less and less canadian every day

every day i learn something new about canada that makes me want to toss my passport out the window... from alberta to afghanistan, from the federal government's attack on the nation's homeless and working poor, from corporate crime in africa, from absurd new spending in the Feb 2008 federal budget - $122M on new prisons, $400M to recruit new police officers and $43M to create a federal wire-tapping agency of our very own - remind you of anyone???

NOW I see this - which Canada did not sign. (only other non signatories include US, Australia and New Zealand - now that's a quartet I'd prefer not to be lumped with...)

I do not care that UN declarations are touted as "rhetoric", "lacking guidance" or enforcement mechanisms or whatever; I do care that this document is the basis of reasonable grievances around the world related to climate change...

The crux of the matter is don't believe the hype. I'm referring to the touchyfeely, neutralnature, lovetheyneighbor Canadian hype. Shake it off, suck it up and face the facts.

If Canadians continue to wander about the globe proudly stitching the maple leaf on our backpacks, sooner or later we'll lose the warm welcome I have experienced abroad and sooner than later we'll find that at home we - regular Canadians - are not so welcome either.