PEACEKEEPING? NOT ANYMORE

Regardless of ones political affiliations, the conclusion is:  Ours is the country it is today because of the Liberal Party's dominance over both the political landscape and Canada's agenda for nearly 70 years of the last century.

The policies, the legislation, the vision advanced and practiced by the 'natural governing party' of the 20th Century defined Canadians as peace loving, tolerant, multicultural, bilingual, charitable, socially responsible people within a prosperous nation.

So why is the current government of Prime Minister Harper turning us away from our present and our future in what appears to be a truly transformative shift in character and value - A root-and-branch supplanting of one kind of country for another - as someone recently described the apparent transformation?

In a comment this weekend in 'The Globe And Mail,' political activist Gerald Caplan warns to be afraid of the "new" Canada being invented by Mr. Harper and his associates. Perhaps it's worth noting that Mr. Caplan in 1985 was appointed by another Conservative Prime-Minister, Brian Mulroney, to co-chair (with Florian Sauvageau) a Federal Task Force on Canadian Broadcasting Policy which ultimately led to the Broadcasting Act of 1988. (I digress!) - Of the current Conservative leader, Caplan concludes: "It's in the nature of true believers and ideologues to believe that any means to their sacred ends are justified...It's also typical of such people that they're often motivated by unfathomable resentment and anger, a compulsion not just to better but to destroy their adversaries."

From the session of Parliament just ended there's at least anecdotal evidence on several fronts of the government's efforts to create a Conservative mythology as opposed to a Liberal mythology - Instead of peacekeepers, we're now warriors; the "royal" prefix has been restored to the military; Canada's embassies must now feature portraits of The Queen; the list is long and growing but it seems to suggest a very deliberate and calculated attempt to re-shape Canadian symbolism, nationalism and values back to those cherished by the mid-war generation of which John Diefenbaker was a prominent member. And, more importantly to ignore Canada's evolution as an independent country with an identity of its own.

Some critics see the government's crime and justice initiatives, the changes at the Wheat Board and to the Long-Gun registry, our planned massive military spending and other recent legislated initiatives as borrowed elements of the "Tea Party" revolution from the United-States, and the hard right Republican "destroy the enemy politics" now so prevalent as the American Presidential campaign gets under way.

In the 2010 best seller "Harperland," author Lawrence Martin portrays a leader firmly in control of his political agenda, and a man..."who goes to extraordinary lengths to see it implemented." - In a new book due out next spring -"Warrior Nation: Rebranding Canada in a Fearful Age" co-authors Ian McKay and Jamie Swift of Queen's University take the notion several steps further arguing that: "The Harper government is operating very much like a regime mounting and ideological crusade to rebrand the country."  A crusade that Mr. Swift has told the 'National Post' involves the "dismantling" of institutions which interfere with values such as the Puritan work ethic and respect for authority.

Maybe Gerald Caplan is right: "Be very afraid: Stephen Harper is inventing a new Canada" - I don't like it!

TO THE VICTOR...THE SPOILS

Though mid twentieth century movies tried to romanticize America's civil war - "Gone With The Wind" (1939) / "Shenandoah" (1965) to name a couple of the more prominent - It comes as little surprise that events this year marking the sesquicentennial of the war between the States have been somewhat muted. So far just a few solemn events in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia have noted the passing of the 150 years since the United States was ripped apart. It seems Americans are somewhat reluctant to scratch open the scabs over scars which in many respects remain fresh.

Not so here in Canada where before the defeat of the Government in April, Heritage Canada had earmarked a $100-Million budget for next year's events and celebrations marking the bi-centennial of the War of 1812. Fresh from this month's majority re-election in Parliament the Conservatives have indicated they will re-introduce the budget before the end of May; which this time will pass likely unamended.

A recent survey of American citizens commissioned by the Association For Canadian Studies(ACS); a group based in Montreal; has been measuring cross-border attitudes ahead of the government's kick-start of the War of 1812 celebrations. A spokesman for the Association claims the bicentennial will provide a good opportunity to explore the important "interconnectedness" of our histories and how we've evolved together.

It's clear that the Federal Government through Heritage Canada and many various other historical and parks organizations it will fund, wants to attract as many American tourists as possible north of the border to join in this momentous event 200 years in the making. War remembrances tend to emphasize patriotic fervour. Our American cousins and business partners, still smarting from the "draw" of the Korean Conflict; the loss of Vietnam; and their interminable War on Terror in all of its manifestations (Iraq; Afghanistan; Libya; Yemen - take your pick) may be dazed, shocked and confused to learn they LOST the War of 1812.

That's not just a result of America's general decline in educational standards; but it is also because of the nature of the self-centered cultural influence of the mass media of the United States in all of its own manifestations from news organizations; its print and new media; and of course the film and television industry.

Ironically Heritage Canada's plan to shovel-out as much as $100-Million tax dollars to springboard a renewed dialogue with the United-States using the War of 1812 as catalyst arrives in the very breath that our own cultural industry is threatened with potentially massive funding cuts.

