This stuff really embarrasses me:
Prime Minister Paul Martin walked away from his first meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday brandishing two deals that are being touted as proof of Canada's new, "unique" relationship with the United States. "As far as I'm concerned, I thought that the vibes were very, very good on both sides," Martin said afterward.Good vibes. Excellent. Thank God we have not voted for Martin yet so only the Liberals look like cattle right now.
This is not anti-Bush or anti-USA. It is anti-grovel, anti-need-to-be-loved. After 9/11 it was news here that Canada did not get enough mention as "best pals" to the USA - Colin Powell had to be sent out to the microphones to mention how much he likes maple syrup and canoes and shouted "Go Leafs Go!" fist raised just before slipping back in to be ignored some more in the Oval Office. Kennedy had a hate on for Pearson (we lectured on Vietnam), Nixon hated Trudeau (over Cuba...but we opened the door to China), Mulroney loved Reagan (we like to sell to you), and Clinton laughed along with Chretien (no one noticing that he laughed a lot in Yeltsin's presence, too). It's like teens dating - the braces are clacking and the guy is so dreamy until he isn't.
Comments
David Janes - January 14, 2004 8:57 am
It's like teen dating services, except that this stuff is for real. A good personal relationship between leaders -- or at least not an overtly hostile one -- can make the difference in hundreds of millions of dollars in business. I think this is a fact of life in _all spheres_ of humanity: everything at some level comes down to personal relationships. It's grease.
I could have done without the Hippy speak though :-)
Alan - January 14, 2004 10:00 am
But when the "vibe" does not attach to results, it is achingly obvious theat there is a problem but - like teens - no one wants to say. Also, it is how the media drools all over it as if it were not about substance.
portland - January 14, 2004 10:27 am
do you know to spot canadians? like criminals and (make up your own offensive sterotype here), they're always looking for each other. when the towers went down i got a call from a friend of mine in canada. "this is awful," he said, "there were a lot of canadians in those buildings." well, yeah, and a lot of other people too. i can't think of a single thing that isn't great about canada with the lone exceptions of the weather (and then only some of the time) and our our overwhelming need to be noticed, appreciated, and loved. it's embarassing. we're the 12 year old girls of nations. you hit the nail on the head brother. everybody, lets be proud of canada but lets rip those maple leafs off our backpacks as we traverse europe and aisa. "are you an american?" the locals will ask. "naw," we'll sneer, "we're canadians you foreign goofball, totally different. whats the matter for you that you can't see that for yourself? you blind of something?"
Ben - January 14, 2004 11:26 am
I thought that Kennedy and Pearson got along great since they were both intellectual types and that it was johnson who hated Pearson. I do know that Pearson's infamous speech at Temple was presented during Johnson's administration.
Alan - January 14, 2004 11:28 am
That might be it. And maybe Kennedy hated Dief.
portland - January 14, 2004 3:08 pm
i think it was hoover who borrowed a hockey stick from st. laurent and never brough it back and that started the whole thing.