DFAIT logo partnership The logo for the by design elab, an independent research development and production think tank specializing in online forums for policy development, incubated in 1997 at the McLuhan Program at the University of Toronto
DFAIT Home Site Map Help Policies Partners Feedback Netcast Français
 
Welcome
Message from the Minister
Dialogue Paper
Answer Questions
View Answers
Discussion Forum
 

The Three Pillars

Thank you for participating in the Dialogue on Foreign Policy. The interactive web site is now closed. The Minister's report will appear on this web site once it is released.

This Forum is bilingual, and participants post messages in their language of choice.

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: Slim_Harpo

Date: 2003-03-05 22:38:37


"Canada is not a real country". I believe Lucien Bouchard said this and I agree. Canada is a relic left over from the British Empire whose only purpose was to contain the expansion of the USA on the North American continent. Graham trumpets the myth of Canadian values, there are no unique Canadian values. Get this! We are the same people as Americans only we are less free, less educated, and poorer. We also are a subservient breed that doffs our collective hat to authority in the old colonial style. One can not help but notice the pathetic grovelling of successive Federal governments kowtowing to their betters in Europe. Americans have a tradition of freedom. Our three pillars should be, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Canadian politicians constantly shoot their mouths off telling the world that we know better, we mindlessly prattle on about how much more intelligent and rational Canadians are than the cowboy Americans who shoot first and ask questions later. Look at how we suck up to everyone at the United Nations and go on about how the UN must lead and approve everything. We should quit the UN immediately, imagine actually subjugating our national interests to an organization controlled by one hundred plus dicatators and then telling the US that they must follow the dictates of these criminals and murderers. It is beyond belief! Maybe if we actually had a functioning democracy in Canada we could then say something to the rest of the world. I think they laugh at us. I have given up on Canada and I am tired of British Columbia existing as a colony of Ontario/Quebec. Canada needs a system of "representative democracy". British Columbia must separate from Canada as soon as possible, it is shameful to be associated Canada.

Reply to this message

Show in topic

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-03-06 23:10:19


The UN is a great organization that was set up to handle world affairs so that large powerful countries are not free to impose their will on smaller less powerful countries. To succeed it must have the support of its member countries. Unfortunately, at this time our neighbour, the Usa is not upholding its agreements to help fund and support this organization because the present administration wants to dominate the world. Canada is a good country and does it share to contribute to world peace. If you do not like this country; you are very free to leave. I fervently hope that our Prime Minister keeps his resolve not to support this attack on Iraq without UN approval. The present American government is trying to procure backing by bribes of arms and money or by threats of economic retaliation . The USA is already using economic repercussions to try to contol the way Canada conduct business in our own country. They wish to force us to export our raw timber (jobs for Canadians) while they protect their own from export. They subsidize their farmers, auto industry, etc; then they accuse us of dumping produce because we have learned to produce more efficiently. Free trade with the USA is a failure. It is only freetrade if it suits their purposes

Reply to this message

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: 1256

Date: 2003-04-09 04:04:00


Shameful is to disregard every concept of humanity as secondary to a powerful economy. Canada is not a war obsessed country - America is. Canadians speak privately as a proud people - Americans speak publicly and make a point of using brute force on those who choose not to cooperate. International bodies help ensure equality in an increasingly unjust world - something the Americans scoff at. America is going the way of the Spanish and British empires - Canadians consider the world globally, with no defining supreme power. Shameful is ignorance and more shameful is to actually believe you would be better off as a colony of Washington.

Reply to this message

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: Outwest

Date: 2003-04-15 12:50:17


I agree with you slim I am a totally for British COlumbia-Alberta seperation. But I disagree that we are less free. Maybe we can't own guns as easily, but we have more freedom of speech and less laws based on other people's morality. And we are not force to be patriotic, if you don't believe me think about what would happen if an American State demanded independence. They wouldn't get to vote on it I'll tell you that much. I have met many Americans up here who say they feel less opressed when in Canada. And after being down there I agree.

Reply to this message

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: fatmomma

Date: 2003-04-17 22:18:53


We need to stand together as one country. I don't believe BC or Alberta should separate. We are already a small fish in a big pool. I wouldn't want to try to deal with the USA or other trading partners with a much weaker position.

Reply to this message

Canada - U.S. Relationship

Contributor: codc01

Date: 2003-04-18 08:42:39


I agree with you...

Reply to this message