Tue April 8, 2003 12:46 PM ET
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, under fire for presiding over a marked deterioration in ties with the United States, praised President Bush on Tuesday for his promise to boost aid to the Third World.
But Chretien said Ottawa would not reverse the policy that has so infuriated Washington -- the decision not to send troops to Iraq -- and criticized Canadian "scaremongers" who were predicting business ties to the U.S would suffer.
Chretien's ties with Bush are cool at best and have not been helped by anti-American comments from members of the ruling Liberal Party.
The veteran prime minister, marking the 40th anniversary of his first day as a legislator, told Parliament he hoped the war would be over soon with a minimum of casualties.
He also praised Bush for promises to boost international humanitarian aid and to step up the fight against AIDS.
"I want to take this opportunity on behalf of all Canadians to congratulate him for that," he said to applause.
"Despite all the pressures on him at home...the President realized that these issues of poverty, trade and development are in the long run as important to a secure, stable world as addressing the immediate threats we face from terrorism."
Chretien's words could help calm the nerves of the Canadian business community, which fears possible U.S. retaliation for the decision on troops and the Liberal insults. Canada sends 87 percent of its exports to the United States.
Chretien said "close friends can disagree at times and can still remain close friends" and dismissed the idea of economic retaliation from Canada's most powerful ally.
"The decision on whether or not to send troops into battle must always be a decision of principle, not a decision of economics and not even a decision of friendship alone," he said to applause.
"Our friendship with the United States is far stronger than those who scaremonger would have us believe, it is far stronger than some who purport to speak for the business community would have us believe."
The opposition Canadian Alliance, which says Canada should have sent troops to help U.S. forces, attacked what it said was Chretien's inconsistency and pointed out that not long ago the government had been critical of the decision to go to war.
"Today (we're) shoulder to shoulder, it's all about the United States and the United Kingdom, our friends, support for the aims of the war and to fight terrorism and of course to congratulate the President for all of his hard work," said Alliance leader Stephen Harper.
"President Bush is learning...that it sure helps to be a winner," he told Parliament to laughter.
Later in the day legislators are due to vote on an Alliance motion calling on the government to apologize for the anti-American statements. The Liberals' healthy majority means the motion has no chance of succeeding.
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, under fire for presiding over a marked deterioration in ties with the United States, praised President Bush on Tuesday for his promise to boost aid to the Third World.
But Chretien said Ottawa would not reverse the policy that has so infuriated Washington -- the decision not to send troops to Iraq -- and criticized Canadian "scaremongers" who were predicting business ties to the U.S would suffer.
Chretien's ties with Bush are cool at best and have not been helped by anti-American comments from members of the ruling Liberal Party.
The veteran prime minister, marking the 40th anniversary of his first day as a legislator, told Parliament he hoped the war would be over soon with a minimum of casualties.
He also praised Bush for promises to boost international humanitarian aid and to step up the fight against AIDS.
"I want to take this opportunity on behalf of all Canadians to congratulate him for that," he said to applause.
"Despite all the pressures on him at home...the President realized that these issues of poverty, trade and development are in the long run as important to a secure, stable world as addressing the immediate threats we face from terrorism."
Chretien's words could help calm the nerves of the Canadian business community, which fears possible U.S. retaliation for the decision on troops and the Liberal insults. Canada sends 87 percent of its exports to the United States.
Chretien said "close friends can disagree at times and can still remain close friends" and dismissed the idea of economic retaliation from Canada's most powerful ally.
"The decision on whether or not to send troops into battle must always be a decision of principle, not a decision of economics and not even a decision of friendship alone," he said to applause.
"Our friendship with the United States is far stronger than those who scaremonger would have us believe, it is far stronger than some who purport to speak for the business community would have us believe."
The opposition Canadian Alliance, which says Canada should have sent troops to help U.S. forces, attacked what it said was Chretien's inconsistency and pointed out that not long ago the government had been critical of the decision to go to war.
"Today (we're) shoulder to shoulder, it's all about the United States and the United Kingdom, our friends, support for the aims of the war and to fight terrorism and of course to congratulate the President for all of his hard work," said Alliance leader Stephen Harper.
"President Bush is learning...that it sure helps to be a winner," he told Parliament to laughter.
Later in the day legislators are due to vote on an Alliance motion calling on the government to apologize for the anti-American statements. The Liberals' healthy majority means the motion has no chance of succeeding.
