The Conservative government of Stephen Harper attracted considerable criticism when it elected to spend $28 million celebrating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.
It was noted that the war happened a long time ago, before Canada was even a country, and few Canadians know much about it.
Liberals charged that Conservatives were keen on commemorating wars, but had skipped the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Rights. While Ottawa was spending money on parades and ceremonies, it was cutting funding on other fronts, and laying off public servants. It was hinted that the celebration reflected some weird fetish Harper had about boring old Canadian history.
Something of the same attitude appears to reside within the new Liberal government. Immigration Minister John McCallum indicated an overhaul of Canada’s guide for new citizens — updated just six years ago by the Conservatives — is planned because the current version is “a little heavy on the War of 1812 and barbaric cultural practices.” As the National Post’s Chris Selley has pointed out, the 68-page guide carries a single mention of “barbaric practices,” in a section indicating Canada does not tolerate spousal abuse, honour killings or female genital mutilation. McCallum did not explain why Liberal sensibilities would be offended by a warning to new citizens that Canadians abhor such abuses.
mo
National Post View: The Liberals don’t own our history | National Post
yes, THAT john mccallum. the drunken mr knowledge.
heh...
Re: The Liberals Don’t Own Our History, editorial, March 7.
One would think that Immigration Minister John McCallum would wish to acquaint immigrants to Canada with some of its history but perhaps not, given his ignorance of the subject.
In 2002, as Liberal minister of defence, he admitted he had never heard of the 1942 Dieppe Raid where more than 900 Canadian soldiers died in a one-day assault on the French coast. He then confused the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge where, for the first time, Canadian soldiers fought as one unit under Canadian command, an event regarded as critical in the establishment of our national identity, suffering a loss of more than 3,900 dead, with Vichy, the French puppet government established by the Nazis in France in the Second World War Truly, Liberals don’t own our history if they can’t even remember it.
Richard Simon, West Vancouver, B.C.
Letters: Government interference is always a given | National Post
RElated:
Over at Lilley's Pad, the eponymous proprietor draws my attention to a "Canada Day" piece by Tim Naumetz, who writes for The Hill Times in Ottawa. Mr Naumetz makes the argument that Stephen Harper is "changing the face of Canada". I use the word "argument" loosely. By "changing the face of Canada", he means Harper is changing it from "the face of Canada" Pierre Trudeau imposed on the nation 40 years ago. Which was, in effect, M Trudeau's own face. (See my Liberace analogy here.)
mo
THE FOOL AT THE HILL :: SteynOnline
It was noted that the war happened a long time ago, before Canada was even a country, and few Canadians know much about it.
Liberals charged that Conservatives were keen on commemorating wars, but had skipped the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Rights. While Ottawa was spending money on parades and ceremonies, it was cutting funding on other fronts, and laying off public servants. It was hinted that the celebration reflected some weird fetish Harper had about boring old Canadian history.
Something of the same attitude appears to reside within the new Liberal government. Immigration Minister John McCallum indicated an overhaul of Canada’s guide for new citizens — updated just six years ago by the Conservatives — is planned because the current version is “a little heavy on the War of 1812 and barbaric cultural practices.” As the National Post’s Chris Selley has pointed out, the 68-page guide carries a single mention of “barbaric practices,” in a section indicating Canada does not tolerate spousal abuse, honour killings or female genital mutilation. McCallum did not explain why Liberal sensibilities would be offended by a warning to new citizens that Canadians abhor such abuses.
mo
National Post View: The Liberals don’t own our history | National Post
yes, THAT john mccallum. the drunken mr knowledge.
heh...
Re: The Liberals Don’t Own Our History, editorial, March 7.
One would think that Immigration Minister John McCallum would wish to acquaint immigrants to Canada with some of its history but perhaps not, given his ignorance of the subject.
In 2002, as Liberal minister of defence, he admitted he had never heard of the 1942 Dieppe Raid where more than 900 Canadian soldiers died in a one-day assault on the French coast. He then confused the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge where, for the first time, Canadian soldiers fought as one unit under Canadian command, an event regarded as critical in the establishment of our national identity, suffering a loss of more than 3,900 dead, with Vichy, the French puppet government established by the Nazis in France in the Second World War Truly, Liberals don’t own our history if they can’t even remember it.
Richard Simon, West Vancouver, B.C.
Letters: Government interference is always a given | National Post
RElated:
Over at Lilley's Pad, the eponymous proprietor draws my attention to a "Canada Day" piece by Tim Naumetz, who writes for The Hill Times in Ottawa. Mr Naumetz makes the argument that Stephen Harper is "changing the face of Canada". I use the word "argument" loosely. By "changing the face of Canada", he means Harper is changing it from "the face of Canada" Pierre Trudeau imposed on the nation 40 years ago. Which was, in effect, M Trudeau's own face. (See my Liberace analogy here.)
mo
THE FOOL AT THE HILL :: SteynOnline