Bush Not Expected to Press Canada for Missile Defense Decision During Upcoming Visit

U.S. President George W. Bush is not likely to push, during an expected visit to Canada, that Prime Minister Paul Martin’s administration commit to cooperating with the U.S. missile defense program, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported (see GSN, Oct. 19).

“Do we get the sense from the Americans that Canada has to do something on missile defense 10 minutes ago? No, we don’t,” said a Canadian source.

Making a decision to coincide with Bush’s visit could give the appearance that Canada was bowing to U.S. authority, some members of Martin’s Liberal Party have said.

The visit could come before Bush is inaugurated for a second term on Jan. 20, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci said. No date has yet been set, according to the Globe and Mail (Brian Laghi, Globe and Mail, Nov. 9).

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