The disturbing/interesting article below is from the Winnipeg Sun on May 11th, 2004. It can be read in its original format at http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/News/2004/05/11/454532.html .

It is interesting how this guy has one story on the war one day, and then another story the next where he says things that totally contradict himself. It is alarming that Mr. Martin does not understand that poverty gives people a reason to look at extremes like terrorism. For those in poverty, terrorism can end up being the empowerment of choice. Many terrorist groups are well-funded, be it by terrorist nations or by terrorist billionaire leaders.

To draw a parallel example to North America we can look at gang activity. Gangs function primarily in poorer neighbourhoods because that is where people join them. And why do people join gangs? Is it because they want to be shot? Is it because they want to beat up others and sell drugs? No, they join gangs because they think it can improve their quality of life.

Winnipeg Sun May 11, 2004

Terrorists have Iraq's WMD: PM

Martin's views run counter to those of French, German leaders

By Stephanie Rubec, Ottawa Bureau

Prime Minister Paul Martin says he believes Saddam Hussein had weapons of
mass destruction and they've fallen into the hands of terrorists. Martin
said the threat of terrorism is even greater now than it was following the
Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the U.S. because terrorists have acquired
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons from the toppled Iraqi leader.

"The fact is that there is now, we know well, a proliferation of nuclear
weapons, and that many weapons that Saddam Hussein had, we don't know where
they are," Martin told a crowd of about 700 university researchers and
business leaders in Montreal.

"That means terrorists have access to all of that."

The PM's comments run counter to leaders in countries such as France and
Germany who have accused the U.S. and Britain of fudging evidence of WMDs in
Iraq to justify the war.

When asked to assess the threat level since Hussein was captured by U.S.
troops, Martin said he believes it has increased.

"I believe that terrorism will be, for our generation, what the Cold War was
to generations that preceded us," the PM said. "I don't think we're out of
it yet."

Martin disagreed with former Prime Minister Jean Chretien who publicly
blamed poverty for terrorism and the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The cause of terrorism is not poverty, it is hatred," Martin said, adding
he'll lead the charge to convince countries to work together to combat
terrorism and make sure the Third World has the tools to stamp it out.

Martin said he's lobbying the international community to set up an informal
organization comprised of a maximum of 20 heads of state to tackle world
issues such as terrorism.

Martin said he got the nod from U.S. President George W. Bush during his
visit to Washington D.C. last month, and will take his idea to the European
Union and Latin America next.

Martin also announced a $100-million contribution to treat millions of
people who have AIDS.

The money will be given to a new initiative of the World Health Organization
to treat three million people with AIDS by the end of 2005.

The contribution of new money has made Canada the largest donor to the
program so far.