Well the Olympic Games are finally over, and I must say I enjoyed the show, from the stunning beginning to the wild and wonderful end.
I thought the Brits did an amazing job, I was proud of all our athletes, whether they won a medal or not.
And the only thing that almost ruined the games for me was having to watch so many Con TV ads.
The ones praising their porky Economic Action Plan. For they will not stop trying to buy votes with OUR money.
And the one about the War of 1812, that practically mugged the Olympic spirit, with its ghastly, grating, violent jingoism...
For they will not stop trying to militarize our culture.
They have no money to help poor Canadians who must choose between food and medicine.
But they do have a billion bucks to spend on drones.
To attack other countries, and no doubt guard their precious pipeline to B.C.
And they will never stop trying to destroy our peacekeeping traditions.
Queen’s University historian Ian McKay and Kingston-based journalist Jamie Swift, also concerned by the recent militarization of Canada, have detailed this transition in their new book, Warrior Nation: Rebranding Canada in an Age of Anxiety.
According to these authors, the military enterprise in Canada is being recast as an “abandonment” of Canada as a peacekeeping nation. This vision is being replaced by a notion of Canada that has, in the words of Swift, “been all about war all the time.”
For McKay and Swift, “the Harper government is operating very much like a regime mounting an ideological crusade to rebrand the country.”
The ones the world once admired. The ones Stephen Harper hates so much. Because before he can turn this country into a jungle, he must brutalize its values. And pose as a Great Warrior Leader, as well as a hair stylist.
Oh well. At least there was some irony. As the Harper Cons pushed their phony 1812 patriotism during the Olympics, to try to conceal the fact they are selling us out to foreign interests.
Where's Laura Secord when we need her?
A Canadian company that's fighting for its life to fend off an American invasion.
Made the most Canadian ad of all...
Because I never got tired of watching that one eh? That's a country I can recognize. And isn't it beautiful?
Oh well. Try to think about it on the bright side. Those Con klowns will soon get the hook.
And aren't we lucky Stephen Harper didn't choreograph the closing ceremony at the Olympics?
Because it would have been horrible....
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If you want to go on peace support operations you can always sign-up yourself. Also all the equipment the Tories have promised is replacing kit that is already worn out. The CF isn't really growing nor are the base capabilities changing.
ReplyDeleteThe harpercons can't even get around to ordering new trucks.
Deletehi anonymous...what made me write this post, was noting that the Sunday was National Peacekeepers
DeleteDay, and hardly anybody noticed. I believe in a well equipped military capable of defending the sovereignty of this large nation, rescuing people from our harsh climate, and leading peacekeeping missions for the U.N. I prefer peacekeeping missions because I think they play to the strength of a country that was created by our genius for compromise not war.
I am fully aware of the failures of the past, but that doesn't mean we can't make a real impression in the world. But Harper would make us a Big Power wannabe, something we can never be, and none of it makes sense....
hi Thwap...Indeed, but then trucks are not as glamorous as fancy jets. The HarperCons are only interested in the military when they can make themselves and the brass look good They don't give a damn about the ordinary soldier....
DeleteGod help us all, with Harper and MacKay at the helm. Other country's fighting in Afghanistan said, Canada was the worst equipped soldiers there. Canada did not belong in that war, what-so-ever. You don't send your military to a war zone, with old worn out equipment. What kind of monsters are Harper and MacKay, anyway?
ReplyDeleteWe do favor Canada, as a peacekeeping Nation. Our young military deserves, the best equipment we can give them for that job too.
It's best if parents and grandparents, persuade their young people, to stay out of the Canadian military. If they are maimed for life. Harper has no more use for them, they are thrown in the garbage, to survive the best way they know how.
hi anonymous...I think with the passage of time it has become obvious that the war in Afghanistan was a total disaster. We were in over our heads, we didn't have enough troops, and sadly we have taken proper care of our wounded soldiers. They paid the price for making our politicians look like warriors, and it was for nothing....
