Martin will reject missile defence: report

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin will reject Canadian participation in the U.S. missile defence program. Martin plans to announce in the House of Commons as early as Thursday that the country will not partake fully in the controversial program. The news comes hours after Canada's next ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna, set off a storm by saying Canada is already taking part in the program because it has agreed Norad can monitor the skies for incoming missiles. Martin's planned announcement will mark an abrupt change from his position 16 months ago during the Liberal leadership race, when he signaled that Canada should partake in missile defence. Since then, Martin has insisted that he hasn't reached a decision on whether Canada should be a full partner. And just two months ago, U.S. President George W. Bush pressed Martin publicly to sign on, saying on a visit to Halifax that he hoped the two countries would soon move forward to co-operate on ballistic missile defence.
But federal officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told the CBC's Radio-Canada that domestic considerations may have outweighed pressure from Washington.
Martin's government lost its majority last spring and the Bloc Québécois and the New Democrats oppose the plan, while the Conservatives support it but want a full debate on Canada's role. As well, Martin faces stiff resistance in his own caucus. The Liberals also want to improve their fortunes in Quebec, where there seems to be little support for missile defence.
Federal officials told the Canadian Press later on Tuesday that the United States was informed of Canada's decision at the NATO summit in Brussels. "[The Americans] were told we will not participate," a federal official, who asked to remain anonymous, told the agency. "It is a firm 'no.' I am not sure it is an indefinite 'no.'' " Earlier Tuesday, McKenna, a former New Brunswick premier, delivered an opposite message outside a meeting of the foreign affairs committee, which is examining his appointment as the next ambassador to the United States. McKenna invited to be Canada's ambassador to U.S. "I believe that we've given in large measure what the Americans want, which is the ability to use Norad and their intercept information in order to be able to target weaponry," he said. Canada agreed last August to allow Norad, the joint Canada-U.S. air defence command, to share information it gathers with the people running the U.S. missile defence program.