Under the pretext of reining-in it's $50-Billion annual deficit Mr. Harper's government indicated last fall that it intends to institute a strategic review of spending in all departments, including the CBC, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Council. And the Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, reiterated just this week that much of his deficit will be reduced by identifying departmental efficiencies. Before this month's Federal Election tensions between the industry's regulator; the CRTC; were already at a fever pitch all time high over "new media" regulations and funding, and the licensing of the right-wing "Sun News" channel to name just a couple of troubling issues.

Despite appearances singing Beatles' tunes during the most recent election campaign; Prime Minister Harper and for the most part the opposition politicians as well; steered clear of Canada's "cultural debate" in sharp contrast with Harper's infamous outburst of the 2008 campaign that ordinary people didn't care much about the rich artists who attend ritzy galas.

If in the upcoming "new" budget deliberations, it's a toss-up between spending $100-Million to promote the defeat of our American friends in the War of 1812 or saving Canada's beloved diverse culture and its supporting industry - I vote for the latter. The Federal Government can take solace in letting our iconic coffee giant "Tim Hortons" do the talking for us down south of the border. At no cost to the Canadian government our "Timmy's" has just recently re-branded itself in the United States as "Tim Hortons Cafe and Bake Shop(s)" and sales in the first 3 months of the year shot-up five percent. That is clearly a culture understood in America.

OH SAY, CAN'T YOU SEE?

Mid-March and spring breakers are flocking to the beaches of the State of Florida. Numbers released just recently covering 2010, estimated that more than 3.1 Million Canadians visited the "Sunshine State".

If the Florida tourism marketing numbers are accurate, that would be an increase of 16% over 2009. One delighted state official explained the surprising increase: "In times when people are challenged financially they tend to fall back on things that are comfortable and reliable and trusted; and to a lot of Canadians Florida is that kind of destination."



The United States needs spring breakers and snowbirds as never before. The strong Canadian currency obviously combined with the related spending south of the border these recent winter months are critical in helping hard pressed sunbelt communities to regain their footing. The south's economic numbers, Florida's especially, are staggering: More than 80% (81% to be exact) of all mortgages exceed the value of the home by an average of 138%. As many as half of mortgage loans are two-months (or more) delinquent, and the State's rate of unemployment remains above 11%.

Worldwide competition for Canada's tourism dollars abroad is increasingly aggressive. Cuba, Mexico, the Caribbean, Portugal and Spain have been specifically targeting Canadian winter visitors to their shores.

Citizens of the Great White North have been less than enthusiastic embracing the Federal Government's proposal to soften America's terrorism-paranoia fueled thickening of our mutual border with a so-called "Perimeter Security" arrangement touted by Prime-Minister Harper and President Obama at the end of January. Canadians have been particularly miffed by the Obama Administration's subsequent effort to impose a duty on Canadians crossing the border by air (and/or sea)as a means of financing additional Homeland Security measures. The Obama proposal followed within days of the Prime Minister's visit to Washington.

In addition to the shorter more "active" vacation trips south across our International border, as many as half-a-million Canadian "snowbirds" spend three months or more each winter season in the States of Florida, Arizona, Texas and California. Each is an important underpinning in the economy of those respective states.

They say good fences make good neighbours. Though it's natural for occasional tensions to surface; we're blessed to share the North American Continent. In the course of our history together over more than two centuries we have developed the strongest trading partnership and one of the best international friendships on the planet.

Sometimes the things we do as neighbours are perplexing: Imposing a "Homeland Security Tax" on Canadians travelling to the USA is one of those things. Another may be the Harper Government's proposal to earmark $100-Million from coast to coast next year for the bi-centennial of the War of 1812. Just as with Perimeter Security, Canadians may be somewhat lukewarm to spending so much tax money commemorating the event. I suspect our American neighbours won't be terribly happy to be reminded they were defeated, their Capital sacked and the White House burned to the ground during the war.

SOME OF THIS; QUITE A BIT OF THAT!

JIMMY WASN'T ALL BAD: T'was just a few days back that I raised departing Florida Governor Charlie Crist's determination to seek a full pardon for the sins of Jim Morrison, the late frontman of "The Doors". (See: "HAVE ROOM IN THERE FOR JIMI AND JANIS TOO? / Nov. 19) Governor Crist has raised eyebrows worldwide with the plan to pardon Morrison for a couple of convictions 40 years ago following a ruckus concert in Miami on March 1, 1969. Turns-out that Jim Morrison also studied at Florida State University in Tallahassee beginning in 1961; and he was a pretty decent student. Morrison's father is a staunch defendant of his late musician son. He claims his famous son was a good student who "respected authority." Transcripts released by the University bear him out: In 1961 Jim Morrison received mostly A(s) and B(s) in Acting, Philosophy and many other classes. He received C(s) in sciences and "did not complete" his Spanish course.

