My lord canada on first page of bbc...

[Ditto Much]

Canadian prime minister sworn in


Paul Martin has formally taken office as Canada's 21st prime minister, promising sweeping changes.
He replaces Jean Chretien, the longest serving leader of the major industrialised countries.

Mr Chretien agreed to step down after 10 years in office, with two years left of his term.

His government is credited with tackling chronic budget deficits and defeating separatist forces in French-speaking Quebec.

Under Mr Chretien's premiership, his Liberal Party also initiated controversial new laws - allowing same-sex marriages, and decriminalising the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

'Fresh start'

Mr Martin and his new team of ministers were sworn in on Friday.

"I look forward to the opportunity to rally Canadians toward a new sense of national purpose and around a new agenda of change and achievement," Mr Martin said.

"We are going to change the way things work in Ottawa in order to re-engage Canadians in the political process."

The new prime minister also says he is committed to improving relations with the United States.

The BBC's Lee Carter in Toronto says the Bush administration has barely concealed its displeasure at the Chretien government's opposition to the US-led war in Iraq and legislation allowing same-sex marriages.

Improving relations with Washington is of particular concern to many in Canadian Government and business circles, our correspondent says.

Rivals

Mr Chretien, who will turn 70 next month, tendered his formal resignation to Governor General Adrienne Clarkson - the Queen's representative in Canada - in Ottawa on Monday.

Mr Chretien is also retiring from parliament.

Mr Martin, who was a bitter rival of Mr Chretien, took the oath of office in English and French.

There was also a purification ritual in which an elder from one of Canada's Indian nations dusted Mr Martin with an eagle feather.

The new prime minister has promised a more consultative form of government and made sweeping changes to Mr Chretien's cabinet.

Mr Martin has pledged to try to improve his government's communication with Canada's western provinces, where the majority of voters did not vote Liberal.

Mr Martin, a 65-year-old former shipping magnate, is a long-standing member of the Liberal Party and a former finance minister. He overwhelming won a leadership election in November.

He is expected to seek a fresh mandate in elections next year.
------------------------



Boring plain bland and so bbc. You'd think Canada and mexico didn't exist if you read there online daily.

 

[~atp~]

Originally posted by Ditto Much

Boring plain bland and so

British?

 

[junglisthead]

and so it begins............

wonder why it has become a month earlier than expected ?

 

[stryker]

I read it pretty much evey day. Yes, it's extremely bland and boring but it's very informative.

Stew

 

[OTIS]

Originally posted by Ditto Much
Canadian prime mofo sworn in


Paul Martin has formally taken his first dump at the office as Canada's 21st prime minister, promising sweeping bowel changes.
He replaces Jean Chretien, the longest serving leader of the major industrialised countries.

Mr Chretien agreed to step down after 10 years of taking a dump in the office, with two years left of his term.

His government is credited with tackling the bias against chronic stoners and defeating the use of MSG in poutine in French-speaking Quebec.

Under Mr Chretien's premiership, his Liberal Party also initiated controversial new laws - allowing same-sex fellatio in public, and decriminalising raves.

'Fresh steaming loaf'

Mr Martin and his new team of ministers were sworn in on Friday.

"I look forward to the opportunity to hurl Canadians toward a new demise, and around a new 'witch at the stake' I like to call the newfies," Mr Martin said.

"We are going to change the way things look in Ottawa by painting the parliament building pink, and hiring 3000 buskers to harass tourists so they never get in my way again."

The new prime minister also says he is committed to resizing the border with the United States.

The BBC's Lee Carter in Toronto says the Bush administration has barely concealed its displeasure at the way Chretien slurred his speech as George has a hard time with simple comprehension as it is, facing the Chretien was a nightmare.

Improving relations with Washington is of particular concern to many souless suits who regularly sleep on bags of money, our correspondent says.

Regularity Key

Mr Chretien, who will turn 70 next month, moving bowels at his age was proving difficult -a fact he could not hide as he spent hours in the office john.

Mr Chretien is also retiring from parliament.

Mr Martin, who was a bitter rival of Mr Chretien, took the oath of office in English and surprisingly Botswanese furthering rumor that he spent the former part of his career as a jungle medicine man.

There was also a ritual in which an elder from one of Canada's Indian nations dusted Mr Martin's furniture before the rest of the party members arrived for brunch.

Mr Martin explained that he "had plans for Canada's native community" as he winked and thumbed in the direction of the elder who was busy dusting.

The new prime minister has promised a more consultative form of government and made sweeping signals as if to ward off a fart.

