Jack Burton comments:
I have been watching the Order of Canada Investiture ceremony in
Ottawa on the TV. The Governor General presides over this ceremony -
recognizing prominent Canadians for outstanding citizenship. I have been meaning
To congratulate Mr. Harper for some time on the appointment of Michael
Jean to the position of Governor General. It is one appointment that he has
made that shows the highest level of taste, appreciation of beauty and
that he indeed has passion. Michael Jean is beautiful, intelligent and
a most gracious head of state. I'm proud of her.
She's worth the price.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Why Keep our British Ties
I will try to make the case for our British connection and why it should be enhanced not diminished. There are two branches of Western civilization. One emanates from the tradition of principle that followed King John’s signing of the Magna Charta at Runnymede in 1215 and the other is a tradition of pragmatism that is embodied by the reign of King Louis XIV of France. Basically these traditions boil down to “the means is the end” and “the end justifies the means”.
One of these philosophical traditions produced parliamentary democracy, free enterprise, equality before the law, the American Revolution and the enshrinement of Liberty of the individual. The other tradition produced totalitarian regimes that bankrupted and impoverished its people. The short term pragmatic view of the world enabled the horrors of the French revolution and its logical conclusion was the totalitarian dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte. Communism, Fascism and Socialism all flow from the pragmatic branch of philosophy.
After World War Two, Winston Churchill had hoped that the English speaking world, with all its traditions, would grow closer and perhaps even join in some sort of union. He hoped to form a bulwark of prosperity against the encroachment of a dangerous collectivist world. As things turned out the English speaking world did become a bulwark of prosperity and passed its traditions to former enemies such as Japan and Germany.
Canada benefits from our principled heritage and our success as a country depends on it. One only has to look at Argentina, a country with all the potential wealth of Canada, to see how a pragmatic tradition leads to a failed state.
I argue that Canada held more sway in the world as a Great Dominion within the British Empire than the pathetic Liberal pragma-state bestowed on us by Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Our greatest achievements as a nation came when we confidently believed we were part of a great civilization. The great railroads, the populating of the west, the RCMP, the war against intolerance in South Africa, the war against militarism in the Great War, the war against megalomania in World War Two and the war against collectivism in Korea were all achievements of a greater Canada.
We need an anchor that is based on ideas that protect our long-term interests. These concepts have nothing to do with race or creed. They work as well in India as they do in Canada.
The Liberal party (the party of pragmatism) has always tried to weaken our principled tradition. They know that it is impossible to dispense favouritism to their friends if the majority of people believe it is morally repugnant. They will always come out on the side of cultural equality, which would disarm anyone who holds to the exceptionalism of Western Civilization.
This is why I believe that our British connection is important. Our symbol has always been the Maple Leaf – long before the Pearson pennant appeared in 1965. The Red Ensign has three Maple Leaves on it and the RCAF has had the Maple Leaf on its wings since World War Two. The Liberals simply removed the Maple Leaf from its traditional home and aligned it with the uncertainty of multi-culturalism.
I fear for all of us if the Anglo-sphere fades away - as it appears to be doing. England is being subsumed into the multi-cultural soup of Europe and the United States is adopting statist policies that will only lead to ruin and decline. Canada, Australia and New Zealand have become inward looking self-debasers with no self-confidence. Ironically the only English speaking nation that is returning to western principles and benefiting is India – perhaps she will lead the way.
One of these philosophical traditions produced parliamentary democracy, free enterprise, equality before the law, the American Revolution and the enshrinement of Liberty of the individual. The other tradition produced totalitarian regimes that bankrupted and impoverished its people. The short term pragmatic view of the world enabled the horrors of the French revolution and its logical conclusion was the totalitarian dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte. Communism, Fascism and Socialism all flow from the pragmatic branch of philosophy.
After World War Two, Winston Churchill had hoped that the English speaking world, with all its traditions, would grow closer and perhaps even join in some sort of union. He hoped to form a bulwark of prosperity against the encroachment of a dangerous collectivist world. As things turned out the English speaking world did become a bulwark of prosperity and passed its traditions to former enemies such as Japan and Germany.
Canada benefits from our principled heritage and our success as a country depends on it. One only has to look at Argentina, a country with all the potential wealth of Canada, to see how a pragmatic tradition leads to a failed state.
I argue that Canada held more sway in the world as a Great Dominion within the British Empire than the pathetic Liberal pragma-state bestowed on us by Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Our greatest achievements as a nation came when we confidently believed we were part of a great civilization. The great railroads, the populating of the west, the RCMP, the war against intolerance in South Africa, the war against militarism in the Great War, the war against megalomania in World War Two and the war against collectivism in Korea were all achievements of a greater Canada.
We need an anchor that is based on ideas that protect our long-term interests. These concepts have nothing to do with race or creed. They work as well in India as they do in Canada.
The Liberal party (the party of pragmatism) has always tried to weaken our principled tradition. They know that it is impossible to dispense favouritism to their friends if the majority of people believe it is morally repugnant. They will always come out on the side of cultural equality, which would disarm anyone who holds to the exceptionalism of Western Civilization.
This is why I believe that our British connection is important. Our symbol has always been the Maple Leaf – long before the Pearson pennant appeared in 1965. The Red Ensign has three Maple Leaves on it and the RCAF has had the Maple Leaf on its wings since World War Two. The Liberals simply removed the Maple Leaf from its traditional home and aligned it with the uncertainty of multi-culturalism.
I fear for all of us if the Anglo-sphere fades away - as it appears to be doing. England is being subsumed into the multi-cultural soup of Europe and the United States is adopting statist policies that will only lead to ruin and decline. Canada, Australia and New Zealand have become inward looking self-debasers with no self-confidence. Ironically the only English speaking nation that is returning to western principles and benefiting is India – perhaps she will lead the way.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
This is the face of the Enemy
If the West is to move forward again we must confront our true enemies and defeat their malignant hatred. Andrew Marr is our enemy.
Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain is a patronising and ignorant piece of history
Charles Moore reviews The Making of Modern Britain. Read more.
Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain is a patronising and ignorant piece of history
Charles Moore reviews The Making of Modern Britain. Read more.
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