Conscience of a Canadian: Where’s the soul?

National Review ^ | December 1, 2005 | Doug Gamble

[quidnunc]

When Canada's minority Liberal government fell Monday night in a parliamentary no-confidence vote, one line in Prime Minister Paul Martin's post-vote speech struck this expatriate Canadian as even more self-righteous than usual.

"Canada is now the conscience of the world," Martin declared.

While Martin and many Canadians consider themselves morally superior to Americans, simply better human beings, the implication that Canada is now the moral beacon for every other country on the face of the earth is astounding, even taking into account Canadians' deeply entrenched, obnoxious smugness. But this "We're better than them" boast is key to Martin's efforts to retain power in the January 23 national election.

His main threat comes from Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative party of Canada, the least anti-American of the four parties competing in the election. Among the scare tactics Martin will use against Harper — and make no mistake, the thrust of the Martin campaign will be fear — will be the charge that a conservative government would turn Canada into a cesspool like the United States.

U.S. readers should understand that, to paraphrase Bill Clinton, it all depends on what the meaning of the word "conservative" is. A Canadian conservative is similar to a moderate Democrat here. There is no true conservative party in Canada, as we know conservatism.

Nonetheless, Martin will attempt to do to Harper what he did in the last election, paint him as a right-wing lunatic with a "hidden agenda." In fact, apart from policy differences on immigration, Canada-U.S. relations, and possibly crime, there is little reason to believe Harper, especially with a minority government, would differ substantially from Martin except, one would hope, in competence and ethics.

-snip-

[Snowyman]

he too has lost considerable perspective both from time away and his now stateside vantage point.

Yeah, California . The guy's ass is a star.

[doc30]

I am Canadian and anti-Americanism is very real if you are outside Alberta. I can remember discussing the worlds problems and solutions and one common answer to some suggestions was simply, "we can't do that because it is too American." Hateful anti-Americanism isn't as strong as a certain smug sense of social superiority over America. I've posted on the GLobe and Mails comment section under their articles and if you have a conservative view, you are assumed to be an evil American and are told that directly.

[CaptainCanada]

I don't understand Canadians posting this sort of
anti-Canadian crap.
I have posted lots of conservative stuff to the Globe and
Mail and not once been referred to as an "evil American".
Where is all this social or moral superiority I keep reading
Canadians ar supposed to have.
I see a national inferiority complex vis-a-vis the Yanks that translates
into petty bickering sometimes, but I also see a greater
love of the American peoiple than for any other Nation on
earth (that's not to say that there aren't as many,
(if not more), people here who disagree with the direction of the U.S.
administration - but that's not a reflection of how Candians
feel about America and the Yanks,
So, if you don't like this country, do like the rest of us
and help change it for the better (by getting the Conservatives
elected.
And in the meanwhile, if you nothing good to say about the
country, either STFU or leave for something better.

[headsonpikes]

Great post. I'll comment later.

Thanks.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. The Liberal Party has become an extension of Canada. After decades in power, no one knows where the Canadian state begins and the Liberal Party ends. People always voted for them because they were better managers. The corruption scandal has cast a cloud upon that reputation.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[x]

People always voted for them because they were better managers. The corruption scandal has cast a cloud upon that reputation.

For years, the biggest problem to manage in Canada was Quebec. The fact that the Liberals could count on support in that province helped them enormously. As long as the country is divided as it is, they'll be back. The only thing that gave them any real trouble over the last forty years was Mulroney, who was from Quebec and won support there without alienating the rest of the country.

[NZerFromHK]

But now he is hip, internationalist, smug, and Canadian….but I repeat myself.

What's his opinions on the monarchy? Does he seem to be ambarrased when you ask him about the issue of Queen Elizabeth II, who normally lives in the United Kingdom, as his own head of state? Will he allow himself to say aloud "God save the Queen!" without embarrassment?

[NZerFromHK]

Ping!

[LK44-40]

What's his opinions on the monarchy?

Sadly, my expat friend was the first of a series of old personal relationships that have gone into the toilet as politics has gotten uglier. With him, it was a slow drift apart aided by the four thousand miles or so that separates us. I think I prefer to let it be, now, rather than stress him with the question that you propose.

I've tended, in my life, to keep company more often with "progressives" than with people who really agree with me. I tolerate (am stimulated by) different opinions as long as everyone tries to be honest and fair. Lately, though.....whew. For example, I just can not tolerate people who pay to see Michael Moore's bile-filled propaganda. I can listen to them ragging on Limbaugh, O'Reily, etc., but then when they turn around and will not honestly criticize scum like Michael Moore (and in fact support him), then once-interesting friends have become partisan a$$holes. I am not good at putting things in a box, so to speak. I've cut some old ties. Painful.

[Fair Go]

People act superior to hide an inferiority complex. Nations do the same.

[doc30]

Well, thenn you have not had the same experiences I have had. If you read my post, the anti-Americanism attitude is not one of hatred or maliciousness, but of a people trying to define iteslf as to not being American. Canadians struggle to find a cultural identity and most expediant method is to simply try to reinforce contrast with the U.S. It has, in my opinion, come to the point of being pathological to many people. And it varies depending on where in the country you meet people. That's why I made the comment that some ideas are rejected for being to American-like. It's not a hatred, but a desire to be different from the U.S. and I say it's pathological because the desire to be different has become a higher priority than the logic or effectiveness of an idea. I was called an evil American a whaile back because I posted on the G&M my thoughts on the gay marriage issue. I think it was from some NDPr's based on the context of the message. I am not saying that it is a form of racism against people, but a schism of cultural and political ideas.

CaptainCanada, I am very glad that you are optomistic about getting Conervatives elected. I've lost a lot of faith in my fellow Canadians who vote political party blindly. They really need uplifting, inspirational leadership that can overcome the Liberal attack demagoguery. Personally, I am very disheartened by the changes that have happened in Canada and it seems like the changes are entrenched in the government and in the culture. Several members of my family have died because of the appauling conditions of the socialized medical system, for example, so I do hold a strong grudge against it. The derogatory comments from various government officials (Bush is a moron comment) made me hold my head in shame. Since I'm from the Windsor region, the Conservatives are a distant third in the polls, so it is depressing. I do hope things improve, but it is difficult to see with what seems like the tide against you.

[CaptainCanada]

With many Conservatives in this country having a defeatist
attitude, I guess you may be right. The Republicans in the U.S.
used to be the same way after 40 years of the Democrat rule.
I guess if we start with the premise that we'll lose, we will..
It's a good thing Canadians signing up in 1939 - 1944 to fight
the most powerful Nation on earth, didn't have a defeatest
attitude or we'd all be speaking German by now.
Our time WILL come.. It may take a special charismatic leader
ala Ronald Reagan, or a particular National crisis, but it will
come. In the meanwhile, we don't need to ask the Americans to
invade us, or run down the country or criticize Canadians in general.
The pendulum may swing slowly in this country, but it does swing.
Now go out and help your local Conservative candidate get elected..

[doc30]

I am seriously considering absentee voting, but I'd be registered in teh Windsor area where conservatives are outnumbered by Liberals and NDPr's like 10:1. But, hey, if it can cahnge the ratio, even a bit, it could help bolster the mandate of an elected COnservative government. Can I call them Tories, or did that term die with the unification of the two parties?

[CaptainCanada]

A rose by any other name....

...would still have ended up in Pierre's lapel, eh?