Deux fois, en 1775 et en 1812, les États Unis ont envahi le Canada, sans succès. En 1837, les Fils de la Liberté et Louis-Joseph Papineau, le héros de nos souverainistes et de nos Jeunes Patriotes, souhaitaient l'annexion aux États Unis et la création d'un état continental unilingue anglais. Encore un échec.
En 1912, Sir Wilfrid Laurier premier ministre du Canada voulait un traité de réciprocité dans le commerce entre les deux pays. Il a fallu attendre Brian Mulroney pour arriver au traité de libre échange qui a livré notre commerce et notre industrie aux États Unis. Cela fonctionne quand c'est à l'avantage des États Unis pas dans le cas contraire; on l'a vu dans l'affaire du bois d'oeuvre (building lumber).
Jean Chrétien nous a liés à la guerre en Afghanistan et, en 2009, à Copenhague, Stephen Harper a remis notre politique énergétique et climatique entre les mains de nos voisins du sud. Nous sommes devenus le 51e état des États Unis, un état plus docile que la Californie et sous la tutelle des pétrolières albertaines.
Pour la première fois de ma vie, j'ai honte de mon pays.
Paul, pls change the colour of the text, if you can and will. It is undeadable. I'll comment soon.
RépondreSupprimerI'll try
RépondreSupprimerMais why votre politique énergétique et climatique est elle entre les mains des Etats Unis? Do you have any link to articles I can read? You can send them by email or here.
RépondreSupprimerPaul, Paul, I remember a recent movie by Woody Allen. He played a depressed unsuccessful film director obliged to shoot some cheap advertisement for TV in Canada. He was shooting among polar bears and wearing a ridiculous outfit (similar to those used on landing on the moon) against cold. It was sooo funny. I adore Allen.
I understand what you mean Paul. I agree with you. Canada is Canada. You have to raise you voice.
But ...until we have young guys like the Commentator who get to the extreme of painting their own underwear with stars and stripes, you won't get that far ..... ;-)
JOKING JOKING [in case he'll ever read, he's touchy, like all Calabrians]
Buon natale, a te, a lui, a tutti
Our Prime Minister has repeatedly said that our environmemntal policy and our energy policy must follow that of the USA. To set our guidelines he is awaiting what the US will do. He was dead set against a carbon tax but he said that should the US institute one he would too so as to be in harmony with the US.
RépondreSupprimerHe followed Bush...and he is now following Obama. He is a lacquey of the US and the petroleum industry. God help us.
MOR, tsk, tsk, tsk.
RépondreSupprimerYes, I read caro signore! Just because I defend myself doesn't mean I'm "touchy!" Heh.
My posts are 50/50 down the middle. It's not my fault the U.S. has so many dynamic issues to it. It's funny, I probably have more periodicals, books, magazines (whatever) of Canadian orientation than most guys my age. The reason is simple: I always wanted to make a film about Canada. I find the ones that are made with CBC or NFB cash are so syrupy and boring. I wanted to make a wild and eclectic interpretation. Alas, I never got around to it. I discovered Canadians simply don't share my passion.
Look, as I've written in the past, I was a Canadian nationalist in my youth. I've always enjoyed Canadian history. But I reached Paul's conclusion a while ago. Although not as excited. I was never overly proud or ashamed. I'm a even-tempered guy.
Canada sold itself down the river a long time ago. In fact, Paul is old enough to know this to be a fact. I'd say, given we exist next to the most powerful nation-state in world history, I think we've done pretty good.
I'm not one to denounce our leaders as "puppets." Maintaining an independent outlook from the U.S. is not easy considering we export 87% of our goods and services to them. I still don't know why we never adjusted that a little. You can play little rebel a-la Diefenbaker or Trudeau up to a point and then reality hits you in the face.
When confronted with defending Canadian interests, our political leaders usually sided with American business interests. It's what the people wanted and demanded - so the story goes.
Last, for me, there's no doubt free trade has aided our economy as a whole. Focusing on a few or one natural resource doesn't tell the whole picture. Free trade was an inevitable thing. Laurier knew it. FTA didn't make us the 51st state. We needed access to their market and we had to give them things in return. We were already a semi-diversified branch plant economy before then.
