corruption from voting for other parties.
Ironically, it was NDP leader Jack Layton, who, recognizing the Liberal threat, came out strongest against Martin’s anti-American remarks. Layton and others also pointed out Liberal obfuscation regarding the reduction of greenhouse gases, stating the Liberals have done “much worse” than the Americans.
Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, Martin’s main rival in this election, condemned the Liberal leader’s behavior, but also spoke out against Ambassador Wilkins for making comments during election time. While a friend of America, Harper’s mild criticism of Wilkins is partially due to the fact that the ambassador’s response played right into Liberal hands. As well, the Conservative leader knows that Canada’s predominantly left-leaning, anti-American media is just waiting to trip up his campaign, so his reasonable words averted any shrill accusation of Conservative “cozying up to the Americans” that a non-response would probably have elicited.
According to the Globe and Mail, a Canadian national newspaper, Wilkins made his remarks on instructions from the White House. The Bush administration was apparently angry that the Liberals had gotten Bill Clinton to come to the UN conference in Montreal where he and Martin staged a photo-op. The White House, according to the Globe, was also blames Martin for the fact that its reprimand of Canada’s Washington ambassador concerning the Prime Minister’s anti-American comments was leaked to the press.
Ironically, Paul Martin said two years ago he wanted to repair relations with the United States after the damage done during the Jean Chretien years. But such words obviously mean nothing when it comes to the Liberals keeping power. Moreover, as the Canadian election campaign kicks into high gear after Christmas until the January 23 election day, more anti-American rhetoric, among other nasty devices, can probably be expected, especially if Liberal fortunes are waning. If such is the case, it is advisable the White House exercise restraint in order to help the Harper campaign, since the alternative, a Liberal victory, is almost unthinkable. |
