“Back to Business on Both Sides of the Border”

November 3, 2004

If Paul Martin isn’t nervous about the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections this week, he should be. He took quite a gamble and lost. Or, more accurately, Canadians stand to lose.

In order to cater to the anti-American and anti-George Bush sentiment brewing within the Liberal party, the Prime Minister threw out all the normal rules of international diplomacy and respect for the democratic voice of the people of another nation. He allowed some of his most senior cabinet ministers to spout their preference that Democratic candidate Senator John Kerry become the next president of the United States.

Imagine the reaction of the people I’m about to list if (and it has happened) a U.S. politician were to state their support for a particular candidate for Canadian Prime Minister. Rightfully, it would be said that they should demonstrate better respect for Canada’s sovereignty and mind their own business! It’s a democratic decision to be made by Canadian voters about their Canadian leader.

Yet, Environment Minister Stéphane Dion, Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe, former Justice Minister Denis Coderre, and Liberal MPs Bernard Patry, Keith Martin and Carolyn Parrish all stated on the record to various media organizations that they supported Senator Kerry for president.

Now that George W. Bush has been re-elected U.S. President, Paul Martin has a responsibility to mitigate the fall-out from these decidedly inappropriate and undiplomatic statements by his senior government representatives.

Some would indignantly argue that Canada’s Prime Minister shouldn’t have to justify his ministers’ statements to a U.S. president. Yet this government is supposed to be representing the best interests of voters and the people whose livelihoods are heavily dependent upon the annual $350-billion in Canadian exports to the U.S. – no matter who is president!

Canada’s beef and agriculture industries, our lumber industry, and our steel and transportation industries are already threatened by ongoing trade disputes with the U.S. Are these businesses and jobs worth risking just because a government minister feels the need to express his personal opinion about the politics in a foreign country?

Incidentally, the biggest winner in the U.S. elections was democracy. Americans deserve to be proud that almost 60 percent of all eligible U.S. voters cast their votes this week compared to just 51 percent in 2000. The voter turnout here in Canada in the June 28th, 2004 election dropped to 60.5 percent and an increase in those showing up at the polls is something we’d welcome in our country.

I fully expect the political analysts will have a great deal to say about how the election was run in the U.S., highlighting pitfalls, inefficiencies and the narrow margin of victory, and making general criticisms about the campaign tactics and policies of both candidates. Personally, I believe it’s important to remember and respect that 121 million Americans exercised their democratic right to choose their leader.

Regardless of the results, the 2004 elections in both Canada and the U.S. have been decided. Now it’s time to get down to business and ensure a respectful, collaborative and productive Canada-U.S. relationship that safeguards our common interests … and especially Canadian jobs!