Out of the mouth of innocence comes the truth. But in the story those who witnessed the buffoon leader parading like a fool stood in fear unable to speak out the truth. The story, has become a lesson to imply that the motive and rationale for not seeing the obvious truth has become so ingrained that the majority do not even realize that they are perpetuating a falsehood. The king in this story is nothing but a politician and the people are the electorate.
In walks Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff speaking publicly on September 14th at the Canadian Club of Ottawa. The more I dwell on his speech titled, "Canada’s Place in a changing World" the more insulted I feel.
We have gotten used to the Liberals bad mouthing the governing Conservatives and visa-versa. It has become the ‘modus operandi’ of Canadian politics. For the most part, because many of us can see the whole picture from the side-lines, we can pick out the mouse crap in the wild rice, but to the uninformed, speeches like this do nothing but puff up a speaker and weaken the national pride that Canada has achieved over the years. You see, Ignatieff in his zeal to tear down Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, publicly told us all that we as Canadians should feel shame and that we as world citizens just don’t matter.
He claims in his speech that Canada will only matter if it is run by the Liberal party led by himself. Take a look at a few words from the mouth of the ‘natural ruling party leader’. "After the last four years, it’s hard to remember how much Canada once mattered." and "For the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, the international scene exists only to score points on the domestic scene. And our credibility on the international scene has suffered in consequence. The Conservatives are giving up Canada’s place in the world." And then out of the mouth of a man who has lived too long out-of-his country he said, "Under this government, Canada is becoming the country that dares not speak its name."
Words of shame. How can this man look into the eyes of a Canadian soldier’s widow and say, "It’s hard to remember how much Canada once mattered." How can one be so ignorant as to look in the eyes of China’s restricted souls and say that when Canada stood against China’s human rights abuses that it was only a ploy to win votes for the Conservative party. Ignatieff trivialized communist China’s abuse of their citizens. Where is Ignatieff on this issue?
And, how do you as a Canadian feel when this man tells you that you live in a country that dares not speak its name?! To speak in this context is the same as flying our flag on international waters or on a foreign soil at our embassies, or on the battlefield along side other nations making sacrifices daily.
Ignatieff even stated that we as a nation have become mute. "They note our silence in international councils and ask; Where is Canada?" Apparently he does not consider our closest neighbours, the USA, as important, because it is under our Conservative government that relations have improved because of Harper’s open arm policy, meeting former President Bush and now Barack Obama on important issues concerning not only the USA and Canada, but other countries. The fact that under our current leadership Obama’s first out-of-country visit was to Canada in order to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Do we as the electorate forget the insults hurled by the Liberals towards the USA, when in 2003 then Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish was heard saying on an open mike, "Damn Americans, I hate the bastards!" Only to follow up by stomping on replicas of the US President jeering that ‘he is a moron’ in an effort to denounce the war in Iraq. A war where Americans have lost their lives and spent billions to maintain. Is this the type of ‘national pride’ Ignatieff foresees for Canada? Do you think that if Obama’s rise to power would have occurred in 2003, he would have put Canada first?
This is a man not in touch with reality. He is parading in public in arrogant pride sporting a new wardrobe void of any real thread of credibility. He is a man who has stripped himself of the dignity of the clothed, and in this speech of September 14th revealed to Canadians what he thinks of our country, the men and women who serve our country and those who live here. In his own words, he said that we are people that dare not speak our names. I guess we just don’t matter.
Well, Mr. Ignatieff, I am a proud Canadian. When I shake the hand of a Canadian soldier, I do get a lump in my throat. A well of emotion builds up in me, those of gratefulness, pride and admiration. Grateful because of what our men and woman are doing for the people of Afghanistan. Grateful because I know that when the sole of a Canadian soldier steps off on foreign soil I know that Canada matters!
This latest insult by a Liberal leader only brings one image in my mind. It is the image of former Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau flipping British Columbians in Salmon Arm the ‘bird’. Only now the face has changed, and its not just a province this gesture is directed to.
1 comment:
Your editorial "The Emperor's New Clothes" is one I agree with... on the surface. It irks me to hear Michael Ignatieff tell Canadians we should be ashamed of our role in the world. Yet, it is true that Canada's international role has changed significantly in the last 15 years. We Canadians can look back proudly on a long list of achievements.
Canadians stood against tyranny in WWI, WWII, the Korean War and in many theatresof UN Peace Keeping... an idea spawned by Canadian Lester B. Pearson. Canadian soldiers have always fought bravely, much as the young men and women in Afghanistan today. There has never been any question about their courage and commitment.
Yet the international role Canada plays today has diminished. Your editorial infers that our Conservative government has accepted with open arms the the new direction of Barrack Obama. President Obama has committed tremendous energy to creating a new green economy. He has engaged and inspired America's friends and enemies alike with new ideas and a new vision. Prime Minister Harper didn't even bother going to the UN's General Assembly.
Instead, he went to open a new Tim Horton's. Now I like a Double-Double as much as the next guy, but Mr. Harper's calculated move sent a message about how he sees the world body Canada once led by example. We were leaders in environmental stewardship, peacekeeping, fairness, foreign development. The world looked to us for ideas, technology and vision. Now we are considered environmental laggards and dubious supporters of the UN. Today, Canada has much weaker environmental policies than most G-20 nations, even China. Where once we had over 2,000
peace keepers, we now have fewer than 50.
Our level of foreign aid has sunk to the lowest of the OECD countries. In Afghanistan, our current prime minister has put an end date to our involvement. Last year, he criticised anyone
who even questioned our commitment. It looks to me that this prime minister is just as politically motivated as the Liberal leader, but your partisan-coloured glasses lets the "other guy" off the hook. Canada should be a light among nations. We have proved we can be. We need to honour our history and not give up the mantel of leadership on the world stage. As tough as it is, Canada needs to lead by example... not seek shelter in a doughnut shop when the going gets tough.
Shame on Michael Ignatieff. Shame on Stephen Harper. I'd like to flip the bird to the both of them.
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