Harper speech glorifies militarism on Canada Day

mentalfloss

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Jun 28, 2010
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Andrew Coyne: Stephen Harper’s Canada Day speech the latest volley in pointless history wars

The air was unusually heavy with history this Dominion Day — oh all right, Canada Day — in this year of national anniversaries: the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences, the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Speaking at the annual celebration on Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Stephen Harper tried to connect the dots. “In 1864, meeting in Charlottetown and in Quebec, our fathers of Confederation dreamed a magnificent dream, a dream of a united Canada that would take its place among the countries of the world, prosperous, strong and free.” Today, he went on “this is their dream: Canada, a confident partner, a courageous warrior, a compassionate neighbour. Canada, the best country in —”

Whoa, whoa, whoa: what did he say? No, not the “best country” bit. The part before it. A courageous warrior? Across the country, a thousand knees jerk in unison. A bit … militaristic, isn’t it? To talk of such unpleasantness at a time like this? Poor taste, at the least. Would any previous prime minister in our lifetime have referred to Canada’s “warrior” heritage, outside of Remembrance Day? Talk about peacekeeping, or Pearson, but for God’s sake don’t mention the war.

Still, it can hardly have surprised anyone. It’s a standard line in Harper speeches, part of a determined effort to refashion Canada’s self-image — some would say rewrite its history — using the Conservatives’ preferred iconography. By now, the Harper government’s relentless invocation of Canada’s military past has become as much a scandal in certain quarters as its obstinate advocacy of the monarchy, its fascination with the North, its seeming belief that Canada’s history begins before 1968.

Such is the state of the history wars that even so innocuous a step as changing the name of the Canadian Museum of Civilization to the Canadian Museum of History, with a mandate, as a spokesman for the Heritage Minister explained this week, to “highlight the national achievements and accomplishments that have shaped our country,” has aroused suspicions. Surely it must be some devious Tory propaganda exercise, the critics sniff, an attempt to whitewash the country’s past, or worse, harness it to conservative ideology.

Because heaven knows, that’s never been tried before. For most of the past 60 or 70 years, Liberal nationalists (often taking their cue from New Democrats) have peddled their own national mythology: of the country as, quite literally, the creature of the state, of its supposed “public enterprise culture,” of an almost genetic Canadian preference for collectivism, as distinct from those rabid individualists to the south.

For such differences, to nationalists of this school, were everything: robust enough in themselves to justify our nationhood and yet fragile enough to require the most heroic efforts of preservation. To the extent the country was defined by anything but what it was not, it was the flag and the Charter of Rights, medicare and multiculturalism: Liberal policies all. L’état, c’était eux.

So it was not entirely unexpected that the Conservatives, rather than leave the country’s self-definition to the Liberals, such that every policy debate could be framed as pro-Canada or anti-Canada — as every debate had been the last time they were in power — would have sought instead to emphasize their own icons and ideals, their own national mythology.

Up to a point, this was not only to be expected, but desired. To understand this country’s history without reference to its military past is not to understand it at all. War not only played a decisive part in our colonial origins, but has tested our resources and shaped our politics ever since, notably through the two World Wars. Indeed, but for the War of 1812, we might not exist.

The Crown, likewise, is not some useless foreign ornament, as successive Liberal governments often seemed to imply: It is the very foundation of our constitutional order, as essential to our way of life as Parliament, the common law, and the rest of the British inheritance, and as quintessentially Canadian. To remain attached to these institutional underpinnings, to remind ourselves of their advantages, is not to retreat into the past. It is merely to decline to be cut off from it.

So, fine: thus far, the Tories could be said to be righting the balance. But true to the chips on their shoulders, they could not leave it at that. It was not enough to celebrate and affirm Conservative national icons: It was necessary to diminish and downplay Liberal ones. The 30th anniversary of patriation and the Charter of Rights, for example, came and went without any official celebration or even acknowledgment.

And so the history wars continue, pointlessly. Surely it is possible to honour both versions of our past, both sides of our selves, in a country so accustomed to duality — aboriginal and European, French and English, immigrant and native-born — in other respects. Surely we are both a constitutional monarchy and a rights-bearing democracy. Surely our history is distinguished both by war-making and by peacekeeping. Surely our national character is a result both of individual and collective enterprise.

On the other hand, it really should be Dominion Day.

