 OTTAWA - Steve's younger brother, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Canada must be consulted before the U.S. decides to fire on missiles that enter Canadian airspace, despite Ottawa's refusal to participate in America's missile defence program. "I don't think that anyone expected that there would be any other finger on a button than the Americans," Martin said Friday looking around for the rimshot he cued, a day after his decision not to join the program.
"But in terms of Canadian airspace, yes we would expect to be consulted pursuant to the instructions on form CA-630-824/2 rev.5/2/05. This is our airspace and we're not sharing. We're a sovereign nation. And you don't intrude on a sovereign nation's airspace without seeking permission even if they can't defend it themselves," Martin said.
Martin also rejected claims by U.S. ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci that Canada has given up its sovereignty by saying no to the missile plan. Cellucci had said the U.S. was surprised by Martin's decision, saying "we simply cannot understand why Canada would, in effect, give up its sovereignty, its seat at the table, to decide what to do about missiles that might be headed towards Canada."
"We did not give up sovereignty," Martin responded. "We affirmed sovereignty."
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