I am a typical Canadian.
I am a Maritimer. I spent most of my formative years in Fredericton, the attractive and serene, if somewhat pedestrian provincial capital of New Brunswick. Fredericton is about an hour’s worth of scenery (depending on the route) north of Saint John, my birthplace and Canada’s oldest incorporated city.
I moved to Calgary in the waning summer days of 1994 in search of something, perhaps a John Denver song, or more appropriately a Gordon Lightfoot one, but found only Ralph Klein.
Despite the lack of humidity, waterfront, trees, and roads for motorcycling, I love Calgary. It is a special place. A growing, dynamic and proud city with the energy of youth and its sights set on greatness. It truly has the potential to be as arrogant as Toronto.
I am now in the process of moving to the BC, and will be working in Vancouver. I am excited to be broadening my “Canadianism.” In Alberta, I am surrounded by bleeding hearts in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. In Vancouver I will be one.
I love Tim Horton’s coffee. In fact, while staying in Vancouver, I normally walk 20 minutes, by three Starbucks, just to get my morning double-double. That has become a cliché, but so be it.
I like hockey fine. While on a team as a youth, I got flattened by an overweight team mate, and that, coupled with my inability to skate well, or backwards, did me in. I enjoy watching the game and like it when the Flames win. I like to ski.
I love the Tragically Hip, Oscar Peterson and Blue Rodeo. Listen to Stan Rogers and Stompin’ Tom.
I don’t like Toronto, but do like to have to go there on business. It’s a happening place.
I spend my evenings entertained by Americans and informed by Canadians.
I, as many of us, watch and search for any tidbit of recognition, any small morsel of reference to us in the multi-million dollar crime dramas of the US networks. It rarely occurs, and when it does, it is usually derogatory and/or just wrong. But I look and hope anyway.
I turn to the CBC, the pinnacle of Canadian left wing media, for Peter Mansbridge to tell me everything is right in the world, Rex Murphy to tell me what’s wrong and Rick Mercer to tell it straight, like we all weren’t thinking the same thing.
Getting your world interpreted this way is uniquely Canadian.
There are other things that identify a typical Canadian, armchair politics for example. I am not sure that Canadians are any more involved than Americans in their respective political system. But unlike the “Made in the USA” way, our brand of democracy at least provides for a better illusion of participation.
I know more about Canadian politics than American politics, and take pride in knowing more about American politics and history than most Americans, like most Canadians.
I guess I’m too young to remember the glory days of Canadian politics. My memories begin in the late 1970s with Pierre Trudeau. Mr. Trudeau at the time held what was in my opinion, the role of Canada’s Monarch. With 1982’s repatriation of Canada’s constitution, the image of Pierre, sitting gracefully at the table alongside Queen Elizabeth II served only to engrave the idea of his aristocratic status in my mind. I do believe that Pierre actually had more grace than Lizzie, did he pirouette?
With the passage of Jean Chretien into a more private life, having deked and dodged his way around such hot spots as “auberge grand mere”, NOT scrapping the GST, 1995’s ever so close referendum vote and the not-unrelated sponsorship scandal, the last remnants of the old guard are gone. Alas no more cronies in Parliament.
Prime Minister Paul Martin, in the wake of the aforementioned sponsorship scandal, promised an end to “Cronyism.” In fact, “cronyism” only occurs when politicians, left to their devices, are allowed to remain around long enough to become “cronies.” Wait for it Paul.
I remember some great ones. Brian Mulroney for example, who lives on in our hearts and minds and televisions (I am sorry Ben, you look too much like your dad.) John Turner and Joe (Who?) Clark.
Joe Clark was given recognition as one of the last true statesmen of Canadian Politics. So what discriminates a “statesman” from a “crony?” That depends on the day I guess.
Then there were the legends. Those truly inspirational cronies like Pearson and Diefenbaker. But that is a story for another time.
