I know Bush has soured relations with Canada over the last few years, but I didn’t realize it had come to this.
As I noted a couple of weeks ago, foreign leaders have found that creating distance between themselves and the U.S. is suddenly a key to political success. In recent years, it’s worked in Germany, Brazil, South Korea, and Spain.
And now, it’s spread to Canada, which is not only our neighbor, but our best trading partner and long-time political ally.
An alert reader sent me a link yesterday to a new campaign ad hitting the airwaves featuring Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, suggesting that a vote for his Liberal Party will prevent Canada from being like the United States.
Look, you can have a country like Canada, or you can have a country like the U.S. But you can’t have a country like Canada, with the taxation levels of the U.S. Not without risking the very social programs, the institutions and values that make us, us.
We look out for one another. That’s the Canada we choose: Prosperous, yet generous of spirit. We hope, that’s the Canada you’ll choose too.
I think it’s safe to say we’ve lost that whole “shinning city on a hill” allure.