The Canadian government, which last August accepted an amendment to the Norad agreement to allow its alert systems to be used as part of the shield program, however made it abundantly clear it has made no final decision on the issue of participation.

"There's no doubt, in looking back, that the Norad amendment has given, has created, part -- in fact a great deal -- of what the United States means in terms of being able to get the input for defensive weaponry," McKenna told reporters.

He explained that Ottawa's agreement to a Norad amendment "allows our American partners in security in North America to obtain the threat assessments and the information they need to make decisions to deploy missiles or other forms of defence."

Asked whether Canada was participating in the US project, he replied: "We are. We are part of it now, and the question is, what more do we need?" His comments contradict the official position of the Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

During House of Commons question time, the government did its best to put the error right without disowning McKenna.

Defense Minister Bill Graham emphasised that the Norad amendment had been constructed to "help" the United States. "We still have yet to make any decisions in terms of ballistic missile defence," Graham said.

The government is divided on the question of a missile shield, as is public opinion which is mostly hostile to it.

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