Hardball on Softwood

As I wrote in this article, "Canadians love to point fingers down south. Our identity is based largely on what we are not; the USA. As a result many of us, myself included, have become smug in our condemnation of the States. Others have become nationalistic; replacing anti-Americanism with Canadian patriotism." For example, a Vancouver boy has just launched a website called We Want Our Money Bank and is calling for a boycott of McDonalds to send a message to the States.

Cute. But boycotting Mick Dicks while the government of Canada continues to integrate with the US in the name of international security is a token gesture. Nevertheless I hope it gets the message out there that Canadians are sick and tired of being bullied. I'm a little wary of this rah-rah Canada attitude, but at least we are beginning to connect our spending habits with the political hegemony the US implements on our soil. Besides, we should buy local anyways, it's better for the environment and it's better for our economy.

The timing is interesting, as Make Poverty History just sent out a press release on the government's International Policy Statement online consultation project. It takes a while but it's worth it. Although most of the site deals with foreign aid, international trade agreements, and security, there is also a section on deeper integration with the US in trade and security, something the Council of Canadians feel strongly about, as member Maude Barlow told Vancouver last night as she promoted her new book Too Close For Comfort.

From the recent Terasen debacle, to the recent Minutemen patrol of the border, to the attempted extradition of Marc Emery it is clear our sovereignty is at stake.

Yet despite the above instances, there have been small skirmishes where our autonomy has been duly asserted. The recent decision to refuse Walmart entry into our fair city will be revisited this Sunday as COPE presents the world premiere of award-winning director Robert Greenwald's new film Wal-Mart:The High cost of Low Price at the Vancouver International Film Centre, 1181 Seymour. Greenwald is best known for Uncovered: The War on Iraq and Outfoxed: Robert Murdoch's War on Journalism. There will be two screenings, one at 7:00 and one at 9:30.

The Tyee reported today that Maximus Inc. have been fined again, and are being investigated in the U.S. They are of course responsible for BC's Medical Service Plan (MSP) and PharmaCare., which rang alarm bells when it was revealed that our records could be subject to the US Patriot Act.

The boycotting of McDonalds is just one more skirmish in the battle for our sovereignty. Personally I haven't touched the shit in years, but not because of political reasons. I am simply not Loving It the next day when McGutRot sets in. Funny, it's the same feeling I get when I hear about softwood lumber...