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SUNDAY SPECTATOR
March 30, 2003
Va', pensiero
I have several distinguished friends. One of them is Paul Young fellow early music fanatic; last living drawing master at Ontario College of Art; anchor of the weekly table in my favourite low-life tavern; former soldier. A Canadian -- from that antediluvian past when Canadians were a much different people an honourable people a tough people a people conversant with both life and death; and our men were more comfortable with guns than placards. Apropos sandstorms in Iraq Mr. Young was just quoting Richard Dawkins's brand of Darwinism: "Nature is not cruel only pitilessly indifferent. This is one of the hardest lessons for humans to learn. We cannot admit that things might be neither good nor evil neither cruel nor kind but simply callous -- indifferent to all suffering lacking all purpose." Mr. Young found this "an interesting statement. ... Not the sort one personally wants to soldier with a redeemed apeman." He admires Darwin who "seldom lost his temper and never lost his nerve". He regrets that the master evolutionist "missed out on things like psychology eco-tourism and the slender allure of Jane Goodall the first woman to love chimps more than her husband. ... Alas she had to conclude that at times they too were murderous hairy brutes and cannibals when provoked. ... "Fallen angels and rising apes." (We are both and gods and worms and straws in the wind and -- "What a piece of work is a man!" -- somewhere in the middle accountants. This last week I've been inclined to rank soldiers closer to gods and journalists to worms but there are other weeks. "On to Baghdad Mr. Young was commenting. 'We come to free your babies not to eat them.' -- So should read the lead banner on the head hummer that drives through Basra. War is full of good humour and irony rules. Every command should include a first rate sign painter." The man was actually opposed to the war; but now it is upon us and he's rooting for our soldiers. Except they are not "our" soldiers. Let me tell you what is so utterly Canadian about this man and the observations he makes -- the observations themselves being neither here nor there for the purposes of my argument. It is the good cheer the smile in the face of adversity the composure in the presence of deep things. Yes the whole world has gone to hell but it has been there so many times before. Time to lift the satchel and pitch back in. I have still in my ears the voice of Prime Minister Mackenzie King's then finance minister from the marvellous documentary No Price Too High made a few years ago about Canada's crucial contribution to the last World War. I can't even remember the words they were too plain to remember; only the tone from the recording as this Minister of the Crown Hon. James Ralston spoke through the radio in 1939 about the sacrifices that lay ahead. The voice was calm and confident and matter-of-fact. It was the voice of an articulate accountant. Of a man who knew to whom he was speaking: to the Canadian people. "There is no price too high for freedom." And we would pay and pay until the victory was won in cash and blood and tears and sacrifice. Which is fact which is not to romanticize the past. There were plenty of politics even then and in 1944 Ralston then defence minister was compelled to resign when his prime minister refused to bring in conscription for fear of losing his support in Quebec; then brought it in after the resignation for fear of losing the other eight provinces. In this sense fair enough the Liberals have been Liberals in every generation. But never so bad as this; and always previously with men like Ralston. It was a generation of the Liberal party not especially distinguished with large men but still with men worthy of their hire. The voice like Mr. Young's reminds me of the Canada from which I myself came the country of my birth. The Canada of my parents and of their parents the Canada that remains in my heart. Of my grandfather who saw Vimy Ridge and my dad who learned to fly a Spitfire. The Canada that came before the Canada of today before the Canada of Jean Chr?tien -- before this New Canada that makes me heartsick as it does several millions of my fellow Canadians -- that fills us with such a deep sense of shame. This New Canada and these New Canadians -- who can no longer look an American nor a Briton nor an Australian in the eye. This Canada that despatched its few remaining available soldiers hurriedly to peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan as a kind of insurance in case the Americans asked for help. ("Sorry! We gave at the office.") "How dare you!" I have felt listening to the latest poll-driven volte-face from the most contemptible prime minister this country ever had; or to the little anti-American licks from the lickspittles who people his offices and benches -- Fran?oise Ducros ("moron") Benoit Serr? ("trigger-happy") Colleen Beaumier ("how many children?") Carolyn Parrish ("bastards") Herb Dhaliwal ("let the world down") and Mr. Chr?tien himself. ("Not everyone around the world is prepared to take the word of the United States on faith" -- and he said this in Chicago.) If any American or Briton or Australian or free man or woman should happen to be reading this I want you to know that I am not speaking only for myself. I am speaking on behalf quite literally of millions of Canadians who are every bit as disgusted as you are with our country. You have the same kind of people -- you will know perfectly well -- within your own countries. The difference is in Canada they are in charge. In this particular moment of truth and for all time America had a Bush Britain had a Blair Australia had a Howard -- each one of them willing to stand and face the music; each one a politician but also a man. In this same moment of truth and in the histories forever Canada had the scuttling Chr?tien. We elected him and his Party. The shame is ours to redeem. David Warren
© Ottawa Citizen
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