Gerry Nicholls writes that there are two Canadas. Not the two solitudes Hugh Maclennan described seventy years ago -- although reaction in Quebec to the recently passed omnibus crime bill suggests that we may revisit history. The New Solitudes -- according to Nicholls -- are best described as Political Junkie Land and Regular Canadian Land. The latter category sounds suspiciously like what Sarah Palin calls "Real Americans:"
Political Junkie Land, for instance, is populated with party partisans, political hacks, journalists, activists, and politicians.
It's a land where politics is the national sport. Political Junkie Landers love to discuss and debate policy and political process; they are fascinated with the "politics of politics;" for fun they read political opinion polls and watch public affairs programs. And they love to passionately debate each other over the minutest of political issues.
Regular Canadian Land, on the other hand, is a nation that's composed of average non-ideological, non-partisan Canadians. And they care about stuff that affects their daily lives.
They worry about paying for their kids' education; they are concerned about keeping their jobs and paying for their mortgages. They are not concerned with the inner workings of public policy and politics. They care more about NHL standings than they do about standings of political opinion polls.
Yet Political Junkie Landers erroneously believe that what matters to them must also matter to the residents of Regular Canadian Land.
Sheer political sophistry -- something that Mr. Nicholls and Stephen Harper have practised throughout their careers. In the end, Nicholls writes, roboscam will amount to nothing. We shall see.
