I think Stephen Harper will play ball.
Canada has had its election and, in my eyes, there’s good news and bad news.
The good news for me is that the New Democrats have replaced the Bloc Quebecois and Liberals as the official Opposition. The last time the NDP played a role in government, admittedly a long time ago, Canada benefited by getting universal medicare, which is the jewel in the Canadian crown.
If only the United States had universal medicare, what an incredibly-different country it would be. And we have it and have had it for many years, happily.
The bad news is that the Conservatives under Stephen Harper won a majority. If I thought there was any enlightenment to be found in the Conservative Party of Canada, I wouldn’t say that. But I see no real benefit to the people of Canada in having a Conservative government. Not necessarily a loss, but no benefit, except perhaps if you were a member of the elite.
But be that as it may, I know some people are worried that Harper’s party of business will sell Canada out to North American Union.
I don’t think we need to worry about that.
I’m of the opinion that the possibility very much existed a decade ago – under the more nefarious “Security and Prosperity Partnership.” Never was an agreement so misnamed.
If you burrow down into that agreement, you’ll find some disturbing bilateral arrangements which, if we weren’t where we are today, I’d be very worried about. Such as the stipulation that both sides can come to the aid of the other in the event of a “terrorist” attack. Well, I can just see Canadian troops from Camp Petawawa coming to the aid of America in the event of a “terrorist” attack. What would we bring? Blankets and water bottles?
And who would the “terrorists” be? The same ones that brought the World Trade Center down? Oh my, those people were ruthless and unscrupulous. They also inhabited the White House. That scenario did give me pause some years back.
No, the SPP was made so that American troops under Northern Command could come to the “aid” of Canada and we would have lost our independence. The fact that the same security firm that “watched over” the World Trade Center was also hired to watch over the Montreal subway should tell you just what scenario was envisioned to trip off American military “aid.” A bomb in the Montreal subway? I worried that that could have happened.
I was concerned that Harper would sell Canada out years ago, but I’m not concerned any longer. Whereas Bush and his cohorts on Wall Street did want to take us over, and Mexico for that matter, I don’t think President Obama has any such designs. And we’re too close to disclosure for anyone to have attention on that or be able to pull it off.
Freedom’s ferment is infecting the globe. Why would anyone allow Harper to go forward with such a plan? No, I think we’re safe. We made it. We’re home-free.
Canada has an incredibly strong and cohesive culture for a country that you may think is split down the middle. Having two cultures doesn’t weaken us. We’ve shown the world that two cultures can in fact get along and that many other cultures can join us and still have their freedom as well. And we’ve demonstrated that multiculturalism doesn’t make a country weaker. It makes it stronger from the buy-in it brings.
We’ve also shown that, even though we have a history of anti-Orientalism (yes, we do) and have practiced a policy of genocide against native Indian youth (yes, we have), we also have a more recent history of strong support for human rights. Hey, I administered that policy as a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Board. I think I can speak to that.
And we have a strong parliamentary tradition and responsible government and a system of laws and a body of judges that are the envy of the English-speaking world – again, I think I can speak to that. Such a strong society won’t tolerate being sold out and I’m quite sure Stephen Harper is aware of that.
So, even though I’m disappointed that Canada has voted for the equivalent of the neoconservatives below the border, I don’t think Harper has enough manoeuvering room to do anything significantly bad. And a strong NDP Opposition will probably also hold him in check until the galactics get here, after which our worries will be over.
So good news and bad news on the election. But I think we’ve made it to home plate anyways and the True North will remain strong and free. I am an incredibly proud Canadian. I have broken off relationships with friends who made belittling comments about my country. I think I can loosen my attitudes for Ascension. But there isn’t a tie that means more to me than the tie to my country.