Lloyd Axworthy previous Minister of External Affairs
The previous Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy (Appointed by Chretien) called the US National Missile Defence (NMD) scheme "misguided." The new Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Manley (also appointed by Chretien) recently met the new US Secretary of State General Colin Powell (Appointed by George W Bush) and suggested that Canadian policy on the proposed defence system would depend on the attitude of Moscow and Beijing.
This US defense system would protect Canada in case a rogue state decided to let a missile go at North America but the Liberals have to wait for their communist friends in Moscow and Beijing in order to get off the fence on this issue. It would appear that the friendship of the Russians and the Chinese is more important to the Liberals than the friendship of the next-door neighbor, the Americans. And why would Russia and China be opposed to a defense system for North America? This raises more questions than answers.
Are these Liberals out of touch with reality or are they completely blown up with aggressive confidence because of the recent election? Is UN peacekeeping in distant foreign lands more important than the defense of Canada? Why are they sitting on the fence? Why should Canadian defense policy be locked to Russia and China? And if the Liberals are this confident, what other surprises have they in store for us who merely watch and wait?
John Manley, Canadian Minister of External Affairs. |
