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Canada Voted: Invisible Canada

You wouldn't know it, living in the UK, where the BBC did not this morning on its flagship radio news even mention it, but after a major national election, Canadians have woken up to an historically-new nation - for the first time since its founding, the Liberal Party is in third place, rather than forming either the government or the loyal opposition.  The Conservatives have rebounded and now form a solid, stolid and right-leaning fiscally-lean government; but the big news is the new second-place party: socialists - the NDP, always also-rans, though the social conscience of the nation - now form a viable government in-waiting, with over 100 seats.  Meanwhile, the separatists at federal level, the Bloc Quebecois, once a dire nemesis in Ottawa, have been wiped from the face of the Earth, left with four paltry seats, their leader, in tears, stepping down, after two failed decades; so too has the Liberal leader lost his seat, a smart blow-in from Harvard who never caught the national mood - his future must be in doubt.  So - what now for Canada?  In the next four years, a secure government, which will tack right, but maintain the stronger economy that has left Canada more untouched by the downturn than any other Western nation; Arts funding will suffer; and other social programmes, too.  Quebec politics will be altered completely.  The Liberals will no doubt reform from their rump - the Progressive Conservatives did, after their emasculation several decades ago, and now are stronger than ever. Question: what does Canada need to do to register over in Britain?  It is the third-largest English-speaking country in the West, after the UK and America, ahead of Australia, and New Zealand - and yet, even at its most dynamic, it remains relatively invisible.

Comments

I was listening to the World Service news at 5 o'clock this morning(broadcast on the Radio 4 FM wavelength). It wasn't all about the bin Laden operation: the Canadian election got a look-in too.
Anonymous said…
it wasn't mentioned on the radio this morning because not many people in this country give a shit about Canada

apart from maybe people who are from their but say they are british because they've lived in London for the last couple of years
Nasty Anonymous! The real reason, surely, for the invisibility of Canada is the huge prominence of the big, bad USA next door. Australia and New Zealand are island nations and also stand out more on the map.
Anonymous said…
Fuck nationalism. It is 2011.
Thanks for sharing this post, interested about nationalism.. Keep coming back to read more of your new post.. :)
Tiresias said…
Dennis you need to get your head of your Atlas; The USA could be the size of a peanut and no one would care about Canada, why? well why would you? It's duller than dishwater and about as boring as well, Canada.

Limp wristed liberaltypes always complaining about these silly little 'injustices' like, oh no my foreign countries election wasn't in the news or bitching about art funding been cut. It makes me sick.
EYEWEAR said…
Clearly, Tiresias, you are a very bright and well-informed commentator.
Tiresias said…
Clearly, Todd, You are a snivelling sarcastic little prat
EYEWEAR said…
Tiresias, your lack of interest in communicating on a sane and collegiate level is just a little bit boring.

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