Martin To "Reject" Participation In BMD

Martin's government lost its majority last spring and the Bloc Québécois and the New Democrats oppose the plan, while the Conservatives support it but want a full debate on Canada's role. As well, Martin faces stiff resistance in his own caucus. The Liberals also want to improve their fortunes in Quebec, where there seems to be little support for missile defence. Federal officials told the Canadian Press that the United States was informed of Canada's decision at the NATO summit in Brussels. "[The Americans] were told we will not participate," a federal official, who asked to remain anonymous, told the agency. "It is a firm 'no.' I am not sure it is an indefinite 'no.'" --- Canada already 'part of' missile defence: McKenna Earlier Tuesday, McKenna, a former New Brunswick premier, delivered an opposite message outside a meeting of the foreign affairs committee, which is examining his appointment as the next ambassador to the United States. "I believe that we've given in large measure what the Americans want, which is the ability to use NORAD and their intercept information in order to be able to target weaponry," he said. Canada agreed last August to allow Norad, the joint Canada-U.S. air defence command, to share information it gathers with the people running the U.S. missile defence program. McKenna's comments touched off a fiery exchange in the House of Commons. "They don't want to tell the population that we've got our arm in the wringer of the washing machine and it's sucking us in," charged Bloc Québécois MP Michel Gauthier. But Defence Minister Bill Graham repeatedly insisted that there is no contradiction between what McKenna said Tuesday and what the Liberal government has been saying all along. "Canada's position is not a done deal," he said, adding that the Liberals have not signed off on issues such as "how it works and ultimate deployment" of U.S. weapons to shoot down incoming missiles aimed at North American targets. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper wasn't buying the distinction. "How could this prime minister secretly make this decision, so clearly breaking every commitment he's made to this House and to Canadians?" he asked during Question Period. "All the ambassador said is that we signed a NORAD agreement," Graham replied. "If that's a surprise to the leader of the opposition, it is certainly not a surprise to us." U.S. has 'great deal' of what it needs: McKenna McKenna told reporters he believes the U.S. now has much of what it needs to operate a "modest ballistic missile defence program." When asked by reporters if Canada was part of the program, he said: "We are. We're part of it now and the question is, what more we need. "There's no doubt, in looking back, that the NORAD amendment has given, has created part – in fact a great deal – of what the United States means in terms of being able to get the input for defensive weaponry," he said. McKenna says the United States has not asked Canada for financial support for the program and it hasn't asked to put missile interceptors on Canadian territory. He says he's not sure what Bush means when he calls for Canada to sign on to the program. The Liberals were expected to debate Canada's full participation in missile defence at the party's national convention in two weeks. http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/02/22/mckenna-missile050222.html ------------------------------------------- I had a feeling that Canada's inexplicable devotion to NORAD would be the foot in the door for BMD in Canada, as the system depends upon much more than just missile launching sites. This is cementing my belief that these obsolete defense treaties should be abrogated immediately. It's time to demand Canada's national defense to be our sole responsibility. It is unjustifiable to expect any other nation to do so. It's also humorous to note (that is, if it wasn't so embarassing...) how the government's stance has drifted from assuring Canadians that it was being staunchly opposed to BMD/Star Wars to simply providing an "indefinite" no, with regards to interceptor missiles on Canadian territory. I can understand why Harper is getting annoyed with Martin governing the way he would... at least it's reassuring to know that the opposition is doing its job. [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on February 24, 2005]