Canada Day 2011

Since Canada doesn’t mandate a “State of the Federation Address,” I thought I would use today to report back to the people (or at least to the 8 who say they follow this blog!).

We have a majority conservative government doing very important things. Today we learned that they are mandating the military to have a significant role in Canadian Citizenship ceremonies. A military person will be seated next to the citizenship judge, be able to give a three minute speech (not to be missed!) and shake the hands of the new citizens in a receiving line. Ah yes, the changes a visionary Prime Minister can accomplish!

I regret to say I am only half tongue in cheek. Harper is brilliant at instituting changes that look small but aren’t. He is the politician informed by the butterfly effect—a single salute over at the citizenship ceremony creates a hurricane in the consciousness of Canadians. It may take awhile, but long after he’s left office, we will feel the effects.

And what isn’t a symbolic change often has real substance that never makes it onto the media radar in any meaningful way. Just before the election, the Government gutted the enforcement power of the group that regulates food labels. The legislation still says companies have to label, but the government is now unable to enforce it. Ah yes, the changes an ideological Prime Minister can accomplish!

Of course, the omnibus crime bill will bring in American-style changes to the criminal justice system just as America has realized its system of punishment not only hasn’t been working but is also no longer affordable. But why let that get in the way of Canada moving forward to protect the rights of victims? Harper likes victims, which could be admirable if only he didn't go around imagining more of them than actually exist or work so hard to convince us we're all endanger of becoming one unless he protects us.

Canada's real victims did have an important gathering this past week in Inuvik. Canada’s own Truth and Reconciliation Commission went to the north to give witness to the impact of the residential schools on northern children during the years of forced assimilation. The government created the conditions that lead to so much pain and suffering, and it is now appropriately asking for stories from that sad chapter to be told.

Whether the Canadian postal workers who were just ordered back to work are victims or not depends on one’s politics. To the new official opposition, the New Democratic Party, they clearly are, and therefore the party filibustered to prevent the Government from sending them back to work. Legislating the end of the strike after less than two weeks does seem a bit hasty; then again, if the strike had gone on much longer, Canadians might have had the chance to realize the extent to which effective technology has rendered the postal service less and less relevant. When was the last time I licked an envelope? I think, in an odd turn of events, Harper likely helped the postal workers, whose strike may not have been in their own best interest. Perhaps they should read about the demise of the Pony Express.

Speaking of demise,(what a segue!)the Canadian base in Afghanistan is being transferred over to the Americans, and Canadian soldiers are celebrating their last Canada Day in Kandahar. I am one who believes there never should have been a first day in Kandahar; this last one is long overdue. It was a mistaken deployment. And twenty years from now, if not sooner, we will understand that it was an utterly worthless commitment of lives.(Consider this my 2011 Canada Day prediction.)

And to end in a flurry of good news, let’s not forget that it wasn’t long ago that Arcade Fire won the Grammy for best album, a Canadian who avoided his destiny to be a puck-head was somehow picked 4th in the NBA draft, the rights of gays and lesbians to marry was included in the latest revision to the citizenship guide, and Kate and William are in town on a glorious July day, throwing monarchists and celebrity-watchers into various states of jubilation.

(A unique version of Oh Canada by Asani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqPwjwmDWgQ)