OUR SAVIOURS

I am curious concerning the origin of the notion that the United States is Canada’s protector, that without their military protection Canada would be invaded. First of all, historically, the land that is now Canada has only ever been invaded by one entity: that which is now the United States. I put it that way, because the ransacking of early ‘Canadian’ settlements was carried out by the thirteen colonies of New England before either country was established. The land invasions during the war of 1812 and the perceived threat of invasion in the aftermath of the US civil war are what led to the formation of Canada: the perceived necessity to defend against the US absorption of Upper and Lower Canada. Well before Canada was a country, stretching from sea to sea to sea, it was occupied by people who did not want to be a part of the United Sates of America.

During WWII, Canadian waters were infiltrated by U-boats. Twenty-three ships were sunk in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and the threat of enemy landings was very real. So, Canada built defensive fortifications and enforced blackouts along the east coast, protecting ourselves while contributing massively to the war effort in Europe. The other bit of history that is pertinent concerns two separate invasions of Russia: those of Napolean and Hitler. They didn’t go well, as we know, because Russia is an enormous landmass occupied by people who would not surrender. Canada is very large, too, and has never surrendered to invasion. It makes sense that foreign powers contemplating an invasion of Canada, such as China or Russia, would mull this over.

I think there is enough evidence to say that our only real threat is right next door. I’m not saying that the military industrial complex of the USA has been quietly planning anything during the last one-hundred and fifty years of apparently peaceful co-existence, nor that the ‘manifest destiny’ contention has always been on the table. And yet, one could conclude that nothing has changed over that long period of time but their strategy.

In order to dominate a people, create an imaginary threat greater than yourself, and then offer yourself as their protector. It operates like a mafia protection racket. The well-known philosopher, Noam Chomsky, US citizen and commentator on US foreign policy, has often referred to this concept. In fact, he calls it the ‘Godfather Principle’ or the ‘Mafia Doctrine.”

Whether it was specifically a long-term plan or not, this view describes the present relationship between Canada and the USA. It should be no surprise that the US has always placed its own interests first. However, a few former Canadian leaders have overlooked this, and they have sacrificed Canadian sovereignty for short-term economic cooperation. And now, the pressure is being cranked up: “Canada would not exist without the protection of the USA,” “Canada would be invaded,” “You owe us because we have always saved you,” and finally, “We are justified in wanting to own you because you cannot exist without us.” Much of this diatribe is supported by the argument that Canada has taken advantage of the US – laughable in light of a long list of huge energy and water arrangements that have favoured the USA.

For Canada, it is going to take some courage and commitment to get out of this trap. It is essential for Canadians to put internal squabbles aside and throw our collective weight behind leadership that clearly recognizes our greatest menace. While US based press and social media swamp us with the repetition of self-serving assertions and phony platitudes, we must remember: awareness of history is a prerequisite for judicious listening and critical thinking.

Victor Phillips