New Canada PM Vows Better Ties With U.S.

[NNN0LHI]

Hey Canada. I don't know anything about this guy. Is he trying to be Bush's poodle too?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=517&ncid=716&e=6&u=/ap/20031213/ap_on_re_ca/canada_new_leader

OTTAWA - Paul Martin, respected as a deficit-chopping finance minister, succeeded Jean Chretien as prime minister Friday and immediately created an expansive new national security agency intended to help mend Canadian-U.S. ties that frayed under Chretien.


Martin said he would chair a new committee devoted to assessing and improving relations with the United States. He expects to confer by phone with President Bush (news - web sites) on Monday and meet one-on-one with him at a regional summit in Mexico next month.


Martin, 65, took the oath of office in fluent French and English in a nationally televised ceremony at the offices of Canada's governor-general. Beforehand, an Indian elder dusted Martin with an eagle feather in a purification rite; afterward, a children's choir sang "O Canada."


Chretien, beloved by most Canadians but at odds with the Bush administration over Iraq (news - web sites) and other issues, stepped down in a private ceremony an hour earlier after 10 years as prime minister and 40 years in politics. Raised in a Quebec mill town, the 18th of 19th children, he was one of the longest-serving government leaders among major Western nations.

more

[Maple]

1. He has already

put in two formal complaints to the US.

He is not pro-American.

He'll just be politer about saying 'no'

And try to refrain from saying the word 'moron' in public.

[Osolomia]

2. Martin keeps his zillion$ offshore

Not at all surprised that this is his first act as Prime Minister. Shouldn't he have called a national election first?

[Maple]

4. He doesn't have zillions anywhere

and doesn't own a company.

The election is in 4 months.

[Minstrel Boy]

9. "doesn't own a company" is just a tad disingenuous

It's just been months since he reluctantly divested himself of Canada Steamship Lines, handing the company to his three sons.

Election in four months sounds good to me.

NDP Press release Dec 12:
Martin's Cabinet Shifts To The Right

Paul Martin today picked up as prime minister where he left off as finance minister– on a right-ward track, said NDP Leader Jack Layton, who released a breakdown of how new ministers voted on important issues that split the Liberal caucus.

...

To underline the conservative shift, Layton released votes for new ministers responsible for full departments on key issues (all votes in 2003 unless indicated; totals differ due to absences. Only new ministers’ votes were counted since former ministers were bound by Cabinet solidarity):

In October 2001, 6 of 8 voted against mandatory labelling of genetically engineered food.
In March, 6 of 8 voted against giving EI benefits to family care givers.
In June, 7 of 10 voted in favour of participating in a NORAD-led Star Wars missile defence program.
In June, 8 of 8 voted against a prohibition on Chapter 11-style clauses in future trade agreements.
In September, 7 of 13 voted with the Alliance and against equal marriage rights.
In October, 8 of 8 voted against acting to prevent illness caused by environmental contaminants.

...

Layton cautioned Canadians to pay attention to Martin’s deeds, not his words, noting the prime minister’s previous rhetoric bears no resemblance to his record.

http://tinyurl.com/z16h

[Maple]

13. Martin doesn't own a company

and he certainly doesn't need to apologize to anyone for being a success.

Layton is campaigning. Take it with the usual grain of salt.

[Osolomia]

15. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for one:

Originally Broadcast April 1, 2003

Introduction
Disclosure examines how the Martin family has survived and succeeded in the tough and often ruthlessly competitive trade conducted out of sight on the high seas – a world full of tax havens, shell companies and flags of convenience.

Paul Martin Inc.
From his days as a deck hand on a Lake Erie fishing boat, and later as a seaman on ocean-going ships, Paul Martin has long had an affinity for the sailor's life. This is a closer look at Paul Martin's history in the shipping industry.

Inside Canada Steamship Lines
The Canadian sailors climbed aboard Canada Steamship Lines, thinking they too would be part of Paul Martin's grand plans. But for them, the ocean adventure was short-lived. Martin’s plans didn’t include them.

Flags of Convenience
In the international shipping business, the flag you fly determines the wages you pay and the minimum standards you follow. If you lower the Canadian flag and replace it with another country’s, our employment and environmental standards no longer apply.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

http://www.cbc.ca/disclosure/archives/030401_csl/main.html

[Maple]

16. Then please note this about Martin:

"A senior marine inspector with Transport Canada, who requested anonymity, reported that over the course of his work on international fleets, he had always found CSL to be at the top of the class, running well-maintained ships and extending to its foreign crews the best possible conditions in a highly competitive environment.

Canadian wages, he wrote, would simply be unsustainable in the international fleet environment.

The SIU, the union that represents the more than 20,000 seamen who make up the Canadian merchant fleet, also rushed to Martin's defence.

In a text to be published in the December issue of Canadian Sailor, its president Roman Gralewitz writes: "... The next PM of Canada, while a tough negotiator, was probably the best employer and most respected ship-owner on the Great Lakes. He built his business with hard work and respect for his employees, and always kept his word."

So far, those who wrote to me about their experience with Martin the ship-owner had a different, quite positive, take on his corporate behaviour than that portrayed by the media and opposition parties."

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?GXHC_gx_session_id_=bfe6d358be29a0ad&pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1069801807603&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

[Osolomia]

19. So shipping magnate Martin doesn't want to pay Cdian wages and taxes eh?

Nice guy!

[Maple]

20. You see what the unions said about him?

Yes...nice guy.

Give it up.

[Osolomia]

22. Evidently you miss the point that started this discussiuon

must be the American influence in SW Ontario

[Maple]

25. I haven't missed the point at all

Martin is nobody's Poodle...or Chihuahua or Great Dane either.

