Though most people realised that the economic dye had already been cast with the
United States having built up its largest deficit in history and the saddest balance
of trade deficit in the world, that no matter who won the election, it looked like
a lot of trouble. Most Canadians were anticipating a victory by the Democratic
Party and its candidate Senator John Kerry. After all, there was a lot
of news coverage of a huge voter turn out and that many of these voters would be
first time, or disadvantaged voters. As it turned out, America's youth pretty much
ignored the election with about
the same turn out as in other years and America is a seriously culturally, socially
and geographically divided country.
You do not need me to recap the election for you, as the news media on both sides
of the border have pretty much covered all aspects of the election of 2004 and we
all need very much to realise that it is over. This time, George W. Bush and
the Republican party have apparently been legitimately elected and now control
the whole government of the United States, even the Supreme Court will soon
fall under the Republican and what many suggest, zellotry control of the Christian
Right.
Through out the past four years, this web site has maintained a pretty steady barrage
of anti-Bush sentiment. We have attacked his values and the ultra-pro-big business
approach of his government as it has internationally bullied the under privileged
countries of the world, while claiming to uphold democracy. We have been righteous
in our indignation and we have to stop this line of discussion right now. The acts
of the Bush government are no longer the responsibility
of its leaders, or even its back room power mongers. If any condemnation is to be
given it must now go firmly to who is responsible for placing this government in
control of the world's second most powerful nation.
Yes, I did say second, that is a fact that few accept, but it is a reality. Without
a single gun or weapon of any kind, China by its incredible size and almost
infinite population, is economically, socially, politically and in every measurable
way, the world's most powerful nation.
We must consider what will our Canadian society be like, after four more years of
progressive and now almost entirely unfettered movement by the government and its
people of the United States to remake the world in their image.
Democracy:
The United States gives enormous lip service
to this term and I have to admit that their election yesterday seems to have some
elements of what most of us accept as democracy. We have to be out and out determined
not to let the United States' form of this political system, to creep even
further into our society. Albertans and their leader Stephen Harper
are going to do everything they can to turn the area north of the 49th parallel into
Texas North.
Security:
We are faced with two very wild and difficult problems.
Well perhaps three.
- First the United States is determined to blame all
of its frustrating problems on its neighbours. They will continue to interfere in
Canadian immigration policy and stipulate the civil freedoms of Canadians.
- The second security issue is the increasing willingness
of the government of Canada and its police force to consider themselves as associative
agencies of the CIA and FBI. Do not count on a Mountie stepping in
to protect you as a Canadian citizen if an FBI agent decides you are a threat
to American security, or decides that you might reveal secrets if you are taken to
Syria to be tortured. It appears that the Mounties will do everything they
can to help their US bosses out. If you doubt this, just ask any Royal Canadian
Mounted Policeman where his loyalties lie.
- The third issue of security is from Americans themselves.
They and their land of the free and right to bear arms society, do not regard Canada
as a sovereign country either individually or as a nation.
Canadian Institutions:
I remember the election that brought about the implementation
of government medical care to Saskatchewan and it was fought with extreme
bitterness. Now we all realise that though our system is under funded and over interfered
with by government bureaucrats, it still costs a fraction of what medical care costs
Americans and as we have seen, we do a much better job of public health, we are probably
two decades ahead of the poor folks to the south of us. This institution is under
attack, it is a direct threat to the "American Way" of doing things and like the Wheat Board the United
States will take all sorts of action to Americanise Canada.
Economy:
The huge deficit in the United States and its unacceptable
trade imbalance is unsustainable as was demonstrated today as the United States dollar
actually lost more than a whole cent in value. The Canadian dollar is not rising,
the US dollar is being devalued. The US government is intent upon lowering taxes
for the wealthy businesses and high income earners and its military adventures will
continue. They will continue to pay for their problems with the printing press. They
will simply print more and more money. Ultimately, employment may rise slightly in
the states that voted Democrat, but internally they will make it through the
next four years. The pain will be felt world wide as the bully of North American
inflicts continued damage on developing nations with its instrument, the World
Bank and monstrous subsidies to its own primary industries, including agriculture.
