Reading Maple Leaf Tea Leaves (The best thing to do is to just ignore 'em)

The Washington Times ^ | July 5, 2004 | Arnold Beichman

[quidnunc]

The Canadian election results June 28 prove four cherished theories:

(1) Deeply imbedded in the Canadian electorate is a social democratic ethos which inhibits the growth of any Reaganlike conservatism.

(2) The country is still strongly divided between the French Canadian Quebec secessionists, for the moment a quiescent minority but still a Damoclean threat to Canada's territorial integrity, and the rest of Canada.

(3) From a U.S. standpoint, it really doesn't matter very much which of the two major parties — the victorious Liberal Party or the newcomer Conservative Party — is in power. The economic-financial ties between both countries are so positive and rewarding it is hard to foresee any serious rupture in bilateral relations.

(4) A period of benign neglect (to use the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan's phrase) by the U.S. about Canada's internal and external problems is in order.

-snip-

[per loin]

Over the long weekend, I took my grandson up to Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island in Canada, to introduce him to bungee jumping. Nanaimo has a fine bridge, 143 feet above the water, built for the sport.

When I first jumped at Nanaimo, about a dozen years ago, most of the jumpers were male. Now, most of them are female. The workers at the site told me that many Canadian men accompany their women to the site, but are too fearful to jump. They sit to the side and watch their women take the leap.

[barkeep]

When I was but a sprout, my Mother's side of the family was in Woodland, Maine, about 15 miles from Calais Canada. Had family there as well. At that time, Canadian money was close enough to par with American, most shopkeepers, and for that matter customers,would accept either one as payment or change.

Let me know when the Canadian dollar gets back within shouting distance of ours, and I will take them seriously again.

[buccaneer81]

Calais Canada

Calais is in Maine. You're thinking of St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

[tjwmason]

Since the election, I've heard a few people from British Columbia suggest that Canada should split with Alberta and B.C. (possibly a couple of other provinces too) forming a separate dominion liberated from Ottawa.

Any Canadians want to comment on this suggestion.

[youngtory]

I was contemplating separation myself. I have two thoughts in my mind whether or not I should support separation of my province Quebec to get away from Ontario. Another thought says that I should not give up yet and fight for Conservatism in Quebec because according to a (surprise) Bloq Quebecois analyst/supporter the tories will be competitve in Quebec in the next election. Maybe I should give it another shot and so should the Albertans and the rest of the West. We conservatives have to fight and get mean and nasty against the liberals.