Canada Expected to Reject Participation in North American Missile Defense

U.S. officials are perplexed at Canada's apparent refusal to join in deploying a missile defense system.

(CP) - Canada's apparent decision to stay out of a North American missile-defence system has dumbfounded Americans as an unnecessary giveaway of sovereignty, Washington's envoy to Ottawa said Wednesday.

"We don't get it," [U.S. ambassador to Canada] Paul Cellucci said in Toronto. "If there's a missile incoming, and it's heading toward Canada, you are going to leave it up to the United States to determine what to do about that missile. We don't think that is in Canada's sovereign interest."

...Regardless, said Cellucci, Washington would press ahead with its plans.
"We will deploy. We will protect North America," he said.

"We think Canada would want to be in the room deciding what to do about an incoming missile that might be heading toward Canada."

Samuel Smith at Pros and Cons offers one possible explanation for Canada's obstinacy: "Canada is like the giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands...it has no natural predators."