Mr Martin has pledged to try to improve his government's communication with Canada's western provinces, where the majority of voters were said to have thrown fish at the TV in protest of his swearing in.

Mr Martin, a 65-year-old former shipping magnate, is a long-standing member of the White Aryan Resistance (W.A.R.) and a former sex worker. He overwhelming won a leading role in the new reality TV hit series, "Who Want's to Purchase my Love'.

He is expected to seek out new civilizations with an announcement of the Canadian Exploration of Space Program next year.
------------------------

That spicy enough for you?

 

[AdRiaN]

Paul Martin has formally taken his first dump at the office as Canada's 21st prime minister, promising sweeping bowel changes.

Good to know that Mr. Martin is committed to getting shit done.

 

[Puma]

It looks te me that he is going to let the US bend him over the table and give it to him a couple of times.. In the name of political reform..

 

[junglisthead]

the american kiss assing begins

Prime Minister Paul Martin was swift in his praise of U.S. troops yesterday for the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. And when the newly minted PM speaks by phone with President George W. Bush today, it's expected he'll repeat the kudos, setting the tone for improved Canada-U.S. relations.

"I want to congratulate the people of Iraq. I want to congratulate the governing council and the coalition forces, especially the 4th Infantry Division and the Special Operations Forces of the U.S. army," Martin said from his Quebec riding yesterday

fawk..... i swear, martin is going to turn into a mulroney clone

 

[dicksherwood]

Re: Re: My lord canada on first page of bbc...

Originally posted by OTIS
That spicy enough for you?

hahahahahaha, awesome

Slept on post of the day!

 

[wayne kenoff]

Originally posted by Ditto Much


Boring plain bland and so bbc.

The way news reads when it's not being marketed to the lowest common denominator. Long live the bbc.

 

[wayne kenoff]

Originally posted by Puma
It looks te me that he is going to let the US bend him over the table and give it to him a couple of times.. In the name of political reform..

You may be right but I still think it's a shrewd political move for Martin to mend relations when the stakes are lower. Canada made a stand against the Iraq invasion, which I am thankful for, but it's time to put it behind us.

I think we will have real cause for concern if Martin appears to give in to American demands concerning marijauna decriminalization. If he panders on this issue, the Liberals will not get my vote.

 

[Puma]

It's kind of wierd that all of a sudden there is a new prime minister and conviniently he is pro american.. I don't know maybe it's all a big coincidence..

 

[AdRiaN]

Originally posted by Puma
It's kind of wierd that all of a sudden there is a new prime minister and conviniently he is pro american.. I don't know maybe it's all a big coincidence..

Not really ... Chretien seemed to distance himself more from the Americans as his retirement drew closer because he had nothing to lose. Paul Martin is rebuilding the relationship because he needs to think long-term about being Prime Minister, possibly for several terms, and living with the consequences of a cold shoulder from the Americans.

 

[Ditto Much]

Originally posted by AdRiaN
Not really ... Chretien seemed to distance himself more from the Americans as his retirement drew closer because he had nothing to lose. Paul Martin is rebuilding the relationship because he needs to think long-term about being Prime Minister, possibly for several terms, and living with the consequences of a cold shoulder from the Americans.

But one also has to take a guess on if Bush is going to be a 1 term or a 2 term president. Being closer with Clinton meant that Chrétien was going to be distant from Bush. If Bush is going to lose the next election getting to comfy with him will only make the new guy more difficult to deal with.

I think the question also has to be asked "whats in it for us?". In the case of Jean he wanted a high US dollar, he wanted resources to ship across the border and for the rest there wasn't to many things he wanted from the USA. He didn't want to buy ships, planes of helicopters, he wasn't looking for a new trade agreement, he wasn't looking at any debt financing, there was nothing south of the border for him except for political difficulties.

Mulroney had something he wanted and really he had to be pretty close to them to get it. Regardless of if I agree with his trade agreement or not I have to respect the fact that to get it he had to be fairly close with the republicans. But right now all of the requests seem to be coming from south of the border, they are asking for contributions to military forces, for economic packages for border concessions you name it they are asking for it. Well just like Mulroney had to kiss some ass to get what he wanted, I have a feeling that Martin is going to expect any US administration to do the same.

I don't think there is political, social or economic reasons for Martin to change our US policy to much. He has already made it clear that he will not be handling the Canadian ambassador to the USA any differently than the Canadian ambassadors to France or England. If he was planning any major changes he would make the ambassador post report directly to him (like Mulroney did) and not to the department of foreign affairs like Chrétien.

Martin also has some world finance experience, I have a feeling that with Japan not eating up the US dollar right now he has a bigger problem than if he is well liked.