I wouldn't get too worked up about Copenhagen. That was a dismal disgrace from the onset. In fact, I'm proud Harper held out.
As you always tell me, shmile!
I've learned to love the bomb, if you get my drift. It is what it is with Canada. We were never the best and we were never the worst. We were just safe, if not mediocre. We made that choice. We could have chosen a different route but we were too timid to "go for it."
America on the other hand, gets it and goes for it. And that makes them a far more extreme society than ours. Which is why, much to MOR's dismay (;<)), the world talks about them.
If the internet was around during the Roman empire, people in Greece, Gaul and Hispania would blog about Rome. Same with during the Renaissance except it would be Florence, Venice, Naples, Verona, Genoa, Pisa and everything in between!
Joyeux Noel!
I must admit that The Commentator has a point about trade and proximity. I disagree about Copenhagen, it could have been a great occasion had Harper been more present and closer to Ontario and Quebec than to his beloved Alberta.
RépondreSupprimerWell at least he was not at Tim Horton's
The most powerful empire in world (Western) history was Rome, not the USA, amico. And as a second, I'd say Spain. As a third, Great Britain. Usa are fourth. Only fourth man.
RépondreSupprimerJust an inaccurate stab. It's Christmas. My family keeps accusing me I'm spending these vacations blogging.
Buon Natale a tutti e due e alle vostre famiglie!
Ha, MOR. You devil!
RépondreSupprimerI didn't say 'empire.' The most powerful 'nation-state' in world history. America never looked at itself as an 'empire' thus making a discussion on it a little difficult. That hasn't stopped people and historians from claiming it, but officially, America is not a "colonial" power. Some have posited them to at least be an "Economic" or "Financial" empire.
Spain's empire ahead of Britain? Never! In my view, Great Britain is quite possibly the most influential (leaving Rome aside) and powerful of all empires - including Mongolia. Moreover, look at the nations they left behind: Australia, Canada and USA. Spain? Nada.
Buon Natale il cativo.
The US may not look at itself as an empire...but they always acted like one. To begin with, just calling themselves the United States of AMERICA hinted at an ambition to cover the continent. Two invasions of Canada, the wars against Mexico and the annexation of vast territories, the "liberation" of the Philipines, the occupations of Cuba and Haiti, the Monroe doctrine, the war against Tunisia, Morocco and Lybia in the 1800s, all to protect their interests and promote democracy, of course,were akin to colonial enterprises.
RépondreSupprimerEven today calling themselves "Americans" would hint that Canadians and Mexicans do not exist as separate entities on a shared continent of America,they annex the continent as their sole possession.
If that is not an imperialist attitude, what is?
Just the fact that this discussion slipped from discussing Canada to discussing the US is another demonstration of their weight and pervasive presence.
Mind you better that than the Third Reich or Russia.
That is all true - Manifest Destiny.
RépondreSupprimerAnd yes, that's always been my point, it's been, for the large part, a benign empire relative its power. To me, anyway.
heh, heh,
RépondreSupprimerwish i could read french mr. potsoc
as this debate is a riled one
what does honte mean?
i too believe, we need to chart our own very careful path.
xo
erin
Welcome Erin,
RépondreSupprimer"honte" means "shame". Our government's attitude in Copenhagen and the follower stance taken regarding climate warming and the oil industry's impact has made me ashamed of our country since it abdicates it's responsibilties and choose to be subservient to US interests more than it cares about it's citizen's health and well being or on the consequences for our northern citizens.
J'en ai pas tellement honte. J'en etais fier et je ne le suis plus. J'en suis devenu indiferent. Domage.
RépondreSupprimerEn effet, l'indifférence est la pire des choses car elle ne laisse pas d'espoir.
RépondreSupprimerYes, l'indifférence est la PIRE des choses.
RépondreSupprimerLike HERE. Habit, passive consuetude, submission to a selfish power. Such a subtle venom whose danger most lies in us not being well aware of it.
Ahi serva Italia di dolore ostello,
non donna di province ma bordello.
