Bill Burgess writes: <they insist on the right to continue to profit wherever they like, including in Cuba where they have the advantage of no US competition.> This is exactly what Jesse Helms has been saying and the justification for the Helms-Burton legislation that I, and the Canadian government, has been opposing. And I think Bill is wrong, very wrong and that the propagation of this view hurts Cuba and Canada. First, as I mentioned in my diary of the Cuba visit, I went down on an aircraft and returned on an aircraft that included at least two delegations of Canadians, funded by the Canadian government, one in medicine, the other in technical education. I took books down to add to a collection that had been started by our University. All of this was public aid and, in 2 of the 3 cases, funded by the Canadian government. As anybody who knows us knows, I am no great fan of Lloyd Axworthy (though we have appeared on the same program/ platform on occassion) but his support for technical and other aid to Cuba (his 14 points) is admirable and I don't think entirely motivated by imperialist greed as Burgess suggests. I think it is very destructive of Burgess to suggest that Canada's support of Cuba's right to self-determination is based on corporate self-interest. As indicated, this is Helms' position. But I think it is also quite incorrect. Canada may not support the revolution, but our position has always been the right for the Cubans to make their own decision. Paul Phillips, Economics, University of Manitoba
