Softwood Trade Peace In Our Time Watch

Well, Steve's unconditional surrender of Canada's softwood lumber industry is turning out about as well as I thought it would. That is to say, not well. The Americans, emboldened by Spineless Steve's capitualtion, have come back for more. The sad thing about this whole situation is this. Before Steve's act of cowardice, we may have had a chance to fend these bastards off. But, thanks to Steve, we have unilaterally disarmed and have virtually no weapons to bring to bear in this fight. I wonder if this is going to be an election issue? I just wonder. Hat tip to Robert.

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Mario Dumont, Friend Of Steve, Separatist

Is it raining toads? I just thought I would ask because Rex Murphy agrees with me. That surely, is a bad sign for us all. In particular, these paragraphs summarize everything I feel is going on with Mr. Dumont (behind the wall, but this is working for the moment):

I suggest the reason Mr. Dumont is so obliging in dismissing a referendum from his political arsenal is that he sees it has become a useless ritual toward the advancement of goals ever so conveniently being achieved without one.

After all, if the federal Parliament declares by resolution that “the Québécois form a nation,” if its “powers” are ever more exercised separately from any central mandate, if Quebec has an international presence, and if the goal of the only dynamic party in the province of Quebec right now is to expand the latitudes of its already generously established autonomy — why chatter about some damn referendum? This boat sails better without that dropped anchor.

Quebec is and has been quietly disengaging itself, with the co-operation in particular of Mr. Harper's government, from its provincial status within the Confederation. It is edging toward an equivalent status with the rest of the country seen as a whole.

In other words, when you have a Prime Minister who either because he shares your vision for an indepenedent Quebec within a loose confederation of independent states, or for crass political expediency, does a limbo dance in order to help your cause, you don't need referenda. You just need to act. Mr. Dumont said it would be a mistake to think of him as a federalist. We should believe him. I would only add, that I think it is a mistake to think of Steve as a federalist, too.

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Friday Ravi Blogging

I am going out tonight with the missus. So here for your enjoyment, the wonderful, Ravi Shankar on the Dick Cavett Show.

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We Are All Just Market Segments Now

Greg Staples' posting yesterday bothered me. He pointed out how the Tories are aiming to turn the "suburban vote" toward them and "against" the Liberals (and NDP). That bothered me, first because it didn't seem to bother him, and because I think at its best, politics and politicians should be trying to bridge differences rather than bombing those bridges. Coincidentally, Susan Riley's column today has that same sense of disquiet:

People grow and change, of course, while opportunists follow the money (and power). Often, however, it is hard to tell the difference. Nor does it help that political parties reduce us to retail demographics: the Tim Hortons crowd versus Starbucks-sippers, hockey dads and soccer moms versus academic snobs and downtown dilettantes, or the NDP spin -- "average Canadians" and "working families" versus the "wealthiest CEOs."

Notice the word "versus." Politics has always been a competitive sport, but Harper has professionalized this divisive instinct, partly with the help of imported strategists. It also propelled Dumont's recent breakthrough -- this carving electors into watertight compartments labeled urban/rural, or immigrant/old stock, or family-oriented/single. It creates a nation of outsiders/ insiders; it appeals to old resentments, not to shared dreams.

What bothers me most is it is an imported "red state/blue state" mentality that dismisses whole segments of the population, just because they either live in the wrong place or are artificially identified as enemies of the people. As Riley points out, this kind of politics creates two classes of voters, those who count and those who deserve only contempt. It is a bad place for our poltics to go. We should get off this train.

Update: Another thing that upsets me is the usurption of our national symbols by this government. There was a time when the military and police were our neighbours, our boys, everyone's. Now, they "belong" only to the Harper government. No one is allowed to love them as much as they do. If you don't agree with every decision of the government, you "obviously" hate the police and military. It is a terrible (and disgusting) thing to have. It is also a dangerous thing in a democracy, for one party to claim to have a monopoly on patriotism.

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Bill C 30

Kudos to the NDP for shepherding the improved Clean Air Act through committee. No matter what happens now, it shows the public what can be done, if the will exists. Watching Baird's reaction on the CBC after the committee was done, I saw a man who was having an existential crisis. You could tell that he has been affected by the science since he has taken the job, but was still spewing the same old bullshit talking points of the Conservative Party. He sounded unconvinced by his own words. He has never looked so self-awarely lame.

Update: I was also amused by Baird's parliamentary secretary's (Mark Warawa) denunciation of "carbon taxes" on Don Newman's show. When it was pointed out (start at 44:20) that the government just past a carbon tax in the recent budget (in the form of a tax on SUV purchases), I thought the poor guy's head was going to pop off. It was one of those "Yes but, no but, yes but" moments every politician fears.

Update 2:Another thought occurs. Since the Tories seem hell bent on destroying Dion's leadership street cred, such victories for the NDP can only enhance Layton's. If the Tories go too far (and it looks like they know no other way), it could collapse the Liberal vote and the NDP will be there as a credible alternative. We could see a repeat of the Quebec vote across the country.

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Speaking Of Steve's Buddies

Steve and Zacc in happier times

I wonder if this means Zacc is off the Christmas card list?

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Greg Weston Gets The Picture

Weston is slightly troubled by Steve's new best friend in Quebec:

What more could Dumont want? Apparently, lots.

He would like Quebec to heave the Canada Health Act, and move to a mix of public and private medical care.

Dumont thinks it would be better for Quebec to collect all of its own income and other taxes, sending an appropriate amount to Ottawa (read: Not much), rather than the other way around.

The ADQ platform also talks about Quebecers getting their own citizenship and separate constitution.

And while they're at it, Dumont apparently thinks it would be a nice touch to rename the whole place the "Autonomous State of Quebec."

Add it all up, and the definition of "autonomous" would appear to be a province that controls everything and everyone within its borders, while the rest of Canada just sends money. Sweet.

If this is the vision Steve has for the country, he should say so, openly. If not, he should, again openly, tell his buddy to sod off.

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