Guest guest Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 When he dares to speak for all Canadians, he forgets that many in the masses he represents wish their nation had more of their next-door neighbour's democracy, warts and all. McKenna, a member of the privileged Privy Council, which rather than Parliament really runs the Land of the Maple Leaf, has an agenda at play. Any agenda that is anti-American and pro-United Nations is a dangerous one for Canada. Summary: "The United States of America is a wonderful creation—the Constitution is a spectacular thing," Mr. McKenna said. "But it was anticipated that it would be established as a country in which there would be a check and balance on the exercise of power. And I can tell you categorically that what has been institutionalized instead is total gridlock. The government of the United States is, in large measure, dysfunctional." By Wojtek Dabrowski Republished from National Post Frank McKenna said the United States is "a great country in spite of its government structure, rather than because of it." Canada's ambassador to the United States painted an unflattering picture of the way government works south of the border yesterday, calling it "dysfunctional," overly complex and in dire financial straits, while saying Canada has an efficient system on a solid fiscal footing. Speaking at a business luncheon—and with the U.S. ambassador to Canada sitting steps away—Frank McKenna said the United States is "a great country in spite of its government structure, rather than because of it." "The United States of America is a wonderful creation—the Constitution is a spectacular thing," Mr. McKenna said. "But it was anticipated that it would be established as a country in which there would be a check and balance on the exercise of power. And I can tell you categorically that what has been institutionalized instead is total gridlock. The government of the United States is, in large measure, dysfunctional." He said one senator there has 75 staff members, which shows that U.S. policymaking is "so complex that even people who work within government need help to navigate through it." David Wilkins, the American envoy to Canada, appeared to take his counterpart's speech to a joint meeting of the Empire Club of Canada and the Canadian Club of Toronto in stride. Following the address, Mr. Wilkins told reporters that Mr. McKenna is "a great orator and he's a good friend and he gave a pretty compelling speech about the attributes of Canada." Mr. Wilkins said he has been warmly received in Canada, adding: "The United States is a beacon of light for so many people throughout the world. I could not be prouder of my country and I, quite frankly, did not take personally the remarks of Mr. McKenna in any way, period." In his speech, Mr. McKenna also attempted to juxtapose what he sees as inferior traits of the U.S. system in painting a positive image of Canada's government. For instance, he said Canada's neighbour to the south is also possessed of "so much independence of political party loyalty, if you like, that everybody in their own way is a freelancer, going off in different directions," he said. The situation is "like having 535 Carolyn Parrishes in one place," he added, referring to the controversial Canadian MP. A lack of structure in turn makes it difficult to develop and execute a coherent policy, he added. "In Canada, whether we like it or not—and often we don't like it—but essentially we have party discipline, and if you can convince the Prime Minister or a minister that something should be done, invariably it can end up being done," Mr. McKenna said. At the same time, he said, the United States faces "a very difficult financial situation," with predictions its deficit will hit or exceed US$500- billion this year. "That's not to speak of the fact that that doesn't include unfunded liabilities for social security, which, some estimate, could run into the twenties and thirties of trillions of dollars." By comparison, Canada is in its eighth consecutive year of surplus, with a dropping ratio of debt to gross domestic product, he said. "Our pension plan, instead of being in deficit, is actuarially balanced for the next 75 years." He also praised Canada's health care system and the country's abundance of natural resources. "And with respect to energy, in an energy-starved world, where our neighbour to the south of us, the United States of America, relies [on] export markets for 60% of its oil, Canada is self-sufficient in every category." Speaking to reporters following his address, Mr. McKenna said he was inspired to praise Canada's strengths by the recent remarks of Michaelle Jean, the new Governor-General. "I just thought I would put my interpretation on her remarks and try to define Canada a little bit more." He also appeared unconcerned about any potential reaction his current and previous criticisms of the United States may provoke. "I find Americans are very direct people and they accept directness with equanimity," Mr. McKenna said. Absent from Mr. McKenna's speech was any reference to the ongoing dispute over softwood lumber duties between Canada and the United States—a topic on which he has criticized the United States a number of times in the past. However, at the outset of yesterday's address, he said: "I am so tired of talking about softwood lumber. I just want a break for one day." CANADA'S AMBASSADOR - U.S. GOV. 