From South Of The Border

I am interested in a relationship with the Canadians that responded with an astonished, thoughtful tolerance to the separatist movement in Quebec, Canadians that were willing to examine their own national values when Jacques Pariseau and parti Quebecois began to turn up the heat, and I can identify with the Canadians---it seems a majority---that were willing to accept that a failure to resolve "the Quebec question" did not spell the end of a vibrant and vigorous Canada.

As Americans, we have gained an enormous amount from our relationship with Canada. A lop-sided economic relationship? While it may be, that isn't what interests me.

Just as there are thoughtful and quiet Canadians, there are thoughtful and quiet Americans, although one may hard pressed to know that at present. How many? No one is ever going to know the answer to that, I think.

If Canadians were to have entertained the notion of Jaques Pariseau to follow, after a few short years, Jean Chretien as prime minister, I dare say there would have been, at the very least, vigorous debate about the matter amongs Canadians. Serious debate.

It was as if the rationale of confused Americans went something like this: Hey, the old man, George H. W. Bush, didn't do any harm. We don't know anything about Dubya except that he's from Texas and was the owner of the Rangers, so what's the problem? Besides, what he says feels good and I trust my feelings. Besides, I don't have the time to find out who the man really is anyway.

Well, we're beginning to find out.

Some Quebecers---je me fais mes excuses a la quebecois---may take offense at the implied comparison between Bush and Pariseau, but I took Pariseau seriously and he was not a bumper sticker thinker, even though he may have offered the same platitudes that are the universal stuff of politics.

I think Canadians do well to keep an "Eye on Uncle Sam". I'm keeping an eye on him, too, and every bit as baleful a one as Canadians do. I value my relationships with the Canadians I know, and it seems I personally know some from the maritimes to B. C. I sometimes fought with my brothers and sisters, but I would defend them as myself from those that did not know us and I feel the same way about Canada.

I don't know ... maybe I have to settle for something as simple as, "Canadians are my friends."