On the December 14 edition of Fox News' Your World, host Neil Cavuto presented a segment highlighting recent remarks by Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin that were critical of America's global environmental policies. To introduce the segment, Cavuto asked, "[C]ould our neighbors to the north soon be our enemies?" and he later inquired, "[H]ave the Canadians gotten a little bit too big for their britches?" During the subsequent interview with Canadian lawyer and political analyst Patrice Brunet, Cavuto continually interrupted his guest and asked such questions as, “Do the Canadian people hate America as much as your politicians seem to?”

At one point, as Brunet asserted the prime minister's right to defend “Canadian values,” Cavuto interrupted Brunet, exclaiming, “I beg you to stop!” Throughout the segment, on-screen text read: “CANADA: AN ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?”

Cavuto and Brunet were discussing Martin's recent comments criticizing the United States for not ratifying the international Kyoto Protocol to combat global greenhouse gas emissions. During a December 7 speech to open the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Montreal, Martin criticized nations he viewed as resistant to combating global climate change. In his speech, Martin stated that “climate change is a global challenge that demands a global response, yet there are nations that resist. ... Well, it is our problem to solve. We are in this together.”

While Martin did not specifically mention the United States during his speech to the U.N. delegates, he did single out the United States for criticism during a press conference later by calling it a “reticent nation,” apparently lacking a “global conscience.” In a speech on December 13, U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins responded to Martin's criticism by calling it “election-year politics” and stating, “But it [criticizing the United States] is a slippery slope, and all of us should hope that it doesn't have a long-term impact on the relationship.” Martin is running for re-election as Canadian prime minister in an election to be decided January 23.

From the December 14 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto:

CAVUTO: All right, well, could our neighbors to the north soon be our enemies? The U.S. finally losing patience with Canada. After roundly criticizing us over Iraq, Canadian politicians have taken to criticizing us over, well, pretty much everything else. U.S. ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, fed up.

WILKINS [clip]: And it may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your number one trading partner. But it's a slippery slope, and all of us should hope that it doesn't have a long-term impact on our relationship.

CAVUTO: So have the Canadians gotten a little bit too big for their britches? Patricia Brunet says -- or Patrice Brunet says no, and Canada will not be bullied by America. He is an attorney and political analyst in Canada. Patrice, good to have you.

BRUNET: Yeah, hi. How are you?

CAVUTO: I'm fine, but aside --

BRUNET: Well, you know --

CAVUTO: What do you think of that? That -- that maybe there's just this anger coming from Canadian politicians towards the U.S. Why is that?

BRUNET: Well, I think the issue is being framed in the wrong way. Paul Martin -- first of all, we are in an election campaign in Canada, and the issue was not framed this way by Paul Martin. Last week, Paul Martin said all countries should look at global warming as an issue, and that, of course, included the United States, but he never named the United States. What happened afterwards on December 9, two days later, is Jim Connaughton from the Council on Environmental Quality, who is part of the executive office of President Bush, who came back and he framed it as a Canada issue and a Canada-U.S. issue. So, it's really -- the debate has really gone from south of the border and back to Canada. And, Paul Martin --

CAVUTO: Well, you know, you're not. No, no, you're not. You're not. No, no -- you're not.

[crosstalk]

CAVUTO: You've got to answer my question here. The fact of the matter is -- whether it's your prime minister badmouthing this country over its refusal to sign on to the Kyoto Accord; or whether it's Iraq; or whether its tariffs we slapped on your country because we think your country is cheating on a variety of issues. It's again and again and again. What I'm asking you, whether the Canadian people hate America as much as your politicians seem to?

BRUNET: Ha. No, the Canadians love America, but there are a number of issues that we don't agree with. The war in Iraq was one of those issues, and to this day we still don't agree with that. Now, that's another debate. The debate on the environmental change was a debate that was created by the United States and not Canada. Now, Paul Martin is in an election campaign right now, and of course, he will defend Canada's values. And, we will support him in defending Canada's values. But to this point, and to this day, he has not attacked, specifically, the United States. He has rallied every -- he has sent an invitation to all the countries to rally behind the convention last week.

CAVUTO: But, wait a -- wait a minute. He said --

BRUNET: Well, now --

CAVUTO: Wait a minute! You got to --

BRUNET: The United States --

CAVUTO: I beg you to stop! He has said this administration has been no friend to Canada. He says, this president has been no friend to the environment. Those campaigning have continued to say -- now, you're free to say whatever you want about this president and all, but by extending it to the American people, as if, you know, we're some sort of persona non grata. What's the deal?

BRUNET: Well, yesterday, on December 13, Paul Martin said, “I have not made the United States or any country a target in the campaign.” He's made all the countries a target, not specifically one country. So, you know, the last time I looked on my world map, the United States were on there. So, if the United States feel that they have been singled out, well, that's something they have to address. But, Paul Martin was there last week on the conference --

CAVUTO: But, wait a minute. Patrice, Patrice, Patrice, we're not just -- Stop it! We're not just any country, right? We're your largest trading partner, as you are with us. We are responsible --

BRUNET: Don't mix trade with the environment. Don't mix trade --

CAVUTO: I'm not --

BRUNET: Don't mix, don't mix trade with the environment.

CAVUTO: I am saying why is there this feeling that things have gotten icy between us? Have they? Yes or no?

BRUNET: I think of the past years it's true that Canadian government has taken a stance on a number of issues that are different from the United States. We don't view ourselves as rubber-stamping whatever the United States does. And, I think that a lot of your American citizens view that as a benefit -- that Canada is there as a counterpart.

CAVUTO: OK

BRUNET: We agree on, I would say, on 95 percent of the issues. But, the soft lumber issue is still a driving thorn to our --

CAVUTO: OK.

BRUNET: -- relations. And I -- we welcome last week, the position from the government office -- from the president's office -- the position that was taken on to reduce the tariff. But, you know --

CAVUTO: OK --

BRUNET: -- there are a number of issues where we have to take a stand.

CAVUTO: All right Patrice, thank you.

BRUNET: And we will always support Paul Martin into taking a stand --

CAVUTO: All right, All right.

BRUNET: -- for Canadian values.

CAVUTO: All right, you go. All right.