'DYSFUNCTIONAL' Monday, October 03, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com Canadian Ambassador Frank McKenna has called the government of the United States dysfunctional. According to a story on CBC Unlocked, the ambassador said, in a Toronto business meeting speech, "The United States is a wonderful creation," but "the government of the United States is in large measure dysfunctional." McKenna began his term six months ago as Canadian ambassador to the United States. Listening to McKenna's speech was David Wilkins, recently appointed by President George W. Bush as ambassador to Canada. McKenna was gracious enough to exempt Wilkins from his charges, stating that "[bush] sent us a tremendous ambassador to represent the interests of the United States of America." McKenna went on, however, to criticize several aspects of American culture, especially its economic condition and growing deficit, leading Capitol Hill observers to wonder about how the Bush administration would receive him. There has already been friction between Canada and the United States, as Bush has come under fire from bureaucrats in Canada's previous administration, and also because Canada declined to participate in the Iraq war. -ST staff reports - Free-Market News Network >From the Editor Anti-American Ambassador Frank McKenna not fit for Prime Minister's Job By Judi McLeod Wednesday, October 5, 2005 The more I see of Liberal Canadian Immigration Minister Joe Volpe, the more I like him. As a replacement, that is, for "Mr. Dithers" Prime Minister Paul Martin. And when a Liberal insider recently told me that Volpe and Frank McKenna, Canada's ambassador to Washington, are considered the top two contenders to replace Martin for the Liberal leadership, Joe started to look like good prime minister material to me. I prefer Volpe to McKenna, even though Volpe's top dog of a Canadian Immigration Department that last May chose to deport back to Colombia, my common law husband of eight years after 16 years of hard work in Canada, supporting his two sons in Colombia as a construction labourer. The new Immigration Minister, who has been known to shoot from the lip, only costs himself the support of other Liberal MPs. McKenna, who's been shooting from the lip ever since arriving in Washington, could cost ordinary Canadian citizens significant money. Spewing his anti-American sentiment at a time when softwood lumber is on the trade table makes McKenna a serious threat to the Canadian economy. Along with his golf clubs, the former Liberal Premier of New Brunswick moved partisan politics into the ambassadorial official residence in Washington, D.C. Handpicked for the job by Prime Minister Paul Martin--the same guy whose job he now seems to covet--McKenna is showing a bias that is unbecoming to the promised diplomacy that comes along with being Canadian Ambassador to Washington. Martin must have given the same attention to his colleague's resume as he did the recent Liberal Adscam brouhaha until Her Majesty's Royal Opposition began calling for his hide. In his latest speech, delivered at a downtown business luncheon in front of the media, and with the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins in the audience, McKenna claimed that the system of government in the United States of America is "dysfunctional". This from a guy, who is a member of the same government caught with hands up to their elbows in the multi-million dollar sponsorship scandal, final report of which will not be tabled until May. Stifling taxes like the Liberal's infamous GST are imposed at will on the unsuspecting Canadian people by ivory towers in Ottawa. American tax increases are not at the discretion of the American president but must get by not one but two nitpicking finance committees (Ways and Means in the House of Representatives and Appropriations in the Senate). That's real dysfunctional to McKenna and his ilk. If only the Canadian system had been that dysfunctional when Adscam was coming down the pike. With the wide sweeping statements of the average crass politician, McKenna admitted in his "they're dysfunctional" speech that the United States is a "wonderful creation" and its Constitution a "spectacular thing". Mighty white of Frank to admit to what was recorded long ago in history tomes and to something that patriotic American live their daily lives by. Did McKenna think it would stick when he tried to characterize the U.S. Congress as "like having 535 Carolyn Parrishes in one place", reminding all of the Mississauga MP supposedly ejected from the Liberal caucus for trampling a George W. Bush doll with an elegantly booted foot? Supposedly because Parrish, who trampled the Bush doll and is the self- admitted source of the comment: "Damn Americans...hate those bastards" was sent packing not because of her appalling anti-American publicity stunts--but only because it was understood that she had challenged boss man Paul Martin. That McKenna would liken U.S. congress to "535 Carolyn Parrishes in one place" and in so doing resurrect the shameless Mississauga MP, rumoured to be running as Mississauga mayor in November 2006, shows his true hand—a green hand working at a job he shouldn't have. The exalted position of Canadian Ambassador to Washington leans heavily on something called diplomacy, of which Frank McKenna is bereft. As a former provincial premier, McKenna has a politician's firm grasp on what is de rigueur. When he dares to speak for all Canadians, he forgets that many in the masses he represents wish their nation had more of their next-door neighbour's democracy, warts and all. McKenna, a member of the privileged Privy Council, which rather than Parliament really runs the Land of the Maple Leaf, has an agenda at play. Any agenda that is anti-American and pro-United Nations is a dangerous one for Canada. That's why Joe Volpe would be the better man to replace the dithering Paul Martin. Canada Free Press founding editor Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the media. A former Toronto Sun and Kingston Whig Standard columnist, she has also appeared on Newsmax.com, the Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, and World Net Daily. Judi can be reached at: letters. You can read your Letters to the Editor here. http://canadafreepress.com/2005/edesk100505.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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