IF TODAY'S WAR EFFORTS AREN'T SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH: On a few occasions over the past several months, I've raised the conflicted spectre of re-enactments and various events which will commemorate the upcoming 200th Anniversary of the "War of 1812." It seems that Canadian and British historians have major differences with their American counterpart over the significance - and sometimes the outcome - of the failed U.S. invasion of British North America (Canada) and the battles which were fought mostly along the waterways of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River system. But before those battlefields are "bloodied" again by re-enactors in 18 months or so; it seems that the U.S. government may have already run out of cash to support any mock war efforts. April 12, 2011 marks the 150th Anniversary of the first shot of the American Civil War and plans have been in the works for years to commemorate the sesquicentennial from Fort Sumter in South Carolina and pretty much until the spring of 2015 all along the eastern seaboard states where the war was fought. Hit by turbulent financial problems both the states involved: The Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia, along with several others; and the Federal Government are denying (or have significantly restricted) funds to mark the occasion. It may be all for the best - As one Virginia representative put it: "We're not out to celebrate anything. There's nothing to celebrate when three-quarters of a million men died."

THE UNUSUAL DISAPPEARANCES OF THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE: The earliest allegations about the mysteries of the "Devil's Triangle" didn't really surface until about 5 years after the occurrence of the most significant event. It's been 65 years this week that Flight 19, five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers, vanished off the face of the earth in the midst of an otherwise uneventful afternoon training mission out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The mysterious tragedy of Flight 19 has been recounted in numerous articles and more significantly in the books; "Limbo Of The Lost" (1969), "The Bermuda Triangle" (1974), and "The Devil's Triangle" (1974) which raised elements of the supernatural related to the December 5, 1945 disappearance of the bombers as well as the subsequent crash of a seaplane sent out to look for them. Though the U.S. Coast Guard, responsible for the well-being of the waters of the "triangle" is..."officially skeptical" of its existence others (it seems) have a clearer perception: Based on the transcripts of the radio messages received from the "Lost Patrol" which includes the flight leader saying: "We are entering white water, nothing seems right. We don't know where we are, the water is green, no white" - The 1946 Navy Board of Inquiry into the incident concluded that the planes..."flew off to Mars."

ONE TIN SOLDIER...

At the eleventh hour; of the eleventh day; of the eleventh month...
WE "WILL REMEMBER" THEM:



In tribute of, and memory to, the millions who have served Canada in war:
The Boer wars - World War I - World War II - Korea - Afghanistan

And in the noblest of our professions, "Peacekeeper" to the world (1956-2010):
Suez - Congo - West New Guinea - Cyprus - Middle East - Syria - Lebanon - Sinai - Namibia - Western Sahara - Croatia - Somalia - Haiti - Rwanda - Bosnia & Herzegovina - Central African Republic - East Timor - Kosovo - Ethiopia & Eritrea - Sudan - Darfur.

May there soon be Peace on earth!

NOTES FROM AWAY

Lest regulars despair; some brief notes from "a way" as they say here in Canada's Atlantic coast provinces of those born here who've subsequently left for other parts of the world...

THE GREAT ROADS: Into my 7th decade after being born in New Brunswick I marvel at the state of the provincial highway system. A northwest-to-southeast crossing of the province which took frequently more than one day in the 1960's is now done in about 5 hours, on modern high-speed autoroutes. Locals have dubbed it the "drive-through province" as hardly anyone stops anymore to take-in the majestic St. John River Valley and the forests green beyond what the eye can completely take in.

CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP: The President of my Alma mater, St. Thomas University's Dr. Dennis Cochrane, has been seconded to the "transition team" forming the Progressive-Conservative government of Premier David Alward which was elected on Monday. In an earlier post this summer I wrote about Dr. Cochrane after being introduced to him at a social function. A life long Progressive-Conservative, he was the party's leader in New Brunswick in the tumultuous period which followed the departure of the iconic Richard Hatfield. Of Dr. Cochrane at the time it was said - He was just "too nice" to ever be elected Premier. He wasn't. Though I am absolutely sure he'll make a terrific transition chief for New Brunwick's newest Premier.

THE FUN IN FLYING: Once upon a time in the "Golden Age" of aviation, one flew to and from New Brunswick on the country's sole flagship carrier: Trans-Canada Airlines (now Air Canada). I remember flying in and out of Fredericton on Vickers 'Viscount" and "Vanguard" aircraft, the latest innovation in turbo-prop aviation. On thing that has occurred in the ensuing half-century (or more) is that competition grew...flying got worse. Though it flies only to Moncton; this time I chose Canada's upstart short-haul carrier "Porter Airlines" - Dubbed "Flying refined". Somehow, so far, they've managed to recapture some of those earlier expectations and pleasures, including in-terminal passenger lounges, modern aircraft, and smiling on-board personnel. I wish them well as the older carriers deal with the new "little guy" in the sky.

I AM HERE: You may be tempted to ask: You are there, because? Oh aw right! One of my life's single most defining experiences was walking into the studios of Radio UNB, the Fredericton campus radio station as a St. Thomas freshman in September of 1965. Just barely four years old, the very small radio station (the studio was a converted broom closet) was a buzzing enthusiastic entertainment centre as the music of The Beatles, Motown and others erupted on the world's stage in a city that then had just one private radio station, CFNB. It had dominated the "airwaves" since signing-on in 1922. CFNB is gone - But Radio UNB (now CHSR-FM) lives on. This weekend, we mark it's 50th birthday...I just had to be here!

Native Maritimers who are now "from away", never really leave. We just borrow time elsewhere for a while. Canada's east coast is just that way. Amen!