Andrew Coyne: Stephen Harper’s Canada Day speech the latest volley in pointless history wars
 

Walter

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 28, 2007
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I still call it Dominion Day, the name Canada Day has no meaning to me. Imagine the US changing Independence Day to USA Day.
 

Blackleaf

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Dominion day went out with the monarchy.


So that means it's still around and will still be around going into the 22nd Century.

Whoa, whoa, whoa: what did he say? No, not the “best country” bit. The part before it. A courageous warrior?

I don't see the problem. What did you want this Harper fella to say? That Canadians are a bunch of wet, handwringing, cringy, liberals? Because silly articles like the one posted make Canadians look like that to the rest of the world.

Across the country, a thousand knees jerk in unison.

So 500 people got their knickers in a twist over it. Big deal.
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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I don't see the problem. What did you want this Harper fella to say? That Canadians are a bunch of wet, handwringing, cringy, liberals? Because silly articles like the one posted make Canadians look like that to the rest of the world.

That is pretty rich diatribe coming from an Englishman lol
 

Zipperfish

House Member
Apr 12, 2013
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I wouldn't mind him using the military for his propaganda so much if didn't screw the veterans, or if he'd actually procured some decent equipment.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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Takes a long time and a lot of money to repair the massive damage that Trudeau and the Liberals did to the military

What damage? The state of Canada's military is perfect for capitulation to the first wave of invasion. What could be more efficient? The country will fold like an accordion and our F-35's will burn on the runway like planned. All the impotent governors will be flown to the bunkers by Sea Kings.
 

captain morgan

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 28, 2009
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A Mouse Once Bit My Sister
Got to hand it to PET.... Getting ready for the take-over 35+ years in advance.

... Always be prepared.

 

Locutus

Adorable Deplorable
Jun 18, 2007
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what a whiny and pissy little column from that douche. :lol:
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Prominent conservative columnist justly criticizes Harper.

Conservatives get upset.
 

WLDB

Senate Member
Jun 24, 2011
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I still call it Dominion Day, the name Canada Day has no meaning to me. Imagine the US changing Independence Day to USA Day.

Could care less what the US does with their holidays. The changed the day long before I was born so I'll go with Canada Day. We are no longer a "Dominion" thankfully.

Did you miss the movie?

Which is apparently getting a sequel.

Dominion day went out with the monarchy. Canada is an independent country so CANADA DAY it is.

Sadly its not formally gone yet. Someday.

Dominion day went out with the monarchy. Canada is an independent country so CANADA DAY it is.

Sadly its not formally gone yet. Someday.
 

darkbeaver

the universe is electric
Jan 26, 2006
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Just as long as we can fix the damage Hit..........er, Harper has done to Canada, I'll live with the subs............just not in them.
Christ, Hairpiece is one dumb twat !



The Canadian government is about to sign a treaty with the European Union that is almost certainly:

(a) Unconstitutional
(b) Irresponsible
(c) Immoral

It would compromise the federal parliament’s exclusive jurisdiction over money and banking, and provide the private bankers with a de facto veto of any creative plans Canada might develop to end the recession, and bring back prosperity.

In effect, we would not be able to do anything comparable to what was done in 1939 when the Bank of Canada began providing the federal government with large sums of near zero-cost money that was spent into circulation to get us out of the Great Depression, and help finance World War II. Later, it helped fund the great post-war infrastructure including the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Trans Canada Highway and many other major projects as well as our social security system. It was a deal that worked like a charm and gave us the best years of the twentieth century until 1974.

Unfortunately, at that time, the Bank of Canada unilaterally turned its back on us, its owners, and started taking its orders from the Bank for International Settlements that decided central banks should no longer provide governments with low cost money. It has been downhill ever since.

There is no hope for either Canada or the world unless we adopt a system something like the one we had from 1939 to 1974. To give away our constitutional right to do something equally innovative now or in the future would be treasonous and must be stopped.COMER: European Union Treaty
 

Zipperfish

House Member
Apr 12, 2013
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Takes a long time and a lot of money to repair the massive damage that Trudeau and the Liberals did to the military

Gimme a break. The COnservatives have been in power since 2006. "But...but...but...THE LIBERALS!" just doesn't cut it any more. The defence budget is smaller, based on inflation-adjusted dollars--than it was in 2007. Spending on procurement is down. The F-35 procurement has turned into a debacle. Not that the Conservatives stand out there--this is just the latest in a long line of governments that have shafted the military.