The differential in the Canadian and American dollar will grow for a while because
of the US dependence on Canadian energy, as a dollar, at par, is easily possible,
even before the new year. The $9.1 billion federal budget surplus will more than
double before the end of this fiscal year. The rise in the Canadian dollar will have
a pretty bad affect on Ontario and Quebec, increasing unemployment,
but the Canadian economy, which still is basically dependent upon extractive raw
material export, will hold its own. Canada's employment insurance and other social
safety net elements will continue to support the country and we can even expect a
tax reduction, as we can expect the GST to be reduced by perhaps as much as
two cents.
In the United States the economic problems will be unpleasant. Interest rates are
bound to move up and the American people have been spending like drunken sailors
for the past few years and their cards are maxed out and they have bought houses
they can not afford if the interest rate increases. Don't invest in US real estate.
Protectionism:
The free trade and NAFTA deals are now
clearly a joke, a bad joke, as trade embargoes are now in effect on softwood lumber,
wheat, pork and a complete ban on cattle, sheep, and bison. This is only the beginning,
as the United States attempts to protect its inefficiency in a wide range of industries.
The solution is simple and we have no choice but to launch a full scale programme
to increase our sales with the world's most powerful nation. China's economy
is so massive that four years of US Republican government will barely be noticed
and our products can be marketed successfully in the People's Republic. There
will be talk of turning off the tap to the US but it is only talk as the military
threat from the south is now a clear and present danger.
Polarisation:
This is the greatest threat to Canada for it is indeed
the greatest problem within the United States. The country is in the hands of the
red neck, the Confederacy
is a real thing once more, only this time it is in power. We have just seen how reason
and logic are not considered, how decisions are made on "faith" and so-called "values". If you take a look at what happened to Russia after
the death of Lenin, as the crafty and anti-intellectual Joseph Stalin
consolidated his power; you will discover that the actions of the government, which
cost the lives of more than twenty million people, were all legal and the constitution
of that country preached the gospel according to the communist party and of
constitutional rights. Racism, class conflict, religious bigotry are no longer topics
of discussion. The United States was willing to reelect George W. Bush and
Dick Cheney, people who believe in capital punishment, torture
and disregard for international law, there are no limits.
Our problem as Canadians is to prevent ourselves from slipping into ideological positions
that make us, as a people, uncompromising and unwilling to listen to reason. We have
a minority government, let us cherish its fragile nature and encourage all sides
of the house to work things out so that we too can go to the polls in 2008
and not before.
Fractional and Regionalism :
There will be retribution in those parts of the United
States who did not support the Bush/Cheney view of the world and I am delighted
that I am not black and living in Detroit. During the period leading up to
the Civil war, Canada played an important role in helping slaves escape from
the tyranny of the United States of America and the time has come once more
to open the doors of our country to Americans; Black Americans, Islamic Americans,
poor Americans, illegal immigrant Americans and intellectual Americans. We must openly
invite them to a safe haven, or do so quietly as we did during the Vietnam war, one
way or another, we must not turn our backs on suffering, or agree to American
Homeland Security measures designed to oppress those who do not share the Republican
view of the future.
In Canada we must set aside our regional differences. We must be brothers to those
in the Maritimes, treat our Quebec cousins like members of the family
while at the same time stop attempting to bribe them into liking us, we have to encourage
the folks in Ontario to join Canada as equals and not as the parents of our
family, Manitoba needs our support and friendship and Albertans as
obnoxious and as American as they are, we must make room for them at our table and
we must pretend that no formidable mountains separate ourselves from our British
Colombian buddies. But perhaps most of all Canadians, we have to stop turning
our backs on the aboriginal people of our land, they are not some quaint set of pets
to be trotted out to dance for the Queen and then take their costumes off and suffer
the oppression of poverty and the isolation of apartheid.
We must turn to our brothers and sisters the Cree, the Anishinabe,
the Nakota, the Dene, the Metis and ask them to be willing to
make their way in this world on their own and equal terms.
People of Canada:
We are about to be tested. We know who and what we
are and in case you haven't forgotten, we define ourselves by realising we are not
Americans. Focus on our people, our land's development and offer charity and understanding
to the people of the United States. In four years, a lot of things are going to happen.
Our world, like theirs will be changed beyond our wildest dreams, or nightmares,
but through it all, if we know ourselves and trust each other, all we have to do
is keep our head up and our stick on the ice.
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