Here we go, running scared again

OMYGAWD! Let's apologize!

In response to an email sent to various senators by a U.S. family threatening to cancel a Canadian vacation because of the "horrific" annual seal hunt, Quebec Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette shot back with a strongly-worded e-mail response lashing out at American policy. [http://tinyurl.com/m4ot9]

"What I find 'horrific' about your country is the daily killing of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of mainly black prisoners in the U.S., the massive sale of guns to U.S. citizens every day, the destabilization of the whole world by the aggressive foreign policy of U.S. government, etc.," she wrote.

For her crime of anti-Americanism, Senator Hervieux-Payette is being crucified by her political colleagues. So was Françoise Ducros, Director of Communications for Prime Minister Chrétien, whose description of U.S. President George W. Bush as a "moron" caused her downfall and forced her resignation a year ago. There is this perception in the States that Canadians are naturally anti-America, and maybe we are, but you couldn’t tell that from the media reports in Canada. This is a well-known sickness of Canadians, in particular in the English-speaking and/or the conservative provinces. Their worst fear is to offend the US giant and every action or statement that is deemed too offensive to our US neighbours will be shushed down and vigorously condemned. In that respect, Canadians are like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs, constantly walking on eggs and jumping nervously at every real or imagined sign of disapproval or irritation from South of the border. I remember reading a letter, published in the Globe and Mail, from an American whining about unilingual French signs in Québec and – surprise, surprise – threatening to not spend a single American cent in Canada until we change our signs policy. His letter drew an avalanche of responses from readers apologizing for the inconvenience and cursing the Québec government for their disrespect. I was the only one writing: «Why the f*ck should we change our policy to accommodate the poor linguistic knowledge of an American tourist? Do you think that the Bush administration will withdraw from Iraq if I threaten to boycott the US as a vacation destination?»

Unless a geological miracle somehow cleaves the North American continent in two, separating Canada and the United States, the two countries are condemned to live together like conjoined twins. Obviously, the US is the dominant twin, being the sole superpower left on Earth and all. But Canada is the more enlightened one (for the time being) and we should not abdicate our responsabilities to guide and inspire our brother/neighbour and try to soften his present brutal and regressive side.

Come on, Canada! Let’s stop apologizing for telling the truth. Americans already have a low opinion of us (or of the rest of the world, actually). Scraping and kowtowing to them will certainly not enhance our image at this point. Let’s stop worrying about what the US think of us and let’s worry instead about maintaining our righteousness.

Chihuaha: "Fuck you!"