tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post900899027535733461..comments2024-03-28T10:07:24.955-04:00Comments on Northern Reflections: Policy By Other MeansOwen Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-50209851289020036362011-10-11T14:05:37.124-04:002011-10-11T14:05:37.124-04:00Jeffrey Simpson wrote a column recently, Philip, i...Jeffrey Simpson wrote a column recently, Philip, in which he claimed that the War of 1812 was really a stupid war.<br /><br />It featured, he wrote, "largely bad military leadership, vague objectives, scattered and messy battles and, critically, sizable elements on both sides of the Canadian-U.S. border that wanted the other side to win."<br /><br />Now the Harper government wants to glorify that mistake:<br /><br />"Commemorating this war, then, risks turning it into an exercise not of accurate historical account but of contemporary nationalistic propaganda. To this danger can be added the Harper government’s relentless attempt to appropriate and invent symbols of Canadian pride, and to associate itself with them, fresh witness to which is the setting aside of nearly $12-million over the next three years for an 1812 Commemoration Fund."<br /><br />All in all, it's the work of scoundrels.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-57282393908950469092011-10-11T13:11:08.878-04:002011-10-11T13:11:08.878-04:00You're right, ck. When Chretien was Prime Mini...You're right, ck. When Chretien was Prime Minister -- in 2001 -- the Liberals sent 2,000 troops to Afghanistan. But they were in the process of withdrawing the troops by 2004. <br /><br />In 2005, NATO asked for more troops and the Martin government agreed to up the Canadian ante.<br /><br />As with the termination of terror legislation, the Chretien Liberals were winding down Canada's commitment to Afghanistan.<br /><br />Martin's government took things in the opposite direction.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-35776511401824465672011-10-11T12:53:21.751-04:002011-10-11T12:53:21.751-04:00You are so right. I am anticipating the Conservati...You are so right. I am anticipating the Conservatives over the top exploitation of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.<br /><br />I watched the documentary just broadcast on PBS It is a good clear explanation. You can view it online. http://video.pbs.org/video/2089393539 The journal by William Atherton I located and read on the Internet Archive. Atherton is the US soldier featured in the program.Tossing Pebbles in the Streamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04354065895900279070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35117130.post-77961510206896447822011-10-11T10:39:28.206-04:002011-10-11T10:39:28.206-04:00Wait a minute, didn't Chretien get us into Afg...Wait a minute, didn't Chretien get us into Afghanistan?ckhttp://sistersagesmusings.canoreply@blogger.com