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City Hall's connection to the US
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by mtippett | November 26, 2008 at 09:14 am
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Samuel Johnson once said that "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". As I watch the maneuvering in City Hall I'm reminded of his line. After getting decimated in the recent civic election the NPA is now talking about the perils of US influence in our city politics. Counselor Suzanne Anton is leading the charge.
"American residents are not allowed to donate to the campaigns of our prime minister or MPs," she notes. "So how is it right that they can help elect our mayors?"
Anton adds: "Supposing I took a donation from the NRA, what would that do to my political career?"
But ironically, as the reporter from the Sun points out:
Not much. And that was obvious before the 2006 federal election when the U.S.-based National Rifle Association was found to be advising Canadian gun clubs on how to lobby Canadian politicians.
Svend Robinson, then a federal Vancouver Centre candidate, called it appalling. "The NRA has no place in Canadian politics," he said.
So the NPA doesn't have a fantastic track record of defending our national honour. And if the NPA is suddenly going to wrap itself in the flag then it should also be talking about the most influential foreign force in our city -- the IOC. Let's also talk about the big US developers who are getting $100 million dollars of our money as the result of the Olympics.
The Sun's piece goes on to talk about US involvement in charities and worries about whether this should be accepted. This kind of logic is flawed from the start - flawed and dangerous.
If the tables were turned and Canadians were not allowed to donate money to US charities how would we feel? The effect of this would be potential devastating. Think about the victims of Katrina. Geo-fencing charity separates worthwhile organizations from people who have the means to help.
And lets not get too cocky. Canada has benefited tremendously from the investment Americans have made in this country. Whether it's local business like biotech or new media or local charities, Americans have the means, comfort with risk and willingness to support worthwhile Canadian causes. To oppose that support would place the burden on Canadians alone and slow our growth at a time when we need to encourage growth.
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at 12:31 on November 26th, 2008
On the Downtown Eastside, we were grateful to have an American influence when under the NPA City Council -- Sam Sullivan, Susan Anton, et al -- free speech rights in Canada were being attacked. It was American ex-pats like Rachel Davis, Dag Walker, (even Corky Day on one occasion), who spoke up and said free speech was a right. These Americans did more for Canadians than anybody on the NPA when people blogging about their experiences at Carnegie Center and the Downtown Eastside were being tracked down and harassed by City staff. People were banned from the Carnegie Center for being suspected of blogging or speaking to a blogger.
And it was Americans who spoke up when a man who was elected to the Carnegie Board was simply blocked from attending Board meetings because City staff said he had criticized them (he hadn't; they had the wrong guy). The NPA seemed entirely comfortable with this stripping of Canadians of their right to elect a representative and have him actually allowed into meetings.
Americans are raised to be aware of their right to free speech. If the blog-burning by City staff that was tolerated under the NPA continues under Vision-COPE -- a new case at Carnegie of a woman being persecuted for giving an interview to a blogger will test the tolerance of Vision-COPE -- we can only wish for more American influence at City Hall.
Happy American Thanksgiving.