How did Harper get everyone all worked up that the coalition was a coup d'etat? By convincing Canadians that their political system was American. And it was easy, just repeat it enough--"the coalition is not democratic!"--and soon it becomes the truth. "Yeah," say the citizens, "we just had an election and we voted in Harper." I confess I didn't know until the past few weeks how few Canadians understand their own political system. In the shadow of the American colossus (however tottering it is) and its recent riveting election, Canadians can't get clear of America's influence, particularly when it comes to differentiating a parliamentary democracy from a republic. I know Canadians don't know their history very well but I had assumed, from my 18 years of living up here, that they couldn't be fooled into thinking Ottawa is just a smaller Washington.