The Great Right North?

The Los Angeles Times ^ | January 27, 2006 | Colby Cosh

[quidnunc]

On Monday, Canada held its second national election in 18 months, choosing a new prime minister from a resurgent Conservative Party. Americans — or maybe just the zillion or so Canadians living in California — may well be wondering: Is Canada still the progressive, socially liberal neighbor of Democratic dreams and Republican nightmares?

Can our mythic reputation as a cleaner, politer Europe survive incoming Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative regime?

Here's your thumbnail guide:

• The A-Word: Canada currently has no laws in force concerning abortion; you can legally perform one in a shop window, though it's hell on lunchtime pedestrian traffic. When asked whether he intends to challenge this status quo, the new prime minister has often been quoted as saying, "Whoa! Look at the time! Hair appointment!" OK, he hasn't said exactly that, but he has tried hard to avoid the question. When he finally couldn't duck it any longer, he promised no new bills on abortion during his first term. And now, with a minority of seats in the House of Commons, Harper couldn't pass one if he wanted to.

• Nouvelle Domesticity: The late Liberal government legalized same-sex marriage, but the new PM opposes it, if only because of the unbearable American gay-marriage tourists flooding our cities. (Gay Americans, recognized here as an oppressed class, can expect to be greeted with filial embraces. But they're still Americans, so we'll also be fumbling around in vain for the volume knob.)

-snip-

[ferri]

ping

[bigLusr]

Remember that "United States of Canada / Jesusland" pic? HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhahahaha

[CBart95]

No!
It's simpler than that.
Everyone just stops reading the Los Angeles Times.

[fanfan]

Canada Ping!

Please FReepmail me to get on or off this Canada ping list.

[spoolmak]

I guess the LA Times thinks we (Canada)are a highly enlightened society because we have zero restrictions on abortion right up to birth? Disgusting.

[spoolmak]

Oops, disregard my last post please, I posted hastily before reading the rest of the article, and foolishly didn't realize it was my boy Colby Cash writing satirically!

[siunevada]

I posted hastily before reading the rest of the article

The Post button, apparently innocuous yet so very tempting.

Must...Post...Immediately!!!

At least you got us past the vile registration page.

[Snowyman]

because we have zero restrictions on abortion right up to birth?

Think so? Think again . Abortion is viewed as a medical procedure in Canada . That means doctors only . Doctors opinions only .

Try getting one during the second trimester . Past the second , very , very rare. Very special, specific reasons.

[TexGuy]

The Great Right North

It's a beauty way to go!

[Alex Murphy]

Remember that "United States of Canada / Jesusland" pic?

LOL! I had forgotten all about that!

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Most people aren't aware that the SCOC did not say that there could not be any restrictions on abortion. What it did do was strike down a particular law, for not having enough consideration of the woman's health. Abortion rights advocates then declared the matter settled -- even though the Court actually invited the government to come back with revised legislation.

The Conservative government, in 1989 passed a Bill in the House of Commons that would make it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion if the woman's health was not in danger. The Senate -- dominated with Liberal appointees, defeated the measure (in a tie vote).

Ever since, it has suited most politicians (Liberals) to pretend that the matter is settled law -- that the SCOC has decided, and nothing can be done about it.

Canada remains one of the only countries in the world with no abortion legislation what so ever.

[Heartofsong83]

That map was incredibly deceptive too...

[bourbon]

from the article:
In the U.S., one often hears that the Bill of Rights cannot logically apply to matters the founders never imagined; our [Canada's] Charter of Rights was passed in 1982, when 77% of legislators kept in their desks well-thumbed copies of Oui or Screw magazine. We're in the clear.

Okay. THAT's funny!

[AdrianR]

No! It's simpler than that. Everyone just stops reading the Los Angeles Times.

There are certainly problems with LA Times but this particular LAT op-ed is written by a well known Conservative Canadian columnist.

[Candor7]

[Candor7]

"Canada remains one of the only countries in the world with no abortion legislation what so ever."

Canada is ruled by Political Correctness. During the run up to the election, my parents were afraid to talk about firearms over the phone to me for fear that the conversation to the USA ( me) was being monitored or recorded. I went out into my parents back yard in Canada and yelled, " Go Harper GO! Run the stupid liberals out!" My parents were aghast that the neighbors might have heard me!

I am continually surprised how speech is self sanctioned in Canada , after living for over 27 years in the USA.

Next visit I will yell," Abortion is Baby Murder!" in the back yard and see what their reaction is. BTW my parents are really sweet people and regrettably perhaps, put up with my eccentricities when I visit, ( The crazy American "black sheep" of the family.)

Whaaaaaaaaaat? Don't SAY THAT!

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Consider what your parents are being fed about the U.S. of A by the MSM. What we know about the U.S. we get from the networks, and the print media with international distribution. (Time, NY Times, etc.) We don't have the daily reality check of simply looking around and assessing things on our own. If you locked yourself in your house & just watched network news, and read the NYTimes for a month -- what would you think about the U.S.A.? You'd probably be afraid to stick your head out the door.