FUNNY THING ABOUT HISTORY

It's the "dog days" of August and I hope that one may be forgiven for lightening on the Blog Load, or at least on its content. A reflective piece I read recently titled "How Many Times Can We Come Of Age" focused on the media's coverage of the annual July First Canada Day festivities, marked this year by the visit of The Queen to Ottawa.

At long last it seems after 143 years; that pundits, editorial writers, commentators concurred that the country has "come of age!" It's a story that we've been telling ourselves for quite some time. John Mazerolle who wrote the piece doesn't quite buy into the scenario. He believes we cling to a perpetual Canadian humility..."then claim we're newly proud every time anything noteworthy happens." There is perhaps something worthy about that conclusion. Maybe it's true: Clinging to a national myth of humility makes it easy to pat ourselves on the back for accomplishing things that really don't matter all that much.

Mazerolle says instead, we are incredibly smug and he likens being Canadian to a..."self-satisfied guy, who smirks to himself and wonders when everyone will notice how awesome he is". The "Confederation" of 1867, celebrated on July first, may be just one of those events we've convinced ourselves firmed-up our Canadian national identity: The list is nebulous and varies according to one's background, education and interests - Vimy Ridge, the Wars, Expo '67, Paul Henderson's 1972 goal, Olympic hockey gold, even the occasional mention on American network television all seem to bolster the national consensus that we're really better than anyone else...It's just that the world, (especially the United-States) has not quite noticed.

In fact another tempest in a teapot with the moniker "coming of age" may be brewing just around the corner: It seems a group of history pundits and advocates are trying to get their hands on the original "British North America Act," essentially Canada's birth certificate. The document which was adopted by the British Parliament in 1867 reposes in the archives of Great Britain. A former national archivist for Canada, Ian Wilson, says his group is inspired by the 1988 Australian battle with Britain over the century old legislation that made Australia an independent country.

In 1988, Australia arranged to borrow its document to celebrate a national anniversary and subsequently refused to return it to London. The move prompted some British Parliamentarians to accuse the Australians of..."conniving for accepting...a loan and then hanging on for dear life to what is rightfully ours."

Our Canadian promoters want Britain to "lend" us the British North America Act to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. What happens after that...Well, it could pretty well be any one's guest?

A noble endeavour perhaps. But, I think we're full of it: John Mazerolle likely would agree!

DUDE! YOU CAN'T "HANG TEN" ON THE TIDAL BORE

As a university student in the mid-sixties, I worked several summers at the New Brunswick Tourist Information kiosk on the Trans-Canada Highway near Edmundston: Gateway to our fabled Maritime Provinces.

Jeepers! I just realized most among you weren't then born. I am old and given to digressions - Picture this: It was as America's west coast surfing craze was launching riding on a wave of Orange County, California music from the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean and The Surfaris.

I did not experience the event; but even in the absence of today's instant social media; a prominent story making the round of tourist counsellors was of the tourist(s) arriving toting surf-boards ready to ride the Peticodiac River's 'Tidal Bore.' A tidal bore, essentially a curly wave flowing against the river's current, forms on the Peticodiac as it is forced each day to reverse flow by the massive tides of the Bay of Fundy which can top 15 meters. (50 feet) - Human progress in the form of the building of a causeway in 1968 across the river reduced the "Bore" to a pitiful trickle. Lest I digress once more: My fellow Maritimers will know that four months ago the causeway's gates were re-opened for the first time in 42 years and that the Tidal Bore is making a remarkable come back. Last month's peak Fundy tide on July 15th brought-out a record crowd of camera buffs to watch it roll-in. (Still no word on surfers though!)

Every day, the equivalent of the outflow of every river on the planet passes in and out of the Bay of Fundy. The Tidal Bore is just one of the recurring phenomenon of the Bay's high tidal range...In the quest for world tidal dominance; they are the strongest and the highest, period!





Fundy's extreme tidal range, in addition to the Tidal Bore, cause the St. John River to reverse flow through a series of rapids, the famous Reversing Falls, through a gorge in the middle of the City of Saint John. And, eroded rock formations at Hopewell Cape allow stunned visitors to walk on the bottom of the ocean at low tide.

The Bay of Fundy and its ecological wonders have been designated finalists in a current world-wide search for "The New 7 Wonders of Nature." - The Seven Wonders Foundation, based in Switzerland, started with 440 sites in a competition launched now a few years back. The initial list has whittled-down to just 28 finalists. The Bay of Fundy is the only Canadian of two North American competitors to make the finals. The other finalist from the continent is The Grand Canyon. And, Fundy and the U.S. Canyon are amongst a group of impressive, worthy competitors: The Amazon Rain Forest; Ayers Rock (Australia) and Mount Vesuvius just to name-drop a few.

In a rare show of national unity last week at the annual conference of Canadian Premiers, the Premiers of New Brunswick, Shawn Graham, and Nova Scotia, Darrell Dexter, received even rarer unanimous and uncontentious support for our natural wonder..."today we're calling upon Canadians from coast to coast to vote for the Bay of Fundy in this international competition as one of the natural seven wonders of the world." - Reads the unanimous motion. The heads of the provincial and territorial governments have also agreed to post a video on-line; make statements in their Legislative Assemblies and encourage residents to take part in the voting.

