Canada: A Nuisance Neighbour (And sometimes a malicious one, too)

The National Post ^ | July 27, 2005 | Harvey M. Sapolsky

[MARKUSPRIME]

Why dont the western provinces just join the United States. At least as a state their voice could be heard with electoral votes instead of dreaming of the conservatives taking power again.

[M. Dodge Thomas]

"Canada's anti-Americanism, so necessary for its independence, should not find an international stage..."

The word Mr. Sapolsky is looking for, but can't seen to find, is "Puppet Regime" - which is what we used to call the vassal states of the old USSR which were required never to take any position in international affairs which was not exactly aligned with Moscow's. And his complaint isn’t actually with Canada, it’s with the entire rest of the world, which is opposed (along with Canada) to the US position on the two items he mentions.

It makes a negligible strategic difference if Canada holds these opinions, and it’s just silly to suggest antagonizing out largest trading partner because they do not agree with us on every detail of our foreign policy - especially as these opinions are not unique to Canada, but rather are unique to the US.

We may find it highly annoying that the rest of the world does not agree with us on these questions - but it’s the position we choose to take, it should not surprise us if others hold different options, and it serves our interests poorly to suppose that we are a position to vote off the island everyone who does not agree with us in detail.

[quidnunc]

M. Dodge Thomas wrote: We may find it highly annoying that the rest of the world does not agree with us on these questions - but it’s the position we choose to take, it should not surprise us if others hold different options, and it serves our interests poorly to suppose that we are a position to vote off the island everyone who does not agree with us in detail.

By the same token if Canada is going to engage in a foreign policy hostile to American interests then Canadians have no cause for complaint when we reciprocate in kind.

[fanfan]

I did not feel like I was treated with any kind of hostility when I went to Saskatchewan last June.

Glad to hear it.

Stay away from Toronto, ( I do), but don't hesitate to visit Ottawa. :-)

[Pippin]

The people who live in those western provinces have been asking that same question for years.

[Pippin]

Nope!

No Toronto for me!

[from occupied ga]

"Blame Canada"

[Pippin]

What part of Canada are you from?

[fanfan]

I grew up in Toronto, and have lived in Ottawa for over 20 years.

The leftists are trying to take over here too, but they are not having as much luck as they did in Toronto.

[surely_you_jest]

Forgive me for nit-picking, but at the foundation of NATO and for several years thereafter, Canada had the second-largest tactical air force in W. Europe after the US.

I'm not trying to pound on a man (or lady, as the case may be) when he is down, but NATO was founded in 1949, or thereabouts.

[surely_you_jest]

Okay. I've taken more than my fair share of cheap shots at Canada, and Canadians, on this forum for a while now. All in a post-adolescent form of lame humor kind of way.

There is something about this post, and the responses from some folks who appear to be Canadian, that strikes a chord with me.

So. It is time, I think, for Canadians to stop apologizing for their government, and their "national opinion", if there is such a thing (anywhere - Canada, here, anywhere - it is a really ephemeral concept), and do something about it. I, and I am not alone here, am tired of hearing that "it", whatever "it" happens to be this week, is the fault of those assholes in Ottawa, or in Ontario and Quebec, and that the rest of the Canadian populace ought to be held blameless, by America and Americans, for the most recent outrage.

America, the nation, is and has been taking hits from the internationally minor State to its north. You have had a lot of historical goodwill to draw upon, and so we let it happen. We have been reasonably decent about it all, up until now. But this, frankly, is really getting old. If Canada were, for example, Haiti, would we put up with all of this? No. But have we taken down your government or your nation? No. Have we threatened to do this? Again, no.

Canadian FRiends - it is time for you to regain control over your own government, or at least stop making excuses for it. It is what it is. Act, or move elsewhere.

[Stevieboy]

Hey, I'm in Ottawa too! Have you joined the Libertarian Party of Canada yet? They're even better than the Conservatives and people are starting to buy into it.

And don't bash the Libertarians because you have to admit, they're way better than the Liberals. (Shutter)

[Yardstick]

Canada: America's Bad Toupee.

LOL -- that's a keeper.

[metermike]

I have lived in Canada all my life,on both sides of the country east and west.Canada is not anti-american.However the article is right we do have a identity issue.I would say that Canadians do like the roll of peace keepers.This is why we did not send troops to Iraq.(correction 26 soldiers embedded with units sent to Iraq)We did not see the connection and still don't to September 11 attacks.When the U.S.A government said it was al-queda and they were in Afghanistan we sent thousand of our troops to help.During the Gulf war we also helped your cause but only because it was to liberate Kuwait.If it were extended to ousting Saddam at that time i am sure we would not have gone at all.We do have our problems Canada-U.S.A.Our option not to participate in your missile defense program has little impact on you.You Can launch From Alaska in the north.I travel to the U.S frequently and love to visit. Americans are very frequent visitors in Edmonton Alberta as well as in London Ontario both places i lived for extended periods of time.I never heard of any problems before.This writer watched the movie Canadian bacon one too many times.when our minority government collapses next session and a new one is formed this time conservative, our relations will improve but we still are a sovereign nation and are entitled to our policies and treaties.One last thought, there was something about 36,000 illegals in Canada.In the U.S.A that number is about 5,000,000+.

[JRjr]

Saskatchewan and Alberta, I think, would lide to become part of tje US. Never had any problems in either place. Its Quebec that's the problem child.

[Snickersnee]

I'm not trying to pound on a man (or lady, as the case may be) when he is down, but NATO was founded in 1949, or thereabouts.

Point being?

What's 1949, the Pleistocene? What I said was, Canada once was a big contributor to NATO, plugging a lot of gaps that the Bundeswehr and Luftwaffe would fill when they were finally stood up several years later. The author of the article at the head of this thread said Canada's contribution was "never large." Not so.

[MARKUSPRIME]

Well if we go to war with communist china(In which your government is now selling their oil from Alberta to which the US government was led to believe that was going to be for North American consumption in the future). Do you honestly think nuclear missles or radioactive waste is going to stop at the US/CAN border. Wake up friend its time you all stepped up and help secure North America with us.

[surely_you_jest]

Point being? What's 1949, the Pleistocene?

Fifty six years, two to three generations ago, is a long time.

[CWOJackson]

"It is time to give Canada some attention and a bit of a warning. Canada is easy to squeeze. Just as we know where Arctic blasts come from, Canada should know where its own economic prosperity originates."

Way past time.

[Modok]

Canada, I have heard of that country before. Is it an important country and where is it located? There are thousands of square miles of unclaimed bushland to the north of the USA. They told me that was where Canada was but I think it's just open country that nobody owns.