What did Stephen Harper accomplish this week with his motion recognizing Quebec as a nation?
Well he didn't define nation. He didn't make a coherent statement on Canadian nationalism. He didn't make many inroads in Quebec except for getting some press./
He did however do two things, save Michael Ignatieff's bacon, and embarass the Bloc.
Interestingly enough you'll have something close unanimity on the conservative motion to recognize that Quebeckers form a nation. The Bloc is supporting the conservative motion, because they got embarrassed by the fact that all other parties were supporting it and they would have come out not supporting the recognition of Quebeckers as a nation.
Now first of all Quebeckers do not form a nation in nay accepted meaning of the word. Anybody with access to a dictionary can be sure of that. Nor is there much a difference in meaning between the French and the English meaning of nation.
The political class seems to be using such a false distinction to imply that there is nothing to worry about. In either French or English as Jeffrey Simpson has written is is the United Nations or Nations Unies, exactly the same title in either English or French.
The sorry thing is that Stephen Harper the man who argued that we must stand up to Quebec's demands. The one who took such a hard line before and after the 1995 referendum is in danger of moving towards the liberal position of courting soft nationalists in order to win seats in Quebec. Will his supporters support this?
It simple proves that things look different once you're in government than on the opposition benches. Something I hope the liberals will spend some time learning.
Also a quick question, why does the bloc exist in our federal parliament anyways?
November 26, 2006
November 19, 2006
Doing some reading and some research
I've been reading a fair amount lately, and i just finished reading Adrienne Clarkson's Autobiography and while I wish there was a bit more stuff about the office she held I did really enjoy her comments. I enjoyed the way she wrote as well, telling anecdotes and weaving her experience as governor general into almost every chapter and every experience.
She seems to have had quite an interesting life and i thought it came across well in the book. Her barbs are pointed, but fair(I would say)
I think she definitely raised the profile of the office and made into her own. I don't think we'll see a GG of her quality again for quite some time, certainly not (at least I don't see it happening) from Michaëlle Jean.
The other book I just started reading is that of Thomas Homer Dixon. His new book is called the upside of down. While I hope it's not too much of a repetition of the material that Jared Diamond tread over in his last book, i'm optimistic about it.
I got his first book, the Ingenuity Gap from my parents who found it in the bargain bin at Chapters. A bargain it certainly was, the book won the GG's award for non-fiction and I thought was an interesting book about the limits of human ingenuity.
I went to see him talk a few years ago, and he was certainly an interesting speaker. The panel was one to remember because it was only a few days after sept 11th, 2001. The topic was supposed to be something related to globalization but after some of the speakers couldn't come it was refashioned a bit and of course all the questions were about terrorism. It was interesting nonetheless and I was actually wodnering what had happened to Homer-Dixon just before I saw the new book.
The research I refer to in the title is the research I am doing for my history class. The history of tourism in Canada. I think I have a topic although i'm starting to have doubts about whether I really want to do it. So if anybody out there has suggestions of topics for a paper on Canadian tourism history i'd welcome the suggestions.
My topic is the Olympics in Calgary in 1988. I am curious in loooking at how such 'hallmark' events as they are called in the literature impact cities. The way in which they are promoted and the differences between promoting tourism and promoting an event like the Olympics and its impacts of tourism etc.
I'm curious if anyone out there has any other suggestions so send them in.
She seems to have had quite an interesting life and i thought it came across well in the book. Her barbs are pointed, but fair(I would say)
I think she definitely raised the profile of the office and made into her own. I don't think we'll see a GG of her quality again for quite some time, certainly not (at least I don't see it happening) from Michaëlle Jean.
The other book I just started reading is that of Thomas Homer Dixon. His new book is called the upside of down. While I hope it's not too much of a repetition of the material that Jared Diamond tread over in his last book, i'm optimistic about it.
I got his first book, the Ingenuity Gap from my parents who found it in the bargain bin at Chapters. A bargain it certainly was, the book won the GG's award for non-fiction and I thought was an interesting book about the limits of human ingenuity.