The choice of the "New Seven Wonders" will be finalized and announced on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11)! Fundy's got my vote.

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT

My home and native land...I have a neighbour here in central Florida who reminds me on occasion that there are more people living in California than in all of the world's second largest country: Canada.

Last fall as I escaped eastern Ontario's 2009/10 winter that never was; I noted on these pages that it's useful and appropriate sometimes to view ourselves as others see us: In this case the large powerful southern neighbour with whom we share most of the North American continent.

Though not all of the following observations are as our American cousins necessarily see us. - As I prepare my return journey north I feel a need to reconcile the differences and contradictions about Canada that seem easier to observe from somewhere else than on our native soil.

- Americans cringe and complain about western Canada's "dirty" tar-sands. Oil extracted in Alberta accounts for about 30% of U.S. consumption each day...and they ignore the dirtiest of coal mining practices on their soil. An industry which most of the developed world abandoned during the last century.

- A Washington based lobby group: "Defenders of Wildlife" which counts many Canadians amongst its members, agitates against wolf and polar bear hunting in the north. A friend and university contemporary from the 1970's; - and current resident of Nunavut,- boasts on FaceBook that his "son got his first wolf".

- Europe recoils after The Governor-General, Michaelle Jean, eats raw seal meat while participating in an Inuit ceremony. The same Governor-General in 2006 awarded the multi-Grammy and Juno Award winner, Sarah McLachlan, the "Order of Canada". Sarah McLachlan campaigns relentlessly in the U.S. in favour of animal welfare and against the annual seal hunt.

- The debate over health-care in the United-States is one of the most divisive and partisan in the country's history. Supporters acknowledge and praise Canada's superior universal medical system. One of Canada's highest profile provincial premiers, Danny Williams of Newfoundland & Labrador, travels to a Miami hospital for cardiac surgery.

- Fear of separatism scuttles a multi-billion dollar deal to sell New Brunswick's power corporation to Hydro Quebec. Jacques Parizeau who led the separatist forces in the 1995 referendum and; then blamed..."money and the ethnic vote" for his loss; checks himself into Montreal's Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital for medical treatment.

-Two young Canadians who hoisted a red Maple-Leaf on a California flag-pole in boisterous celebration of the Vancouver Olympic Games are charged with desacrating the U.S. Stars and Stripes they pulled down in the process.

Think we're conflicted? Maybe that's what makes being Canadian so damned fascinating, worthwhile and interesting. Here's looking forward to "road stories" to pass along from the drive back home in a few days.

UNCLE SAM'S SHAMEFUL LITTLE PROBLEM

So un-Canadian was our "Rah-Rah Boosterism" during Vancouver's Olympic Games that both the publisher and a sports columnist at the Fort-Worth (Texas) "Star-Telegram" daily, have been compelled to publicly apologize for an article that compared our patriotism to that of Hitler's Berlin Olympics of 1936.

Meantime, in a show of our usual polite curiosity; Calgarians welcomed American media superstar and former Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin to her first venture outside of the "homeland" at the BMO Centre on Saturday evening.

Events and activities that gloss-over a seething near boiling point, right-wing rage that is creeping at alarming rate into the soul of the United-States. Which (unless checked) has the potential to engulf the entire continent. A rage which experts describe as being fueled by anger over changing demographics, soaring public debt, and initiatives by the Obama Administration that have been branded by Ms. Palin and (sadly) too many others as "socialists" or "fascists"! A rage slowly surfacing through recent desperate acts of vengeance: Flying a private aircraft into the IRS Office in Austin, Texas...or even more recently shooting-up the front lobby of Washington's Pentagon Building.

These acts embody expressions of uncontrolled vengeance and rage against authority which Americans thought their nation had abandoned in the wake of the sad homegrown terrorist bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995 which claimed 168 people. "Patriot Movement" follower: Timothy McVeigh, was convicted and executed for the bombing. His co-conspirators: Terry Nichols, is serving 168 life-terms, while Michael Fortier was sentenced to 12 years and is now in the "witness protection program" for having testified against McVeigh and Nichols.

A report release last week by the Southern Poverty Law Center paints an alarming picture of a massive resurgence in the "Patriot Militia Movement" which, it claims, has registered a 244% increase in the number of..."active patriot(militia)groups in 2009." There were 149 recognized active "groups" during the Presidential election year 2008. By year's end 2009 there were 512 according to the report which is titled: "Rage On The Right".

Sarah Palin's politics as a de facto leader of the American right-wing "Tea Party," which advocates fiscal restraint and smaller government, pale compared to Fox News mouthpiece, Florida born Glenn Beck; and Minnesota Republican Congresswoman, Michele Bachman. The "Rage On The Right" report cites both as..."people with large audiences"...whom it blames for promoting the current wave of the Patriot Movement.

Here in Florida, the Southern Poverty Law Center report identified 51 Patriot Militia groups; third highest number of groups in the nation. (Texas has 66 - California 60). Little wonder that the State of Florida has experienced a three-fold increase in applications for permits to carry concealed handguns; while gun shops face shortages in ammunition. Anecdotal evidence of a fear fueled by 8 years of national paranoia in the wake of the 9/11 attacks...a paranoia which many blame on the Bush Administration.

