poppa
Sep 26th, 2005, 10:27 PM
By D.L. McCracken
Sep 13, 2005, 16:31
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Article Link (http://www.halifaxlive.com/artman/publish/embarrass_130905_123.shtml)
Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna during an interview by Fox news reporter Frank Gibson last week was grilled by Gibson on Canada's motives for reacting so quickly to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
The interview was shown during the September 9 episode of The O'Reilly Factor, All Things Considered and was titled, "KATRINA: Is Canada Doing Enough to Help?" The interview segment was introduced after Fox news man Tony Snow reported to Bill O'Reilly the fact that Canada "continues to ship oil relatively cheap" to the northern US states. Bill O'Reilly then introduced the interview segment by saying, "I don't know what the situation is with Canada, they've helped us out before but I'm gonna let them have a pass on this".
John Gibson took over and after thanking Canada through Ambassador McKenna for sending extra oil during the disaster, Gibson then added, "You kind of embarrassed us..the Vancouver Search & Rescue team showed up in St. Bernard's Parish before uh..any of the American Search & Rescue teams. We appreciate the help but ya know you're not supposed to embarrass us".
It gets worse.
McKenna appeared to be slightly taken aback by Gibson's statement, chuckled and went on to assure his host and the American public that it was not Canada's intention to embarrass the U.S. but to "help our neighbours".
At that point Ambassador McKenna went on to provide a detailed list of aid being sent to the Gulf region including three Canadian warships laden with supplies but Gibson again interrupted McKenna mid-sentence with an outrageous suggestion.
Gibson asks, "You know uh..Ambassador McKenna um..uh..uh..you know..just lemme uh..have you..uh..lemme address one thing. Uh we know that there's lots of people in Canada on the left side of the political spectrum who don't like George Bush. Is there any..any part of this..big Canadian help designed to..maybe embarrass the President?"
Ambassador McKenna deserves credit for maintaining his cool at this point in the interview and immediately assured Mr. Gibson that nothing could be further from the truth adding, "This has got nothing to do with George Bush, nothing to do with our relationship which is excellent by the way. This has got to do with the fact that we have been neighbours and friends for hundreds of years. You have come to our aid when we've been in trouble and Canada wants to be with you when you're in trouble. It's as simple as that".
Gibson perhaps chastened but probably not, then proceeded to list everything that Canada and Canadians have contributed to the relief efforts thus far, a detailed and rather long list. At one point as Gibson was naming various individual organizations and provinces who have donated assistance, he named Nova Scotia saying in an obviously astonished tone of voice, "Nova Scotia donated $100,000." At that point the interview ended.
It should be noted that Fox News and Frank McKenna could never be thought of as fast friends. Just this past July Ambassador McKenna spoke out against the U.S. news network and their penchant for spreading "disinformation" which can create a "false picture" of Canada. McKenna referred to this as the "Fox Factor" and urged all Canadians living in the United States to at least be aware of this fact.
Looks like Ambassador McKenna was right - who else but Fox News would actually question a country's generosity amidst a tragedy and suggest that our generosity was based on ulterior motives, in this case a desire to embarrass the United States?
The only embarrassment here should be experienced by Fox News for allowing their reporters to continually insult friendly nations.
Fox does it again! Maybe Rick Mercer should do a sequel to Talking to Americans...
Sep 13, 2005, 16:31
Email this article
Printer friendly page
Article Link (http://www.halifaxlive.com/artman/publish/embarrass_130905_123.shtml)
Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna during an interview by Fox news reporter Frank Gibson last week was grilled by Gibson on Canada's motives for reacting so quickly to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
The interview was shown during the September 9 episode of The O'Reilly Factor, All Things Considered and was titled, "KATRINA: Is Canada Doing Enough to Help?" The interview segment was introduced after Fox news man Tony Snow reported to Bill O'Reilly the fact that Canada "continues to ship oil relatively cheap" to the northern US states. Bill O'Reilly then introduced the interview segment by saying, "I don't know what the situation is with Canada, they've helped us out before but I'm gonna let them have a pass on this".
John Gibson took over and after thanking Canada through Ambassador McKenna for sending extra oil during the disaster, Gibson then added, "You kind of embarrassed us..the Vancouver Search & Rescue team showed up in St. Bernard's Parish before uh..any of the American Search & Rescue teams. We appreciate the help but ya know you're not supposed to embarrass us".
It gets worse.
McKenna appeared to be slightly taken aback by Gibson's statement, chuckled and went on to assure his host and the American public that it was not Canada's intention to embarrass the U.S. but to "help our neighbours".
At that point Ambassador McKenna went on to provide a detailed list of aid being sent to the Gulf region including three Canadian warships laden with supplies but Gibson again interrupted McKenna mid-sentence with an outrageous suggestion.
Gibson asks, "You know uh..Ambassador McKenna um..uh..uh..you know..just lemme uh..have you..uh..lemme address one thing. Uh we know that there's lots of people in Canada on the left side of the political spectrum who don't like George Bush. Is there any..any part of this..big Canadian help designed to..maybe embarrass the President?"
Ambassador McKenna deserves credit for maintaining his cool at this point in the interview and immediately assured Mr. Gibson that nothing could be further from the truth adding, "This has got nothing to do with George Bush, nothing to do with our relationship which is excellent by the way. This has got to do with the fact that we have been neighbours and friends for hundreds of years. You have come to our aid when we've been in trouble and Canada wants to be with you when you're in trouble. It's as simple as that".
Gibson perhaps chastened but probably not, then proceeded to list everything that Canada and Canadians have contributed to the relief efforts thus far, a detailed and rather long list. At one point as Gibson was naming various individual organizations and provinces who have donated assistance, he named Nova Scotia saying in an obviously astonished tone of voice, "Nova Scotia donated $100,000." At that point the interview ended.
It should be noted that Fox News and Frank McKenna could never be thought of as fast friends. Just this past July Ambassador McKenna spoke out against the U.S. news network and their penchant for spreading "disinformation" which can create a "false picture" of Canada. McKenna referred to this as the "Fox Factor" and urged all Canadians living in the United States to at least be aware of this fact.
Looks like Ambassador McKenna was right - who else but Fox News would actually question a country's generosity amidst a tragedy and suggest that our generosity was based on ulterior motives, in this case a desire to embarrass the United States?
The only embarrassment here should be experienced by Fox News for allowing their reporters to continually insult friendly nations.
Fox does it again! Maybe Rick Mercer should do a sequel to Talking to Americans...