From LindaL, Mark Steyn’s take on Canada’s first post-national, national celebration.
A national celebration of collective guilt is a hard act to pull off. An historical anniversary on which it’s unsafe to mention any history doesn’t leave a lot else. I tried to follow along, really I did. At one point on Saturday there was a fulsome introduction in both official languages, all about multiple Grammy awards, for Shania Twain.
That was a good read and the most I heard (and learned) of what happened on the lawn this Canada Day.
Other than a couple brief conversations regarding the state and future of the oil and gas sector here in Alberta, we had a great family reunion (wife’s Mom’s side) and stayed fairly politically incorrect and political free.
Having the ability to separate yourself from the “golden parachutes” failing this country, was the best way to celebrate Canada Day.
Mark really hit this nail on the head.
So! I am on occasion known to rant about the feckless nature of limited attention span and intelligence of Justin Trudeau. In my opinion our current Prime Minister’s only reason for existence is to somehow add credence to the first Prime Minister Trudeau.
The most notable legacy of Trudeau One; has to be the incredible mis-mash of the attempt to scurry out from under the, at the time and up until Brexit, the socialism, forelock tugging, English-Welsh-Scottish British non-Sovereign Citizens were a society to escape.
There are several other significant additions of harm to Canadian Society in the Trudeau One legacy; but read the attached presented by a much better commenter on the cost of being a Canadian, under yet another unrealistic Trudeau, number Two.
I hereby apologize to the Canadian people for providing a dysfunctional template of National,Leadership. America’s former President tickled the ears of the citizens with promises of FREE STUFF, “Magic energy sources that are FREE, CLEAN, and RENEWABLE … and promises of a “new normal” where the WORST of our society will be transformed into the BEST! A president who chided the productive classes to “pay their fair share”. A President who read TelePrompTed, feel-good speeches that made the whole world into a magic kingdom where the magic-thinking prevails over boring “old” science. A President who dreamed of a world without borders, language, or culture. An anti-nationalist, national leader. I am so sorry. For role-modeling a Presidency that your boy-PM is channeling to the Canadian people.
Steyn is right on as usual. I must admit that I didn’t do much celebrating this year. My thoughts were around our embarrassing Federal and Provincial governments and a feeling that our only way out is to take a referendum vote.
Steyn’s columns are all the same after you read enough of them, like Terry Pratchet books.
While I’m sure the celebrations were boring and polluted by PC nonsense, this is still better than nation-worship of the kind seen south of the border. The ideal country is the one too boring to get worked up about one way or the other.
Must be getting pretty bad. Even my wife is starting to mock the tiresome, meaningless, drivel: “celebrate our differences/embrace diversity”. It’s enough to gag a maggot.
I now consider Canada Day, Liberal Party Propaganda Day.
Channel-flipping with the remote last Tuesday evening, I settled on PBS which was airing the live Fourth of July concert and fireworks in Washington.
What a contrast with the pity party in Ottawa on Canada Day.
Oh, and they made a point of honouring their country’s veterans rather than apologizing to their country’s enemies.
Here’s an interesting twist.
A few days ago, I posted a question on a certain mailing list. One of the people who responded was from western Europe. In his answer, he wrote something along the lines of: “unlike my country’s government, I know what I’m doing”.
I was severely tempted to write something similar to him.
It would seem like Canada is not a country, but a collection of pieces of other countries. Instead of Canada Day being strictly about Canada, its history, its provinces, its geography, we celebrate with Ukrainian dancing, Jamaican drumming, and all kinds of celebrations of other cultures. The other cultures have Heritage Day, in Alberta anyway, to celebrate, so why can’t Canada Day be JUST about Canada as a country. I never watch the celebrations anymore. I watch the July 4th celebration in the USA, which never mentions which cultures are living there, and they have wonderful fireworks.
The problem is, the Liberals are working to detach Canada from its traditional cultural heritage. They are serious about our being a “post national” state. While Trudeau claims that “diversity makes us stronger”, it does not. It contributes to people feeling detached and disinterested in their country and community. Newcomers have nothing Canadian to identify with. A second generation could become part of the Canadian story, but Liberals are making sure there is no coherent story. You knew things would go badly on Canada Day when they did not bother to include history or heritage in the themes for the 150th. I think “diversity” was there, though.
Well DUH.
It is damn hard for the peons to celebrate a functioning Kleptocracy.
Where we pay ever more and entitled nitwits live large ..for our own good of course.
Anyone who has ever had a household budget knows how the current Canada will end.
Simply a question of when? And how bloody.?
The bloated parasitic class write and enforce their laws..
Producers have zero representation.
We have so many rules and regulations that we have NO LAW.
In Canada Treason is fashionable.
Theft is the right of the collective.
Property is an illusion.
The foundations of civil society have been cast aside and we are supposed to wonder why the fantasy edifices of our “intellectual superiors” crumble to trash even before the bill comes due.
“why can’t Canada Day be JUST about Canada as a country.”
Because at best that would be boring. Crappy beer and…what? Bacon?
“diversity makes us stronger”, it does not. It contributes to people feeling detached and disinterested in their country and community. Newcomers have nothing Canadian to identify with.”
That’s exactly why it makes us stronger: nationalism has little or nothing to grow out of. All countries should just be seen as chunks of territory. Like shopping for any other service.
Reading your dribble after John Robertson’s prescient comments – now that’s boring.
My country, OTOH, is the greatest thing going. BTW, diverse people can agree on the important stuff; happens all the time.
..diverse people can agree on the important stuff; happens all the time.
It never happens unless you are also a communist, like Spuds and Butts!M
Oh for another 1972 Summit series…
“nationalism has little or nothing to grow out of.” Your comment makes no sense. Who exactly is the “us” that grows stronger by destroying the nation state? When you destroy a country you destroy the experience of interconnectedness that exists in that country. Viewing nations as just “chunks of territory” does nothing to support a sense of belonging to something larger than one’s self. Without a cohesive sense of connection, people become insular, distrustful and suspicious of their neighbors. Individuals can survive without that sense of connection to country or community, but life is reduced to banality.
“the experience of interconnectedness”
This is too much buzzword.
The problem with your post is the notion that it’s the role of the nation to provide a sense of belonging and that only nations can do that. This is wrong and frankly, a bit fascistic. People can form their own things to belong to, like Rotary.
Also, it is imperative that nothing be put ahead of the individual.
Uno, your views make you sound like you are about 17. Would that be correct? Rotary clubs do not replace the sense of belonging that can come from nationhood. Our sense of nationhood is part of our identity — often over a lifetime. National identity does not replace who we are as individuals. It is part of who we are.
Steyn’s columns are all the same after you read enough of them,
Road apple
Every word you spoke is just creepy collectivism. Get this: there is no ‘we’, no us. We do not have an identity and no one should seek belonging from their country. This is actually kinda fascist.
Not really. “Creepy collectivism” would be state imposed collectivism. Identifying and feeling connected to your nation or community is very different — it is more like shared values and a sense of caring about people who seem to share those same values. I would call it mutual support. And, of course we all have an identity which is in part derived from family,religion, nationhood, life experience within that framework, and a feeling of connection to those we believe share our values.There is nothing fascist in this. Fascism would be insisting that everyone adopt the values that you think are correct. The Antifas are a good example of how that works.