Ottawa

Canadians view Egyptian revelry with skepticism

Unbridled joy in Cairo doesn’t make the trip overseas

(Hassan Ammar/AP)

Usually, when a mass of people is celebrating, shooting fireworks into the night sky, and waving countless flags that blanket an entire public square, there’s no reason to question their enthusiasm. Usually, when so many people are so happy, it’s for good reason. Today, as deliriously joyful Egyptians fill the world’s front pages, the Canadian view isn’t so celebratory.

The Globe and Mail‘s Patrick Martin writes that Egypt, once a “crucible of hope” for world leaders, is now simply a failed democracy. The National Post‘s banner headline warns that Democracy is “in doubt,” a not unfair assessment of a country ruled in the interim by a constitutional jurist sworn in after the army forced out former president Mohamed Morsi. The Toronto Star‘s editorialists caution that Egyptians “have little cause to celebrate,” and that the hope sprung from the Arab spring was “sadly wasted.”

Sombre words from a skeptical press, unconvinced that Egyptians have chosen the right path.


Maclean’s senior writer Michael Petrou is among the skeptics. “Until this week it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for me to conceive of a situation in which I found myself siding with the Muslim Brotherhood,” he writes, before laying out exactly why he opposes the ouster of Mohamed Morsi.

Join Petrou for a live chat today at noon, when he’ll talk about the unrest and uncertainty in Egypt. If you have questions, don’t wait until noon. Head over to the chat and post your questions now.


What’s above the fold this morning?

The Globe and Mail leads with former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster. The National Post fronts democracy’s uncertain future in Egypt. The Toronto Star goes above the fold with Morsi’s rejection of his removal as a “complete military coup.” The Ottawa Citizen leads with the unbridled joy in the streets of Cairo. iPolitics fronts negotiations between Canada and the United States related to an American law that forces foreign banks to disclose information about American accounts. CBC.ca leads with Adly Mansour, the leader of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, being sworn in as interim president. CTV News leads with Mansour’s praise for mass protests. National Newswatch showcases a CTV News poll that says 30 per cent of Canadian voters want to re-elect the Conservative government.


Stories that will be (mostly) missed

1. Hassan Diab. Human rights groups are intervening in the extradition of the man accused of bombing a Paris synagogue, arguing evidence against him may have been obtained via torture. 2. Housing. The market for homes priced just under $1 million is booming, thanks to federal rules that make it impossible to acquire mortgage-backed insurance for seven-figure homes.
3. Abuse. The federal NDP wants the government to release a ream of documents related to abuse at a northern Ontario residential school—files that are key to ongoing claims by former residents. 4. Guns. The RCMP handed confiscated guns over to their owners in High River, Alta., the flood-ravaged town where police collected hundreds of gnus that weren’t properly secured inside homes.
5. Sochi. Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov urged his militant followers to “do their utmost to derail” the Sochi Olympics, a reversal of his previous calls to avoid civilian casualties. 6. Belgium. King Albert II will give up the throne to his son, Prince Philippe, on July 21. The 79-year-old is in ill health and also dogged by claims that he fathered an illegitimate daughter.

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