jrMay 29, 2008 16:14 EST

veracity!

AnonymousJuly 02, 2008 10:09 EST

Canada has struggled with issues of unity and factionalism since early days. It has shaped our history, our social norms and our institutions. I tend to believe our history in most of the 20th century pivoted around our pride in statesmanship - It amazes me how times have changed that Canada has lost its vision of a nation. Mr Alexander has raised an excellent point that the provinces each will do what is good for them and rightly so, in order to take care of their local residents. Provinces need not worry about the international stage, much less what is happening in the next province over. But this approach is myopic at best and self-destructive at worst. At an age when we are just realizing how interdependent we are due to our relationship with Earth itself, I'm not sure we can afford this level of selfishness purely in the interests of survival.

It's with great interest I have observed changes living here in Australia over the past four years. Just four years ago, I was innundated with a right-winged mentality under the Howard government. I was initially skeptical, but relieved and surprised when Australian voters unequivocally chose Rudd, who is perhaps the polar opposite of the previous prime minister. In a very short time the rhetoric has shifted away from the right. Sustainability, aboriginal inclusion, multicultural issues, workplace rights, and shifting troops towards peacekeeping missions have all shown up as government initiatives. Could it be that Australia is the new Canada?

We have to stop resting on the laurels of Tommy Douglas and universal health care. I can't help thinking that everything we are proud of as Canadians occurred several decades ago. What have we done lately? I tend to agree with Patels (above) - nationhood doesn't just happen, it has to be chosen, and lived.

AnonymousJanuary 22, 2011 13:43 EST

This article should give great encouragement and inspiration to all Liberals. The writer's abvious love and devotion for Barack Obama resonates throughout. And of course Mr Obama is a perfect example of all things Liberal, and a graduate of Harvard. Well then, Mr. Ignatieff is also a perfect example of all things Liberal, also a graduate of Harvard, and also an American like Mr Obama. Oh! he isnt? Yeah but, he said he was. Okay, I guess I've gotten it wrong. Anyway, I used to subscribe to the Walrus, but simply couldnt stomach the sactimonious bleating any longer and ignored their many annoying requests that I renew my subscription. So good luck with Mr Obama's run for a second term, he's going to need it. There are so many of us baddies out there trying to derail him. By the way, Canada is still Canada when the Liberals are out of power. The devine right of Liberals to rule does not allow them to remove our existence as a nation on those occasions when the electorate decides to dump them. And a pleasant good day to all.