Canada's announcement that it will not cooperate with the United States in building a missile-defense system says more about the weakness of prime minister Paul Martin's minority government than it does about the merits of the Bush administration's plans

* Canada's announcement that it will not cooperate with the United States in building a missile-defense system says more about the weakness of prime minister Paul Martin's minority government than it does about the merits of the Bush administration's plans. Ottawa's decision apparently was driven by polls showing that most Canadians want nothing to do with American ABMs that might protect Vancouver from North Korean warheads.

This majority is a slim one, and its numbers are puffed up by overwhelming opposition in Quebec, that piece of Old Europe in the New World. Canadians in the non-French-speaking provinces actually tend to support missile defense, and their ranks include Conservative party leader Stephen Harper, who stands a good chance of succeeding Martin at some point. If he does, the Canadians will find that they are still welcome to participate in the defense of their own country.

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