Stop Blaming, Canada

From the cranky-hegemon files:

The U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, interjected himself into a Canadian national election with an implicit but strong warning to Prime Minister Paul Martin to stop attacking the United States while on the campaign trail.

"I understand political expediency, but the last time I looked, the United States was not on the ballot for the Jan. 23 election," Wilkins said Tuesday in a speech in Ottawa. "It may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner, but it is a slippery slope. And all of us should hope that it doesn't have a long-term impact on the relationship." […]

"Just think about this," Wilkins said. "What if one of your best friends criticized you directly and incorrectly, almost relentlessly? What if that friend's agenda was to highlight your perceived flaws while avoiding mentioning your successes? What if that friend demanded respect, but offered little in return?"

Whole thing here.