Obsession with America
Today, Google News served up this CTV story titled: “Bush chided Harper on missile defence: CP report”. The report reads like we should all be shocked that Bush may have spoken to a Canadian other than the Prime Minister. Whoop de doo. While I’m very interested in international politics and relations, I fail to understand Canada’s obsession with American politics. The Kamloops IMC is holding a fundraiser where they will show an anti-Bush movie, Hijacking Catastrophe. During the recent US election a poster hung over a throughfare that read: “Drop Bush, not bombs”
Maybe someone should have let these activists know that Canadians were not voting in the US election.
Is it possible to imagine a day when Canadians are a little more involved in their local politics? Only a few weeks ago, the big news in Kamloops was the pending closure of a government-run liquor store, but BCGEU and local residents worked hard to protect it. Are we only mobilized when our liquor supply is threatened? I’m sure someone would have bootlegged supplied the local citizens without delay — if 15% of constituents would sign a petition to keep the store open, you don’t need complex market research to see a good business opportunity.
It’s not like there’s a shortage of important issues within our borders, let alone our city limits. Instead of expending so much energy criticizing the US Government decision to invade Iraq, why not put some of that energy towards pressuring Canadian politicians to provide international leadership. Instead of simply whining to foreign officials — whose responsibility does not include listening to the complains of foreigners — why not show them the path to peace in the manner you imagine the path to look like.