I suspect he mentioned England because their prime minister was right there in the audience.
Canada is vital to the US military because they provide much of North America’s early warning network.
The mention of “we have no closer friend than the UK” (I may have that slightly wrong, I"m going from memory) did seem to me a bit pandering to Tony Blair who was present. I don’t know that I’d want to choose between Canada, the UK, and others as “best friend”
On the question of culture, most sociological studies (such as those of Geert Hofstede or Fons Trompenaas) conclude that the national cultures of the U.S. and Canada are closer than those of any two other nations.
[Edited by C K Dexter Haven on 09-21-2001 at 08:09 AM]
If I am recalling correctly, Bush mentioned only one ally specifically - Great Britain. Whose prime minister was in the audience.
Makes sense to me.
Does anybody really think Bush wouldn’t have mentioned Chretien and Canada if Chretien were there?
And hey, now that I’m thinking about it, why wasn’t Chretien there? D.C. isn’t that far away from Ottawa. Could have sent a great message of unity.
Prediction: If the perception of a snub of Canada in the speech continues, and is widely held, watch for Chretien to come to the White House (I don’t think Bush will be traveling to Canada or anywhere outside the USA, as he is rather required to man the homefront in this time of national crisis).
There will be some sort of photo op where Bush gushes that Canada is one of our closest allies and vital to the cause.
Speaking as an American, I agree, I would like to have seen Canada mentioned, though overall I thought the speech was moving. Also, I imagine there is a lot of truth in your reasoning above.
Of course mentioning the UK was pandering to Tony Blair. It’s called “being polite.” Imagine the uproar if he hadn’t mentioned the UK, with more than 200 dead and the Prime Minister sitting right there.
(Digression: When Congress reconvened the day after the attack, the very first thing they did was aknowledge the visit of the Australian PM. Diplomatic protocols run deep even in times of crisis.)
Bush didn’t mention France or Germany directly either. As the talking heads opined after the speech, his primary concern was appealing to wavering nations, not to nations that were already on board.
Chretien was already planning on going to Washington early next week. At that point he will be pledging Canada’s full support for whatever the U.S. decides to do.
Tory leader Joe Clark made mention (I don’t have a cite currently) that the speech snub was intentional because Bush feels that we are not planning on doing enough.
You know, I don’t really feel confident in times of crisis with any of the Canadian political leaders. Chretien seems inept and confused. Clark is a dweeb, Day is a twit, and McDoun…, MacDou…, McDone…, um… Alexa, the NDP chick, is too “nice”. Sure, they are great managers of a country for day-to-day activities. But when there is a real possibility of war…
Another datum: Remember that presidents of the US have traditionally made Canada the object of their first foreign visit.
Bush Jr. chose to meet with Vicente Fox instead.
Until Canada gets on board with human rights, stops their warmongering, ends its despotic totalitarianist regime, stops dumping their wastes in our aquifer, promotes religious freedom and the rights of women, Canada is no friend of mine!!!
Fool. We will destroy you. Our agents are in place; just yesterday Agents Dion, Twain, Fox and Gretzky informed me that our hideous plans are unfolding exactly as we had plotted. We are already distributing mind-altering hypno-drugs through Tim Horton’s franchises in the northeast. All America will be ours. We will flood the Mississippi valley, name it the “Trudeau Sea,” and rename Washington “Beerton.”
Bwaa ha ha ha haaa!
…Uhhh, I mean, friends, neighbours, support America, cover story, yeah, that’s the ticket.
Falls out of chair laughing
So THAT’S what they put in it!
YEAH!
As a Canadian, I too was irked to not hear Canada in the list of countries who expressed grief. There are so many Americans here and vice-versa. Of all countries, i think Canada took it just as badly as our US counterparts. Hundreds of Canadian,especially from Southern Ontario, rescue workers, ambulance personnel,Ontario’s Coroner and even our search dogs are down there lending a hand. Our resources are more readily available than Englands’ Also at him saying that England was their biggest supporter. We are taken for granted BIG time by the USA.
I think part of it is (and I agree, the US does take Canada for granted) is that it can be hard for Americans to actually realize that Canada is a foreign country. They know it intellectually. but it just doesn’t sink in. I mean, Canada’s got major league baseball, and Windsor is a suburb of Detroit, and Canadians don’t look or sound like goldurn furriners.
