Woe Canada: Patriotism and Political Correctness in the great White North
Originally Published on Blue Like You: Conservative Musings
Today on Canada Day, the Toronto Sun features a debate between Lorrie Goldstein and Paul Berton titled Whoa Canada, which discusses possible reasons for a supposed lack of patriotism among some Canadian demographics.
However, a recent Harris-Decima poll found that a clear majority of Canadians are very proud of their country:
The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey asking Canadians
to rank their pride in Canada on a scale of one to 10 found 57 per cent
gave it the highest mark.Another 25 per cent gave it an eight or a nine, while just 3 per cent ranked their pride lower than a five.
Personally, I can’t think of a country I’d rather live in. However,
there are concerns bubbling under the surface that require our
attention. Jeffrey Simpson’s Globe editorial hones in on some issues that seem to be taboo in Canadian society today:
…Is it boredom, political correctness, entrenched
self-interest, self-satisfaction or moral superiority that creates so
many no-fly zones for debate in this curious country?
There is the sacred cow of supply management in agriculture about
which no politician will utter the faintest moo of criticism.
Immigration is doing more to change and challenge Canada than any other
development, yet we can’t seem to debate it, even though the evidence
is piling up that immigration isn’t working as well for the country as
it once did. One province, Alberta, is becoming so much richer than the
rest that it will strain all sorts of federal policies, but we can’t
talk about it.Nor can there be a debate about medicare. Canada’s system ranks
somewhere in the middle of the health-care pack in international
studies, yet Canadians cling to it fervently and believe it to be the
best in the world.We can’t use “productivity” without instilling fear and loathing in
the public. Competition is a dirty sort of word. The native reserve
system is taboo for debate….
One issue that he seems to have overlooked is the threat to our freedom of speech which is at the very heart of democracy. Rex Murphy considers the ongoing HRC fiasco the most under-reported story of the year.
It is indeed disturbing that this Conservative government has taken
so long to acknowledge the problem, although some MPs seem to be
opening their eyes lately. It is ironic though that it look a Liberal
private member’s motion to focus Parliament’s attention on this
travesty.
However, we now have Liberal Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty trying to subsidize and streamline the process to encourage even more complaints at taxpayer expense!
And where is the outrage, Canada?
Or are we already so browbeaten by the PC Police that we no longer have a voice?
Are we being forced to be tolerant? Have they really been
successful in changing our thoughts, or are we just too afraid to open
our mouths any more?
So on this Canada Day, please consider how much complacency and fear
are threatening to destroy this beautiful country that we hold so dear.
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Update: For a more light-heartened look at Canada Day, check out ChuckerCanuk.
Live broadcasting of Canada Day events this afternoon from Parliament Hill.
1:30 pm - Blue Rodeo onstage.
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A Canada Day resolution: Don’t let your politicians do your thinking for you .
And how about that Morgentaler guy for Order of Canada, eh?
…Strangely, both Morgentaler and last year the architect
of homosexual ‘marriage’ in Canada were awarded the nation’s highest
honor under the Conservative Government…
Liz from Three Bright Stars chose this article from Blue Like You: Conservative Musings, written by Joanne (aka True Blue), a Conservative supporter who is also not a big fan of Dalton McGuinty. Joanne is just a regular right-leaning Canadian woman using my blog to vent about issues that upset me - especially politics. You can subscribe to her blog here.
Editor
Liz BrightStars
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July 14th, 2008
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Category:
Author- Blue Like You: Conservative Musings, Canada, Channel- Politics, Conservativism, Current Affairs, Editor- Liz ThreeBrightStars, Liberal, Nationalism, Patriotism, Political Correctness, Politics, Tolerance
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Thanks, Blog Nosh, for including this post about Canada Day and Canadian politics. Looking forward to more Canadiana in the future!