It is against this as a backdrop that the promises and the optimism of the Obama Administration are in peril of being evaporated.

CLASH OF TITANS

After Sunday's Olympic Gold performance, the New York Times' description of the game concluded that..."Canadians, weary of being considered an outpost of the British Crown or a conquered territory of American pop culture, see hockey as a way to define themselves on their terms."

Perhaps somewhat unlike our performance in the Olympics, we natives of the northern side of the continent's border may have to walk a less aggressive tightrope when it comes to our next clash with American titans.

Last fall, the Chair of Canada's Battlefields Commission, Andre Juneau, stepped-down in the wake of a summer controversy over cancelled plans to re-enact the historic "Battle of the Plains of Abraham" in Quebec City on its 250th anniversary. Numerous plans are already in the works for re-enactments and other celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Canada's victory in the "War of 1812" in less than a couple of years.

The problem is that our American neighbours have a decidedly different perspective about the outcome of that 200 year old confrontation. I have written about this before. It's not just Johnny Horton's iconic 1959 tune "The Battle of New Orleans"...Connie Barrone, the Manager of the "Sackets' Harbor (New York) Historic Site" fueled America's creeping revisionism about the outcome of the war in the fall of 2008. Quoted in the "National Post", when it was pointed out to Ms Barrone that the USA lost the war, she replied: "Historical or aesthetic interpretation must be made by the viewer"...Read: It's in the eye of the beholder!

A six minute television short from the Olympics by NBC anchor Tom Brokaw to explain Canada to Americans went viral on "You Tube" (60,000 views in Canada so far). It's opening sequence is of the "Peace Arch" tribute to the War of 1812 - "May These Gates Never Be Closed". Despite defeats by Issac Brock with Laura Secord at Queenston Heights; the assault on Washington D.C. and the sacking of the White House on August 24, 1814; and the Battle at Crysler Farm, near Ottawa...or in spite of them American historians have concluded that the War of 1812 really just signals the "real" conclusion to the U.S. struggle for its autonomy from the British begun with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. That's where we disagree.

From Gettysburg, to Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Richmond and at virtually every historic battlefield, our American cousins revel in re-enacting significant moments of their history. The next Olympic Winter Games in 2014 in Sochi may conceivably play host to a rematch of Sunday's Vancouver game. It's over the years in between that we may struggle not to offend.

BLINDED BY PARTISANSHIP

Perhaps it is in the nature of our political system. It seems that there is a certain ill-conceived herd mentally that surfaces at times when partisans are blinded by following their misguided principles.

How else to explain that a tactician as brilliant as Stephen Harper (At least as some pundits would have it) gets blindsided by the "gotcha" politics popular with the followers of the ultra-conservative movement of the American south, and so obviously abhorant to Canadians?

A lesson which clearly fell on deft-ears just a year ago when a fit of the same tactics (A spiteful measure designed to curtail funding to political parties) ultimately resulted in Mr. Harper begging for mercy at the Governor-General's door in order to save the Tories from unprecedented humiliation by a coalition of opposition politicians.

Prorogation round two this time 'round obviously has struck the same discordant chord with Canadians. As protests mount the "doctors o' spin" at Mr. Harper's behest have fired-up all eights into overtime (once again) to explain away this political miscalculation; Nay - Faux Pas!

Commentators better than I have suggested that the decision to prorogue the House at mid-session was a Prime Ministerial "gotcha" to Micheal Ignatieff's ill conceived September Sudbury bluff to defeat the Tories and force an election. Be that as is may, Harper's acknowledged reason of a couple of weeks back - Peace and Good Government during the Winter Olympics - has now hastily evaporated in favour of the pressing need to "consult with Canadians" in the early stages of our nation's challenging economic recovery. A recovery doutless made longer by the $60-Billion debt Mr. Harper's own government has managed to saddle us with in just one year...But, I digress. As that sorry excuse sours on Canadians, the "doctors o' spin" will surely pull-out another from their bottomless (or should that be topless?) magic hat o' tricks. Oye!

The fact is that next month's Winter Olympic Games may be Mr. Harper's best hope to recover from this latest blunder. Should the games go well for Canada: In our usual national outpouring of patriotism over whatever "Gold Medals" Canadian athletes achieve; we'll be ready to forgive the discord that plagues our venerable Parliamentary institutions. Though, as World Junior Championship Hockey showed just recently; all bets are off, and achievements soon forgotten if the "gold" count turns out disappointing once more.

Just for good measure: The PM may want to wait for the medal count before packing the Senate Chamber with Tory cronies.

NOT AN OH/NINE RETROSPECTIVE

The Canadian Press has found it in its heart to name the Prime Minister its "Newsmaker Of The Year" - Not that it was a resounding vote mind you, Mr. Harper getting the nod from just 24% of the journalists who cast ballots in the annual year end poll.

The low support is indicative perhaps that less than 18 months ago in the September 2008 election campaign the P.M. pledged that there would be "no recession" in Canada...and much less absolutely no Federal Budget "deficit" - Lest we forget! Now it seems the Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is promising to take an axe and cut deep to balance the massive $60-billion deficit we've inherited from that broken commitment.

