My Prairie Gazette

Since the PM, Stephen Harper mentioned the word nation a few days ago in his speech, referring to Québec - the word made an astonishing “career”: last time I heard it on the TV news it became “the N-word”. To this stupidity the only normal reaction would be the f-word…

Diligent journalists dug up encyclopedias and dictionaries to clarify the etymology and the nuances of the word. Its meanings in different languages has been analyzed and explained. And the debate about the “united” Canada is up again. Maybe we are not that united…?

Let me add my version.
I am coming from a place that suffered a lot because of the French. Countries were cut up, borders re-drawn, artificial states created. And wars fought. I dare to say: if it wasn’t for the French foolishness at the peace treaties from Versailles and Trianon at the end of WWI - probably the second World War would never happened.

I don’t like the French.
When you say gloire - I think xenophobia.
When you say liberté, égalité, fraternité - I think nationalism and chauvinism.
When you say la nation - I think nation state (with the opression of the ethnic minorities).

Two news items from these days: one local, one national.
1. The Crocus investors were demonstrating in front of the legislature building in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

2. The government decided to change the tax rules for income trusts. A lot of comments after.
Crocus

I can feel …