A Disgusting Lack of Patriotism

[protagoras]

For a minute there, I thought you meant Kyoto. Because Harper did also harm our reputation (again!) with his lack of commitment towards the Kyoto protocol.

I googled "Osaka agreement" but did not find much. What is it about?

I confess : I do not always follow the news as much as I should.

Oops, I feel stupid here. My mistake. of course I was referring to the Kyoto protocol. The Osaka agreement concerns academic exchange between universities...déformation professionnelle!

 

[JustBob]

I'm not talking about 'blind patriotism'. I believe that Canada has always been a leading country in the world when it comes to protecting freedom and especially in our peacekeeping efforts. This is something to be proud of and I am proud of it.

I can agree or disagree with government policies, but I have a hard time being "proud". Perhaps that's because I've travelled a lot and I lived in other countries. Frankly, I just live here. If I didn't like it I'd move.

 

[Ariane Valmont]

protagoras, well, I am no better since I jumped to the conclusion that there was such a thing as the "osaka agreement"!

JustBob, don't you think that a gouvernment's laws and policies are often a reflection of the population? And if that's the case, doesn't it make sense to be proud of the accomplishments of your country since you, with millions of others, have contributed to it in one way or another?

 

[JustBob]

Absolutely, it is something to be proud of.

Unfortunately, it seems Canada is losing ground in that matter. I was just watching a conference with Jean-François Lépine and he was explaning how Harper is concentrating on offensive missions instead of peace keeping missions (he gave statistics but I can't remember. I should have wrote them down!). The number of peace keepers sent away has drastically lowered in the last few years. From what I understand, it had started before Harper came into play but has quickly got worst with him as our Prime Minister.

Most Canadians used to be appalled at the way the Bush administration handled foreign affairs. Well guess who is following in their footsteps?

It's not a black or white issue. There is a huge range of positions you can take between absolute neutrality and following in Bush's footsteps. At times, arguing for neutrality can be just an excuse for not getting involved. And some "causes" are worth getting your feet wet. Furthermore, you need to ask yourself about the effectiveness of peace-keeping missions. How many can be qualified as successfull or even worthwhile? A small minority.

 

[Ariane Valmont]

Furthermore, you need to ask yourself about the effectiveness of peace-keeping missions. How many can be qualified as successfull or even worthwhile? A small minority.

Peut-être mais il ne faut pas jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain.

Instead of stopping these missions, we should look into ways of making them more efficient.

 

[JustBob]

JustBob, don't you think that a gouvernment's laws and policies are often a reflection of the population? And if that's the case, doesn't it make sense to be proud of the accomplishments of your country since you, with millions of others, have contributed to it in one way or another?

It does make sense. I'm just too much of an individualist to think that way.

 

[JustBob]

Peut-être mais il ne faut pas jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain.

Instead of stopping these missions, we should look into ways of making them more efficient.

I never argued that they should be stopped.

And don't get me started on the Kyoto protocol...

 

[Ariane Valmont]

I'm just too much of an individualist to think that way.

Tsk tsk. You should get a slap on the wrist for that!

With the inevitable decline of the capitalism, we need more than ever to stick together as fellow human beings if we want to retain a certain life quality (not sure that's how you say "qualité de vie"!).

 

[JustBob]

Ok, I'm proud to live in the same country as the stunning rubenesque Arianne Valmont.

 

[Ariane Valmont]

Ok, I'm proud to live in the same country as the stunning rubenesque Arianne Valmont.

hihi... Not fair! You know too well that a woman can not resist flattery!

 

[Techman]

Concernant tes valeureux ancêtres étaient-ils volontaires ou conscrits? Les miens étaient conscrits.

They were volunteers who didn't have to be forced into fighting for a cause they knew was right. My uncle was shot down and killed during a mission over Germany and his parents and siblings were never able to visit his grave which was in East Germany. My father fought for the Royal 22e Régiment, the Van Doos, one of the most valorous regiments in Canadian history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_22nd_Regiment

War is a terrible thing but sometimes they have to be fought and people have to die.

Camilien Houde, le maire de Montréal, affirme publiquement qu'il ne s'enregistrera pas. Il invite la population à faire de même. Sa provocation force le ministre Ernest Lapointe à le faire incarcérer et à l'envoyer au camp de concentration de Petawawa, en Ontario.

He was lucky. I would have had him shot.

 

[Dr Edgar Who]

I was watching the festivities in Ottawa on the tele, and when the Governor General arrived and "God Save the Queen" was playing, a group of ornery Frenchmen (baby boomers oddly enough) started cursing and demanded I turn off our "Royal Anthem" on Canada Day!

I dunno, sounds to me like this guy is deliberately trying to stir things up!
I guess Mazingerz isn't around to lap it up and go ballistic though...

Canada is a great country, hopefully Quebecers will continue to choose to be a part of it but let them celebrate it (or not) in their own way. Telling other people to BE MORE PATRIOTIC dammit is a joke. And, frankly, patriotism is not necessarily a good thing (didn't read all the posts but this has been said repeatedly).

I'd add that I am anglophone and shudder at "God Save the Queen" and wish we could just drop her but this would mean finding a new system about which we (Canadians) could all agree and that is a real challenge.

 

[Techman]

I've never said that everyone must be patriotic or that they should have to celebrate Canada day. Let everyone do what they will. But I won't stand for anyone denigrating the country that I am proud to live in. Especially a separatist. If they don't want to be here, there are plenty of other countries in the Francophonie they could go and live in. I don't know if they would be happy in any of those countries though as they don't have any laws against English.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francophonie

 

[Luvs-mssgs]

I lived in Old Montreal for a couple months but wanted something bigger for the same price so I moved to a slummy neighborhood (Plateau Mount Royal) in June.

PLATEAU MONT-ROYAL IS NOT A SLUM!
In fact it was given the title of one of Five of the best neighborhoods in North America by http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/august2007/best_neighborhoods

That says a lot about your objectivity in these matters.

If you don't like the Plateau and its residents, why don't you try Hamstead instead I am sure you will get along fine in these parts, and stop bitching about people who have 250 years of historical good reasons not to like the royals and their plagerized anthem...
GSTQ & MDLM

 

[Merlot]

Hello Canadians,

Canada is one of the great countries of the world despite any faults. You should be celebrating that. The U.S.A. couldn't ask for a better neighbor, and it's very sad to see all this unnecessary bickering and politicization of what should have been a celebration of all that you do have.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[Mod 8]

Hello everyone,

I believe that the sentiment expressed in Merlot's post is a very good place to end this thread before things take a turn for the worse.

Thread closed.

Mod 8