Ottawa — Maverick MP Carolyn Parrish has rejected Prime Minister Paul Martin's request to withdraw her comment that the United States and other missile-defence supporters comprise a “coalition of the idiots.”
She said yesterday that her verbal attack was aimed only at supporters of missile defence — not all Americans, or even the U.S. government — but that she didn't regret her comment or the way it was phrased. “This is a very apt word.”
Mr. Martin criticized Ms. Parrish's remarks, made to a rally on Wednesday, saying they were unacceptable and should be withdrawn. “The fundamental fact is that this is too important a debate to be derailed by those types of comments.”
But the Prime Minister also said Ms. Parrish would not be punished.
A reputation for opposition to the United States was seen as a weakness of the Chrétien government. Mr. Martin has pledged to improve the relationship.
But caucus unity is also crucial for the Prime Minister because the Liberals were reduced to a minority in the June 28 election. The government needs the support of every one of its MPs to keep its agenda on track.
Ms. Parrish is known as an American-baiter. She created an international incident last year by saying: “Damn Americans. I hate those bastards,” in reference to the Iraq war.
On Wednesday, she added to her reputation in remarks to a rally of missile-defence opponents in Ottawa. “We are not joining the coalition of the idiots,” she said. “We are joining the coalition of the wise.”
The voluble Mississauga-Erindale MP had initially asked reporters not to use her comment and expressed surprise that it was recorded. Yesterday, though, she said those comments were effective in drawing attention to the issue.
She and many other critics of the program say it probably would not work and would make Canada more vulnerable to terrorism. “My technique is less important than the end result, and that's what I'm working toward.”
U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci played down Ms. Parrish's remarks, saying Canadians are free to speak their minds.
But Conservative MP Monte Solberg said Ms. Parrish should take a more mature approach to issues she claims to care so much about. “You don't have to support the Americans' position, but we all have a responsibility to act as adults.”
Mr. Solberg also said Mr. Martin is setting a dangerous precedent, especially in a minority government where discipline is crucial, by allowing Ms. Parrish to stay in caucus. “You can't allow her to get away with that.”
The deadlock between Ms. Parrish and Mr. Martin, whose popularity among backbenchers fuelled much of his battle to oust former prime minister Jean Chrétien, comes a day after the Prime Minister told Liberal MPs they need unity.
But Mr. Martin acknowledged Ms. Parrish is not alone in her opposition to missile defence. “She has an awful lot of colleagues who feel very strongly about the issue on both sides.”
Ms. Parrish said she won't apologize for being passionate about issues close to her heart, nor will she change the way she speaks. She frequently pointed out that 28,000 constituents support her style (it was actually 26,444 in the June election). “They know I'm colourful.”
This week's incident will have no effect on her political career, Ms. Parrish said, because there's no chance she'd be appointed to cabinet.
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