Grrrrralph!

The illiterate buffoon that is currently masquerading as Premier of Alberta has once again opened his mouth and demonstrated that he is an intellect on par with the current occupant of the White House he so admires.

Paul Martin is engaging China - and other countries - in talks aimed at opening more foreign trade opportunities for Canada.

Along comes Ralph, with his good buddy Stephen Harper, whinging that Alberta's OIL isn't for Paul Martin to sell. Newsflash to both of these morons - the Federal Government sets foreign policy for Canada - including TRADE POLICY. That means that Paul Martin has every right in the world to be overseas selling the prospect of trading our energy, trees, whatever with foreign countries. (Including the United States)

Given that the current US Government has even less respect for the trade agreements signed in its name than I have for RalphCo (or a cockroach) recently, I would suggest that Paul Martin is in fact acting not only in Canada's best interests by looking afar for markets, but in Alberta's as well. In case nobody has noticed, there is nothing compelling Alberta to sell its oil to the United States - any more than B.C. is obliged to sell their lumber to the United States. The current US government is not interested in the rules of free trade - it doesn't work in their favour all the time.

However, getting back to my original point - once again, Ralph has tried to piddle all over Paul Martin. Why? Because in the Conservative Fantasy Land of Alberta politics, it plays well. Never mind the fact that Paul Martin has just put the US on notice that NAFTA is an endangered species unless they start to play by the rules they agreed to. Never mind what's been painfully obvious to any sentient human being in Canada since 2000 - cuddling up with the US for trade and whatnot is not in Canada's best interests. The US government doesn't see Canada as an equal partner, nor does it even attempt to treat their trading partners reasonably.

Paul Martin, for once in his stumbling career as Prime Minister of Canada has got it right. Ralph, and his bunch of vacuous allies should get behind him and start standing up as Canadians.