There has been much speculation about whether Mr. Harper will prorogue the House of Commons. Introduce a new "Speech From The Throne". Deal with Mr. Flaherty's anticipated budget expected in March; and perhaps even a spring Federal Election. This once: I leave the "speculatin'" to other pundits.

What seems clear to me is that on the eve of the second decade of this 21st Century our Canada stands poised to capture the world's attention with a cornucopia of blessed opportunities we have likely (in fact) never witnessed before. What we Canadians, primarily the politicians we've elected to represent us, make of these unprecedented opportunistic blessings will herald a significant direction for our nation, setting the tone perhaps for the remainder of the still young century.

TO WIT:

First: The world will focus on Canada early in 2010, when we host the winter Olympic Games in Vancouver/Whistler. Around the same time, the United-Nations` General Assembly in New York is likely to select Canada to fill one of the vacant seats on the "Security Council". A Security Council seat is an honour bestowed on Canada in each decade since Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize ending the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956.

Then; the world`s most powerful nations, the G-8, will gather in Huntsville, Ontario in June. And the G-20, the heads of the planet`s twenty strongest economies, will gather in Toronto a few days later. The Queen comes to Canada in late June. Her Majesty will be present to honour celebration of the country`s 143rd birthday in Ottawa on July the first. And, before September`s end, Mr. Harper will select and recommend to the Queen her new personal representative at Rideau Hall for the next several years.

The dawn of the second decade of the new millennium: This 2010 AD is, it seems, Canada`s unprecedented opportunity to shine, contribute and leave a worthwhile legacy of note from our generation to the world. An unprecedented opportunity for the leaders elected by us to set aside petty political partisanship, rise above the lowest common denominator, and validate our proud citizenship. We should demand and expect nothing less in return for the trust and support we bestow on the politicians we elect.

WAR'S LASTING LEGACY

The clamor over assessing blame for the chaos of the H1N1 Flu immunization efforts has dimmed media's attention to the war effort in Afghanistan. Though sadly the recent deaths of two more Canadian military personnel has not erased the Afghan issue from coverage in the national dailies and the network newscasts.

Canada's grim total of war dead inches ever so closely to 140, and the number of injured Canadians exceeds over 500. Astounding numbers considering our rotational commitment of troops on the ground in Afghanistan has never exceeded 2,500 soldiers. On a per capita basis, Canadian casualties in the war are the worse of any of the NATO partners.

Amidst frequent American media reminders that he was elected on promises to bring home the troops from America's two war fronts (Iraq / Afghanistan) President Obama hesitates, mulls and dithers about complying with requests from his military commanders to send in as many as 40,000 additional troops. Any substantial growth in America's commitment to Afghanistan will intensify pressure on Canadian authorities to soften our firm resolve to "get out of there" by the end of February 2011. Politicians, including Prime-Minister Harper and the Minister of Defence, Peter MacKay, have already hinted that somehow we'll remain committed to the Afghan war though not in a combat role. Despite dwindling public support for the mission, They appear to argue somewhat differently than the firm position in the Parliamentary debates which led to extending the deployment to 2011 in the first place.

At whatever point and on whatever terms Canada finally calls it quits on Afghanistan its legacy will extend far beyond the generation of young men and women who have served the effort. Entering the annual solemn week of remembrance which will culminate with the tributes that mark the November 11th end of the "War to End All Wars", Canadians can ponder Great Britain's grim legacy of recent military commitments in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq, and (like us) Afghanistan: - A report prepared by the National Association of Probation Officers of the United-Kingdom confirms that 10% of Britain's prison population (8,500 prisoners) are veterans of the country's recent war deployments. The alarming report notes further that in total, about 20,000 veterans most of whom suffer from chronic alcohol or drug related problems; and many with post-traumatic stress disorder are in prison, on parole or on probation.

The stress, fatigue and mental anguish of those involved directly in war's theatre are real, long lasting and frequently debilitating. Fifteen active-duty members of the Canadian military took their own lives in 2008 versus 11 confirmed suicides in 2007. The real numbers are higher because our country does not track suicides among Canadian military reservists though they too serve 6 month rotations in southern Afghanistan.

It's seems ironic that Canada's Justice Minister, Rob Nicholson, advocates increased penalties and longer jail terms for chronic criminals when there is compelling evidence that down the road, perhaps too soon, a substantial number of Canada's prison population could be made-up of the men and women the nation first sent to serve a failing overseas war effort.

ADRIFT IN THE COSMOS

Strange as it seems when billionaire Guy Laliberte takes-off from Russia on his scheduled September 30 flight to the International Space Station, he could potentially forever be the last known Canadian to blast into space.

Despite its $350-million budget, the Canadian Space Agency based in the Montreal suburb of St. Hubert, is seemingly bereft of any viable plans for future human travel despite selecting two new "astronauts" to join its current stable just two and a half months ago.

Guy Laliberte is the founder/owner of "Cirque du Soleil". The former Montreal "fire-eater", aged 49, has forked-over $35-million to the Russians to become their, and the world's 7th space tourist. He'll board the workhorse Russian supply ship "Soyuz MTS" headed for 12 days to the Space Station at the end of September. Canadian Bob Thirsk, currently on board the I.S.S. also hopped a Russian "Soyuz" to get there. He's due back on earth late in November aboard Shuttle Mission STS-129, one of the very few U.S. space flights remaining. The entire Space Shuttle program is being dismantled come September of next year...therein lies Canada's problem, and the seminal reason our space agency has no future manned flights on its calendar though it is probably desperate to get its hook into one.