Is it possible that Canada is on the verge of ridding itself of those politicians dating back to the late 60s? Those cronies from a bygone era? But wait, what’s that on the horizon. Why its Stephen Harper riding in to save the Canadian Right from impending doom. Thank goodness, just before we took a leap into that abyss of becoming a world leader in progressive thinking and humanity’s advancement, the god-fearing bible thumpers are saved from extinction. Fresh new “Cronies” abound.
So now what? As a Maritimer, I am used to seeing the casual back and forth sway of big L Liberals to big C Conservatives from one government to the next, without even so much as a burp in between. I remember those days in the Federal system as well.
But then Brian Mulroney did one too many things “TO” the Canadian public. Instead of quietly deceiving us and operating behind our backs, like Jean Chretien did, Brian just pissed everybody off. So the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was toast, never to be seen again.
The moderate right was gone, like paper in fire, to Mulroney’s match, leaving the door wide open for the incredibly right of right right, right?
The Canadian west had long been derided and ignored by the eastern politicians. (I know cause Rex Murphy told me!) Here comes the Reform Train, led by the uncharismatic Preston Manning. Okay so he was a crony too.
Preston tried to make the Reform party a viable alternative to the monolithic Liberals, but it was little more than a regional party. Then it became the Canadian Alliance under the leadership of a jet-skiing monkey. They turfed Stock and became the Alliance-PC alliance, and now they are the “Conservative Party of Canada.”
There is still no place for the lonely moderates, who undoubtedly make up mass behind the only real alternative to Paul Martin.
Think for a moment what might have happened to Canadian politics if Jean Charest had stayed with the PC Party? They would probably have had a real chance at government. As Mulroney’s NAFTA/GST/Airbus legacy drifted from the forefront of Canadian consciousness, and Mr. Charest’s unwavering charisma took hold, they would have had a real shot. His patriotism, and love for Canada aside, he may have done more harm than good by jumping to the Quebec provincial Liberals.
Mr. Charest would have made a credible national leader. Well versed in both official languages, and with that great Michael Bolton hair, the rest of the world would have to have loved him, if not expect some karaoke skills. Our connection with the Pacific Rim would have been in the bag.
Alas, ‘twas not to be. Jean decided that it would be best to try to mend the Quebec/Canada rift more firmly by entering into the somewhat violent world of Quebec provincial politics. We all make our choices, and Jean’s has left the rest of Canada with none. Oh well, at least Lucien has fallen from grace.
The departure from Canada’s political scene of virtually all of the natural leaders has led to a great apathetic chasm where many people actually live, and work and pay taxes. Good lord do we pay taxes. To the right of us high on the hill, in the middle of some uncrossable ocean, we see the new Conservatives.
The relabeled Canadian Alliance/ Reform party is led by the just plain boring Stephen Harper, and deputied by wannabe Peter Mackay. We dodged the Belinda Stronach bullet (it was too close for comfort).
To the left of us in this chasm we see Paul Martin and his Ontario Government. Mr. Martin has spent a considerable amount of his short time as PM trying to appease the West, subtly deflect the sponsorship scandal and suck up to George Bush.
Unlike most Canadians, Paul is a wealthy man. No matter how you slice it, he owned Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) even while he was trying to balance the budget. He passed the reigns to his offspring before moving into 24 Sussex, but do you think the boys don’t give him a little allowance over the Sunday dinner table?
Paul did his job as Finance Minister though, balancing budgets, declaring surpluses, putting the books in the black. Give me a break (pardon the vernacular). We live in Capitalist, Free Market economy. There are ebbs and there are flows, bulls and bears, recession and growth. Riding the coat tails of these naturally occurring economic phenomenon does not require the brain power we so quickly attributed the Liberals and Paul Martin. Thank god we’re not all virgins on prom night.
You need more proof? How about King Ralph. Ralph Klein has been the Premier of the promised land for my entire Alberta experience. That entire time, the oil and gas industry has been piling up the royalty money on his desk at the Cecil hotel. He doles it out like Robin Hood, except that the rich oil companies make obscene amounts of money compared to the royalties that Ralph and his own Alberta “cronies” get to hand out. Hey Ralph that’s my land they’re drilling in, where’s my cut?