DeleteI dearly hope that he'll be gone by 2015. If not? Bye bye Canada!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the majority of Canadians that actually care enough to vote are like this person (Okay, not as obsessed with Harper, but they still follow him like lost puppies). I'm not sure if you've seen her or not, but I hope she's trolling or pretending to be stupid. http://www.harpergirl.com/HarperGirl.com/HarperGirl.html
And, is that a... lifesized Stephen Harper cutout she's posing with? I'm not sure whether to laugh or to cry.
But, about the Olympic thing, I agree with you completely. All of the war ads almost ruined it for me, although the economic plan stuff just made me facepalm. People are still buying Harper's crap he continues to spew out?
hi anonymous....Harpergirl is a satirical site, and some of the videos Ruby Jones makes are hilarious. She goes to extraordinary lengths to make fun of Great Ugly Leader so you should check them out.On the other hand maybe it's just me. ;)
DeleteAs for the Olympic ads, the Cons treat everything like it was a war, but running them during the games was incredibly jarring. And BTW I followed the link on the 1812 video,and there on the front page was an ad for their Economic Action Plan. Because, you know, it's about history not politics...
Growing up I recall every time some survey or other came out asking about where cuts should be made, our Canadian Forces always seems to be at the top of the list. I recall thinking at the time too, what exactly is our military to do with outdated equipment in the event they were called upon to be sent in harms way. I grew up with a lot of guys (and gals) that served in uniform and I'm grateful not a single one of them was injured (at least not physically).
ReplyDeleteI think the Left needs to understand that increased military spending does not (and should not) mean simply arming ourselves to the teeth. At least that was the sense I always got when I cared more about politics back in the day. The Right needs to understand that we shouldn't be commiting our forces to every little hell hole that comes along. I hope this makes sense and apologize if it doesn't as I'm fighting a hell of a cold at the moment. I just think there are times when we may have pick up a rifle rather than placard. I just wish our government would do a better job at choosing where they send our men and women
hi Way Way Up...as I said above I don't begrudge any effort to equip our military with the best and most modern material to do the job, and hopefully keep our soldiers alive. However I question Harper's priorities. Take the drones for example. There are some big drones that would be ideal to patrol the North. They can stay up for 30 hours, and three of them could cover the whole country. But the predator drones that we're talking about buying are only good for killing people in foreign wars, and we need another foreign war like we need a hole in the head. I don't object to buying some predators, along with reconnaissance drones, but this order seems seriously out of whack....
DeleteThat war of 1812 stuff was a joke. Like who cared. Most of us covered it in high school & moved on. apparently stevie slime is still stuck in high school. Most of us who grew up in the 50, 60, 70s think of Canada as a peacekeeping nation & remember people like Lester Pearson.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why harper is trying to remake Canada as some sort of military nation. So we went to Washington, burnt the White House & came home. That was not a nice thing to do. It makes for good political satire but that is about it.
The money stevie slime allocated for all these ads were a criminal waste of money. John Duncan refused to sign off on an agreement between the Appawapiskat & CMHC to provide 30 homes to the people there. The people we all heard about this winter who were living in tents, shacks, & over crowded homes in the Artic. Now if stevie slime has enough money to spend on all those ads surely there must be money somewhere to pay for those 30 new homes. Oh I forgot, stevie slime the vindicative didn't want them to have homes. You see the Appawapiskat took the federal government to court over the issue of them appointing a third party manager to take over the affairs of the Appawapiskat. stevie & the slimers lost that case in Federal court. So the warrior king wants the children of Attawapiskat to live in substandard housing in the Artic for another winter. Ya that is some tough guy. John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, never does seem to have a grip on the portfolio so I can only conclude the orders came from stevie, the warrior king's office. Lets make that warrior king who makes war on children who live in the Artic.
I was living in Nunavut at the start of the Conservatives mandate and recall the people's excitement over the PM's visit. Finally, it seemed, politicians were finally paying attention to the North and actually coming here. Harper, I don't quite think these drones are what people had in mind. Don't turn a land I love and respect into a new battleground. Remember the DEW line? Extensive, expensive and ultimately a useless waste of money. I feel history is merely repeating itself.
ReplyDelete