And there is zip American influence in SW Ontario. British, yes, American, no. Surely you jest!

Ontario's motto is 'Loyal She Remains'

Martin is, btw, a fine SW Ontario lad.

And just because you are NDP doesn't mean Martin will do harm to Canada...so stop implying he will.

Campaign elsewhere.

[Moderator]

35. Osolomia

Per DU copyright rules
please post only 4
paragraphs from the
news source.


Thank you.


DU Moderator

[Osolomia]

36. OMG, It's a TABLE OF CONTENTS for crying out loud!!!

Evidently Moderators have a major literacy problem.

[Osolomia]

37. The lies and bullshit of Martin apologists is exposed by credible source

so DU shoots the messenger. so typical. so revolting. what a shame.

[Spazito]

3. He is no Blair poodle...

he will make courteous noises which is the diplomatic thing to do but he is LIBERAL. Martin will be calling an election himself sometime in May I think and he is WELL aware that Bush is not liked by Canadians. He has already said that: the decision to send a Canadian to another country instead of deporting them back to Canada is UNACCEPTABLE. "The Canadian passport MUST be respected."

He has also made it clear that he is unhappy with the decision to say Canada is not contributing re Iraq so no contracts.

I am not worried about him, will be watching closely after the May 04 election though, that will be the real indicator.

[Holly]

5. Martin is not a poode, or any other pet

He's a strong, intelligent, well respected man, and a liberal, everything that Bush* isn't. Martin will deal with the US on equal and mature terms, he'll just be polite about it. Chretien' s standing up to Bush* on Iraq was the right thing to do....but his constantly annoying Bush* wasn't helpful to Canada. Martin will bring the Canadian vision and values to the front of the world stage.The reality is that Canada and the US are close, the US just has a bad leader for another year. We must look to toward 2004...better days ahead

[caledesi]

6. I am personally apologizing for our pResident and his ethnocentric

views. Can't wait til 2005! We like Candadians!

[Lisa]

7. I'm just waiting for Dubya to invite himself to Martin's farm ...

Bush might be hoping to portray himself as The Great Diplomat, trying to take the credit for mending relations while blaming everything on Chretien. Anyway, I think he'd be in for a shock if he saw Paul Martin's modest little spread. Martin does the tractor work himself (no cruising around in a pickup pretending to be the big rancher, like Dubya!).

[Holly]

8. LOL

do you think Rove would let Dubya go...someone might try to speak french to him. Honestly, if Bush* comes to Canada, I'm going to wear garlic around my neck. Better safe than sorry when an evil-doer like Bush* visits.

[Lisa]

11. try wearing beets ...

Apparently, he hates them as much as his father loathes broccoli!

http://www.mexico-info.com/leadstories/chron/texwhitehouse.htm

As for the "French" thing -- I suspect that he would just speak "Mexican" very loudly, believing that "all them furriners speaks the same kinda lingo anyways".

[NNN0LHI]

10. Good news. Glad to hear he is his own man. Thanks for the info n/t

[DemOutWest]

12. First News Conference

looked good. I like him. He is a straight talker. He sounded like his own man.

If things don't go well in '04 (but they will) I might look into moving north. I need to buy some warm clothes. :)

DemOutWest

[Maple]

14. Not for my area of Canada you don't

I live in the Banana belt.

SW Ontario.

Don't even need winter boots.

Yer welcome anytime!

[DemOutWest]

17. No lake effect

in that area? Any curling clubs? I got involved with curling here in Ogden, Utahbefore the 2002 Olys.

[Maple]

18. Indoor curling

Yup.

Lake effect is pleasant. I just 'hear' about winter in other areas. :D

[alcuno]

21. Dear Mr. Martin, don't bother.

This administration will just screw you over after you kiss and make up.

[mistertrickster]

23. Hey, guy, I've appreciated your posts over the months, but I've always

wondered, what does NNN0LHI mean, anyway?

[NNN0LHI]

24. It is a two-way radio callsign that has been assigned to me n/t

[Minstrel Boy]

26. NDP's Jack Layton: "Socialist? I'm proud to call myself a socialist."

Just posted in GD a link to a recent interview with the leader of Canada's second most popular party. He has some interesting things to say about NAFTA and globalization.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=895009

Layton is the choice for Canadian progressives. Not Martin.

[Maple]

27. We have no

'industrial strategy' because the industrial age is over.

If you're 'progressive' you won't be trying to go back to an era that no longer exists.

[Minstrel Boy]

28. do we have no industry?

Or am I just imagining the energy sector?

It's because I don't want to go back to an era that no longer exists that we need a strategy in the service of the common good.

[Holly]

29. LOL

is this the beginning of our Canadian version ; my guys better than yours flame war...and to think Martin's in the job not even a day.

[Maple]

31. LOL

I agree Holly.

This is not the place to campaign.

Layton has a great chance right now to become the Official Opposition...but if he talks nonsense like this, no one will vote for the NDP, and we'll get stuck with that damn CA again...whatever they're calling themselves this week.

[Holly]

33. Well Said Maple

Campaigning is out of place here. Layton does have a chance to tackle the CA, the best chance for gain since the Broadbent years. I just finished the link and he's going to run into big trouble in Ontario, his stand on trade won't fly here IMO.

[Maple]

30. The energy sector

is on it's last legs.

Oil is disappearing.

The only 'strategy' we need for it, is a replacement.

[Minstrel Boy]

32. in other words,

we need an energy strategy.

I didn't type "oil sector." Naturally the energy sector isn't just oil.

[Maple]

34. There is no 'strategy' to be had.

There is simply replacement.