Manley to Harper: Repair Canada-U.S. relations

Feb. 6, 2006. 03:58 PM
CANADIAN PRESS

A former senior Liberal cabinet minister says repairing Canada's relationship with the United States should be a top priority for new prime minister Stephen Harper.

John Manley says the two countries have to regain a personal trust that critics say deteriorated between President George W. Bush and former prime minister Paul Martin.

Manley, who recently decided not to pursue a run to replace Martin as the federal Liberal leader, was speaking at a Toronto forum on bilateral security.

He was joined by former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, who agreed the two countries need to work together better.

Ridge says the United States has accepted its differences in Canada on the Iraq war and the softwood lumber trade debate.

But Ridge says it's in both countries' interests to improve border security in a way that ensures no economic harm.


Also in the Guardian (for full story click Guardian Logo



Harper Sworn in As Canada's 22nd PM

Tuesday February 7, 2006 1:01 AM

AP Photo AJW105

By BETH DUFF-BROWN

Associated Press Writer

TORONTO (AP) - Stephen Harper, who promises to mend Canada's frayed relations with the United States, was sworn in as the nation's 22nd prime minister Monday, marking the first time in more than 12 years that the Conservative Party will rule this traditionally liberal nation.

....

But he used his first press conference after being elected on Jan. 23 to reiterate a campaign pledge to increase Canada's military presence in the Northwest Passage of the Arctic, a region that Washington believes is in international waters. Harper has also said that Ottawa would continue to fight Washington over its tariffs on Canadian lumber.

Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, in Toronto for a forum on border security with former deputy prime minister John Manley, urged Harper to take another look at the concept of a common North American defense perimeter, one of the recommendations released last year by a task force co-chaired by Manley.

``Sometimes people confuse the notion that you're going to compromise sovereignty with collaboration,'' Ridge said.

Harper went into his first Cabinet meeting with ministers who also were sworn in. The new team had been kept under wraps and was made public only minutes before the ceremony.

Peter MacKay, deputy leader of the Conservative Party, was sworn in as minister of foreign affairs and Stockwell Day became minister of public safety, an important post that works closely with Washington on security and anti-terrorism issues.

Gordon O'Connor was sworn in as minister of defense. Harper declined to name a deputy prime minister, doing away with the post under him.

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