Why is Canada Ruled by a Weird Government asks a British Journalist

I sent a letter to the editor several months ago, talking about how far to the right we had gone, and how that is being viewed by other nations.

I mentioned a quote from Brett Popplewell in the Star: "The word "Canada" is so reviled in some places that travelling Canadians mask their citizenship by wearing American flags on their caps and backpacks."

And from British journalist George Monbiot: "When you think of Canada, which qualities come to mind? The world's peacekeeper, the friendly nation ... decent, civilised, fair, well-governed? Think again. This country's government is now behaving with all the sophistication of a chimpanzee's tea party."

And another: Canadian journalist, Heather Mallick, now working abroad; wrote in the UK Guardian recently, in an article entitled It's embarrassing to be Canadian now: "Out of something as misty as mere indecision, Canadian voters have turned their country into a political freak show."

I remarked that: I feel like we are all living in a huge bunker, and the outside world is trying to slip warnings under the door, but we've been lulled into a trance by a Beatles song, and can no longer think for ourselves. And as we wander aimlessly, chanting 'guns, super prisons, photo-ops, war crimes, dirty oil and big cardboard cheques', the world is passing us by.

Why is this not registering? What don't people get? In four years Stephen Harper and his gang of misfits have turned us into a laughing stock.

Someone passed along this story on the CAPP board today, from a year ago; when the insane, 'should be a home', Jason Kenney; forbid the British MP George Galloway from entering the country because he might be a bad influence on us. Clearly Canadians are unable to think for ourselves, so whew! He saved us there.

The piece was written by Robert Fisk, Middle East correspondent of The Independent.

How could the Canadian embassy in London have believed Mr Galloway's food and medicine shipment to Gaza, made with Israel's agreement, and its delivery to the Hamas government was a "terrorist" act, even if Stephen Harper's Canadian government regards Hamas as a "terrorist organisation"?

Mr Galloway wasn't shipping guns and is touring the US with his anti-war, pro-Palestinian, non-terrorist speeches. "It's just not credible, Mr Kenney," Mr Galloway shouted, "to call a man touring the United States, playing to packed audiences... a terrorist or a security threat."

I think Jason Kenney just likes getting his name in the paper and the kooks who follow him around thought it made him look tough. They swooned. And as Mr. Frisk asks:

But the mystery is this: how did so many millions of decent Canadians come to be ruled by such a weird government?

Good question. If you find the answer Mr. Frisk, please let me know.