Deconstructing Neville

Seeing as I have spent the past few posts on the offensive, I thought I would mix things up by raving about Allen Mills’ piece in yesterday’s Free Press. Mills brilliantly refutes some of William Neville’s fear-mongering (once again trotting out the tired anyone-who-respects-America-is-an-evil-Bush-puppet rhetoric) opinion piece on Michael Ignatieff. This includes:

‘Above all, Bill, what I see in particular in Ignatieff and what you overlook is someone who believes that the dilemmas confronting the world will not be resolved without the United States. The Americans were crucial to winning the war against fascism and the Cold War as well. This view is not about his "enthrallment" to the United States but is an important element in a multi-faceted approach to global affairs. It is at least a sensible deduction about Canada's and the West's strategic position at this moment in history.
So Ignatieff, rightly, refuses to align with the visceral anti-Americanism in Canada that masquerades as Canadian values and which, I think, now informs so much of your own worldview. As he puts it: "Anti-Americanism is the patriotism of fools."
He is correct in this.’

While the prospect of Ignatieff leading the Liberals no doubt would cause the federal Conservatives untold amounts of consternation, I think it would ameliorate the checks and balances in the current Parliament. Iggy’s “tell it like I see it” approach is refreshing reprieve from the banal banter of the Dions and Brisons, great stock tips aside.

I think the fervour with which some Canadians engage in the sport of America bashing reflects poorly on us all. The USA is our largest trading partner and we have enjoyed countless decades of good working relations. While we may not agree with every action of George Bush (I for one bemoan the protectionists that seem to have his ear), the more outspoken detractors best be reminded of Bush’s current approval ratings when decrying all things American.

To the Nevilles and all that espouse his brand of rabid anti-Americanism – what brand of jeans are you wearing, what TV station did you watch last night, what movie are you planning on seeing this weekend, which CD did you just buy, which operating software powers your computer, and which fast food outlet did you eat at in the past two weeks? Way to assert your Canadian identity by taking cheap shots at our neighbours!

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Although I think Stephen Harper has done a good job thus far, I couldn’t help but mention the following. As any reader of Krista’s blog knows, the P&UW household is one of those thieving beer and popcorn cheats that receives the Canada Child Tax Benefit. We just received a request to participate in a survey and we elected to do so. The only problem is the 1-800 number they give you should actually be a 1-866 number. It is also inordinately difficult to get information on the correct number – you get a Not In Service message from a 240 area code – i.e. NOT FROM CANADA – which forced us to try ALL of the permutations of the toll free numbers until we were successful. Mr. Harper – let’s lose the “Canada’s New Government” sloganeering and focus on getting the important things right in any correspondence to Canadians - like a proper phone number. You’ll be one step closer to a guaranteed majority that way…