Canada

Two messages from Rob Gaudet are related, although he may not suspect it. The first says "One of the reasons we have such a strong president is because of Alexander Hamilton's advocacy of an imperial presidency. Indeed, he wanted George Washington to be treated more as a monarch with a lifetime appointment and other privileges. Hamilton was a true Anglophile and he brought this tradition with him to the Federalist Papers".

The second message from Rob Gaudet says "I am very skeptical about Canadians. Many of them really resent the United States. In fact, Canadian tourists (mostly, the young) who travel abroad like to wear the maple leaf on their backpacks to distinguish themselves from Americans. Why do they think it's so important to be different from America? I find it hard to understand and, frankly, a little weird that they would go out of their way to say "I'm not American!"

My comment: Canada is an orderly place which does not get the publicity of Afghanistan and is often viewed as an extension of the US. It wishes to assert its identity. The relationship of Canada to the US is in terms of geography comparable with that of Chile to Argentina. When I went to teach at the University of British Columbia, I made a reference to the US in the Canadian consulate. The official said coldly: "Canada is not the United States". The Canadian version of history differs from the American version as does the Mexican version, and most Americans seem unaware of either. The Canadians represent the Loyalists, who were the majority of Americans at the time of the Revolution and certainly of the "establishment". They were treated brutally by the Revolutionaries, notably by Judge Lynch, tarred and feathered by the revolutionaries and forced to flee. Americans are taught a distorted view of the Revolution. It is commonly said that at the time of the Revolution, one third of the population was loyalist, one third (i.e. a minority) favored the Revolution, and one third was divided. The Revolutionaries were in fact at first a secretive minority, which ultimately triumphed with the military help of a tyrannical monarchy (which the British monarchy was not). Of course, the percentage of supporters of the Revolution changed over the years. The "Founding Brothers" were a mixed lot, and their popular supporters were the underclass. When Washington crossed the Delaware, his army consisted largely of his slaves and those of others, as well a very motley crew very different from the popular image.

It was because of the parliamentary tradition and the influence of men like Hamilton that the American Revolution did not degenerate into a bloodbath, as the French Revolution did, to the horror of Burke. The American Revolution played out British party politics, bringing about reforms which the Whigs promoted. Its results were therefore positive. However, today the picture has changed. The parliamentary system of Canada is generally regarded as more democratic than the US presidential system. International surveys of the quality of life invariably place Canada ahead of the US, in fact Canada sometimes tops the list.

Americans are agonizing over the question "Why do other people hate us?", and Canadians do not want to share that agony. The hatred is largely simply fear of Superman, but it also is a response, especially in the Muslim world, to US almost uncritical support of Israel, and to US rejection of international treaties accepted by almost all other countries, including the West European allies of the US.

The aim of WAIS is to establish a dialog among informed, reasonable people of different nations. We have begun with Latin America, notably with Mexico and Argentina. We must now bring Canada into the dialog, and I plan to work toward that end.

Ronald Hilton - 7/15/02