Canada-US relations

The War of 1812 is Canada’s only fully inclusive, federalism-friendly conflict

Much like “Jurist”, I had to laugh at the headlines conjured up in the wake of the most interesting Wikileaks revelation so far concerning Canada. The Globe, summarizing the leaked minute of a private meeting between former Environment Minister Jim Prentice and U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson, says “[Prentice] threatened to impose new rules on oil sands”. Okayyy, but it’s not really a threat if you make it only in the presence of a third party, is it? We’ve all met fake tough guys who are full of stories about how they really told so-and-so off, but who are really just imagining what they would have said if their spine weren’t made of marmalade. Similarly, the CBC has it “Prentice was ready to curb oilsands”, mysteriously failing to add “…but he didn’t really get around to it, and then one day he just cleaned out his desk and left.”

Are Canada and the U.S. sacrificing privacy in the name of security?

Fretting about how Canada is seen by Americans is a mostly pointless and entirely maddening pastime and I try, I honestly try, not to indulge in it. But it’s hard sometimes. The Nov. 5, 2009 issue of the New York Review of Books broke my discipline. It contains a review of Margaret Atwood’s new novel, The Year of the Flood, which offers in passing a ridiculous picture of Canada, one I can only hope most of the NYR’s readers skip over. I wasn’t able to.

From protectionist policy to border security to environmental laws, our best friend is making our lives miserable

Ottawa hasn’t been serious about security, says one former Homeland Security official

Judy Wasylycia-Leis on her fellow NDP member’s new job

If there is one feature of the Obama administration that transcends all others, it is its level of activity. Not a single day passes without a policy initiative being launched, a decision being announced, or a commentary being offered, either by Obama himself or through a government spokesperson. A second and more important characteristic is the strategic content associated with its policy making. This guy has a plan. Whether or not you agree with Obama, you know there’s a sense of direction and a view of a bigger picture. No wonder, then, that Obama is more popular than all our leaders combined.

With national holiday season upon us on both sides of the border, it is a good time to pause and consider whether Barack Obama has had a positive effect on Canada. Last week, Maclean’s Washington correspondent Luiza Ch.Savage wrote a very thoughtful article arguing “Barack Obama is bad for Canada.” The piece was far more balanced than the title suggests, but it raised some legitimate points about Obama’s economic ambitions with respect to free trade, global warming, and energy. She could have added border security for good measure. At first glance, and based on its national interests, Canada has grounds for worry. Yet polls suggest Canadians like Obama more than they do Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Could the Obama effect and his popularity be making us blind to potential threats to our country’s economy and overall interests?

Weekend roundup

WEEKEND ROUNDUP