Here is a sentence I never expected to read:
In a poll by Ipsos Reid in 2012, the War of 1812 was second only to their universal health care in a list of events or items that could be used to define Canadian identity.
Not the Mounties? Not ice hockey? Not curling? Not Justin Bieber? Naturally I had to look up this poll:
Hmmm. That’s not really a lot of choices. Here’s another survey:
This bit of internet research into Canadian identity and the War of 1812 was prompted by reports of a phone call last month between the idiot-in-chief and Justin Trudeau about why the US suddenly considered Canada to be a national security threat. “Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?” Trump asked, in what he must have thought was the height of wit. As it happens, Canadians take the War of 1812 a whole lot more seriously than we do, so even on its own terms it was a dumb joke. Plus it was British soldiers who burned down the White House anyway. Plus the Canadians really don’t think this business of being considered a national security threat is a laughing matter.
I wonder when everyone is going to learn? I know it’s easy to sit at my desk and advise world leaders to tell Trump off, but really, they should tell Trump off. It’s the only thing that works. Forbearance and good personal relations get you nowhere with Trump, as Trudeau, Shinzo Abe, Emmanuel Macron, and others have all learned. Just tell him to call back when he’s ready to talk like an adult and then hang up the phone. I don’t think that even most Americans would take offense.
