Canadian MP: Americas are bastards

MP apologizes for calling Americans 'bastards'


Wed, 26 Feb 2003 22:29:40
cbc.ca.news



OTTAWA - A Liberal MP has apologized for saying about Americans: "I hate those bastards."

MP Carolyn Parrish was speaking to reporters about Canada's diplomatic initiative on Iraq. At the end of her comments Parrish said, "Damn Americans ... I hate those bastards."



CBC reporter Susan Lunn who heard Parrish make the comment, says the MP then laughed as she was walking away.

In a written statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Parrish says she made the comments in the heat of the moment in a private conversation. She says they do not reflect her opinion of the American people.

"My comments do not reflect my personal opinion of the American people and they certainly do not reflect the views of the government of Canada," she said in her written statement.

Late last year, the prime minister's communications director, Francoise Ducros, resigned after calling U.S. President George W. Bush "a moron" during a conversation with a reporter in Prague.

Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper said Parrish's comments won't make relations between the two countries any better.

"They don't do Canadians any good – Canadians who are trying to cross the border for business, Canadians who are trying to sell lumber or agricultural products or manufactured goods to the United States," said Harper.

The Prime Minister's Office would only say that Parrish does not speak for the government of Canada.


She does not speak for the government of Canada - the one where seemingly random members of the government deride and attack the United States and the PMs office responds with a meaningless statement like - they do "not speak for the government of Canada. "

How about when Chretien said he had nothing in common with Bush - was he speaking for the government of Canada?  That Canada had little in common with the US - was that the government or a personal statement?

At what point does this rise to something more than people letting off steam.  In the US, if members of the Republican or Democratic party were to 'vent' as often as the Canadians seem to, the world press would be in non-stop overdrive with statements of derision.







 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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