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This is the third time now, I think he's made his point:
Cellucci scolds Canada again over Iraq stance
MONTREAL (CP) - United States Ambassador Paul Cellucci scolded Canada again today for refusing to support the war in Iraq while U.S. soldiers are killed or taken prisoner.
"It is an odd situation, when two countries are close as we are, that we would be fighting a war and losing men and having prisoners of war taken, not to have Canada with us," Cellucci said at a news conference.
The ambassador also said it was "odd" that Canadian military ships and crews are in the Persian Gulf on anti-terrorist manoeuvres, even though the Canadian government officially opposes the war.
His statements follow a well-publicized speech in Toronto last month in which he said Canada's refusal to participate in the war without United Nations approval has caused a "bump in relations."
He added Wednesday that the two countries would have to work to maintain "business as usual" amid the divisions over how best to deal with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Cellucci earlier told a meeting of the Quebec Electrical Industry Association that Canada is America's "most important" neighbour.
The ambassador said the $1.4 billion in daily cross-border trade between the two countries must continue without interruption.
The federal Liberals have faced a barrage of criticism from opposition parties and business leaders over their refusal to endorse the Iraqi invasion.
Former U.S. secretary of state James Baker also criticized Canada's stance but his rebuke in the speech in Toronto today was relatively muted.
While Baker accused France, Germany and Russia of playing a destructive role leading up to the war, he said he detected a lesser degree of disappointment in Washington over Canada's non-entry.
Cellucci also weighed in today on recent expressions of anti-Americanism in Canada sparked by the U.S. decision to wage war in Iraq.
The U.S. ambassador to Canada said the anti-American incidents were "unfortunate" but isolated.
A peewee hockey team from Massachusetts recently faced insults on the ice at a Montreal hockey tournament.
"I think it's unfortunate when things like that happen," said Cellucci.
"I think it's the exception, not the rule. I know that emotions are running high relative to this war in Iraq, so I would hope that kind of behaviour would not continue."
According to a published report, Canadian players at the hockey tournament told their U.S. counterparts "the U.S. sucks" during a game on March 20.
The 11- and 12-year-old Massachusetts players said they earlier witnessed a U.S. flag being burned during an antiwar protest in Montreal and faced obscene gestures when their bus drove through city streets.
Cellucci cautioned the anti-American incidents might not go over well south of the border.
"Unfortunately, it's the kind of thing that gets reported back in the United States and kind of gives a somewhat false image."
Several dozen protesters waved antiwar placards outside the downtown hotel where Cellucci delivered his speech.
A protest organizer said Cellucci should not be interfering in Canada's decision to stay out of the American-led invasion.
Cellucci scolds Canada again over Iraq stance
MONTREAL (CP) - United States Ambassador Paul Cellucci scolded Canada again today for refusing to support the war in Iraq while U.S. soldiers are killed or taken prisoner.
"It is an odd situation, when two countries are close as we are, that we would be fighting a war and losing men and having prisoners of war taken, not to have Canada with us," Cellucci said at a news conference.
The ambassador also said it was "odd" that Canadian military ships and crews are in the Persian Gulf on anti-terrorist manoeuvres, even though the Canadian government officially opposes the war.
His statements follow a well-publicized speech in Toronto last month in which he said Canada's refusal to participate in the war without United Nations approval has caused a "bump in relations."
He added Wednesday that the two countries would have to work to maintain "business as usual" amid the divisions over how best to deal with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Cellucci earlier told a meeting of the Quebec Electrical Industry Association that Canada is America's "most important" neighbour.
The ambassador said the $1.4 billion in daily cross-border trade between the two countries must continue without interruption.
The federal Liberals have faced a barrage of criticism from opposition parties and business leaders over their refusal to endorse the Iraqi invasion.
Former U.S. secretary of state James Baker also criticized Canada's stance but his rebuke in the speech in Toronto today was relatively muted.
While Baker accused France, Germany and Russia of playing a destructive role leading up to the war, he said he detected a lesser degree of disappointment in Washington over Canada's non-entry.
Cellucci also weighed in today on recent expressions of anti-Americanism in Canada sparked by the U.S. decision to wage war in Iraq.
The U.S. ambassador to Canada said the anti-American incidents were "unfortunate" but isolated.
A peewee hockey team from Massachusetts recently faced insults on the ice at a Montreal hockey tournament.
"I think it's unfortunate when things like that happen," said Cellucci.
"I think it's the exception, not the rule. I know that emotions are running high relative to this war in Iraq, so I would hope that kind of behaviour would not continue."
According to a published report, Canadian players at the hockey tournament told their U.S. counterparts "the U.S. sucks" during a game on March 20.
The 11- and 12-year-old Massachusetts players said they earlier witnessed a U.S. flag being burned during an antiwar protest in Montreal and faced obscene gestures when their bus drove through city streets.
Cellucci cautioned the anti-American incidents might not go over well south of the border.
"Unfortunately, it's the kind of thing that gets reported back in the United States and kind of gives a somewhat false image."
Several dozen protesters waved antiwar placards outside the downtown hotel where Cellucci delivered his speech.
A protest organizer said Cellucci should not be interfering in Canada's decision to stay out of the American-led invasion.
) wondering why they were playing 'God Bless America' in the 7th inning stretch. Apparently that was a diktat from Selig.
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