    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 18 (Monday, May 3, 2004)]
    [Pages 708-710]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Paul Martin of
    Canada

    April 30, 2004

        President Bush. The Prime Minister and I will have some opening
    comments. We'll answer two questions per side.
        Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. I'm glad you're here. I've really been
    looking forward to this meeting because I view it as a meeting between
    friends and allies.
        I really appreciate the Prime Minister's clear vision about the
    world in which we live. He understands the danger of terror. He
    understands the opportunity of trade, and he understands that we share
    values that will--that are so important, the values of freedom, human
    dignity. We care about the human condition. I appreciate your concern
    about working together to help heal those who hurt, provide medicines
    for those who suffer from a disease.
        We've got a good friend in Canada. It's an important relationship.
    It's a crucial relationship, and it's one that I look forward to
    continuing to nurture with this Prime Minister.
        Welcome.
        Prime Minister Martin. Well, thank you, Mr. President. We really did
    have a very, very good discussion. We discussed a wide range of areas,
    and we're going to continue over lunch. And we're doing it within the
    context of our shared values and the fact that we share much more than a
    continent. We talked about national security and Canada's new national
    security policy, which makes it very clear that we're going to defend
    the northern half of North America, and we recognize our responsibility
    to those in the United States, with whom we share the continent.
        We discussed a number of issues between us. We talked about--we
    talked about the whole question of BSE, mad cow, and I must say that the
    President was very encouraging. We also----

    [At this point, the Prime Minister spoke in French, and no translation
    was provided.]

        We talked about Haiti. We talked about a wide range of issues. And I
    must say, Mr. President, that it's very clear that Canada and the United
    States, working together, we can make great progress.

    Situation in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, 134 soldiers have died in Iraq this month, more
    than any other month. A year after you declared an end to major combat,
    are things getting worse in Iraq rather than better?
        President Bush. First, any time you talk about somebody who died in
    Iraq or in Afghanistan is a moment for me to thank them and their
    families for their sacrifice. And their sacrifice will not go in vain
    because there will be a free Iraq. And a free Iraq is in the interests
    of our two nations. A free Iraq is in the interests of world peace,
    because free societies do not harbor terrorists, free societies do not
    threaten people or use weapons of mass destruction.
        Q. Mr. President--sorry.
        President Bush. A year ago, I did give the speech from the carrier,
    saying that we had achieved an important objective, that we'd
    accomplished a mission, which was the removal of Saddam Hussein. And as
    a result, there are no longer torture chambers or rape rooms or mass
    graves in Iraq. As a result, a friend of terror has been removed and now
    sits in a jail. I also said on that carrier that day that there was
    still difficult work ahead.
        And we've faced tough times in Iraq, Mr. Prime Minister. We've had
    some tough times. We've had some tough fighting, because there are
    people who hate the idea of a free Iraq. They're trying to stop
    progress, because they understand what freedom means to their terrorist
    ambitions.
        And so we're making progress, you bet. There's a strategy toward
    freedom. One of it, of course, is to continue to deal with those who are
    trying to stop the Iraqi people from realizing their ambitions of a free
    society. Whether it be in Fallujah or elsewhere, we will deal with them,
    those few who are stopping the hopes of many.
        There's a political strategy, and the Prime Minister and I will talk
    about that over lunch, Mr. Brahimi's mission of putting together an
    entity to which we will transfer sovereignty. No, there is a strategy
    that will help us achieve the objective, which is a free and

    [[Page 709]]

    peaceful country in the heart of the Middle East that is desperate for
    freedom and democracy and peace.

     Mad Cow Disease

        Q. Mr. President, you're a rancher. Is there any hope--what hope can
    you offer your fellow ranchers in Canada about when the border might be
    open to live Canadian cattle?
        President Bush. As soon as possible. My administration is committed
    to a policy of free trade when it comes to beef. And we had a discussion
    about that today with--that subject today with our respective
    agricultural ministers or secretaries, as we call them here. And I
    assured the Prime Minister, I want to get this solution--this issue
    solved as quickly as possible. And it's in our nations' interests that
    live beef be moving back and forth. It's also in the interest to make
    sure we make decisions based upon sound science, which he fully
    understands.
        Q. Mr. President----
        President Bush. Hold on a second. Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

    Treatment of Iraqi Prisoners

        Q. What is your reaction to photos of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi
    prisoners? How are you going to win their hearts and minds with these
    sort of tactics?
        President Bush. Yes, I shared a deep disgust that those prisoners
    were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not reflect
    the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in
    America. And so I--I didn't like it one bit.
        But I also want to remind people that those few people who did that
    do not reflect the nature of the men and women we've sent overseas.
    That's not the way the people are--that's not their character--that are
    serving our Nation in the cause of freedom. And there will be an
    investigation. I think--they'll be taken care of.

    Canada's Role in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, could you tell us what you'd like to see Canada
    doing on Iraq, both diplomatically and in terms, eventually, of getting
    possibly police and troops on the ground there?
        President Bush. My first answer to that is, I want to Canada to do
    what it feels comfortable doing in Iraq. That's--and that's what I've
    told the Prime Minister before. Canada is an independent nation. Canada
    makes--will make its decisions based upon her own judgment. The Prime
    Minister shares my deep desire for there to be peace in the world, and
    to the extent that the country feels comfortable in helping that, we're
    grateful.
        Canada is doing a lot in Afghanistan. Canada is doing a lot in
    Haiti. Canada is a contributor to reconstruction in Iraq. And I am
    grateful to be able to talk to a friend who shares the same goal, which
    is affecting behavior in a way that's based upon our values of human
    rights, human dignity, and freedom. And we've got no better partner in
    understanding the power of free societies.
        There's a lot of people in the world who don't believe that people
    whose skin color may not be the same as ours can be free, can self-
    govern. I reject that. I reject that strongly. I believe that people who
    practice the Muslim faith can self-govern. I believe that people whose
    skins aren't necessarily--are a different color than white can self-
    govern.
        And the Prime Minister--I don't want to put words in his mouth--but
    I think he shares that great sense of optimism and possibility. And it's
    good to have a friend who shares that with us.
        Would you like to have the First Ladies come on up?
        Prime Minister Martin. I've got to say, though, I really do like
    sharing a press conference with you. You answer those questions
    perfectly. [Laughter]
        President Bush. Thank you. Record that.

    [At this point, a question was asked and answered in French, and no
    translation was provided.]

        Prime Minister Martin. If you can give me just two seconds, I'm
    going to translate. They want it.
        President Bush. Some of these guys understand French. [Laughter]
    Raise your hand, Gregory [David Gregory, NBC News]. [Laughter]

    [[Page 710]]

    [Prime Minister Martin provided a French translation.]

        President Bush. Listen, thank you all.
        Come on up, Laura.
        Mrs. Martin. How do you do?
        Prime Minister Martin. Good to see you.
        Mrs. Bush. Prime Minister, welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
        Q. Will the next trip be down at the ranch, Mr. President, for the
    Prime Minister?
        President Bush. This is a nice place, but the ranch is even nicer.
    [Laughter]
        Q. You need to teach him to ride. [Laughter]
        Prime Minister Martin. I'll invite him to the farm.

    Note: The President's news conference began at 11:53 a.m. in the Rose
    Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to former
    President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Adviser to
    the U.N. Secretary-General; and Sheila Martin, wife of Prime Minister
    Martin.