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So, I may have mentioned this before, but I have been getting some anti-american vibes and words up here - and some questions I have no idea how to even start to answer. So as much as I dislike policy, it was clear I needed to be at least familiar with the major issues so I could tread carefully when needed.
Frankly, I knew free trade sucked, but I had no idea how much Canada (and probably the rest of the world) blames the US because they see us as the free trade pusher. One of the books I got turned out to be a tirade against NAFTA and by extension the bullying nature of the US. There was only one chapter (it was a collection of papers) that really divided the american people from the american politics. Frankly, I don't blame them, we don't speak up nearly enough in the US about our government . . . there are reasons for that I know, but those reasons are certainly not visible from here.
One thing that clearly struck me is the use of fear as a driver. Obviously fear has been driving american policy since 9/11, but fear has been driving canadian policy for far longer then that - they seem to be secretly afraid that we will assimilate them (the most extreme think formally, but most seem to think that it will be in all but name) into the US. This isn't something that had occurred to me at all before I got here . . . which just plays into one of their other fears - that we are the powerful neighbor next door so they need to be aware of us at all times and try to compromise to get our favor . . . . and we don't even notice they exist - they are invisible to use and we don't give a shit.
Honestly, Canada has a lot going for it. They need to stop caring that they are in America's shadow - because frankly pretty much every country is right now . . . but that domination can't last forever. They need to stand up to America a bit more or America will roll all over them and take all their resources.
On that note, for your reading pleasure:
"At Home in the World: Canada's Global Vision for the 21st Century" Walsh
If you read any book that I list here, you should read this one. It gives a good overview of major internal issues and external views of the rest of the world from the canadian perspective. It is a little bit dated though as it was written in the middle of Bush's terms.
"Who are the People of Canada Anyway? Waiting for the Next Referendum" Citizen X
This book mostly focuses on the internal history and issues of Canada primarily related to the Two Solitudes (aka the Quebec issue). It is written as someone discussing the controversy and major issues with their family and friends who hold a variety of perspectives. It reminds me of a book that we read in (elementary?) school about the American revolution that looked at the issues from the perspective of a family divided by the war that ultimately ends up fighting on opposite sides. The narrator pissed me off though as the author made his personality into a rather unlikeable middle aged male. I also still don't think I get the whole issue . . . .why did a minority have such power to paralyze the country? I think my stumbling block might be cultural - the tools I would use to move the issue along don't appear as even possibilities in the book.
"Living with Uncle: Canada-US Relations in an Age of Empire" edited by Campbell and Finn
This is the one that turned into a tirade against NAFTA and by extension the US. It is super technical (beyond my policy tolerance certainly) but the base emotions that these variety of authors feel towards the US, it's government, and it's people, come through quite clear (and the range of emotions is quite broad). Perhaps work skimming, but not reading unless you are a policy wonk.
Now I turn my attention to Geography!
Frankly, I knew free trade sucked, but I had no idea how much Canada (and probably the rest of the world) blames the US because they see us as the free trade pusher. One of the books I got turned out to be a tirade against NAFTA and by extension the bullying nature of the US. There was only one chapter (it was a collection of papers) that really divided the american people from the american politics. Frankly, I don't blame them, we don't speak up nearly enough in the US about our government . . . there are reasons for that I know, but those reasons are certainly not visible from here.
One thing that clearly struck me is the use of fear as a driver. Obviously fear has been driving american policy since 9/11, but fear has been driving canadian policy for far longer then that - they seem to be secretly afraid that we will assimilate them (the most extreme think formally, but most seem to think that it will be in all but name) into the US. This isn't something that had occurred to me at all before I got here . . . which just plays into one of their other fears - that we are the powerful neighbor next door so they need to be aware of us at all times and try to compromise to get our favor . . . . and we don't even notice they exist - they are invisible to use and we don't give a shit.
Honestly, Canada has a lot going for it. They need to stop caring that they are in America's shadow - because frankly pretty much every country is right now . . . but that domination can't last forever. They need to stand up to America a bit more or America will roll all over them and take all their resources.
On that note, for your reading pleasure:
"At Home in the World: Canada's Global Vision for the 21st Century" Walsh
If you read any book that I list here, you should read this one. It gives a good overview of major internal issues and external views of the rest of the world from the canadian perspective. It is a little bit dated though as it was written in the middle of Bush's terms.
"Who are the People of Canada Anyway? Waiting for the Next Referendum" Citizen X
This book mostly focuses on the internal history and issues of Canada primarily related to the Two Solitudes (aka the Quebec issue). It is written as someone discussing the controversy and major issues with their family and friends who hold a variety of perspectives. It reminds me of a book that we read in (elementary?) school about the American revolution that looked at the issues from the perspective of a family divided by the war that ultimately ends up fighting on opposite sides. The narrator pissed me off though as the author made his personality into a rather unlikeable middle aged male. I also still don't think I get the whole issue . . . .why did a minority have such power to paralyze the country? I think my stumbling block might be cultural - the tools I would use to move the issue along don't appear as even possibilities in the book.
"Living with Uncle: Canada-US Relations in an Age of Empire" edited by Campbell and Finn
This is the one that turned into a tirade against NAFTA and by extension the US. It is super technical (beyond my policy tolerance certainly) but the base emotions that these variety of authors feel towards the US, it's government, and it's people, come through quite clear (and the range of emotions is quite broad). Perhaps work skimming, but not reading unless you are a policy wonk.
Now I turn my attention to Geography!