Canada is a good fair weather friend, and our sympathies are welcome, But we haven’t exactly been proactive in beating the drums of war and supporting Bush’s aggressive stance that requires an unlimited amount of support. In fact we have been quite vocal in the past opposing American foreign policy and the relationship with Castro hasn’t exaxtly endeared us to republicans. Britain has now and in the past, certainly since the Falklands, been the foremost ally and supporter of America when it comes to more agressive action in the world.
In times of war, the US looks to Britain for friendship, not us. Britain deserves the recognition that Bush has bestowed upon them. Britain and France are probably the only other western countries that have sacrificed to maintain the capability to project force unilateraly. They are capable of reciprocating. The best friendships can only be arrived at by entities of similar status, maturity and capability.
Canada has a big role to play in the world in times of peace. We are a shining example of multiculturalism, democracy, freedom, justice and social responsibility. We are what the world should be. But we are utterly impotent to defend this way of life when it comes under attack. We need America to protect it for us.
I could say the same about England and the United States. I had some roommates from Newfoundland and there were certain differences they had to get used to while living in Texas.
Marc
Newfies? heh, heh, heh. 
My ex loudly proclaimed that ‘we Newfs are not Canadians’. I don’t know how the majority of them feel, but they’re a pretty unique breed of Canucks 
I will take your word on the parallels in British/American culture. The Brits I have known tended to be more abrasive and arrogant than the average American, and generally critical of things unbritish.
Hoping my experience was very singular. Some americans are that way, I know a few, but for the most part they’re reasonable folk who can be patriotic without being mindlessly nationalistic.
Don’t want to offend anyone here. I’m feeling a bit illucid atm. If the above post comes across that way (illucid and/or offensive), critique so I may improve my opinions.
**
Well my roommates grandfather had an American flag on his coffin because he was in the US Army during the 2nd world war. So maybe they are some pretty unique breed of Canuck.
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In truth an American can probably get along just fine in any western European nation provided he knew how to speak the language. Of course the same can be said for them as well. Of course I’m not saying that there’s no differences between any country. But western Europe has got a lot of the same stuff there that we do and I believe we hold many similiar values.
I asked my roommate if she’d bring me home some moose. She told me that she was going to bring me some bottled moose and I immediatly pictured a wine bottle with some moose inside. The first thing I said was “How the hell do they fit a moose in a bottle?” I have a hard time believing that an American living in Canada wouldn’t notice any differences. I moved from Texas to Arkansas and I can tell you I’m noticing some differences between just two states in the same nation. I still fit in though, except when I wear my Dallas Cowboys jersey.
Marc
According to the CBC, a Canadian had a hand in writing the President’s speech.
**
IIRC they weren’t part of Canada at that time. Didn’t join us until the 70s? Of course, I wasn’t alive at the time.
(Sadly, carrying a Canadian flag will get you treated better in Europe than multilingualism. A guy I work with was consistantly treated like shit until he told people he was Canadian. ‘Oh, you’re not American?’ smiles and helpful hands start appearing What a pity.)
I had never heard of bottled moose until this last year. Of course you have a point, in differences between states, but I don’t see that there would be a larger difference between Texas-Arkansas than Alberta-Ohio.
Oh, and I’m moving to Georgia. There’s rednecks here, rednecks there, I’ll feel right at home!
grienspace:
the infidel!
We have someone on the inside? and they let us down?! disgusted noise
But you did go to high school in Canada, right?
Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. Newfoundland sent its own forces to fight in World War II.
I would also be highly suspicious of this “Everyone in Europe treats you like crap until they find out you’re Canadian, not American.” I suppose a few places have a special fondness for Canadians, but 99% of the time that’s baloney. The simple fact is that most people in the world are polite tourists no matter where they’re from. When I was last in Europe - well, actually, it was England - I discovered that the most famous Canadian there is still Ben Johnson. “Oh, you’re Canadian? Have some steroids!”
haha! very amusing thanks for the correction on the date of Newfoundland joining us. To be honest, NO, they didn’t teach us that in school. Most of what was taught in history was the french revolution, the napoleonic war and the exportation of the acadians. WWII was covered in 2 weeks but I’m not bitter.
I will respect your opinion on europeans sentiment to Americans (which I think, if they do hold them, are senseless in any case) but I know other people who have reported similar experiences.
Well, I guess there are a-holes everywhere