Dec. 1 - Mike from Halifax writes 99.99% of Nova Scotians don't protest Bush! There's a great deal more in the post including a link to an editorial in the Halifax Herald that makes some of the points about the history of the courageous and stalwart Canadian military that Keith made yesterday and commentary by the CBC on the speech.

The Halifax speech (text here) went over well. President Bush thanked Canadians for their hospitality in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and for their efforts in Afghanistan and Haiti. Despite predictions, I didn't detect any statement in U.S. foreign policy that deviated from past speeches. He made many of the same points here as he made both at Whitehall and at the U.N.: a declaration that freedom is the right of all people, that the focus on talk is insufficient if they aren't prepared to take action to enforce that talk, and gave a Canadian context to those points and to the right for taking pre-emptive action.

The speech was also more relaxed than that delivered at Whitehall, and he exhibited knowledge of one important key to Canadian hearts:

Paul and I share a great vision for the future: two prosperous, independent nations joined together by the return of NHL hockey.

When he thanked the Maritimers who opened their homes and hearts to travellers stranded on Sept. 11 he expressed it in terms of a personal thanks to the people who undertook that task rather than a government-to-government expression of gratitude. That is important, because the Canadian government itself was not involved in the massive efforts to find shelter and food for those travellers - it was a community effort, the kind that comes from open hearts that aren't in the habit of expecting the "government" to take care of things but stem from universal laws of hospitality, or, as my grandmother used to say, "that's what neighbours are for."

After some talk about NAFTA and trade relations between the two countries, he stressed those shared values from our British heritage (although he elided that last point!):

Our community of values reaches back centuries.

Canada and the U.S. may have disagreed on the wisdom of separating from the crown, but we've always agreed on the great principles of liberty derived from our common heritage.

We believe in the dignity of every human life. And we believe in the right of every person to live in freedom. We believe in free markets, humanized by compassion and fairness. We believe a diverse society can also be united by principles of justice and equality.

America always prefers to act with allies at our side. And we're grateful that Canada [is] working closely with us to confront the challenges of Iran and North Korea.

Multilateral organizations can do great good in the world.

Yet the success of multilateralism is measured not merely by following a process, but by achieving results. The objective of the U.N. and other institutions must be collective security, not endless debate. For the sake of peace, when those bodies promise serious consequences, serious consequences must follow.

America and Canada helped create the United Nations and because we remain committed to that institution, we want it to be more than a League of Nations. (Emphasis added)

In the early days of World War II, when the United States was still wrestling with isolationism, Canadian forces were already engaging the enemies of freedom across the Atlantic.

At the time, some Canadians argued that Canada had not been attacked and had no interest in fighting a distant war.

Your prime minister, Mackenzie King, gave this answer: "We cannot defend our country and save our homes and families by waiting for the enemy to attack us. To remain on the defensive is the surest way to bring the war to Canada."

Of course, we should protect our coasts and strengthen our ports and cities against attack.

But the prime minister went on to say, "We must also go out and meet the enemy before he reaches our shores. We must defeat him before he attacks us, before our cities are laid to waste."

Mackenzie King was correct then, and we must always remember the wisdom of his words today.

Posted by: Debbye at 03:54 PM | Comments (17) | Add Comment
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1 I just finished watching PBS' News Hour, where Gwen Ifell interviewed three Canadians for their views on the Bush visit. It was probably the sanest presentation of the Canadian viewpoint that I've come across to date. It'll probably show up soon at www.pbs.org/newshour/video/index.html

Posted by: Mike at December 01, 2004 08:03 PM (gyVbD)

2 I believe it will be a cold day in hell when Dubya backtracks or apologizes for going into Iraq so I'd advise against holding one's breath for that day. Re: the earlier post where you mention that some Canadians suggest that if there was oil in Sudan the U.S. would be in there. The fact is that there is oil in Sudan and its exploitation is contracted to China and France. There may be other countries involved too, but China and France are the major players there. Do you suppose that it's coincidence that they have blocked the UN from doing anything substantial about the situation there? The U.S. already is in Sudan. The Air Force is dropping food supplies to the refugees. Indeed we're providing twice as much humanitarian relief than the rest of the world combined. This fact will be generally ignored unless a supply drop crushes some poor refugee. Then we'll be bad and can be censured.