Premier Klein is threatening to pay of Alberta’s debt within the next couple of years, while our neighbours to the west struggle with mounting debt and perpetual deficit. Way to go Ralph, you did all the right things man. You were born, made some noise, became Mayor of Calgary, made some more noise, and were in the right place when the boom hit. An intellectual giant you ain’t buddy.
Although British Columbia has to take a bit of blame for its predicament. We all know that good fiscal health includes managing the money you have as well as making more dough. Where do we stand in BC then? Glen Clark had the presence of mind to increase the ferry fleet with those four catamaran style “fast” ferries that were built to Titanic standards. They were fast alright. They were built and commissioned for some unreal dollar amount and auctioned off for a price of less than scrap value before you could blink and before BC residents had a clue.
Now Gordon Campbell is left with the mess. So he goes to Hawaii to forget his troubles and I mean really FORGET his troubles. Nothing like a mug shot of a provincial leader to sober up the voters. Can Premiers be impeached? No, just impaired. Hey maybe you can ask Ralph for a cup of money, he’s got lots. Just buy him a beer first.
Now Gordo’s landed the 2010 Olympics. That is great news for BC and Canada as well. Lets hope the cost over runs don’t make Montreal 76 look like getting stiffed when you roll up the rim. (I actually won a TV once!)
Calgary 88 had the honour of being one of, if not the most cost efficient and economically successful Olympic games in history. Sure the games were successful. Can you say oil boom in the same breath as no sales tax? All the tourists spent like they were in a Bangkok black market. Vancouver 2010 has a steep road to climb to meet that mark. I wish them, well I guess now us, the best of luck.
Western Alienation is a big problem. At least that’s what we’re told. BC is a unique situation, but Alberta? The money being churned out of this province would make your head spin. Billions and billions of dollars just keep on coming.
But what about the East? If you think Western Alienation is a problem, think about being from a province that doesn’t generate that kind of money.
New Brunswick’s Premier, Bernard Lord, recently swung through the west on his “Be. Here. Now.” Repatriation tour, touting that lower salaries were actually good when tempered with a low cost of living. Economies of scale aside, do I really want to work in a call center? Unless you are being extorted by the Irvings, or fighting for your right to fish lobster, that’s probably where you’ll be.
Its sad really. All of Canada’s really exciting history happened in the east. In Upper and Lower Canada and the Maritimes. A hundred years ago, there was nothing out west except a few Mounties, the damn CPR and the odd Ukrainian farmer.
Canada needs some guidance politically.
Where shall we turn then? Certainly not to the south to the reincarnation of the feudal system occurring in McDisneyworld /Bush Gardens. Honestly George, you could have at least planted some WMD in Saddam’s spider hole.
President Bush and his ex-Reagan administration make Ralph Klein and Stephen Harper look positively socialist. Ashcroft and Rumsfeld pull his strings, and he dances like a Tijuana hooker.
The war on terror has defined G.W’s term in office. First and foremost, he will be remembered as the President who was in power when the twin towers fell. Regardless of him having any prior knowledge that Al-Qaeda was a serious threat to the US or not, September the 11th will leave a bad taste in the mouths of reflective Americans.
The rest of the world wanted to make decisions based on common interest and conscientious thought. Bush’s knee jerk reaction flew in the face of global unity. Then, to make matters more unilateral, he defied the United Nations claiming they were nothing but shell of an organization with no guts.
After blowing sand craters in most of Afghanistan with B-52’s, and killing Canadian soldiers with enraged F-16 pilots on speed, Bush determined that while he was over this way anyway, he might as well get Saddam Hussein. So he marches his boys into Baghdad, along with a bunch of embedded reporters to give it just the right spin.
Problem is the Iraqi people hate Americans as much as they hated Saddam, so over the course of year, hundreds of American Soldiers are killed defending freedom because some Saddam had no WMD.
So why are you still there George?
To be continued..................
