PM says Canada won't fight in Iraq

CBC ^ | 03/18/2003 | CBC News

[TonyWojo]

OTTAWA - Ottawa has rejected any Canadian participation in a U.S.-led assault on Iraq.

Jean Chrétien receives a standing ovation from his caucus after announcing Canada's position (CP PHOTO)

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien made the announcement on Monday, as the House of Commons resumed sitting after a two-week break.

Chrétien said without the backing of the United Nations, Canada can't go along with any war initiative.

Critics have accused Chrétien of wavering and waffling on his position. Now there is no doubt where Canada stands.

"If military action proceeds without a new resolution of the Security Council, Canada will not participate," the prime minister said.

Key Documents: Full text of Jean Chrétien's statement

This was greeted by loud, sustained applause from Liberal backbenchers. Members of the NDP and the Bloc Québécois joined in, but not the Conservatives or the Canadian Alliance.

The government position remains weak, said Alliance leader Stephen Harper.

"I can tell you that in this political party we will be cheering for the success of our allies," Harper said. "If the Liberals are genuinely neutral, or will be cheering for Saddam Hussein, they should have the guts to say so. My guess is they don't."

Stockwell Day, the foreign affairs critic for the Alliance, said Canada is now on the side of some questionable regimes.

"The prime minister has thrown Canada onto the side of nations like Libya, Syria, China, nations who don't want to see a united front against Saddam Hussein," Day said.

The leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, said the Liberals should join France and Germany in speaking out against the war.

There still are questions about whether Ottawa is supporting the war through the back door. There are 31 officers with the U.S. troops as part of an exchange program, and a handful of Canadian frigates are deployed in the region.

Defence Minister John McCallum said the exchange officers are involved in logistical and support functions, and the ships are needed to fight the wider war against terrorism.

"The terrorist risk will, if anything, be greater than before as a consequence of war," McCallum said. "So for us to cut and run when the terrorism risk is greater would not be compatible with Canadian traditions."

Chrétien said he informed U.S. President George W. Bush a year ago that Canada wouldn't go to war without a UN resolution.

With the final collapse of diplomatic moves at the UN he said he's just making it official.

While the prime minister was distancing Canada from any involvement in a war, Australia and Poland announced they would commit troops to the fight.

Written by CBC News Online staff

[exnavy]

French Canadians?

[TonyInOhio]

Chrétien is a rat bastard.

[trebb]

Darn, and the Mounties would look so dashing riding across the desert in their bright red finery...

[Buckeye Bomber]

Whatever will we do without the Canadians?

[exnavy]

LOL Duddly Doright?

[TonyWojo]

Most people in the Western Provinces are not Happy with Jean or Quebec

[GulliverSwift]

No Canada this time? But our latrines have been so clean!!! We need them!!

[COBOL2Java]

Sadly, Canada is severely infected with the French virus.

[exnavy]

I know, I'm in Michigan and we get quite a bit of Canada news. They have the power of the vote in Canada, also.

[TonyWojo]

Is there a vaccination

[7 x 77]

. . . the ships are needed to fight the wider war against terrorism.

Ho ho ho, he he he

. . . for us to cut and run when the terrorism risk is greater would not be compatible with Canadian traditions."

Oh, stop it! You're killing me.

[Entropy Squared]

Chretien's family is tied financially to a French oil company making a fortune in Iraq. Canada's failure to support our best friend and ally is not simply a matter of typical Liberal cowardice and ineptitude, there is also a very large component of personal gain on the line for the family of Canada's prime minister. The Liberal government of Canada is corrupt to its very core and they do not represent the views of normal, decent Canadians.

The Liberal Party of Canada has shamed our entire country in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of many Canadians. I, as one lone Canadian, apologize to America and to the world for the craven failure of the government of Canada.

[thinking]

French Canadians?

[sit-rep]

F%@* Canada... I lump them in with the French...

[hgro]

Screw canada, the land of labor thugs and french idiots.

[Buck72]

I won't be standing for the Canadian anthem the next time they come to play hockey here. I watched that session on CSPAN last night and was shocked at the anti-American tone of their MPs.

Canadian government officials "hate those (American) bastards"? Call our President a "moron" and "idiot" in the press? Fine. Have it your way Canucks. I'm tired of "friends" spitting on us and saying it's rain.

[TonyWojo]

Thanks for your comments. Can you move further South

[COBOL2Java]

Is there a vaccination

No, but I hear some are considering a Québécoisotomy...

[chilepepper]

Chrétien is a rat bastard.

Chrétien .equals. Chiraq-Lite

hence Chrétien is very, very light indeed...