Posted by: StinKerr at December 01, 2004 08:19 PM (0aiy7)

3 Jesus Christ, this is too much of a train-wreck to even get into. All of you people who like George Bush are Pigfuckers. Now, I'm not saying that you fuck pigs (I'm sure some of you do), but I use that term just to illustrate the utter contempt that I have for you slack-jawed yokels. To me, you are exactly equal to someone who engages in sexual congress with farm animals. Logic does not seem to get through your thick skulls. Your people have made their agenda clear: they are anti-science; they are anti-choice; they are prohibitionist; they are warmongering; they are biggotted; and they are that peculiar brand of American Christian that finds everything not like itself hateful and to be despised. I will not stand by while you mumbling ignorant snake-handlers ruin the world because you cannot properly interpret a collection of poor English translations of 6,000 year old aramaic ghost stories. "BUT I'M NOT LIKE THAT!" You cry? Fuck you, because "your people," on whose behalf you are getting all huffy, ARE. I cannot take the self-assured bovine Fox-watching Americans of the upper midwest who think they are so clever and INDIVIDUAL and RESPONSIBLE for voting Republican because that's what their parents are voting, yet who couldn't tell you a single thing about politics that they weren't spoonfed on talk radio or by one of the major news networks. I can no longer stand or care about any of you pigfuckers who when cojoled and prodded and finally backed into a corner by reason call in the Jesus-copter and smugly grab onto the line of faith to be airlifted out of the unpleasantry of THINKING ABOUT THE REALITY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. Nothing has ever depleted my faith in humanity with the rapidity or severity of the three months leading up to the election. Nothing. You simpletons. WHY IN THE FUCK SHOULD THE LARGEST AND MOST EDUCATED AND MOST POPULOUS AND MOST ECONOMICALLY POWERFUL AND MOST VALUABLE STATES GIVE THEIR CONSENT TO BE BRUTALIZED BY A HANDFUL OF PIGFUCKERS OUT WEST BECAUSE SAID PIGFUCKERS HAVE CHOSEN TO SETTLE OVER WHAT IS OSTENSIBLY SEVEN OR EIGHT STATES IN SPITE OF HAVING FEWER PEOPLE THAN FUCKING KINGS COUNTY IN MANHATTAN? MAYBE I CAN ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU SALT-OF-THE-EARTH TYPES THROUGH THE SUBTLETIES OF TRACTOR REPAIR IF I EVER AGAIN GIVE ENOUGH OF A FUCK ABOUT YOU TO NOT WANT TO STERLIZE YOUR WHOLE MOUTHBREATHING COHORT. Piss on you. Piss on all of you. (Note:This is largely copied verbatium from 2 post 2 posts by "Modus" on POE-NEWS.com. Uncreative I realize, but this is too good to not share with the rest of you pig fuckers. Also, since all of you right-winger bloggers are derivite, I figured, when in Rome..)

Posted by: Joey at December 01, 2004 09:13 PM (Ojo2r)

4 And you, Joey, are typical of all those insane comments that lead me to summarilly hate you stupid fucking Canucks. Wait. Watch Gwen Ifell. I certainly don't agree with two of the three Canadians in the points they attempted to make, but at least none were hysterical in their attempts (which seems to be your trademark).

Posted by: Mike at December 01, 2004 10:08 PM (gyVbD)

5 I take back what I said earlier Mike(OR RATHER Debbye- no one else my a meta troll or site master woul dbe obseevively checking the site). You're not a fat virgin. You're a fat pigfucker. "Hush Darling. I will serenade you with the sweet sounds of the Bush Doctrine" "SQUEEEE! SQUEEEE!" "Your struggling only means you want it harder.YESSSSSS"

Posted by: Joey at December 01, 2004 10:48 PM (Ojo2r)

6 > And you, Joey, are typical of all those insane comments that lead me to summarilly hate you stupid fucking Canucks.

Posted by: Mike at December 01, 2004 11:34 PM (gyVbD)

7 You may hate Canadians, BUT YOU LOVE PIGS!!!!!!!

Posted by: Joey at December 01, 2004 11:45 PM (Ojo2r)

8 Joey, you indeed do represent Canadians well. You follow your complaint earlier about the rantings of others and lack of real political discourse with yet another "PIG F**KER!!" post. When I come across your incredibly vulgar and vicious postings my first thought is to just ignore them, but then I realize that nothing better illustrates the lack of dignity and class in today's Canada than your many examples of Canadian debating and communication skills. No doubt you are doing your best, and that is the point. Some day, no doubt, Debbye will tire of her blog giving voice to your juvenile, vulgar hatespeech and ban you, but I hope that day is not too soon because Americans need to see why we cannot allow America to go the way of Canada. Again, for readers not familiar with the musings of one of Canada's most prolific intellectuals, I bring you... Best of Joey (1 - 3) “You are either very funny, or very dumb. I going to assume you are very dumb..." "We all know you aren't a vetran. You are much to fat too leave your house" "Have you ever had sex with a human womam?" Most damning indictment of Canadian culture by a Canadian (awarded to '1th' for this assessment of his fellow Canadians): "Joey, I do think you are a good representative of Canadians."

