Canada — Quid Pro Quo for contracts?
UNITED NATIONS — There’s a warming trend in Canadian American political relations and not a moment too soon. At the recent Summit of the America’s in Monterrey Mexico, President George W. Bush sought to mend strained relations with Ottawa by allowing Canadian firms to bid on lucrative construction contracts to rebuild Iraq.
The initial freeze came when the Pentagon published a list of countries which supported the American policy in Iraq and would thus be eligible to bid on billions of dollars of construction deals. Not surprisingly, France, Germany, and Russia were excluded from the gravy train tenders given their strident and vocal opposition to the Iraqi operation. So too was Canada.
But Canada’s case was not so clear, as Ottawa’s opposition to Washington’s Iraq policy was not as dogged nor deliberately divisive as was Paris’s or Berlin’s. To be sure as Canada does not have a seat on the UN Security Council, there’s less chance to meddle. Yet beyond some quite disagreeable mischief from Canada’s ruling Liberal party, most Canadians were probably happily sitting on the sidelines until the contracts penalty.
Now Canada’s new Prime Minister Paul Martin decided to break with some of the prissy political stances of his predecessor Jean Chretien and allow for a more flexible approach in which Ottawa may not actively support the USA in Iraq, but it will not vocally oppose us either. Contracts and political quid pro quo appear to go hand in hand.
The point is that for the U.S., political demonization of our neighbor to the North gains little substance save for a fleeting feel good factor. Equally, cheap political swipes at the USA especially from Ontario politicos, does little to enhance Canada’s standing.
Given that the USA and Canada have the world’s largest trading relationship, longest peaceful frontier, and a tradition of amity, there’s every reason Washington and Ottawa should be back on track. Still Canadian hostility to the American military action in Iraq operation must not be viewed in isolation. Canada has been a big financial donor to Iraqi economic reconstruction and equally contributes troops to NATO forces in Afghanistan. And Canada can usually be counted on for U.N. peacekeeping missions in places Washington would rather forget.
A $4 billion package for Iraqi infra-structural and oil sector repair opens for bidding in March, while yet another $6 billion opens for non-construction contracts. Canadian firms in the petroleum sector can seriously and possibly successfully compete there.
William Watson writing in Toronto’s National Post advised, “We got our longed-for promise that we can bid on the next round of U.S. government contracts for Iraq's reconstruction. Is anyone else out there disgusted by our self-righteous insistence that we deserve a piece of the action in Iraq? We wouldn't fight. We secretly thought Mr. Bush a warmonger for invading. But now that the war is over, let's be very clear: We want our contracts. Good relations require mutual respect. It's hard to see how our hissy-fit on the contracts will earn us any.”
That said that the political chemistry between Bush and Martin worked well during the Monterrey Summit. Clearly George W. and Chretien were never close and it often appeared that the cantankerous Canadian Prime Minister strove to keep it that way. But don’t forget that U.S. ties with Canada during the Reagan/Mulroney era were close, cooperative, and decidedly cordial.
In fact, military assistance from Canada in Iraq is not really what’s needed. Given the already stretched and weakened Canadian military – thanks in no small part to the Liberal Party’s reckless defense cuts for over a decade, Canadian Forces are in no position for any serious commitment in Iraq even if they wanted to.
Actually Canada has become a safe haven for Islamic militants who have flaunted and abused Canada’s hospitality. Thus closer cross-border cooperation between American and Canadian law enforcement on terrorism, detainees, and illegal immigration issues is probably the major area in which Ottawa can offer Washington the best practical assistance to the war on terror.
Can’t the USA and Canada be friends again?
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.  |
