Only Nixon could go to China.

In 1972, then President of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon flew to China and had an important meeting with China's Chairman, Mao Zedong.  It was seen as an important move and the first step of normalizing relations between those two nations.  The phrase, “Only Nixon could go to China” has been used by many throughout the years to signify the importance of this meeting and of the men who sat at opposite ends of the table.  Nobody can argue the status of men like Nixon and Zedong.  They were important statesmen.  They were people of great influence,  both men having power.   To say that what those men did was newsworthy, would be an understatement.

It is now 2010, and a similar phrase may come into common use.  It will become the trademark of how frivolous the mainstream press has become and even more so how silly our society has evolved.  The phrase will be, “Only Cameron could go to Alberta.”

What starts out sounding like a joke, goes something like this, “What does Maclean's, Edmonton Journal, Vancouver Sun, CBC, CTV, Global TV, Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald, Winnipeg Free Press, Edmonton Sun, Windsor Star, Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and the Financial Post all have in common?”  The answer, “They all think we care what a Hollywood film director thinks about our oilsands operation.”

Hollywood Director, James Cameron in 1998, swept the Academy Awards with his film “Titanic”.  In front of the cameras live on TV, he stood before his peers and with his award clutched in a tight fist raised the golden statue above his head and yelled out, “I am the king of the world!”

Apparently, we must have all bought into his self proclaimed prophesy.
  
Now when James Cameron wants something or goes somewhere not only does the press believe its newsworthy, but the Alberta government drops everything and comes running.  We should all hide our heads in shame, as the 'king of the world' turns our Premier into a Court Jester.

As the 'king' made his plans, Cameron wrote a letter to Premier Ed Stelmach's office asking for a legislature meeting when he landed Wednesday, stipulating a time between 10 AM and noon.  It was reported that our Premier has said that he will do everything he can, including taking a government plane to meet Cameron.  Stelmach has also been reported to have said that he believes Alberta's oilsands operation will get a fair hearing from Cameron.

You would think that Stelmach was getting a visit from the Pope!  The cost of flying Stelmach back to Alberta from Ottawa on a government jet  just to attend this star-struck 'hearing' could cost the Alberta tax payer over $10,000.  This, just so our Premier can get an autograph, photo-op and ultimately beg Cameron's forgiveness for supplying his adopted country with Alberta Crude.

Do you think perhaps the eco-mentalists have put Alberta off our game?

Cameron is not coming to Alberta for a fact finding mission.  This is the man who has equated the Alberta oilsands as a “black eye” on Canada's environmental record, and that was catching Cameron on a good day.  In the past, Cameron has referred to anyone who questions man-made global warming as deniers and stated that he would “call those deniers out into the street at high noon and shoot it out.” He is quoted as referring to one sceptic as a “f------ a------”   He has also gone on record on a possible response to carbon dioxide emitters saying “I believe in ecoterrorism.”

Why should our elected officials give a minute of their time to James Cameron, or anybody from Hollywood for that matter?  Why would our Premier consider a meeting with Cameron as a “Hearing”, giving Cameron authority over him in a effort to gain approval or better yet a “ruling in our favour.”  Any half-wit would see that Alberta is pandering to someone that has absolutely no business with our government officials.

Quite frankly it is insulting and quite embarrassing to sit back and watch the Alberta government stumble over the desk in order to accommodate a man like James Cameron.  We should just send him packing, and at the same time ask our Premier to give his head a shake.

After all is said and done, Cameron will go back to film making with more insults to hurl at Alberta.  Premier Ed Stelmach will go down in history as an oilsands despot set straight by king Cameron. Back in Hollywood while sitting in polite conversations, the plastic primped crowd of tinsel town will gesture over to Cameron and whisper, “Only Cameron could go to Alberta.”