MacKay said he's "thrilled and delighted" to share the stage with the former president.
Clinton "fostered good relations" between Canada and the U.S., said MacKay.
But that's not what the Canadian government has been doing lately, he said.
Instead of acting as America's best friend and most important trading partner, Ottawa has sent mixed messages sprinkled with a dash of insults, said MacKay.
The lows were reached when former prime minister Jean Chretien's communications director publicly called U.S. President George W. Bush a "moron" and when then-Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish stomped on a Bush doll in a TV satire, he said.
Such antics showed a lack of diplomacy and low regard for the importance of Canadian-U.S. relations, said MacKay.
"We have to rise above the (anti-U.S.) rhetoric."
MacKay he found some tensions around trade issues and security during a recent visit to Washington.
"The government has to set a better tone," he said. "We don't always have to agree, but if we disagree, we should do so in a respectful manner."
U.S. officials are concerned by the Canadian government's response to security issues, said MacKay.
"Americans took a direct hit (during the 9/11 terrorist attacks) and they expect a full commitment" on North American security, said the MP, adding, "I don't think our government has given our common security a high enough priority."
MacKay said the Canadian government confused and disappointed the Americans on the issue of continental missile defence, with mixed messages of yes, no and maybe.
Although government-to-goverment relations aren't what they should or could be, Canadians have maintained goodwill toward the U.S. with an "extraordinary relief effort" in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, said MacKay.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2005/10/03/pf-1245827.html
Note: http://lfpress.ca/newss...
Relationship Needs Work, MacKay Says
Posted on Tuesday, October 04 at 13:50 by jensonjContributed By
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Well, someone is. Jean Cretien never said that.
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"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill
Pretty clear to me. Americans just got fed up with the gutless waffling, while Canucks couldn't figure if they should shit or get off the pot, as usual.
Canadians have alot of hard work ahead of them to prove they deserve respect because of that, if they ever want to be taken seriously by ANY country in this world.
Canadians have alot of hard work ahead of them to prove they deserve respect because of that, if they ever want to be taken seriously by ANY country in this world.
****Right, maybe we should fabricate a pack of lies about a helpless and much smaller country, invade it, steal their resources, beat, rape and torture their citizens (don't forget capturing those golden moments on film so we can share them at family reunions), pillage their historical archives and destroy or sell off their national treasures, .... all in the name of enforcing democracy (there's a trick). And, let's do all this whilst using internationally banned DU weaponry (the gift that keeps on giving). Oh, don't forget that we also should perhaps sacrifice our own children by making them do all the fighting under the guise of this democracy thing. Yeah, that's the ticket that will bring international respect and show who's boss.***
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"I think we agree, the past is over." Appointed POTUS, George W. Bush
That's why the rest of the world, when it thinks of Canada at all, dismisses it as just a juvenile, jeering, wanna-be brat, preoccupied with criticism, but contributing nothing.
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"I think we agree, the past is over." Appointed POTUS, George W. Bush
This site, this thread, and you, are an ongoing, unknowing satire on Canadians.
Some of my other comments, seriously tongue in cheek, are most studiously agreed with, or argued against, by canuknuckleheads like you.
Funny little people. Fixated on how "they" can fix the USA, while ignoring the current reality of canadia.
Meanwhile, the DipSh*ts political heat can only be expected to rise as you approach your next election (when, exactly? for what? who cares? It's only canaduds, after all...)
Meanwhile, the inter-national relationship needs work? Nah. Just blame the Americans, eh?
eh.
And, by the way, our satire is not unknown here in funny Canada... everyone knows I'm funny and that Canadians are funny.
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"Americans should be prudent in their use of energy during the course of the next few weeks. Don't buy gas if you don't need it." —George W. Bush, Washington, D
Right!
Just like everyone knows Canadians are gutless, useless, and prickless cowards, resentful of being completely dependent upon the USA for their existence, as well as their identity (Molson Beer Ad, now owned by an American company, btw: "I am Canadian - I am NOT American).
Silly little people. Funny little people. canuks.
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"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill
Dr. Caleb seems to be the enforcer.
Don't you poor huddled masses wonder what he is supressing? Probably not. You're candaian. Dumb, stupid, content with the status quo. Blame America, eh?
Good job, "DR", for giving me the opportunity to point this out.
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"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill
Not that it really matters. This is Vive, after all. No thought processes required. Just knee-jerk dipper politics.
LOL, you are too cute when you play posters here as idiots when they so clearly are not. You should hook up with the Anon "Mr.A" or was it "Mr.Pink" he uses "dipper" too, see you have found other posters on Vive who are like minded, no echo chamer here, your numbers in fact are growing.