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Ralph Klein (Alberta Conservative) has some words on John Kerry
Lincoln:
Klein doubts Kerry would re-open border to beef
CTV.ca News Staff
Alberta's Premier has some choice words for U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry. Ralph Klein called the American Democrat a "protectionist" for supporting Washington's ban on live Canadian cattle.
Klein concluded that if John Kerry becomes the next American president, he'll likely keep the U.S. border closed to Canadian beef.
In April, Kerry and several other Democratic senators signed a letter calling on Washington to maintain the status quo.
Kerry last publicly weighed in on the mad cow crisis in an article in the journal, Nature. In it, the U.S. politician accused current U.S. President George Bush of not doing enough to keep the U.S. beef supply safe. But Kerry didn't touch the border issue.
Speaking to reporters outside an Alberta cattle show, Klein said he hopes Kerry won't be introducing any formal legislation to enforce his own views on the Canadian beef industry.
"With politicians, sometimes what they say before an election and what they do after are two entirely different things," Klein said. "Unless you're talking about me."
Klein also says the continued U.S. trade ban has more to do with politics than with health or science. The mad cow crisis was triggered by a single case of BSE in a northern Alberta cow.
The premier added that he doesn't know where U.S. President George Bush stands on the issue. Bush had mentioned in the past that he believes Canada and the U.S. should resume trading beef and cattle with each other.
Bush's administration partially re-opened the border last September, allowing in beef from cows younger than 30 months of age.
It's not believed Washington will make any moves on the mad cow issue until the American election is over.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale sat down with U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow on Saturday.
Goodale told Snow that a fear of lawsuits shouldn't affect the border re-opening. "There has been some discussion that if the United States would take steps to open the border, there would immediately be legal proceedings by certain (U.S.) interests and that process could then tie up the border-opening process," he said late Saturday.
Goodale added that he thinks his point registered "very well" with Snow. The minister also said there was no justification for keeping the border closed.
"It's an issue that should have been resolved a long time ago," Goodale said.
With files from the Canadian Press
For the most part, I agree with him.
Westcoastin':
--- Quote from: Lincoln The Mental Traveller on October 03, 2004, 01:39:49 PM ---
For the most part, I agree with him.
--- End quote ---
with Klein or Kerry?
Its supposed to be Free Trade. Same shit keeps happening with the Softwood Lumber dispute in BC, American govt puttin a ridicoulous tariff on BC lumber. And if Mad Cow is wiped out in Canada....there should be no reason to block the export of cows to the States
Lincoln:
--- Quote from: Never See..The P on October 03, 2004, 03:14:12 PM ---
--- Quote from: Lincoln The Mental Traveller on October 03, 2004, 01:39:49 PM ---
For the most part, I agree with him.
--- End quote ---
with Klein or Kerry?
Its supposed to be Free Trade. Same shit keeps happening with the Softwood Lumber dispute in BC, American govt puttin a ridicoulous tariff on BC lumber. And if Mad Cow is wiped out in Canada....there should be no reason to block the export of cows to the States
--- End quote ---
With Klein, one of the greatest politicians to ever grace North America (IMO). It's pretty fucked how Canada keeps getting screwed with the NAFTA. Softwood and beef are 2 of Western Canada's most plentiful products. This hurts their economy.
Suga Foot:
Lincoln:
--- Quote from: Adon on October 03, 2004, 06:53:10 PM ---
--- End quote ---
:sign_werd:
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