I went to see him talk a few years ago, and he was certainly an interesting speaker. The panel was one to remember because it was only a few days after sept 11th, 2001. The topic was supposed to be something related to globalization but after some of the speakers couldn't come it was refashioned a bit and of course all the questions were about terrorism. It was interesting nonetheless and I was actually wodnering what had happened to Homer-Dixon just before I saw the new book.
The research I refer to in the title is the research I am doing for my history class. The history of tourism in Canada. I think I have a topic although i'm starting to have doubts about whether I really want to do it. So if anybody out there has suggestions of topics for a paper on Canadian tourism history i'd welcome the suggestions.
My topic is the Olympics in Calgary in 1988. I am curious in loooking at how such 'hallmark' events as they are called in the literature impact cities. The way in which they are promoted and the differences between promoting tourism and promoting an event like the Olympics and its impacts of tourism etc.
I'm curious if anyone out there has any other suggestions so send them in.
November 12, 2006
Long time; No post
Well I haven't posted in a while and it really is because not much is going on right now, well not things i'll discuss on this blog anyways.
However I will say i am excited to see the new bond movie. Even more so after seeing a rather disappointing movie with Hugh Jackman in it. It seems like he's in every new movie coming out, but the one I saw was The Prestige. The movie itself wasn't too bad but I managed to figure out the main 'surprise' about 3/4 of the way through the movie.
Well that and it didn't really make much sense to me anyways.
The other thing that i've been thinking about is Paul Wells new book, Right Side Up. I've been following Well's blog for a couple of months now and generally i have to say i am impressed.
The book goes a step beyond and really clarifies for me how Paul Martin failed. I've heard a few interview with him, and my friend Pat and I went to get our copies of the book signed. He seems like such an unassuming character, but he is at his best in the new book.
He writes well and really fits the demise of Paul Martin into a larger context. i am a pretty astute follower of politics, but I am new to the game, a lot of these battles go back further than I can remember so it's nice to see someone with a bit more perspective.
I also think it's valuable as Wells mentions to remember why everybody thought Paul Martin was going to be such a great PM. He really had everyone thinking he was going to do such wonderful things. It turns out those impressions didn't last long.
Anyways that's what i've been up to. I also picked up two other books this weekend. Heart matters by Adrienne Clarkson, and a new book by Thomas Homer Dixon, somebody I discovered by accident courtesy of the bargain bin at Chapters.
Oh and I had a lemon meringue pie tonight.. doesn't it look yummy...
However I will say i am excited to see the new bond movie. Even more so after seeing a rather disappointing movie with Hugh Jackman in it. It seems like he's in every new movie coming out, but the one I saw was The Prestige. The movie itself wasn't too bad but I managed to figure out the main 'surprise' about 3/4 of the way through the movie.
Well that and it didn't really make much sense to me anyways.
The other thing that i've been thinking about is Paul Wells new book, Right Side Up. I've been following Well's blog for a couple of months now and generally i have to say i am impressed.
The book goes a step beyond and really clarifies for me how Paul Martin failed. I've heard a few interview with him, and my friend Pat and I went to get our copies of the book signed. He seems like such an unassuming character, but he is at his best in the new book.
He writes well and really fits the demise of Paul Martin into a larger context. i am a pretty astute follower of politics, but I am new to the game, a lot of these battles go back further than I can remember so it's nice to see someone with a bit more perspective.
I also think it's valuable as Wells mentions to remember why everybody thought Paul Martin was going to be such a great PM. He really had everyone thinking he was going to do such wonderful things. It turns out those impressions didn't last long.
Anyways that's what i've been up to. I also picked up two other books this weekend. Heart matters by Adrienne Clarkson, and a new book by Thomas Homer Dixon, somebody I discovered by accident courtesy of the bargain bin at Chapters.
Oh and I had a lemon meringue pie tonight.. doesn't it look yummy...
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