Demagogue

Two and a half months ago, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin was noncommital when asked if his nation would be part of the Star Wars-style, missile defense system that the U.S. was attempting to build. But today Canada's next ambassador to the U.S. surprised many of his fellow Canadians when he announced that Canada is already part of the controversial program.

More from one of Canada's largest daily newspapers, the Globe and Mail:

Frank McKenna said that Canadian participation is such that he does not know what more could be asked by the United States, an argument that could remove the need for the minority Liberals to make a contentious decision on ballistic missile defence (BMD).

“We're a part of it now,” he said, citing an amendment to NORAD, a continental defence pact, that has given the joint command responsibility for watching for incoming missiles.

... Defence Minister Bill Graham insisted later Tuesday that nothing has changed in the federal position, leaving opposition parties to jump on the apparent disparity between the two men's statements.

One of those angry opponents is deputy Conservative Party leader Peter McKay, who posed this rhetorical question:

"Last summer, Canada agreed to NORAD's monitoring of incoming missiles. Last August, [Graham] said that decision does not affect in any way or determine the ultimate decision of whether Canada will participate in missile defence.

Mr. McKenna's statements today clearly contradict that position. ... Will the Parliament of Canada have a full debate with all the facts on missile defence, or is Canada's position already a done deal?"