Great article! Yes, Bush is reshaping the course for the next hundred years. Just wondering, if anyone could comment, how do Candadians define themselves, it seems they do so in terms of "anything but that roudy obnoxious bunch south of the border". What is Canadian identity?
In 1776, there were American colonists that had decided to remain loyal with Britain with whatever the costs - Washington's side had 1/3 of the people, the fence-sitters 1/3, and loyalists 1/3. Their side lost, and they moved north after Yorktown to territories still under Britisah control. In a flash, Canada was born with these people constituting half of the inhabitants, the other French that became subjects in 1757.
1776 effectively leaves a greater mark on them than the Mother Country itself. Canada was born with the sense that "See what the breakaway rebel colony does. If he goes South, I go North!"
Its a past time of liberals in Canada to try to define our 'identity' which is such a crock and only exposes their need to be part of a bigger group and to fit in. I'm not raising my daughters to fit any identity defined by the CBC or the Heritage ministry. Lord willing they will be honest, hardworking, decent, caring, respectful individuals. If they want to wave the flag than that is their choice but this notion of defining them by some sort of criteria which usually makes reference to 'not being American' is insulting at best.
"What is the Canadian identity?"
Good question.
Three summers ago I proudly (and naively) hoisted Old Glory up to fly out our cottage on Lake Erie.
My friend who had the cottage beside me nearly went into coronary arrest. For the remainder of the summer her and her children made nasty remarks about America, my flag, President Bush, blah blah blah. We just smiled and responded with "God bless America and God bless President Bush."
One day we got into a little discussion and I asked her just what Canada stood for. She responded with, are you ready, "tolerance". Ha! Tolerance for everything but an American flag! Or an opinion differing from what we are fed up here.
So, I think what she is saying is, we stand for allowing anybody who wants to come into this country and do anything they want. We never pass judgment on sexual perversions, we don't arrest criminals, we don't deport illegals or even terrorists, we just go along with any politically correct nonsense that is out there. The wishy-washy sitting on the fence, non-commital, don't get involved, don't rock the boat, spineless, pacifist approach.
Personally, I think we are just the jealous younger sibling who will do anything to go against the older, bigger, stronger and smarter sibling. We will make poor decisions and stand on the wrong side just to take a different stance. We cut off our nose to spite our face.
Couple this with the fact that we were brainwashed down the path of European socialism thanks to Pierre Elliot Trudeau. We are steeped in politically correct socialism in every aspect of our society...cradle to grave left-wing politics.
I am amazed there are any conservatives left up here.