by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
May 31, 2004
Both the Liberals and the Conservatives have set up websites that contain quotes that the leader of the other party has made in the past. On the Liberal version of this "he said, she said" war of words, the following statement that Stephen Harper made shortly after the last federal election in 2000 is set out:
"Canada appears to be content to become a second-tier socialist country, boasting ever more loudly about its economy and its social services to mask its second rate status".
The quotation leaves off the rest of the sentence that consisted of "…led by a second world strongman appropriately suited to the task." In fairness to the Liberals the website provides links whereby the reader can read the quotation in its entire context.
While the above quotation says something about Stephen Harper, it also says something about the Liberals. By highlighting this quotation the Liberals do not care to even address the issue of whether there may be some truth to what he said. This is consistent with Liberal arrogance that they, and only they, can provide good government and anyone who suggests otherwise should be summarily dismissed. The Libs may not like Stephen Harper’s conclusions but the question should be addressed. Is Canada a second rate socialist country?
There is no doubt that describing Canada as second rate means second rate to the United States. Why would Canada be considered second rate to our neighbours to the south? are our cab drivers, bartenders and street vendors somehow inferior to american cab drivers, bartenders and street vendors? are our mountains and rivers second class to american mountains and rivers? are our highways and buildings really second class to those that are found in the United States? No, when Stephen Harper was describing Canada as a second rate country he was referring to the fact that Canada’s Liberal government is second rate. During the television interview where Harper made those remarks he was contrasting Canada with the province of alberta which he described as having a combination of american enterprise and individualism with the British tradition of order and co-operation.
The Liberals couldn’t care less about the Canadian people. When they say that Canada is the greatest country in the world, as former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was so fond of saying, what they mean is that Canada is a great country because they are governing. The criticism of Harper’s comments is consistent with Paul Martin’s belief that anyone who doesn’t agree with Liberal policies is un-Canadian. any hint that the government could be improved through different polices would be viewed by the Liberals as treason, if in fact they actually ever put their minds to the concept of treason. The party of tolerance has no tolerance with those who take issue with how the Liberals govern the country.
The Liberals act much like rebellious adolescents, rebelling against anything american simply because it is, well, american. While no one is advocating that we should become a carbon copy of the United States, it is idiotic to reject ideas or policies that emanate from the U.S. simply because that is where they originate. Paul Martin is putting anti-americanism at the forefront of his election campaign, presumably in an attempt to win back the Sheila Copps’ faction of the party that is still angry over the way the Prime Minister treated the former Hamilton East MP. So when Stephen Harper talks about lowering taxes, Paul Martin and his trained seals refer to them as "american-style taxes" unlike the Canadian-style tax cuts Martin made in the mid-90s when he was Minister of Finance. and when someone even hints at allowing the public sector to play a role in health care, it is automatically referred to as "american-style health care" by the Liberals, even though a two-tiered system would more resemble the way health care is delivered in Great Britain or Sweden.
as long as Canada has a government that rejects ideas simply because they are american, Canada will remain second rate.