Bite.Your.Tongue...
What is it exactly that ails the French political elite? They seem incapable of governing their own country wisely, yet see no contradiction in tartly observing what they consider to be errors on the part of other governing entities and offering uphelpfully unsolicited critiques. When it isn't the United States that the French love to target, criticize, disdain and generally tetch over, it will be some other hapless country. Like, for example, Israel, that embattled country forever facing intractible enemies who seek to deny her existence, yet France recommends sweet restraint.
That great French patriot Charles de Gaulle whose claim to fame during WWII was his defiance of Nazi Germany from exile in Great Britain, raised the ire of Canada when he proclaimed during a state visit as President of France "Vive le Quebec libre", thus enormously assisting the fervid separatists in their ongoing battle with the rest of Canada. Canadians like to feel they are one great country, undivisible. With pride they look upon the history and the currency of both founding nations, French and English. And view with true dismay the battles brought to the fore by dedicated and determined separatists who agitate ceaselessly for sovereignty.
We experience these nation-shattering eruptions time and again as the separatists gain strength, then wane once more as public opinion, even within the Province of Quebec, assails their tireless efforts with denial. Do we really need another highly-placed French politician to intervene once more? What can this woman be thinking? Better yet, perhaps we don't really want to know. Segolene Royal has not distinguished herself as yet in international affairs other than in ways that can only be harmful to her presidential aspirations and perhaps France will be the better for that.
Official Canada has never chosen to air public statements critical of the manner in which the government of France and its institutions treat its immigrant population. In its apparent lack of useful social/cultural/economic integration attempts, leaving vast tracts of Paris, for example, a no-man's-land of squalid ghettos where the city's police fear to tread; where they are, indeed, physically assaulted daily - where countless roadside vehicles are torched and areas trashed as the ignored, unemployed, undereducated, undisciplined and disappointed youth of the inner-city ghettos erupt in violence at their plight.
Yet France's environment minister had the gall to attack Canada's new Conservative government over its Kyoto stance, coyly suggesting that Canadians will soon have the opportunity to oust the government. We do not need this kind of undiplomatic and offensive interference, and we take grave exception to it. We also take umbrage with Segolene Royal's most recent contratemps expressing solidarity with Quebec's sovereignty movement during a meeting with Parti Quebecois leader Andre Boisclair (himself not immune to erratic and self-damaging behaviour).
That a candidate for the French presidency would allow herself to be so indiscreet and, dare we say, uninformed as to declare publicly that she favours "the sovereignty and liberty" of Quebec is appalling. But she did please someone; Mr. Boisclair. Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared himself to be unamused at this blundering into other countries' affairs; understating: "Experience teaches that it is highly inappropriate for a foreign leader to interfere in the democratic affairs of another country."
And. he added, pointedly, "We look forward to marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of Canada at Quebec City with the next president of France". (Unspoken the anticipation that this will not necessarily be Ms. Royal.) "We expect in turn that the next president will display an understanding of our shared history, and the respect for Canada and Canadians that such an important partnership requires."
French voters might wish to mull over the intemperant and insolently rash manifestation of a politician so richly self-assured that she insults a friendly country with impunity - is this likely presidential material?
That great French patriot Charles de Gaulle whose claim to fame during WWII was his defiance of Nazi Germany from exile in Great Britain, raised the ire of Canada when he proclaimed during a state visit as President of France "Vive le Quebec libre", thus enormously assisting the fervid separatists in their ongoing battle with the rest of Canada. Canadians like to feel they are one great country, undivisible. With pride they look upon the history and the currency of both founding nations, French and English. And view with true dismay the battles brought to the fore by dedicated and determined separatists who agitate ceaselessly for sovereignty.
We experience these nation-shattering eruptions time and again as the separatists gain strength, then wane once more as public opinion, even within the Province of Quebec, assails their tireless efforts with denial. Do we really need another highly-placed French politician to intervene once more? What can this woman be thinking? Better yet, perhaps we don't really want to know. Segolene Royal has not distinguished herself as yet in international affairs other than in ways that can only be harmful to her presidential aspirations and perhaps France will be the better for that.
Official Canada has never chosen to air public statements critical of the manner in which the government of France and its institutions treat its immigrant population. In its apparent lack of useful social/cultural/economic integration attempts, leaving vast tracts of Paris, for example, a no-man's-land of squalid ghettos where the city's police fear to tread; where they are, indeed, physically assaulted daily - where countless roadside vehicles are torched and areas trashed as the ignored, unemployed, undereducated, undisciplined and disappointed youth of the inner-city ghettos erupt in violence at their plight.
Yet France's environment minister had the gall to attack Canada's new Conservative government over its Kyoto stance, coyly suggesting that Canadians will soon have the opportunity to oust the government. We do not need this kind of undiplomatic and offensive interference, and we take grave exception to it. We also take umbrage with Segolene Royal's most recent contratemps expressing solidarity with Quebec's sovereignty movement during a meeting with Parti Quebecois leader Andre Boisclair (himself not immune to erratic and self-damaging behaviour).
That a candidate for the French presidency would allow herself to be so indiscreet and, dare we say, uninformed as to declare publicly that she favours "the sovereignty and liberty" of Quebec is appalling. But she did please someone; Mr. Boisclair. Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared himself to be unamused at this blundering into other countries' affairs; understating: "Experience teaches that it is highly inappropriate for a foreign leader to interfere in the democratic affairs of another country."
And. he added, pointedly, "We look forward to marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of Canada at Quebec City with the next president of France". (Unspoken the anticipation that this will not necessarily be Ms. Royal.) "We expect in turn that the next president will display an understanding of our shared history, and the respect for Canada and Canadians that such an important partnership requires."
French voters might wish to mull over the intemperant and insolently rash manifestation of a politician so richly self-assured that she insults a friendly country with impunity - is this likely presidential material?
Labels: Crisis Politics
posted by Pieface | 12:56 PM
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