Prime Minister Paul Martin said Wednesday he would "not be dictated to" by the United States, standing firm in his increasingly testy exchange of angry rhetoric with American officials.
Washington has called on &to=http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/368/11789_latinAmerica.html' target=_blank>Martin to calm the rhetoric against his southern neighbor _ a favorite pastime of many Canadians _ and accused him of lambasting the United States in an effort to win votes in federal elections next month.
"I am not going to be dictated to, as to the subjects that I should raise," Martin said during a visit to a sawmill in the western province of British Columbia, meant to symbolize Canada's ongoing feud with Washington over softwood lumber tariffs.
"I will make sure that &to=http://english.pravda.ru/letters/2002/08/06/33968.html' target=_blank>Canada speaks with an independent voice now, tomorrow and always, and you should demand nothing less from your prime minister."
Martin underscored his refusal to take dictation from Washington three times during his encounter with the media, his only campaign event of the day.
The jousting is the latest in what has become a running skirmish between the prime minister and David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
On Tuesday, Wilkins urged Martin to stop the U.S. bashing, reports AP.
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