09.23.2012 09:37 AM

In today’s Sun: Who speaks for Canada? Not cowards like Harper and Mulcair

Who said this?: “The national flag of Canada is a symbol of honour, pride and Canadian identity.”
And who said this?: “As Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast celebrate our great country’s 145th birthday, let us also celebrate the values for which Canada has become known around the world.”

Noble sentiments, all. Still don’t know who uttered those fine words? Well, the first quotation was supplied by no less than Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on Flag Day, in February of this year.

The second quotation comes to us from NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, on Canada Day. In his stirring statement, Mulcair declared he was “very proud” to be Canadian, and that the rest of us should be, too.

It’s odd, however. When it’s safe to do so, both Harper and Mulcair insist they are brimming with pride about all things Canadian. Both men make speeches, every single day, flanked by Canadian flags. Both men profess to be “proud” of Canada. Both are members of the Privy Council, no less, which means that the flag will be flown at half-mast on the unhappy day that they slip this mortal coil.

18 Comments

  1. Tyler says:

    Good article, Warren, but your headline here is far better than the blatantly false one (“Harper, Mulcair gutless as maple leaf banned in Quebec”) in the TO Sun.

  2. Michael Bussiere says:

    Maybe Harper is planning to reintroduce Dief’s version of the flag. I wouldn’t put it past him to suggest the flag is too Liberal and needs to be fixed.

  3. frmr Disgruntled Con now Happy Lib says:

    While Im annoyed Mme. Marois has chosen not to display the Canadian flag, is it really worth the time and effort, and perhaps ill-will created, to get into a pissing match with Mme. Marois?
    Mr. Mulcair I can understand, as you say his caucus is rife with seperatists, but Mr. Harper picks his battles carefully, and this is obviously one he wants to avoid…..
    Having said that, I do admire M. Dion for speaking up for Canada…..

    Geez, did I just defend “Dear Leader”?….lol

  4. Cath says:

    I have no idea why but you had me until the last few lines. Then I laughed.
    The End.

  5. Danny says:

    Maybe Harper & Mucair are both mature enough not to rise to the PQ bait. Marois’ reason for being is to fight with Canada, in the hopes of destroying it. Ignore her, like you would ignore a 2 year old having a temper tantrum.

    • Steve T says:

      True enough, but at some point the 2-year-old needs to be told their behaviour is not acceptable. Continuing the analogy, if you have a bunch of kids at home, and you allow bad behaviour from one of them, what lesson are you sending to the other kids?

      Right now, the clear message from the federal Conservatives and NDP is: “Quebec, we will tolerate whatever b.s. you throw at us, and we will continue to give you generous transfer payments, because we are vote-whores who have no principles.”

      The funny thing about being a vote-whore is that sometimes you get stiffed. There is clear reason for the NDP to suck up to Quebec, but why in the world are the Conservatives? (to WK’s original point)

  6. Poulter says:

    I`m sick and tired of the separatistes playing their silly game of ” hide the flag “.

    Tell ya what Marois—-If you are really serious about wanting to leave the house, let me know when you get to the door—-until then—just shut-up.

  7. Jon Evan says:

    You are advocating that Harper should hate what Marois has done regarding respecting the Canadian flag and react accordingly and that makes him a better leader? While separatists may love what she did, there is a third response by those more mature.
    Loving or hating means that you still care but why would anyone care about a woman who would choose to annoy the rest of Canada for no real useful purpose at all? She is showing herself to be foolish with some stunt which is has no tangible purpose. The best response is indifference!

    • Totally agree with Jon and Danny. Why bother to give her any credibility at all. Just let her knock herself out trying to get SOME kind of confrontation going. Leave it to the federalist residents of her Province to correct her.

  8. Standing in the shoes of an average guy, I think if I argue with a child then I am a child too. That is unworthy.

    Maybe I could treat Marois and her public like I would a delinquent: Avoiding any judgemental tone, not saying “wrong” and using a neutral computer voice. That’s how I talk to alcoholics, but here I would feel unworthy.

    Other shoes to stand in? Churchill would make a refined comment, Lincoln would make a telling joke. As for me, I’m like Harper: I have no idea.

  9. Patrick says:

    Your courage and patriotism are an inspiration to all, Warren. Please continue to expound the unique civic virtue and selfless love of country with which the Liberal Party is indelibly associated, in contrast to all others, who deep down hate Canada.

    #lpcrelevancesearchfail

  10. the salamander says:

    Your implication ? A Liberal or Green Party partisano would defend the Maple Leaf better ?
    Cuff or bodycheck those bad Kebeckers… straighten em out ?
    I won’t hold my breath.. and I suggest you try harder.. One of your weaker efforts dude.
    Harper insults Canadians and assaults Canada every day.. as do his lizard eyed associates
    From what I can see, the Liberal Party is busy insulting or insulating themselves daily .. off in the wilderness
    prettily attempting to primp n pimp themselves as ‘different’ from those other brutish fellers ….

    What Harper or Mulcair are ‘not doing’ re the flag or re Quecbc is not really the concern .. n’;est ce pas ?
    Its the extreme damage Stephen Harper is actually doing.. that is the matter ….

  11. Anne Peterson says:

    We have much bigger issues. Who would it benefit to go down this blind alley? She will do herself in.

  12. Dan says:

    Because the only way to stand up for Canada is to take the bait whenever a separatist troll insults us. Especially when those separatists have a weak minority government, with no mandate to separate. The best thing we can do to defend Canada is to get provoked into a culture war over the god damned flag.

    This, and other failed Liberal strategies that destroyed their popularity.

    • Jim Hanna says:

      Other failed Liberal strategies? Oh yes, like the Clarity Act. Folly, they said. Would provoke the separatists. Give them a challenge. Out in the streets. Destroy the Liberals. Yup. Liberals were soundly punished 4 months later with an 8% increase in the popular vote and 10 more seats in Quebec, the most since 1980. Some failed strategy.

      Good thing Paul Martin came along to sort things out and smooth all those nationalist feathers. I’ll let you figure out how that worked out for him.

      My opinion is that Quebecers have this weird fetish, that they want the federalist parties, to be, you know, federalist. When they are they get voted for. When they aren’t, their voters either stay home or the nationalist ones vote for the real thing.

  13. CQ says:

    Would you rather see a new Quebec-pandering federal $ponsorship Scandal, all the while ROC provinces are shovelling equalization payments to a province with the lowest University Tuition costs?

  14. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    All that needs to be said: they haven’t necessarily become any brighter since the last time they formed government. There’s comfort in that for any Quebec federalist!

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