Canada’s Reputation In Decline

[I think not]

Re: RE: Canada’s Reputation In Decline

I strongly believe the idea that Canada was a world "good-guy" exists only in the minds of Canadians.

You might have a point in todays day and age Colpy, but there was a time after WWII when Canada was a middle power exerting influence. That influence has waned over the decades because your military has shrunk to a force less than that of the NYPD. Military muscle has political clout, sad but true nonetheless. Just look at Australia, everybody pays attention to what they have to say.

 

[shannon]

We never had a leader who did side with terrorists.
Canada is not a military superpower. We shouldn't pretend to be by taking over operations in Afghanistan. Canada should be peace keepers. Pearson had it right. The United Nations Emergency Force was Pearson's creation, and he is considered the father of the modern concept of peacekeeping. His peaceful ways would soon lead to his nomination for secretary-general of the United Nations. He led Canada in the right direction.

What's good about our present leader is that he did not remain neutral in this recent ME conflict. He did what was right. We need to remember that Canada has listed Hezbollah on it's list of terrorist organizations.

 

[Gonzo]

Listing Hezbollah as a terrorist is good. This was done in 2002.

 

[elevennevele]

I’m sorry but I’m afraid I’m more of the opinion that our international presence if of greater importance to the world than some here would like to believe. Especially in terms of our contributions to international laws, and how we ‘were’ seen to be able contribute in situations of international dispute. We were a median indicator to what was seen as fair. We just keep screwing it up now. Especially now (ain’t that right Mr. Harper).

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060731.wxparl31/BNStory/National/home

Former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, Allan Rock:

Mr. Rock said the government's shifting position in the region has not done "grave damage" to Canada's international influence, but that the international community is watching "very closely what we say and how we say it."

Whenever I have traveled abroad, there was always a respect for Canada that was expressed. I dearly do not want our country to lose that with a government that decides to be ‘amateur night’ with our reputation.

 

[Andem]

Out of the countries I have been to recently in Europe, Canada has an overall good image in the minds of the people.

-Switzerland
-Germany
-France
-Netherlands
-Denmark
-Poland

My Experience: Overall, Turks don't seem to respect Canada.. but seeing as they are the most racist and extreme population in what some perceive as "Europe" (which Turkey technically is not -- minus 3% of total land). I would say that the overall view of Westerners including all of Europe and Germany and North America by Turks is very bad.

 

[Colpy]

I’m sorry but I’m afraid I’m more of the opinion that our international presence if of greater importance to the world than some here would like to believe. Especially in terms of our contributions to international laws, and how we ‘were’ seen to be able contribute in situations of international dispute. We were a median indicator to what was seen as fair. We just keep screwing it up now. Especially now (ain’t that right Mr. Harper).

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060731.wxparl31/BNStory/National/home

Former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, Allan Rock:

Mr. Rock said the government's shifting position in the region has not done "grave damage" to Canada's international influence, but that the international community is watching "very closely what we say and how we say it."

Whenever I have traveled abroad, there was always a respect for Canada that was expressed. I dearly do not want our country to lose that with a government that decides to be ‘amateur night’ with our reputation.

Allow me to say that Alan Rock is a complete moron. The instigator of the 1.5 billion dollar inaccurate, useless list of Grandpa's duck guns has screwed up everything he touched, never had an original thought, and his greatest achievement to date has been avoiding drooling on his own shoes.

Sorry, the guy's name just makes me see red.

 

[athabaska]

Re: RE: Canada’s Reputation In Decline

The idea that a small player like Canada has some vaunted reputation for being an international power broker is silly. It's leftwing pap and propaganda. If we have a reputation for anything it's stupidity. We had the world by the nuts in the '60's and threw it all away with a grand multicultural experiment. And now whatever problem occurs in the world we're in the thick of it. Coz, gee, some or our 'citizens' are involved. And so lately we've been busy offering free transport to Lebanese who carry our passports but in many cases haven't lived here for 10 or 15 years. It's embarrassing.

Agreed. Canadian nationalism is embrarassing. There is nothing more annoying than those Canadian nationalists at a party who corner some American and then proceed to tell them who all the Canadian actors and singers are.

I like the nature and geography of Canada. That exists whether a political entity called 'Canada' remains real or not. Hopefully nationalism will go the way of the Do Do bird.

 

[iARTthere4iam]

I am sooo glad Alan Rock is gone. It's unbelievable that he could have been the ambassador to anything. Dodged a bullet there.