Don’t forget your shovel.

Yesterday while I was searching for Robert Fisk’s articles about the current upheaval in the Levant, I came across an article he wrote about Canada in June entitled, “How Racism has Invaded Canada”. (The original Article is HERE, but I found it through HERE).

There is no love lost between the Canadian media and Fisk, but in spite of this I have to say that he’s got a point — a good one — about Canada’s coverage of the arrest of our 17 Terrorist Suspects and about the role this plays in breeding unhealthy racism in Canada. In the article he goes on to argue that Canadian Muslims have good reason to fear Canada’s foreign policy in the Middle East, given that we have sent our army to fight in Afghanistan. A quotation:

Canada is thus now involved in the Afghan war — those who doubt this should note the country has already shelled out $1.8bn in “defense spending” in Afghanistan and only $500m in “additional expenditures”, including humanitarian assistance and democratic renewal (sic) — and, by extension, in Iraq. In other words, Canada has gone to war in the Middle East.

That Canada’s war in the Middle East could have negative repercusions on our beloved multiculturalism seems lost on everyone… and a month later as I read the same newspapers and their spin on Canada’s response to the situation in the Levant, I can see what Robert Fisk is talking about.

CBC | Gardasil Approved by Health Canada

I’m really of 2 minds about the HPV vaccine, tbh. There are at least 100 strains of this virus 30 of which are sexually transmitted. The vaccine covers 4 strains of the virus: HPV 16 & 18 which cause 70% of cervical cancers; & HPV 6 & 11 which cause about 90% of genital warts. Tests of the vaccine have shown it to be 100% effective with regards to HPV 16 & 18 and *almost* as effective with HPV 6 & 11. Fine, but what about the other 26 strains which are passed on by sexual activity? And the issue of Men & HPV?

Oh heck, maybe I’m just sour grapes because I’m too old for it.

Canada’s rookie PM (Steve Harper) seems to have found himself in his first big oppsie! 4-5 pages of the G&M this morning are dedicated to his foreign policy gaff. The thing is a current Canadian politician should be accutely aware that he/she is leading the government of a country which represents citizens hailing from just about every ethnic or religious group imaginable. I mean, you don’t get to be PM without somehow courting “the ethnic vote” in this country. We are not immune to international conflict & given our varied populace one might think that this would encourage our government to think carefully and appreciate peace and civilian needs during violent conflict.

Yet inspite of this, he took one of the most extreme hardline pro-Israel stances on the Israeli (re)invasion of Lebanon this week. He’s failed to protest when 8 of our citizens were killed. He’s failed to quickly get people moving to evacuate our citizens from the region. And he’s simply shrugged as the (Canadian) family members of the dead publically mourned and rightly asked the question why has our government failed to protest? failed to take a measured response? failed to be concilatory in this situation?

it seems our opposition MPs are getting the point.

The one thing the G&M analysts have not fully contemplated this morning is what kind of affect this will have long term here in Canada although they have hinted. According to the G& M, Canada’s Muslim population ( a “mere” 2% in our last census) out numbers it’s Jewish population 2 to 1. 60% of Canada’s 200,000 – 400,000 strong Lebanese population is Christian. With 25,000-50,000 Canadian citizens currently in Lebanon, more than any other country, that’s a lot of close company. So, all in all, that’s a fairly good number of disenfranchised people this morning right here in Canada.

Our university populations have already felt the heat of tensions between our Arab and Jewish populations, but so far it’s been contained by governments somewhat quietly supporting a pro-israeli bias while making placating overtones at home. Mr. Harper has brought government policy out of the closet at an extremely inopportune moment. I hope that this does not bring the conflict home to roost here.