- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
(fascinating that the PM discourages debate, or any discussion of opinions other than his own ... Saddam, Chretien, Saddam, Chretien, Saddam, Chretien ... hmmm ...)
PM scolds McCallum on Canada's role in Iraq
By SHAWN MCCARTHY AND DANIEL LEBLANC
Thursday, January 16, 2003 ? Page A1 (Globe and Mail)
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en moved to quell a caucus revolt yesterday by upbraiding Defence Minister John McCallum for his suggestion that Canada could fight in Iraq without UN authorization.
Mr. Chré'©en said Canada is committed to the United Nations weapons-inspection program, and suggested the country will go to war only with UN approval, although he did not explicitly rule out Mr. McCallum's scenario.
But he publicly undercut his Defence Minister for answering a "hypothetical" question in Washington with the response that Canada could join the Americans in a war on Iraq without UN approval.
"If the international community decides that the use of force against Iraq is necessary because it is the only way to bring an end to Iraqi non-compliance, Canada would do its part," Mr. Chré'©en said at a news conference to kick off his last year in office.
"The Canadian position is that on matters of peace and security, the international community must speak and act through the UN Security Council."
He then pointed out for the assembled media where Mr. McCallum had strayed.
"He replied to a hypothetical question that he has reflected upon and corrected since that time," Mr. Chré'©en said.
Mr. McCallum's comments -- which had not been contradicted by Foreign Minister Bill Graham or officials in the Prime Minister's Office -- opened a split in the Liberal caucus between hawks and doves.
MP Carolyn Parrish threatened to resign from caucus if Canada joined the United States in a war that did not have UN authorization, while MP David Pratt, chairman of the defence committee, endorsed the minister's position.
Yesterday, Ms. Parrish said, "We're very happy with the [Mr. Chré'©en's] clarification."
Mr. McCallum appeared duly chastened.
"If there is one thing that I learned last week, it is the danger of answering hypothetical questions and speculation," he told The Canadian Press. "Of course I don't disagree with the Prime Minister."
Mr. Chré'©en, asked repeatedly whether Canada would join the United States in a war in Iraq without a UN mandate, said his position was clear and then refused to answer the question. "You are just speculating. I'm not speculating."
But he made it clear his government would find it difficult to wage war without UN authorization. "Canada is a country that always worked multilaterally and we have been always advocating that. It is extremely important for our position."
He said the one recent exception, when Canada participated in bombing Serbia to force its withdrawal from Kosovo, was done under the auspices of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said there was an agreement from the UN -- "not as clear as some lawyers would have liked" -- for that bombing campaign.
In fact, the UN Security Council did not give sanction to the Kosovo bombing campaign, largely because Russia, which was allied with the Serbs, threatened to use its veto. The UN passed a series of resolutions that condemned Serb action in Kosovo as a "threat to international peace and security" and NATO took that as justification for attacking Serbia.
Canada also opted out of the UN multinational force in Afghanistan to join the U.S.-led operation against the Taliban, which was not authorized by the Security Council.
Mr. Chré'©en also sounded a more patient note than U.S. President George W. Bush, who on Tuesday said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was quickly running out of time to declare and dismantle weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Chré'©en said the UN should give the inspectors more time, "but not an eternity."
What they said
Defence Minister John McCallum, acknowledging in Washington that Canada could fight alongside the United States in Iraq without UN authorization:
"Some may say, 'We're only doing it with a UN mandate.' We're saying we much prefer that, but we may do it otherwise."
Foreign Minister Bill Graham, appearing to agree with Mr. McCallum:
"It may be that diplomacy will not in the end succeed, but we must exhaust every conceivable effort to operate within the mandate of the United Nations.
"It is possible that circumstances might develop, such as those that occurred in the case of Kosovo, where a UN mandate would not be feasible.
"Those circumstances don't exist today."
Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en, distancing himself from Mr. McCallum's "speculation."
"The Canadian position is that on matters of peace and security, the international community must speak and act through the UN Security Council."
He added that Mr. McCallum "replied to a hypothetical question, that he has reflected upon and corrected since that time."
Mr. McCallum, after the Prime Minister's press conference:
"If there is one thing that I learned last week, it is the danger of answering hypothetical questions and speculation. Of course I don't disagree with the Prime Minister."
