Fight For Our Canada
Posted on Monday, June 28 at 10:39 by Kory Yamashita
Lets stop for a second and think about what they did for us.
These brave young men didn't fight to end the Holocaust (they didn't know about it at the time) and they weren't fighting because they thought Hitler was a bad guy.
What these men fought and died for was the right to self-determination and freedom - freedom from Nazi rule and freedom to choose our own leaders and our own laws to protect our own citizens.
Now our country's right to self-determination is again under attack. This time it isn't Nazis in Europe. Rather, it's corporations in the US (and elsewhere).
Right now Canadian laws are superceded by foreign corporate interests. If our government passes a law banning a toxic gasoline additive, for example, the foreign manufacturer of that additive can sue our government for "lost revenues". This means that we have to pay millions of dollars to come rich guys in the US to NOT subject ourselves to their poisons.
Realistically, this means we don't have the power to make our own regulations anymore. So much for self-determination.
So here is my call to arms:
If those soldiers (our grandparents, in many cases) believed so strongly in an independent Canada, why are we so eager to throw it all away? Why is anyone even CONSIDERING "deeper integration" with the US when they already own us (literally)? If those heroic D-Day volunteers could give their lives for this country, couldn't we at least give a vote?
The Conservatives are talking of "deeper integration". The Liberals promised in '93 to rebuild independence; they didn't deliver.
The NDP has said they will renegociate NAFTA. Some say this is dangerous to our trade. Remember one thing: the US doesn't trade with Canada out of concern for our welfare. They do it because we have stuff that they not only want, but NEED. We can get a better deal that doesn't sell our country.
Lets vote for the party that has a constructive solution and hasn't lied to us about this same subject in the past. Lets vote for the party that is walking purposefully towards a prosperous future rather than running blindly from a bleak one. LETS VOTE FOR THE NDP!!!!
-KY
(PS: The Canadian Action Party (CAP) is also very strong in this regard. Possibly stronger. But they don't have the national exposure yet. Either way, vote for someone who is looking forward rather than running blindly.)
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Does it really matter what the Prime Minister does (or promises to do), or even who the Prime Minister is, if we can't make our own laws and regulations to protect our citizens?
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Kory Yamashita
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
You are most certainly right by saying we have plently to lose. Canadians returning from the war and those that fueled the war machine here at home wanted to see Canada also become 'free' of the mechanisms of the elite and have a nation created in the mode they wanted. That included social services and top notch health care. That included the right to form meaningful unions and get a fair share.
We saw our resource base come to life and Canada step onto the world stage. We became the premier middle nation. We were looked upon as a beacon to others around the world for the little utopia we were building here. Now that is all being flushed away in the name of profits and greed.
Please Canada - Vote ABLOC - Anybody But Liberal or Conservative. Both have a track record of shame and deceit. Both have proven time again both provincially and federally to be against the majorities best wishes.
May sanity reign on this election day.
Roy
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Dave Ruston
The FTA and NAFTA were meant to benefit CORPORATIONS and ,yes, that includes Canadian ones.
Besides, how does one determine what is a US or Can corporation?
Ownership?
How do you know that? (In French its called "Societe Anonyme" for a reason, e.g. is Nortel Canadian?) What percentage of ownershhip if it can be determined makes a corporation Canadian?
I'm not dismissing your point Kory but I suggest reality is a little more nuanced.
or is it?
Do a google search about IBM, Ford and GM (there are others) and their collaboration, which profited them handsomely, with the NAZIs.
The comparison is exaggerated but not without foundation. Who do you think financed the NAZIs early on?
I might have skipped over a few points in order to simplify the argument.
You're right that it's the big corporations that benefit from NAFTA. Even one of the US presidential candidates (Kerry) is against NAFTA because it undermines the powers of the government.
I focussed on the US because that's where most of these corporations originated. But to be fair, the problem is the same. Whether it's the US or corporations that are symbolic of US power that take over Canada, we're screwed either way.
The overall point I wanted to make with this is that our Government is powerless to combat the actions of self-interested entities. In short, I was saying that democracy in Canada is under attack.
-KY
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Kory Yamashita
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
Right now we're halfway there (well, somewhere between best and worst). We can't just go and impose our views on others in order to bring them to our midway level.
What we must do is build a country of freedom, equality, tolerance, and respect. And it must be a country that works, where no one starves to death and everyone has an equal chance from birth.
And once that country is built, other people will try to emulate it. How could they not emulate it if it truly works?
And we have it easy in Canada. We have tons of resources and a huge head start. What we should do is build a just society and once we have dealt with our domestic problems, concentrate our full effort in aiding others who want help in creating other successful and just societies.
For example, we should seek to establish a nation independent of fossil fuel energy. Build a green energy grid and use financial incentives to convert to energy efficient and pollution-free cars.
And then we should make the technology available to other countries to use. On a world-wide scale, this would make a huge difference in helping to ensure a sustainable society.
In laymen's terms: lead by example!! (And nurture those who wish to be led)
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Kory Yamashita
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Oliver Wendell Holmes