Stelmach to tell US "we protected your backs"

To avoid a repeat of last week's fiasco at the annual meeting of US mayors, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is heading to the annual meeting of western U.S. governors and premiers, this weekend.

Unfortunately, Ed has decided to speak for Canada and place a price tag on Canada's involvement in Afghanistan.

From Macleans here.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says Canada has "protected the backs" of Americans in several wars and U.S. politicians should consider this before rejecting what some are calling "dirty" oil from the oil sands.

"We're protecting each other in the Middle East and Afghanistan," said the premier. "We've been together in both world wars. We've been good trading partners."

As a Canadian, I take a little offense on this one Ed. I don't believe that Americans buying Alberta tar sands oil was one of reasons why we went to Afghanistan and although we all know it is really, really important to your province, it is certainly too low a price to place on Canadian lives lost, you idiot.

And as for the Americans they might believe that they covered our backs in the two world wars (remember they showed up a little bit after it started). And the fact that we didn't join them in their Iraq invasion (or Viet Nam for that matter), might be a bit of sore point too.

Note to Albertans keep your well oiled premiers in Alberta, Ed is about to have his "shoot, shut up & shovel" moment.