Quote Originally Posted by piece-it pete
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It was a Canadian who pointed out to me that the rest of the world would have far less money to spend on social services if they had to pay the true cost of their own security. As a matter of fact my one big beef with Canada right now isn't Iraq - it's the fact they will not contribute to the missle shield being designed and built (and paid for) by the US (that will also protect Canada).

Pete
This is an interesting comment...Canada has committed a great deal of funds towards this project, continues to fund NORAD and has given the USA permission to use its airspace for self defense purposes.
I think the truth, and what the media (and even politicians) are reporting on this issue has become very distorted.
Politically, with a minority government for the time being, it is difficult for the governing party to openly declare endorsement. They didn't in the time frame president Bush demanded. And consequently, those bold demands that ignored the requests for an extension on the question (to such a point in time when it would have been an easy political sell) probably ticked off the government a bit. Make no mistake about it though. Canada is contributing to the project whether directly or indirectly. The opposition left wing party in Canada was very upset, and very quick to reveal this as argument against the the governing party earlier this year. Oddly enough, despite the supposed public opposition, I have yet to meet one Canadian that doesn't wholly endorse the project.

By next spring, there will be another federal election in Canada which will go one of two ways:
1) the current government will once again win a majority (most likely) and then continue with openly endorsing the project
2) the opposition conservatives will win the election and openly endorse the project.

I wouldn't worry too much about this.