(I am formulaic, I keep repeating the same things over and over)
@Commentator
RépondreSupprimerCommentator, Commentator, I LOVE the USA much more than you are aware, my friend. And I am happy if the world LOVES the US, TALKS about 'her', blogs about 'her' and so forth.
Why HER, not 'them'?
Because, to me, America is a beautiful woman. Yes, a beautiful gal. Do remember my first girlfriend was from SF, Frisco, San Francisco, you name it. And that she was much more cultured than I was and will probably ever be, and that she didn't only taught me English, Poe, Whitmnan and other stuff. No. She taught me other things. She for example taught me that sex can be WILD. Yes, you've heard it.
So this also is America to me. WILD.
And not in the sense of savage, no, no. In the full, exciting, gorgeous sense of the word.
All the best
From Roman West
:-)
:-)
:-)
;-)
Caro Giovanni, Mediterranean exhuberance at it's best. Should the US be about 49 kilometers from your backyard you could be, just maybe, waxing a little less enthousiastic your carissima nothwithstanding.
RépondreSupprimerWhy 49 km exavtly? Is that the distance between your backyard and the US?
RépondreSupprimerIt is the distance from my backyard to the border. If you look at a map of Canada you will see that the most populated areas are stretched, all across Canada, no more than 100 Km from the US border. Some of our towns are split by the border. In Stanstead, near here, the municipal library is half in Canada and half in the US; a red line is painted on the floor where the border stands.
RépondreSupprimerIn British Columbia there is a small peninsula, the southernmost tip is in Washington State and it's inhabitants have to travel through BC to get to work and services in their home state.
Windsor, Ontario, the car manufacturing Canadian hub is just across the river from Detroit Michigan. The St-Claire river is less than half a mile wide, about 800 meters at that point.
Oh, like a giant menacing, towering over you ...
RépondreSupprimerIn a way, yes. It is said that when the US sneezes, Canada catches cold. When things go as the US wishes, all is well but if we diverge even a little there ARE some awkward moments. We are walking on eggs all the time.
RépondreSupprimerFor instance, right now our Muslim citizens are the target of vexations in our airports because of US new security regulations. Today a muslim woman resident of Canada for the last 15 years and married to an American to boot was prevented by American Customs officers at our Halfax airport from boarding a flight to join her husband presently in the US. She had cleared all Canadian security but still the mighty US border agents, on Canadian soil, flouted our security system and had her escorted out of the airport by our RCMP officers. Towering giant you wrote, right on.
I can understand very well. A giant so close and at times very different. That poor Muslim woman. I like the Muslims a lot when they are nit blinkered by faith. I had a conversation just now with a very sweet Usaer of the female kind. She writes very well, in an effective and stripped down style. She is into education in some way. And she had a Sicilian mentor, Joe. I was captured but this whole story, but also by her qualities.
RépondreSupprimerHere is her post and intriguing blog:
http://cheriblocksabraw.com/2010/01/03/matrix-at-the-mall
I checked Cheri and I can see why you were attracted to her...blog. You Italian stallion!
RépondreSupprimerYou bad bad biased Canadian!!! :-)
RépondreSupprimerI just gave Cheri the link to let her reach this conversation. It is to 'chastise' you, my friend.
RépondreSupprimerI humbly accept my chastisement.
RépondreSupprimerCe commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
RépondreSupprimerIl est important que le Quebec ne se separe pas du Canada, parce que le Quebec fait du Canada differente de celle de Etats Unis. Rapelle-vous, le Canadiens anglais sont culturellement les memes le Americaines.
RépondreSupprimerSi Stephen Harper etait americaine, il serait membre du Republican Party.
Oui Stephen Harper serait membre du GOP et de son aile ultra conservatrice en plus. Les canadiens-anglais sont tout de même différents des "USAers". Ils partagent les valeurs de répartition plus égales de la richesse, le filet de protection sociale que nous avons et l'universalité de plusieurs programmes sociaux. Ils sont moins guerriers et ne défendent pas le droit de posséder et de porter des armes à feu.
RépondreSupprimerSur le plan musique et cinéma/télévision, là ils sont proches de nos voisins du sud, en effet.