Stephen Harper has done something no other Prime Minister, not even Mulroney, has been able to accomplish: make me ashamed of my country.
I was raised to be proud of Canada, and that was never very hard to do. It has been a peaceful, helpful country, respectful of the human rights of others and respected internationally.
Then Harper’s Conservatives, probably the most fanatically right-wing group to ever lead the country, managed to squeak into power. And I see headlines like the one today: “Canada votes alone for Israel” (Toronto Star). Yep. Out of 47 countries represented on a UN human rights council, Canada was the only one to oppose a motion condemning the attack on Gaza. Makes you feel proud, doesn’t it? In a hide-your-head-in-shame kind of way.
And just in case I thought I could lift my head in time for the next election, Michael Ignatieff, Liberal leader and pseudo-American, agrees with Harper.
I don’t care what Harper and his cronies say when speaking for themselves, but when I hear “Canada says … “ and it is something totally antithetical to my views (the whole peaceful, respectful of human rights thing), I start having problems. I am part of Canada. I don’t say it is okay to massacre children, thank you very much.
I’m waiting to hear from the rest of the country.
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You realize white Canadians are the "Israelis" of Canada right? You believe Canada is peaceful and respectful of human rights because you're not Indigenous. You are a settler, your ancestors came here to exploit Indigenous land. You inherited wealth. Your language and religion wasn't beaten out of you. Look up the Indian act, it was illegal for an Indian to vote until the 60's. You're mad First Nations don't pay sales tax? You and your ancestors benefited from the treaties more than Indigenous people did.
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