Globe and Mail: "Trading with the ‘schoolyard bully'" (guess who)

[Newsjock]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050820.wxnafta20/BNStory/National

By JOHN IBBITSON
From Saturday's Globe and Mail

They were present at the creation. And they feel betrayed.

Derek Burney, Pat Carney, Allan Gotlieb, Simon Reisman and Gordon Ritchie were key members of the negotiating team that forged the 1988 free-trade agreement between Canada and the United States.

Last week, the U.S. government reneged on that agreement, and its successor, the 1993 North American free-trade agreement, by declaring that it would simply ignore the unanimous ruling of the ultimate free trade tribunal — a ruling that said the Americans had no right to impose tariffs on the import of Canadian softwood lumber.

The Americans' refusal to respect the tribunal's decision represents “an egregious, shocking, dishonourable breach of their obligations,” says Mr. Ritchie, who was deputy chief negotiator during the original negotiations.

“It's the tactic of the schoolyard bully,” declares Derek Burney, who was chief of staff to then-prime minister Brian Mulroney, and a key player in the talks, “which was exactly what we were trying to prevent when we negotiated the free-trade agreement it's beyond the pale.”

more

[Lisa]

1. I'm shocked! Shocked, that the US neo-cons would flout the rules!

Interesting how many Canadians -- including ones who weren't so-called policy experts -- figured that something like this would happen, way back in the 1980s. Carney, Gotlieb, Reisman ... and you too, Mulroney ... were so condescending, and said it was all in our minds. Really, eh?

[K-W]

2. Im sure they arent really shocked.

Just playing along in the stupid melodrama we call diplomacy.

[CHIMO]

3. Looks Like

Canadians have to be prepared to take a bloody nose and maybe some broken teeth.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. We're rather used to it, unfortunately.

:(

[CHIMO]

5. And

There won't be any whitewash this time.

[Captain Hilts]

6. Bush has missed no opportunity to diss Canada.

The Sept. 11th speech where he thanked Mexico for their help but not Canada was the prize winner.

[CHIMO]

7. Well

He outdid that today.

President's Radio Address

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In a few weeks, our country will mark the four-year anniversary of the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. On that day, we learned that vast oceans and friendly neighbors no longer protect us from those who wish to harm our people. And since that day, we have taken the fight to the enemy.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050820.html

He dissed North, South and West.

[ginnyinWI]

8. recommended. Anyone else? n/t