The Canadian government has chosen not to support the war in Iraq. It is the position of the Candian government that there should be no military action without the sactioning of the U.N. For those of you who aren't Canadian - this is a big deal. Canada and the U.S. have little squabbles all the time. We tend to stand up for them, however, in international affairs, especially when militray action is involved. And despite our collective military self-esteem problem we often play a vital role in military operations. Quite frankly, I didn't think we would have the cahones to stand up against the U.S, especially when they are in such desparate need of friends. This could have a very serious effect on Canada-U.S. relations, although quite frankly they weren't that great with Bush and his jackass ambassador Paul Celucci.

I cannot express how incredibly proud I am of our Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien. It's been a long time since he's done anything worthy of admiration. He has pulled off a Trudeau-esque move with this decision though. I'm sure part of it is due to the fact that Canada's U.N. proposal was largely ignored. There could be dire consequences to pissing off the U.S., even if it comes with the nice benefit of pissing off the Canadian rightwing. Sometimes, however, nations need to make decisions based on what is
right, not what will be the most self-serving.

The P.M.'s deicsion has enraged a lot of people. Chrétien is not very popular in Canada right now. Add to this that the hawkish Candian neocons swoon over the U.S., especially the Bush-run U.S., and you have quite the recipe for getting their panties in a knot. I am ashamed to say that there was a pro-war rally at my university on Sunday. My home province, Alberta, is a hotbed for the Canadian right, and my very own Member of Parliament, Myron Thompson (the MP with the most electoral support from his constituents), was there in full force. I am happy to say that, despite the rally being held on campus, the only few students there were mostly the toadies from the rightwing political parties.

Now if you think the war on Iraq is morally right, then you should be out in the streets trying to oppose the P.M.'s position. If you think this war is actually about "liberating" Iraq, or that it will result in the free people of the world being safer, go ahead. I think you'd be wrong for thinking the war is right, but that's my opinion. Toadie Brent Waddell said, "[students are] for world peace, but before we get there, we must get rid of the world's dictators." Is this war about getting rid of dictators? If so, it's going to be a hell of a long war. Who are we going to take on next? China? Saudi Arabia? If this war was simply about disposing dictators, I'd be all for it.

Little of the pro-Bush rhetoric really seems to be focused on legitimate justification of the war, however. Jason Kenney, another MP from the rightwing Alliance party, said, "Jean Chretien, has no right to undermine the history, the tradition of our country," while another Alliance MP said, "Canada and the U.S. have a blood bond in history through wars in Europe and Korea." The rationale these people use for defending the position that we should support the U.S is not that the war is just, but rather that we should stick with our allies. A friend in need is a friend indeed, their country - right or wrong. Politics is a game that can never be played without stategy. Canada is deeply indebted to the U.S. and Britain. We obviously must consider the effect that decisions like this have on our partnerships. But there are times in life when you must make decisions based not on what outcome is best for you, or what willl yield the best results, rather you must decide based on what is right. This is true, not just for individuals, but for nations as well. Yes, the U.S. and Britain are our brothers - and you should always support your brothers. But if your brother ran off and started killing men, women, and children in pusuit of what you deemed to be an unjust goal, would you pick up a gun and join him? No, you'd try and talk him out of it, or at least tell him he was wrong.

I am currently living in South Korea. South Korea is supporting the war and had voted to send non-combat troops. President Roh Moo-hyun himself has admitted that it is not because he believes the war is just. It is a "strategic decision for national interests." The South Korean government naively believes that if it supports the war in Iraq - and it is quite clear that the vast majority of the Korean people do not - then the U.S. will avoid further riling of North Korea over the nuclear issue. While the clear majority of South Koreans are against the war, I believe the majority of Canadians, with the possible exception of a pocket of pro-war boosters in Alberta, are also against it. With the word "democracy" being thrown around a lot these days, it is refereshing to see that at least the Candian governemnt is making a decision based on the will of the people.

One of Canada's defining moments as a soverign nation was the battle at Vimy. We have now taken anopther step forward as a soverign, independent nation. We are not just the 51st state or a former British colony. Canada faced one of the most difcult decisions it has ever faced. It chose to make that decision based not on what was convenient or strategic. It made the decision based on what is right. Today, I am proud to be a Canadian.