Me on the CBC, Sunday
I’m scheduled to be on Sunday Edition on CBC Radio One this Sunday, discussing the debt melodrama with Jack Mintz of the C.D. Howe Institute, a right-wing think tank. Recorded it this afternoon. Canadian right-wingers just don’t seem as rabid as ours do.
LBO News from Doug Henwood 
that echoes a point made by Matt Yglesias (!) after he visited Europe. He described meeting with a “right-wing” politician in Finland and talked about how mild this guy was compared to American Republicans. Then again, I’m sure if Matt had met someone from the Freedom Party or one of those other semi-fascist organizations he would’ve felt differently
hoping you uphold the Marxist left and not the pre-digested liberal agenda…
As a client state of the USA, Canada follows orders; it does not lead the charge – at least not openly. Don’t be conned by the more passive demeanor of the right-wing Canadians compared with their American counterparts; there is still plenty of abuse going on north of the 49th. I liken Canadian politics to a train ride where America is the engine and Canada a couple of cars back. Have no doubt that whatever station America pulls into, Canada is right behind.
With Harper in power, Canadian right-wingnuts can afford to be complacent.
JP, when one is on the big media, you have to be careful with what you say. Going on the CBC and speaking Marxist would be a sure way to lose the audience and never be invited back.
Jeffery, Canadians are funny. They seem to have no idea just how loony our right wing is.
I grew up in the conservative, blue-collar part of Canada. I just spent a few weeks back there. I have to admit that the private sector is serving the working class well in western Canada. The unemployment rate is 4.9% in Saskatchewan and 5.5% in Alberta. An old friend said that commodity prices are high, jobs are plentiful and people are making good money. Judging by the big, new pick-up trucks and SUVs on the roads, he’s right.
Whatever confluence of events brought the loons to the fore in the U.S. doesn’t seem to exist in Canada. I suppose that a healthy private sector supports conservative views but doesn’t breed extremism.
Doug Henwood, ‘Americans are funny. They seem to have no idea just how loony our right wing is.’
The Straussian politics and ideology of PM Harper runs deep, and they tightly align with the American right quite nicely.
Mark, the private sector is booming in the west by plundering the environment at unprecedented destructive levels – particularly in the oil industry, and on speculative plans and ongoing action in the mining and energy sectors. If one thinks all is well on the back of the tars sands, for instance, controlled by private corporate claws which are grossly contorting Canadian politics (and the average Canadian mind) beyond recognition, well, that is damn short-term thinking in my view.
Canadians not only have no idea how looney the American right is, they likewise don’t have a clue as to how looney and destructive the Canadian right is. They seem to think this is another iteration of Joe Clark’s Progressive Conservatives.
That said, I’ve yet to meet a Canadian who wasn’t an absolute authority on all things American.
Canada’s west is booming much like Australia or the US Plains, commodities are big now, especially oil and gas. They sell raw materials to the more developed countries, like in East Asia, who import back high value-added goods. Role reversal ?
“Canada: Burdened by the laziest elite of any developed nation; people who have made fortunes by selling off the country’s resources and by working for more energetic foreigners. They are most comfortable on their knees, admiring those from larger countries who have purchased them.”
John Ralston Saul, A Doubter’s Companion
Is there a link to an archive of the interview? I didn’t see such a link on the CBC webpage.
I’ve posted one.
Steve Bruns says ‘I’ve yet to meet a Canadian who wasn’t an absolute authority on all things American’.
Are you sure you want to go there, Steve Bruns? For a nation hell-bent on running the entire planet, and the near galaxy too, Americans are notoriously ignorant about most everything outside of their own border, that usually being of the state variety.
Obviously our collective ignorance and learned stupidity is THE huge problem we ALL face around the globe. I don’t see the need to point fingers in this regard.
Thanks– I will listen to what a non-rabid right-winger sounds like.
Actually, Obama could qualify as a non-rabid right-winger.
Edward: Actually, Obama could qualify as a non-rabid right-winger.
Only in word, not act ;)