The Committee on un-Canadian Activities
Shrill Toronto Star Columnist Linda McQuaig whines about us evil Canada haters:
There's been so much hand-wringing lately about the anti-Americanism that's said to be afoot in the land that we've barely noticed a more worrisome virus in our midst — anti-Canadianism.
Hold on, it gets better.
But I'm struck by the increasingly fierce attempts to disparage Canada, or at least to disparage the pride many Canadians take in the way we do things — a way that's sometimes different than the way Americans do things.
Oh no! Invoke those nasty evil Americans! Because, of course, anyone who criticises the way Canadians do things must be wanting to throw Canada to the Yankee dogs and become the 51st state. It only stands to reason that there are only two choices on how to do things: The American way and the absolutely perfect way that Canada does absolutely everything beyond reproach. I'm being sarcastic in case anyone doesn't get it...
These attacks are coming from a small but influential group of right-wing Canadian academics and media commentators. Their theme song is that Canada is in decline.
The Red Ensign Brigade's power grows by leaps and bounds.
In answer to lefty-Linda's remark above I'll let you judge whether we're in decline by referring to the quote in my sidebar:
We had an aircraft carrier. Imagine that. Now we have metric and the CBC. It was a bad trade.
But, of course it's destructive to criticize, according to McQuaig:
The Times reported that David Bercuson, a historian at the University of Calgary, was watching the recent Olympics when Canadian track star Perdita Felicien fell, losing the gold medal she'd been expected to win.
"Mr. Bercuson dashed straight to his computer," the Times noted, "He knocked out a screed declaring that her sad performance, and that of the entire Canadian Olympic team, was just another symptom of `the national malaise' that is making Canada a second-rate, uncompetitive nation."
So, with Felicien lying devastated on the track, Bercuson's response was to seize the moment: Gotcha now, Canada, you medicare-loving bunch of losers!
"Mr. Bercuson dashed straight to his computer," the Times noted, "He knocked out a screed declaring that her sad performance, and that of the entire Canadian Olympic team, was just another symptom of `the national malaise' that is making Canada a second-rate, uncompetitive nation."
So, with Felicien lying devastated on the track, Bercuson's response was to seize the moment: Gotcha now, Canada, you medicare-loving bunch of losers!
Because if we pointed out that Canada's current government has screwed our athletes, screwed our military, screwed the provinces, screwed our citizens by excessively taxing them and running huge unnecessary surplusses under the guise of "fiscal prudence" with government MP's falling all over each other trying to spend our money - well, we must necessarily HATE Canada.
Because in McQuaig's mind, all the good that Canada has done in the world: fighting for freedom, carving out a modern nation out of the wilderness, being in the forefront of international affairs by putting ourselves on the line time and time again - in a word everything that we used to be able to do but can't anymore - is meaningless as long as we have our cherished universal healthcare.
Anyone who disagrees doesn't just have a different opinion - if we don't conform to the big government, Mommy/Federal Government knows best attitude that's being rammed down our throats courtesy of "enlightened" commentators like Ms McQuaig - well we're so...un-Canadian.
I'm wondering when the "special commitees" will be organized. Of course Ms. McQuaig sees herself as the arbiter of what is and isn't an acceptable Canadian value. From her pictures online current fashionable hairstyles don't appear to be one of them.
Hey, at least we've gotten some attention here...
Page 1 of 1 pages
| November 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | ||||||
Recent Comments
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
[Rue] on 01/24/07 11:09 : With bated breath I await your return to blogging. [go]
Gross Display of Most Naked Capitalism
Blogroll
Red Ensign Blogs for Victory!
-- One of the Original Red Ensigns carried by the Penticton 1st Volunteers. It was present at Vimy Ridge when our little Dominion stood up and became a nation worth fighting for...
And Lastly...
