WHO NEEDS FRIENDS LIKE THAT?

American Politicians Should Mellow Out, Man.

New legislation decriminalizing personal pot use has sparked serious
concerns from politicos south of the border who charge our reefer madness
will corrupt their country.

United States ambassador Paul Cellucci has warned repeatedly that borders
would be impacted if Canada went soft on pot, and that the movement of
legitimate goods would suffer as well.

With $1.2 billion worth of goods being traded between the two countries on
a given day, this is a threat that hits home with Canada's export
industries and Cellucci knows it.

White House anti-drug czar John Walters has also warned that the U.S. may
be forced to tighten security to prevent carloads of cannabis from flooding
his country, presumably endangering the lives of good, law-abiding American
folk.

The pot legislation is only the latest blow to an increasingly strained
Canada-U.S. relationship, coming as it does on the heels of Jean Chretien's
much-maligned refusal to lend troops to an American-led attack on Iraq not
sanctioned by the United Nations.

Though it caused a wave of anger, disappointment and anti-Canadian
sentiment from U.S. politicians and citizens alike, Chretien defended his
decision and the right of any country to decide its own fate.

"They have the right to make their own decision, as I said, and we have the
right as an independent country to make our own decision," he told the
House of Commons in late March. "Being independent and sovereign nations,
we can disagree and remain good friends."

This thinking may explain why Canada has never threatened to tighten
borders against the flood of firearms readily available below us, which
pose a very real threat to Canadians.

And though critical of some of our neighbour's choices -- including their
opposition to the International Criminal Court and withdrawal from the
Kyoto Accord-- we still stand by their right to sovereignty.

Apparently, the same sentiments don't flow north.

Any infraction against the American way inevitably sparks bullying,
intimidation and threats of further economic, social and diplomatic
separation along the 49th parallel.

But those threats aren't as scary as they once were.

While a degree of division could sting in the short term, in the long term
it will help keep Canada just as she should be, glorious and free.