Not living up to standards we set

Re. Let's debate rogue nation status

Pietro Catenacci is right on over our need to distance ourselves from the rogue nations club we've entangled ourselves in. Our 50 year tradition of being peacekeepers and upholders of human rights and international law has fallen by the wayside under recent governments.

Our friends and favoured partners should be those nations that disdain armed conflict, endorse nuclear disarmament, respect U.N. resolutions and human rights decisions, and promote a healthy environment.

The problem is, Canada's own record on these items has been spotty at best. We've sold uranium to countries knowing it would likely be used for weapons. We've ignored U.N. resolutions, including judgements against our treatment of our First Nations and our failure to respect all religions equally in our schools. And our Kyoto efforts are worse than nil.

If we are known by the company we keep, then our current choice of friends simply reflects our own failure as a nation to live up to the standards we set for ourselves.

Gary Dale