More Than Borderline Friends (The green-eyed monster prowls Canuckistan.)

The National Post ^ | December 10, 2002 | Claire Hoy

[quidnunc]

Irony abounds. At the same time Canada and the United States were secretly negotiating a defence pact that allows U.S. forces to operate here in an emergency, a public opinion poll claims that most Canadians believe the Americans have "no business" telling us to increase our defence spending or pressuring Ottawa to back their foreign policies.

Face it: Of all the countries in the world, Canada has the most reason to be thankful for the United States.

Yet, of all the countries in the world, none is more jealous of that reality than Canada.

And so it is that a poll conducted by EKOS Research — commissioned by The Toronto Star/CBC/La Presse, among the most virulent anti-American media in this country — we discover that 65% of Canadian respondents think Washington has no right to comment on our defence spending.

One wonders what that number would be had the question been reversed, i.e., do Canadians have any right to comment on Washington's defence spending and/or foreign policies, since it is quite clear that many Canadians feel an inherent right to consistently dump on our southern neighbours, a foul mixture of Canadian insecurity, leftish rhetoric and full-frontal jealousy.

Just to make it clear, your correspondent is a Canadian, and damn happy to be one. My ancestry dates back on both sides of my family to the United Empire Loyalists, so we're not talking about any Claire-come-lately.

But it does not take much genius to understand that while it certainly is legitimate to criticize American policy — just as it is for Americans to criticize our policies — the growing band of anti-Americans out there might want to take a break from their hostile attacks and put the matter in perspective.

Canada is undoubtedly one of the best countries in the world in which to live, but surely it must be obvious to all that one of the major reasons why we can afford to offer the comforts we do to our citizens is directly related to our proximity and access to the world's greatest marketplace, i.e., the United States.

How is it possible that a public opinion poll — to the extent that these increasingly questionable polls actually reflect true public opinion — can show, for example, that on the question of who is a greater threat to world peace, George W. Bush or Saddam Hussein, some 38% of Canadian respondents said it was Bush (compared with 56% for Hussein.)

If you're in the Bush-is-more-dangerous-than-Hussein camp, here's an interesting historical parallel for you to ponder. In July, 1942, during the lead-up to the conscription crisis, the Gallup organization asked Canadians to name "the greatest man living in the world today." A total of 19% of French-speaking respondents and 2% of English-speaking respondents chose — are you ready? — Adolf Hitler, relegating Churchill and Roosevelt, in their minds, to also-rans.

-snip-

[desertcry]

It makes sense, keeping the canadian people from knowing the truth allows the power that be from spending any money on their national defense. These people are disgusting, they get protection from the USA, while contiually spitting at Uncle Sam, their shield. I wonder how long this will go on.

[Republic of Texas]

Does that mean we get REAL Canadian beer?

[Snowyman]

Actually zones 3,4,5 and 6 are Spanish speaking and being bilingual English and French we have no interested in them.