The coherence of Prime Minister Harper’s vision of the future is impressive. If Canadians share that vision, he deserves their trust.
Let’s take one example: the forthcoming US-Canada agreement on North American perimeter security . Under this agreement, Canada will deliberately forego the exercise of certain sovereign powers in favour of a US – Canada adoption of joint policies for a North American perimeter. Critics will point to the exercise by US Border Security Agents of police powers on Canadian soil. That 2 AM knock on your door may be the US Marshall!
There are business justifications for this Agreement. US/Canadian goods will flow across the US – Canada border without impediment. Snowbirds will no longer be subject to the same degree of hassle by US Customs and Immigration officials on their flight south.
There is another possible advantage for Canada. The two countries could adopt a joint policy on climate refugees. Canadians sometimes refer to the despatch of political refugees by the US to Guam with a certain amount of admiration. This same efficiency, backed by the all-powerful US military, might be handy when the problem of climate refugees is on our door step. (We could also integrate the construction of more Canadian prisons and the purchase of F -35 fighter jets into the theme of these comments, but the result would be far too long for a blog.)
Canadians will be more secure with the re-election of a Conservative Government. Security is what Canadians seem to want. Why do you think that the “Tough on Crime” policy resonates so well with Canadian voters, although every sociologist, every criminologist, every criminal lawyer and every editorial writer seems to be against it?
There are objections to this grand vision of the Harper Government. We are cutting ourselves off from the world’s problems. We expect we can do so for ever. Can this be so or are we mistaken? Do we think that climate change happens to other people but not to us? Are there are moral issues that we are ignoring? Before you dismiss these questions and concerns read Stephen Scharper’s column “Rich nations retreat behind gated ecology”.
