Bush no longer wants Canadian PM at his birthday party

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to,
Cry if I want to,
Cry if I want to--
You would cry, too, if it happened to you!

I thought only seven year olds did this?

mmmm, Freedom Bacon!

Canada has pursued an increasingly divisive policy with respect to the United States for several decades. The only recent period of cooperation was during the administration of former PM Mulrooney. No one should be surprised that, after decades of escalating carping, complaints, shutting down long-established modes of cooperation, increasing opposition in policy matters, and public criticism in international forums, there finally develops a reaction to all this in the United States. Our patience with our rather childish and self-centered neighbor has already gone well beyond historical norms for such situations.

Canada is a rather large net inporter in her trade with the rest of the world. However Canada enjoys a huge favorable balance of trade with the United States, one that more than makes up for Canada's trade deficit with every other nation, making her a large net exporter. Unfortunately Canada has not been paying enough attention to the iinterests of her best customer. There should be no surprise at the eventual reaction here.

The issue over the live cattle exports is a result of the uncontested fact that Canada has already exported cattle to this country that were infected with BSE (mad cow disease). The immediate reaction of nearly every other nation in the world was to place an embargo on beef exports from the United States. There are high stakes in this game, and more important considerations at hand than the commercial interests of Canadian cattle producers, who undeniably have a BSE problem on their hands.

Unfortunately in this and other matters the Canadian public seems interested only in the effects on themselves and their rather detached position in the world. We have no interest in coddling such self-centered childishness, and should quietly start putting the economic screws to our bothersome neighbor. We could start with security inspections at our norther border of shipments from Canadian manufacturers supporting just-in-time manufacturing customers in the USA. That could shut down most manufacturing in Ontario and would likely raise employment in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

georgeob
That can go both ways ;-)

last time I looked, Canada wasn't the childish self-centered ones.

The problem is that the US makes threats every time another country doesn't want to get involved in their agenda and you call Canada self centered! This is when they like to throw out all the things they do for us and blah blah blah, yet they always fail to mention what other countries do for them.
Do you think the US would do anything for Canada if it didn't benefit them? I think not!

I think the US should stop worrying about what other countries are not doing for them and pay attention to their own damn country! Your country takes from the poor and feeds the rich, so there's no room for calling Canada self-centered and childish.

What does Canada do for the United States? Nothing at all as far as I can see. California has a larger economy than Canada. There are more than nine Americans for every Canadian. You guys aren't worth half the trouble you cause. We can do without Canada far more easily than Canada can do without the United States. That is the key point here. Canadians should wake up to reality.

What a jerk you come off as.

Cycloptichorn

george
Well, I guess you won't be needing our natural gas anymore. Oh well, all the more for us.

george
I think you're the one who needs a taste of reality!

Always best to only have friends that can give you something. It's really the only basis for any friendship ever. Otherwise it would be called commerce.

Guess Canada didn't have a birthday present for Georgie.

So, ummmm... did anyone answer Georges question?

Or is acting indignant what canadians do?

There are those who feel that the other nations of the world owe the U.S. gratitude, regardless of what goes on in the world.

Any of you all want to comment about our forces shooting up the vehicle carrying the Italian journalist in Iraq? The Italians sound particularly ungrateful at the moment...

We are talking about Canada now D'art. Stop trying to change the subject.

Yep yep! Good point Squinney!

Hmmmm.... I think I do remember mentioning something about natural gas.

And now that I think about it, I see a huge amount of American companies parking their butts over here in swarms and I'd be willing to bet that this is a good thing for the US. I'll have to remember that the next time I stop into Costco, Staples, Home Depot, etc....
There is so much more I could add, but I'm not up to doing the research to post here.
In fact, this is a political thread and I shouldn't even be in here.

The economic trade between Canada and the United States generally benefits both countries, as does free trade everywhere. However the facts establish beyond doubt that this trade is far more important to Canada , both in relative and in absolute terms, than it is to the United States.

Canada doesn't owe us anything, and we don't owe Canada anything. It is simply a fact that the supposed "friendship" of our northern neighbor has been more of a burden than an aid to us for the last several decades. Sooner or later the United States will fully wake up to this fact and begin to treat Canada with all the warmth, consideration, and understanding that they have shown us over the last few years. When that occurs, Canada will be the loser by a wide margin.

They'll always have Tim Horton's...

George, whilst you continue your endless tirade against canada...

You might want to consider that every action, indifferent or otherwise, the US takes against canada hurts americans too. For every cow, stick of lumber or lowly potato banned from crossing the border or taxed - tariffed to death... the american public eventually pays the cost.
Of course trade with the States is more important to Canada, we have catered to your needs. But...the continued boycotts and border closures have forced canadian business to "wake up to reality" and search for other markets and become more creative. Who knows what the future holds.
However, the US cannot sustain its insatiable need for more without someone to feed the monster. And you can't continue to beat up the world to get more.

That being said, a stupid decision made on either side of the border rarely makes anyone happy.

Best thing said on this thread.