THERE'S A LOT OF THAT GOING AROUND:

Right-wing teetotaller takes Canada by storm (Tom Baldwin, 1/25/06, Times of London)

MORE:
Election likely means closer Canada, U.S. ties: Prime Minister-elect Harper's beliefs run in step with Bush, GOP (AP, 1/24/06)

Strained relations between the world's largest trading partners were expected to improve after the election of Conservative leader Stephen Harper as Canada's next prime minister. [...]

The White House congratulated Harper, who will be sworn in within the next two weeks. "We look forward to strengthening our relations and working with the new government," spokesman Scott McClellan said.

Martin's predecessor, Jean Chretien declined to send troops to Iraq, then publicly condemned the U.S.-led invasion, as did many Canadians. Martin later rejected President Bush's offer to work with Washington on a continental missile defense shield and has criticized the U.S. over punitive trade tariffs and for rejecting the Kyoto Protocol to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Harper has said Ottawa should have expressed greater moral support to Washington in its war on terror, although he also stressed Canada did not have the capability to send troops to Iraq.

He also wants to revisit the missile shield, move beyond the Kyoto debate and provide $5 billion more to overhaul Canada's military and expand peacekeeping operations, while pledging to be aggressive in demanding that Washington respect the North American Free Trade Act.

They don't need to help, just not backstab.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 24, 2006 11:37 PM