I saw a bumper sticker in Canadian red and white, today.
STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS
Perhaps a poor choice of phrase.
I won’t lie. If I found myself in Afghanistan, that’s exactly where I’d be: cowering behind the troops. But that’s hardly the kind of admission that goes on a bumper sticker.
Of course, we all stand behind the troops. Any declaration of support for our military is mostly empty because it is universal. To suggest that any party or political point of view has a monopoly on good-will for Canadian soldiers is ludicrous.
People who need to use these kinds of statements to justify their politics really are cowering behind the troops.
Categories: Uncategorized
A friendly reminder from the Government of Canada arrived in the mail today about the documentation required to enter the United States.
By land or sea, Canadian citizens need to have a driver’s licence plus a birth certificate (or equivalent documentation) or a passport. Only a passport will suffice if flying by air.
It’s a strange world when travel between two countries that have never been to war (or not for at least 200 years, depending on how your perspective) is getting more difficult, but the movement of people on the 20th century’s bloodiest continent is nearly unrestrained.
Even if you are worried about the hegemony of American culture on the continent (or a deluge of handguns into Canadian cities), it’s hard to deny that the future will probably see greater freedom of movement for people in North America. It’s not truly free trade if goods but not services can cross borders.
Someday, maybe sooner than it seems, the Americans will get over their terror and get on with trade and travel.
[photo] “A Wall graffitto of olden times has come true” by Frederik Ramm
Categories: Canada · US
Tagged: border, Canada, Europe, free trade, North America, trade, travel, USA