America's next venture into space is the "Orion" project and its anticipated first manned flight of between 4 and 6 Astronauts is not expected until 2015. May I hasten to add, Canada hasn't been invited. The sad facts are that despite the glowing coverage of our Canadian media, we've never been much more than a bit player in the conquest of space. We've been indoctrinated into believing our robotics contribution - Canadarm 1, Canadarm 2, and Dextre - are essential to every mission. Unlike some of the elements of other Space Station partners: Russia, Japan, the European Union...to everyone else, in particular the Americans; Canadarm is the shuttle's "robot arm," never mind the red maple leaf on its side.

Next week when enthusiasts mark the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the "Avro Jetliner" in Toronto; just as a few weeks back on the 40th of man's conquest of the moon; we can again remind ourselves that it's our damned fault if Canada has become but a hitchhiker depending on the goodwill of others to advance our own exploration of space and its related technologies.

When the "Avro Jetliner" project was cancelled, and ten years later when the Diefenbaker government scuttled the CF-105 - Avro Arrow - developed by the same Toronto based R.V. Roe Ltd. aircraft designers, engineers and employees; the best of the company's brains marched-on off across the border to lead NASA's manned space programs. (Including Mercury, Apollo and those flights to the moon). Thereby striking a death blow to Canada's acknowledged world leadership in jet and rocket aircraft technology. Good Grief! Too bad then no politician had the sense to fear Canada's brain trust being lost abroad as they do now about Nortel's patents falling into Swedish hands.

Until convinced otherwise, I remain pessimistic that we'll somehow enhance that minuscule role we've inherited in space exploration because of some ill-conceived 50 year old notion from our politicians of the era that our southern Uncle Sam would have "our back" in times of need. Come to think of it: Maybe it's fitting that a circus clown, albeit a billionaire one, could be our last triumph into space.

IGNORANT BUT PATRIOTIC

I am unsure about whether living in the nation's capital city for more than a quarter century is an advantage, or a disadvantage?

For sure, it's a mighty pretty city in the summer; frigidly cold in winter...thus typically Canadian I suppose. What I do know is that in the 26 years I have lived here, I have encountered an unmistakable renewal: Nay! - A rebirth of Canadian pride and patriotism. Those of my generation are too young to recall the specifics of Canada's seminal coming of age on the overseas battlefields of the two great wars of the 20Th Century. My sense though is that the current wave of patriotic fervor probably closely resembles that which led countless numbers of young people to volunteer for the life altering adventures of the World Wars I and II. Lest I digress: Not that I wish for a recurrence of, or worse a 21St Century version of either.

I am not quite sure just when this rebirth occurred, or how, and what for that matter has made it so. Surely through my teen aged years and into young adulthood - The "flower children" age from the mid-1960's through the "me generation" stages leading into the 1980's - Even with such noteworthy events as the flag debate; the country's Centennial and the Expo '67 celebrations; the Summer Olympics of 1976...surely there were elements of pride. But, hardly sentimental nor patriotic and fretful about the nation's well being.

If I had to choose a time for this mass rebirth of our patriotism it would probably involve the summer and fall of 2000...The dawn of the new millennium: Something changed I noticed in May of 2000 when tens of thousands of Canadians turned-out to welcome back unto Canadian soil the remains of the "unknown" from the bloody European battlefields of of the "war to end all wars." By September, the passing of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau evoked the same kind of national outpouring. Hundreds of thousands mourned his loss...tens of thousands lined the railroad tracks along which travelled the funeral train from Ottawa to Montreal.

I have seen it since: On "Remembrance Day", each November 11Th, where despite the ageing of our Veterans, the crowds grow larger each year...Sadly, I see it all too frequently along the "Highway of Heroes" - Ontario's Highway #401 - from Trenton to Toronto - as the bodies of young Canadians are repatriated from that distant Afghan conflict. And - On each July 1st, the country's birthday, when ever increasing numbers of Canadians each year show-off their colours, their patriotism, their love of country from one coast, to the other, to the other!

So I am ambivalent at best each summer when polling organizations publish results of surveys declaring that Canadians are shockingly ignorant about their land. Two such polls last week: An Ipsos-Reid Poll for the Dominion Institute and a Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey heralded the headlines: "Canadians Left Guessing When Identifying Nation's Top 10 Cultural Icons"...and: "Poll Reveals Canadians' Widespread Ignorance of Canada". - Look! They're probably right: Most Canadians probably find it easier to identify Michael Jackson than Sir John A. Or; given the sunken level of Parliamentary debate in this land. It isn't surprising that just a third of us can name Paul Martin as our previous Prime-Minister.

Just as I see from my neighbours at the winter residence I am fortunate to maintain in the American south...It's really how you feel about your homeland that matters. Not necessarily what you know. And you know what? I'll bet the young people who answered the nation's call to battle in the two "Great" wars of the last century probably wouldn't have done any better than we did on those surveys.