Posted by: mikem at December 02, 2004 05:14 AM (EzNXf)

9 You may hate Canadians, BUT YOU LOVE PIGS!!!!!!! (PS: MIKEM especially loves pigs because he is also a fat pig. What a horrible melty creature.) (PPS: OMG! TYPOS ON THE INTERNET! CALL FOX NEWS!!! Still doesn't change how much of a fat pig fucker you are!)

Posted by: Joey at December 02, 2004 11:06 AM (Ojo2r)

10 JOEY: Yes, everyone makes typos. That is why I never call someone dumb or stupid, as you did, because they could quickly find my own typos and make me look foolish and hypocritical. (You understand how that would feel, don't you, pal?) All I have done is quote you accurately, but if you feel stigmatized by your own words, then simply stop with the ridiculous vulgar attacks and state your opinion. I will be happy to stop quoting you. It will be my gift to the Canadian people.

Posted by: mikem at December 02, 2004 04:04 PM (EzNXf)

11 hey little joey- I'd like to be able to meet up with you at some point to discuss this. How about somewhere near the border? Will your mother let you out? I'll pull your dusty beard off your face and pound the living daylights from your deformed skull you pathetic little flea.

Posted by: Pato at December 02, 2004 08:34 PM (zgl98)

12 HOLY CRAP, I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME!!! PATO WANTS TO BEAT ME UP!! HE THREATENED ME OVER THE INTERNET!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Jesus Christ, this just keeps on getting funnier and funnier. PS Pato- I'm sure you could beat me, with you being a big fat pigfucker and all. You have to be wily to hold down them thar' piggies for a night of good lovin'. Combine that with your BIG FAT ASS, and you could crush me(literally) like the US army crushes untrained militas in a Third World country! I WOULD DIE, SMOTHERED IN THE ROLLLLLLLLLLLLS. (of fatass) PPS: people who use the expression "pathetic little flea" are probably huge fantasy nerds IRL!!!!!* I SUSPECT YOU ARE THE ONE LIVING WITH THEIR PARENTS AND HAS A "FAT BEARD"(you think it makes it look like you have a jawline instead of chiny-chin-chins**). Also: what the hell is a dusty beard? It that a Tolkien reference or something? Is that a physical attribute of one of your foes in D&D?(Charisma +7; Wisdom +5; FAT BEARDINESS +10) Does one of your poorly translated mangas AND/OR animes describe a "dark lanky stranger" has a "dusty beard" who comes on screen as you pleasure yourself to blue haired cartoon characters? AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! *(that's internet slang. I'm sure i don't have to explain the meaning of it to you...FOR THE INTERNET IS YOUR LIFE) **YET ANOTHER PIG REFERENCE!!!!It goes well wwith the overarching theme of both your own and mikem's fatness. Do you see the multilayering and dense levels of meaning? I'M LIKE JOSEPH FRIKIN' CONRAD!

Posted by: JOEY at December 03, 2004 01:04 AM (Ojo2r)

13 Confidental to Mikey: I'll stop the "vulgar" attacks when you get your human penis out of that pig-gina. It's sickening. That poor pig.

Posted by: Joey- WHO LIKES TO KISS WOMEN INSTEAD OF PIGS at December 03, 2004 01:15 AM (Ojo2r)

14 What kind of backwards country can produce a Joey and still hold pretensions of someday approaching America's high cultural, scientific and humanitarian achievements? I remember watching the Great White North skits and assuming that those two talented buffoons were comedic, but apparently they were more like the Masterpiece Theatre of Canada's intellectual elite. It is plain that being pro abortion is not a matter of philosophy in Canada, but more of evolutionary necessity, despite the missed opportunity that Joey represents.

Posted by: mikem at December 03, 2004 04:15 AM (EzNXf)

15 DAEEEEEEEEEEEEMMMMM! CANADA GOT SERVED!

Posted by: Joey WHO IS SHOCKED AND OFFENDED! at December 03, 2004 01:06 PM (Ojo2r)

16 Hahaha, So "The Great White North" was a true representation of all Canadians... You didn't notice that it was part of a comedy show or anything?

Posted by: 1th at December 03, 2004 01:47 PM (Ojo2r)

17 You don't notice a root word similarity between 'comedic' and 'comedy', even if you don't actually know the meaning of 'comedic'? Is this another 'touche' moment?

Posted by: mikem at December 03, 2004 09:49 PM (EzNXf)

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