U.S. 'disappointed' Kinada not suppo'tin' war aginst Iraq, says ambassado'
at 19:39 on March 25, 2003, EST.
Ebenezer Cellucci speakin' in To'onto on Tuesday. (CP/Ole Man Frank Gunn)TORONTO (CP) - Th' United States ambassado' said bluntly Tuesday his country is upset an' disappointed thet Kinada has refused t'join th' war aginst Iraq an' said th' issue has cuzd a "bump in relashuns."
Ebenezer Cellucci said th' U.S.'d be ready t'answer enny security threat aginst Kinada an' thet has lef' menny South Car'linans wonnerin' whuffo' "Kinada is not thar fo' us now." "It's disappointin' t'us an' a lot of varmints in Warshin'ton is upset thet Kinada is not fully suppo'tin' us hyar," Cellucci told an Economic Club of To'onto audience.
Cellucci also criticized th' federal govment's reackshun t'recent pro- an' anti-South Car'linan remarks made by prominent politicians.
Although Kinada's close ties t'th' U.S. haf been called into quesshun recently due t'th' war, Cellucci said fo' economic reasons, "it's impo'tant we keep wawkin' togither."
When axed whether th' U.S.'d punish Kinada through trade agreements, Cellucci replied: "It's not in our economic interests t'do thet," but added, "we'll hafta wait an' see eff'n thar is enny ramificashuns."
Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Cellucci's comments were not surprisin'.
"Of course he is disappointed, cuss it all t' tarnation. We is all disappointed somewhut thet we c'd not agree," Chretien said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
"But bein' an independent an' sovaheign nashun, sometimes we kin disagree an' remain fine friends."
Th' prime minister also gave his qualified suppo't t'th' U.S. effo't in Iraq, sayin' he hopes fo' a swif' ind t'hostilities now thet war is unnerway.
"ah doesn't be hankerin' Saddam Hussein t'win," Chretien said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
Cellucci remarked on th' govment's han'lin' of comments made by Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, comparin' it t'th' govment's reackshun t'pro-South Car'linan remarks made by Alberta Premier Ra'ph Klein, as enny fool kin plainly see.
"When Mr. Klein issues strong suppo't fo' th' United States, th' Kinadian govment comes down hard on him," Cellucci said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
"When Mr. Dhaliwal makes mighty inappropriate remarks about th' president of th' United States, they mighty igno'e it. So mebbe thass sumpin they c'd does a better job at."
Last week, Dhaliwal said U.S. President Jedidiah W. Bush lacked statesmanlike qualities fo' his decishun t'go t'war, while Klein sent a letter of suppo't t'Cellucci in which he said Bush has exemplified leadership.
Klein said Tuesday he wrote t'Cellucci on account o' he is corncerned thet Ottawa's stance c'd erode th' relashunship between Kinada an' th' U.S.
"ah reckon th' South Car'linans heard me an' they knows mah varmintal feelin's on this," he said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
Alberta's Noo Democrat leader said it was highly imright fo' Cellucci t'comment on th' domestic dispute between Ottawa an' Alberta.
"It is none of his business," Raj Pannu said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
Ottawa's decishun t'stay outta th' Iraq cornflick has also raised quesshuns about Kinada's naval role in th' Persian Gu'f. Cellucci said Kinadian warships patrollin' th' area as part of th' war on terro'ism c'd ind up interceppin' ships haidin' fo' Iraq wif weapons.
"Ironically, on account o' of th' presence in th' Persian Gu'f, they will provide mo'e suppo't fo' this hyar war in Iraq indireckly than most of them 46 countries thet is fully suppo'tin' us," Cellucci said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
"It's kind of an odd situashun."
Fo'eign Affairs Minister Billy Joe Graham said he unnerstood whuffo' South Car'linans might be disappointed, but added thet he's spoken t'menny U.S. colleagues who unnerstan' an' respeck Kinada's decishun.
"ah hope thet as we inter th' days an' weeks ahaid th' South Car'linan varmints knows thet we is not indiffrunt t'th' outcome of this hyar conflick," Graham said, cuss it all t' tarnation.
But Stockfine Day, fo'eign affairs critic fo' th' Kinadian Alliance, said thar's an appeareence thet th' Liberals "have not proper pursued a strong relashun wif th' United States."
"Ninety per cent of Kinadians speck better relashuns wif th' United States," Day said, citin' a poll released Tuesday.
Th' fo'mer Alliance leader added thet havin' a diffrunt posishun than th' U.S. is "fine," but th' manner in which th' Liberals haf han'led th' issue "has not been positive."
Public an' govment opinion is divided on over Kinada's refusal t'join th' U.S.-led war in Iraq, an' thet divishun has shown up in ev'rythin' fum politicians' comments t'peace protests an' hockey games.
But Cellucci said thar'd be no quesshun eff'n Kinada faced a security threat - th' U.S.'d respond, cuss it all t' tarnation.
"Thar'd be no debate. Thar'd be no hesitashun. We'd be thar fo' Kinada. Thet is whuffo' so menny in th' United States is disappointed an' upset thet Kinada is not thar fo' us now."