End the U.S. Bashing, Businesses Tell PM (Canadian MP stand by her 'bastards' quip)

The National Post ^ | March 5, 2003 | Sheldon Alberts et al

[quidnunc]

Kick Her Out

On Monday, John Manley, the Deputy Prime Minister, assured a Winnipeg audience that members of the Liberal caucus and Prime Minister's Office staff would henceforth curb their tongues. Apparently embarrassed that the Iraqi propaganda ministry has recently publicized anti-U.S. diatribes by François Ducros, the Prime Minister's former communications director, and Carolyn Parrish, the Liberal MP from Mississauga Centre, Mr. Manley pledged that even if Canada ultimately opposes a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, "we will not say or do things that will give comfort to Saddam Hussein."

And yet, just a few hours later, there was Ms. Parrish, appearing on a national late-night talk show, defiantly shaking her fist to egg on the studio audience as they cheered her intellectual tantrum of last week, "Damn Americans. I hate those bastards." Ms. Parrish told Mike Bullard, host of CTV's Open Mike, that her remarks were "obviously something I believe in." Though she admitted her utterance was "inappropriate" and said she'd be more specific about which Americans she despised next time, she couldn't promise that the likes of her Feb. 26 outburst "won't happen again." She also boasted that "the Prime Minister has not said one cross word to me. He was fine. He defended me."

For once, we are in favour of the Liberals enforcing their legendary party discipline. Last week, we argued that Ms. Parrish should resign her position as chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association. But it would now appear that Mr. Manley has little choice but to urge that Ms. Parrish be expelled from the Liberal caucus as well. As appalling as Ms. Parrish's remarks were the first time around, at least it could be said that she made them during a spontaneous tantrum — and before the Deputy Prime Minister explicitly spoke out against such mindless pronouncements. By permitting Ms. Parrish to continue to sit on the government benches despite her performance on Monday, Mr. Manley would be signalling that his new policy is a nullity. Worse, it might also suggest to the United States that his own pronouncement was for show, and that he and the rest of the Cabinet, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien included, agree with — or at least condone — Ms. Parrish's America-bashing.

(The National Post editorial, March 5, 2003)
To Read This Article Click Here

Comment: I for one don't see any significant difference between these comments by Canadians and the anti-Americanism of the German chancellor Schroeder.

[jodorowsky]

Yeah, that Bill Clinton was such a degenerate. Conyers, Daschle, Lantos: what a collection of disgusting creeps. Americans are so sleazy.

[happygrl]

Persona non grata as far as crossing the border.

[Ciexyz]

I'm holding in my hands a "Travel Canada 2003" magazine that I bought two months ago when I was considering going to Canada this summer on vacation.

But if the Canadians are being whipped up to hate the US and give our people grief when we go north of the border, hey, I'll vacation stateside this year.

By the way, the magazine was nice. I'll miss seeing Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island and Ottawa.

[magua]

Ms Parrish I can guarantee that I won't be vacationing in canada.

[quidnunc]

The money phrase in the first article:

"It is not a question of saying, 'Everybody shut up and don't dare speak up.' It is a question of leading by example. It has to be clear, because if the perception among the Canadian electorate is that their political leaders don't have a great deal of respect for President Bush and his team, or are genuinely fearful of the long and far reach of this increasingly powerful empire, then it is all going to feed into the overall antagonistic attitude."

I submit that the Canadian government is pandering to an electorate which already has a significant vein of anti-Americanism running through it, and are reinforcing that anti-American attitude for domestic political purposes.

The Canadian government is doing much the same thing as Arab dictatorships all over the Middle East; setting up the U.S. as a whipping boy in order to distract the lumpenproletatiat from internal troubles.

[pyx]

Ms. Parrish apologized last week to Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, after saying on Feb. 26 to reporters: "Damn Americans. I hate those bastards." But she joked about her behaviour on Monday on a nationally televised talk show and said she "can't even guarantee I won't do it again."

How well would Carolyn Parrish fare if she had substituted another ethnic group ?
"Damn Jamaicans. I hate those bastards."
"Damn Mexicans. I hate those bastards."
"Damn Nigerians. I hate those bastards."
"Damn Chinese. I hate those bastards."
"Damn Japanese. I hate those bastards."
Maybe hatemongering bigots like Carolyn Parrish and her liberal government should borrow some white hooded sheets for their next caucus meeting.

[radioman]

I'm holding in my hands a "Travel Canada 2003" magazine that I bought two months ago when I was considering going to Canada this summer on vacation

lol...My wife and I were going to spend our first vacation in ten years this summer in BC...We cancelled!

[doc30]

Unfortunately, Canadians have always relied upon anti-Americanism for defining their national identity. The knee-jerk reaction from most Canadians when it comes to political and economic matters that are similar to U.S. practices or policies, it must be bad. If it's not American like, it's OK and if it's European, it must be good. I'm saying this as an escapee from the Peoples Republic of Canuckistan. These are observations from when I last lived there in 1995.

THe whole of Canadian identity is not being American. Some friends, particularly those around Toronto, have really been shipped up in their anti-Americanism in the last few months. They still think Bill Clinton was the greatest president ever and George Bush is destroying the free world!

This MP's comments have only added to her popularity. Watch for more of this happening so other Liberal Party MP's (and candidates) do better in their political popularity. When Conservative or Reformers mention anything resembling pro-American views, their ratings sink (unless they are in Alberta).

[Conservateacher]

Used to fly to Vancouver island to salmon fish.

[thepitts]

We just recently cancelled standing reservations at a fly in fishing lodge, Canada will not be seeing one red cent from me any time soon.

[FreeCanuckistan]

The Liberals are pandering to Quebec and 3-rd World Southern Ontario.....that's all the votes they need. If anything, the Liberal voter base is growing, as there is no stopping this insane immigration policy.

We need a regime change.

[Pushi]

I haven't lost a thing in Canada--or Mexico.

[caisson71]

Actually, I would encourage Canadians to really say what they think of Americans, especially the politicians. I would also encourage Americans to DO what they really feel about Canadian anti-Americanism. I'm making plans to visit my son in Michigan this year. We have also trashed plans to go back to Europe to visit the places we once vacationed and lived for 3 years. I've always wanted to visit more "red" country anyway and the exchange rate is prefect.

[talleyman]

Ditto - I'm giving up moose and salsa for Lent.

[GoAhead-Make My Day]

Um, I agree that if she had mentioned another group of people (like the Chinese, for example), there would have been extreme outrage, and that's extremely disturbing unto itself. However, the people here at free republic and myself included, are hardly innocent of doing the exact same thing everyday. We are guilty of a certain amount of hypocrisy ourselves. We slander just about everyone who isn't American. Just food for thought.

[quidnunc]

GoAhead-Make My Day wrote: We are guilty of a certain amount of hypocrisy ourselves. We slander just about everyone who isn't American. Just food for thought.

There's a big difference.

The people bashing foreigners here on Free Republic are not national legislators and government functionaries.

And most here don't bash foreignes unless they are causing America problems.

[cruiserman]

Americans are warmongers who don't give a damn what anybody else thinks

At least that part is true.

[Darth Hillary]

Canada:: The dirt highway that connects the lower 48 and Alaska.