PM scolds McCallum on Canada's role in Iraq
By SHAWN MCCARTHY AND DANIEL LEBLANC
Thursday, January 16, 2003 ? Page A1 (Globe and Mail)
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en moved to quell a caucus revolt yesterday by upbraiding Defence Minister John McCallum for his suggestion that Canada could fight in Iraq without UN authorization.
Mr. Chré'©en said Canada is committed to the United Nations weapons-inspection program, and suggested the country will go to war only with UN approval, although he did not explicitly rule out Mr. McCallum's scenario.
But he publicly undercut his Defence Minister for answering a "hypothetical" question in Washington with the response that Canada could join the Americans in a war on Iraq without UN approval.
"If the international community decides that the use of force against Iraq is necessary because it is the only way to bring an end to Iraqi non-compliance, Canada would do its part," Mr. Chré'©en said at a news conference to kick off his last year in office.
"The Canadian position is that on matters of peace and security, the international community must speak and act through the UN Security Council."
He then pointed out for the assembled media where Mr. McCallum had strayed.
"He replied to a hypothetical question that he has reflected upon and corrected since that time," Mr. Chré'©en said.
Mr. McCallum's comments -- which had not been contradicted by Foreign Minister Bill Graham or officials in the Prime Minister's Office -- opened a split in the Liberal caucus between hawks and doves.
MP Carolyn Parrish threatened to resign from caucus if Canada joined the United States in a war that did not have UN authorization, while MP David Pratt, chairman of the defence committee, endorsed the minister's position.
Yesterday, Ms. Parrish said, "We're very happy with the [Mr. Chré'©en's] clarification."
Mr. McCallum appeared duly chastened.
"If there is one thing that I learned last week, it is the danger of answering hypothetical questions and speculation," he told The Canadian Press. "Of course I don't disagree with the Prime Minister."
Mr. Chré'©en, asked repeatedly whether Canada would join the United States in a war in Iraq without a UN mandate, said his position was clear and then refused to answer the question. "You are just speculating. I'm not speculating."
But he made it clear his government would find it difficult to wage war without UN authorization. "Canada is a country that always worked multilaterally and we have been always advocating that. It is extremely important for our position."
He said the one recent exception, when Canada participated in bombing Serbia to force its withdrawal from Kosovo, was done under the auspices of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said there was an agreement from the UN -- "not as clear as some lawyers would have liked" -- for that bombing campaign.
In fact, the UN Security Council did not give sanction to the Kosovo bombing campaign, largely because Russia, which was allied with the Serbs, threatened to use its veto. The UN passed a series of resolutions that condemned Serb action in Kosovo as a "threat to international peace and security" and NATO took that as justification for attacking Serbia.
Canada also opted out of the UN multinational force in Afghanistan to join the U.S.-led operation against the Taliban, which was not authorized by the Security Council.
Mr. Chré'©en also sounded a more patient note than U.S. President George W. Bush, who on Tuesday said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was quickly running out of time to declare and dismantle weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Chré'©en said the UN should give the inspectors more time, "but not an eternity."
What they said
Defence Minister John McCallum, acknowledging in Washington that Canada could fight alongside the United States in Iraq without UN authorization:
"Some may say, 'We're only doing it with a UN mandate.' We're saying we much prefer that, but we may do it otherwise."
Foreign Minister Bill Graham, appearing to agree with Mr. McCallum:
"It may be that diplomacy will not in the end succeed, but we must exhaust every conceivable effort to operate within the mandate of the United Nations.
"It is possible that circumstances might develop, such as those that occurred in the case of Kosovo, where a UN mandate would not be feasible.
"Those circumstances don't exist today."
Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en, distancing himself from Mr. McCallum's "speculation."
"The Canadian position is that on matters of peace and security, the international community must speak and act through the UN Security Council."
He added that Mr. McCallum "replied to a hypothetical question, that he has reflected upon and corrected since that time."
Mr. McCallum, after the Prime Minister's press conference:
"If there is one thing that I learned last week, it is the danger of answering hypothetical questions and speculation. Of course I don't disagree with the Prime Minister."
