I have just learned that the Canadian government has decided not to participate in the US's projected missile defense system. Apparently Paul Martin was keen on it, but his party balked. What do you think? Have they done the right thing or not?

Oops, forgot. Here's a link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4289925.stm

I'm not sure how I feel about that... I know I didn't like it when Mr. Bush came to Canada and practically forced us to sign up for the missile defense system but since then I've been wondering if it is a good idea. I guess I'm sort of thinking that the whole missile defense system is all just a huge over reaction, I mean, I fully understand why some Americans(Bush and backers) feel threatened by the "big bad world" and would like the comfort of a missile defense system I just don't like the fact that Mr. Bush would be the one holding the button, you know? But I'm just ranting because I don't really know to much about the whole thing so I think I'll shut up now.

No offense to any Bush supporters out there.

Well, I think they didn't really have too much choice. It became pretty clear during the election that public opinion was against it. Even here in Alberta, which is the probably the most Bush-friendly province, there was a lot of opposition. Especially now, when we see the mess in Iraq, there is not a lot of support for the foreign policy initiatives of the present US government, and, frankly, not much faith in their good judgement.
This may be a moot point, though - from what I read in the papers, some things are already happening, and there may not be much we can do to stop them, unless we want to get tough. I can't see Mr Martin going head to head with US, with a minority govt behind him.

Agony, I think you have hit the button on its head when you say you can't see Mr Martin going head to head against the USA.Any country that opposes US foreign policy is liable to have sanctions imposed on it.
"Either you are with us or against us" is brought to mind.

And besides, the US has already said they're going to fire over Canadian air space anyway, whether we like it or not, so there's really nothing we can do.

I don't think it matters, the U.S. is going to defend itself whether we join or not. Do you really think that if missles are incoming that the Americans are going to ask us whethere it's ok or not?

Exactly, I mean, we may not have signed up for it but technically we're still protected either way, I mean, if the US picks up an incoming missile on the radar or sonar or however it works they're gonna blast the thing anyway even if it was coming for Canada, just in case it wasn't... I'm guessing that we're getting a pretty sweet deal even though we didn't want it.

At the cost of national sovereignity, but, what the heck, eh? Not as if we were really a sovereign nation anyway.

Sorry, maybe that sounded a little bitter.
Was just reading about Mr Celucci (US ambassador to Canada) once again scolding us for making a decision which we have the perfect right to make. His "What's the MATTER with you Canadians?" rants are really starting to get old.

I don't know. Things are getting a little strange. The Canadian ambassador is apparently running around saying we signed some sort of treaty last year that makes us effectually a member anyway. It's very confusing.

Well, I'm not worried. Have you ever noticed the number of American missile sites along the Canadian border? I'd say we had them on the run!