How Australia became a player (and why Canada is not on the Iraq reconstruction team)

Wiggling out of unpleasant obligations can be awkward. Just ask U.S. President George W. Bush, who was supposed to visit Canada on May 5. Last weekend, it was announced his trip was being canceled -- because of Mr. Bush's busy schedule, spokesmen said. But this was likely a polite excuse. It turns out Mr. Bush has invited Australian Prime Minister John Howard to visit his Texas Ranch on May 3, just two days before Mr. Bush was supposed to be in Canada. Australia, recall, contributed troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq. Canada didn't. From where we sit, Jean Chrétien looks like the unpopular dinner party hostess whose guest of honour cancels on account of a migraine, then turns up in ruddy health at a swankier affair.

We don't blame Mr. Bush for bailing out on us. Why on earth would he want to visit a country whose governing party regularly subjects him to demeaning epithets -- "moron" being only the most vulgar example? By some accounts, the last straw was the disclosure that our naval officers in the Gulf have been instructed not to turn over wanted Iraqis who fall into Canadian hands. Whether that's true or not, Mr. Bush presumably feels he has little to discuss with Mr. Chrétien. The U.S. President is busy protecting the Western world from terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and rogue power. Mr. Chrétien's refusal to support the war in Iraq shows he has little interest in this vital project. Rather than listen to the PM's bromides about multilateralism, Mr. Bush instead made plans to meet a kindred spirit.

Mr. Howard shares Mr. Bush's hard-headed world view. In an address we only wish had emanated from Ottawa, the Australian PM declared on March 18: "Alliances are two-way processes and, where we are in agreement, we should not leave it to the United States to do all of the heavy lifting just because they are the world's superpower. To do so would undermine one of the most important relationships we have." Mr. Howard backed this up with 2,000 troops. The deployment was not just for show. As late as last week, Australia's fighter aircraft were flying ground-support near Baghdad. And on Friday, Aussie commandos intercepted 59 suspected bounty hunters looking to kill U.S. troops.

Australia -- which, like Canada, seeks a role in Iraq's reconstruction -- is already reaping its reward. A team of 12 Australian specialists will soon be traveling to the region to help find Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Over the weekend, Australian medical supplies started landing at Baghdad International Airport, where a contingent of civilian Australian air traffic specialists will soon control the skies. Australia has even been awarded five staff positions in the U.S.-led Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs, which will organize the rebuilding effort in Iraq. Canada, naturally, has zero positions -- a number reflecting our contribution to the war effort. Though U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell signaled on Tuesday that Washington would be happy to see Ottawa contribute humanitarian aid, Washington has yet to take our PM up on his offer of $100-million and a contingent of RCMP officers.

The United States and Canada not only share the world's longest undefended border, they also trade more than $500-billion worth of goods every year. The volume of trade between the United States and Australia, by contrast, is about 1/20th that size. Canada and the United States are also united by their membership in NATO, NORAD, NAFTA and countless other bodies -- not to mention history and blood. The fact Mr. Bush is allotting his time to Mr. Howard instead of Mr. Chrétien despite all this shows how thoroughly Mr. Chrétien's stance on Iraq has alienated the United States, our protector and most important ally.

But this was likely a polite excuse. It turns out Mr. Bush has invited Australian Prime Minister John Howard to visit his Texas Ranch on May 3, just two days before Mr. Bush was supposed to be in Canada.

This is almost as funny as Chirac calling Bush for a 20 minutes "businesslike" converstion. I don't know if you realize the rage and disdain over here for the false allies. Disagreeing is fine, the Dutch government didn't help BUT they didn't backstab like France. That makes all the differance. Cheretain is a French Canadian, whose family is closely connected to TotalFinaElf. The war was all about oil - to the French.

And this from this mornings:

http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonNews/es.es-04-16-0015.html

Can we go it alone?

Tories study idea of cutting ties with feds

By JERRY WARD, LEGISLATURE BUREAU

Alberta Tories are to discuss the merits of a so-called political "firewall" to sever ties with the federal government - putting the province in charge of collecting income tax, dumping the RCMP and forming a provincial pension plan.

Premier Ralph Klein said yesterday that option is a result of sovereigntist sentiments raised at the recent Tory party policy convention in Red Deer.

"There is no recommendation relative to the firewall letter," Klein said yesterday.

"It'll simply go to caucus (as early as next week) and we'll decide then what we want to do with it. We'll consider them, that's all."

Two years ago, a group of prominent Alberta conservatives - including Stephen Harper, now leader of the Canadian Alliance - urged Klein in a letter to fight federal "attacks" on its jurisdiction by adopting sweeping political reforms.

"It's imperative to take the initiative, to build firewalls around Alberta, to limit the extent to which an aggressive and hostile federal government can encroach upon legitimate provincial jurisdiction," the January 2001 letter says.

Klein dismissed the letter at the time, saying the province can best affect change with the feds by being "vocal."

"I don't think we need a firewall around Alberta," Klein said in 2001. "I think we need to be vocal, we need to be forceful in our desire to be treated fairly within the federation of Canada because we've always said, 'We're a player.' "

Klein said yesterday his views remain the same.

The firewall issue will be discussed with a host of other possible actions the province can take "to assert its authority, and to maintain and enhance its identity," without opening up constitutional talks, Klein said.

Those other possible actions include Senate reform, provincial involvement in international negotiations and regular first ministers' meetings.

The Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, John Carpay, applauded the government for taking a look at a provincial pension plan.

"The so-called Canada Pension Plan operates as a pyramid scheme, basically. It redistributes money from working people to retired people," he said.

"It's not a plan at all."

Klein said the government is also looking at forming an external committee to gather the views of Albertans.

Separation isn't likely up for discussion, said Klein.

"While I don't support separation, I can't keep it off the table. But I don't think it's going to go very far."

Federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stephane Dion is to visit Calgary today. Tomorrow, Dion comes to Edmonton for a meeting with Intergovernmental and International Affairs Minister Halvar Jonson.

"I suspect Halvar will communicate to him the gist of the discussion that took place in Red Deer, and how we plan to proceed with a number of these issues relative to Alberta's role in Confederation," the premier said.

You can bet it isn't about just pensions and taxes. Alberta is a center for conservative thinking. My friends up there are very unhappy with the liberal east and the war stand.

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