Red Ensign Standard XXVI

Red Ensign Standard XXVI



The flag flying at the top of this post (and on my sidebar) is a flag that disappeared in Canada before I was born. I grew up with the by-now more familiar Maple Leaf. The Red Ensign hearkens back to a very different time in Canada.

There was a time when the Red Ensign represented Canada to the world. A time when criminals paid their debts to society in prison, rather than earning free university degrees there. A time when the average family didn't spend more than half their income to pay taxes, and yet received timely health care and government services. A time when Canada's military was larger than the New York City police department (indeed, the third largest navy in the world), and when our voice in international politics carried some weight. A time when we defended Britain and France, rather than ourselves being defended by the United States. A time when people came from all over the world to become Canadians, searching for a better life, rather than leaving Canada by the millions to search for a better life in the USA. A time when the still-unborn were protected by law, rather than being murdered at the rate of a hundred thousand a year. A time when our nation had no debt, instead of a debt of hundreds of billions of dollars (to be completely paid off sometime in 2193). A time when left-wing moonbattery was not considered the "centrist" position. In short, a time when Canada was sane.

Canada was not perfect 40 years ago. No nation is. However, the last four decades have seen the decline of Canada from a nation of independent, proud, decent people into something much less. All hope is not lost however; from one end of the country to the other, and scattered around the world, there are still Canadians who believe in the Canada that was, and could be again. Some of them are bloggers, gathered together in the Red Ensign Brigade; today, I am lucky enough to be the host of those bloggers (and OH MY GOD are they ever a prolific bunch) in the 26th edition of the Red Ensign Standard. We've got a lot to cover this time around, so let's just dive right in:


London Bombing / Terrorism

This was easily the biggest story of the last two weeks, and Canadian bloggers had a lot to say about it.

Of course, the Monarchist had a plenty of opinions. Beaverbrook calls the anglosphere cheese eating surrender monkeys with which McMacPaddy begs to differ; Adams argues that the anglosphere still has the heart of a lion. Catesby argues in favour of the Iraq war, saying "If their war wasn’t with us before, it most definitely is now." Cato looks at root causes of terrorism, and concludes that Iraq ain't one of them.

Marzi gets a new pimp hat and discusses the London bombings. Angry in the Great White North hopes that America stays the course.

Babbling Brooks takes the boy scout motto to heart on the war on terror and looks at insurance issues in an age of terrorism. Chris of Taylor and Company agrees with Damian Brooks and starts preparing while he ridicules Islamic terrorists. Anthroblogology also comments on the "religion of peace".

Andrew at Bound by Gravity notes the doubling of Canada's troop strength in Afghanistan. He has a personal connection to an old terrorist attack and a great grandfather who knew what it meant to fight an implacable enemy. He also links China to terrorism, as ChrisCam points out the dangers of ignoring China. ChrisCam also takes aim at the BBC and the New York Times. Temujin of West Coast Chaos also gives the back of his hand to a terrorist (and the BBC).

Ravishing Light examines Canadian Muslims' reaction to the London bombings and finds them wanting and notes that Canada is a target for terrorism. Blue Perspective says that defence is not enough. The Conservative Hipster mocks TTC Chairman Howard Moscoe while The Last Amazon says we should be doing more to prevent terrorism in Canada.

Keith at Minority of One says "It's the Jihad, Stupid", while Alan at GenX at 40 points out the futility of suicide bombings. John of Argghhh!!! says Gitmo, Schmitmo. Grandinite argues in favour of violence. Finally, Raging Ranter has a message for the London bombers.


The Return of Hockey

2004/2005 was the longest winter on record. That does not refer to the weather, of course, but the lack of NHL hockey. The relative dearth of posts on the end of the NHL lockout should have everyone involved with the NHL quaking in their skates.

905Tory sees a correlation between a lack of hockey and an increase in the number of babies; hey, it gets COLD up in Canada in the winter. Enter Stage Right tentatively welcomes the end of the NHL lockout. And the Phantom Observer cheers the return of Don Cherry.


Calgary Stampede

Yahoo! It's that time of year again, when a million Calgarians show up for work every day with blue jeans, cowboy hats, and massive hangovers.

Bumf recommends cowboy hats. M.K. Braaten drags his ass back from the Calgary Stampede, while The Meatriarchy pines for some media coverage of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.


Same-Sex Marriage and Religion

The government has already passed legislation allowing same-sex marriage, but that hasn't stopped it from being a hotly-debated issue. One of these days I'm going to weigh in on this issue, too. Hey, I like a flame-war in my comments section as much as the next guy.

Ravishing Light is in favour of compromise on same sex marriage, while Shane at the Left Handed Right says government has no place in marriage at all and will be homeschooling his boys.

Angry in the Great White North argues that the marginalization of religion, not equality, is the goal in same-sex marriage. He supports the Catholic Church's refusal of communion to those politicians that vote for policies that violate Catholic teachings, pointing out that choices have consequences.

Canadianna talks about the issue and expands on the theme after comments on that post.

Rebecca at Doxology has some thoughts on catholicism and on perspective. Peter at Rempelia Prime notes the Christian influence on Confederation, as does Grover.


Health Care

A perennial favorite.

Andrew at Bound by Gravity looks to cut some of the fat from the health-care system, while Toronto Tory says Roy Romanow has run out of health-care ideas and looks at a poll saying Canadians actually want private health care, asking "what are we waiting for?"


Pretty Pictures

What would the blogosphere be without pictures sucking up bandwidth? A lot of boring text.

Alan at GenXat40 does some archeology behind city hall. I look at the wrong technique for keeping food from bears, and have pictures from the Deep Impact mission.


Humour

Because sometimes, if you don't laugh, you'll cry.

CW4BillT of Arrgghhh!!! does his part to bring peace to the battle of the sexes and brings us a story of Chamomile and Intergalactic war.

Myrick tells you how to find out if you are a prostitute. Rempelia Prime reviews a Jean Claude van Damme movie and frowns upon giraffe humour.

Rhetoricking With Myself gets drunk, The Conservative Hipster eats some spam, and The London Fog has a laugh at walking stereotypes. Temujin of West Coast Chaos gets a new battle cry, and finally the Phantom Observer shows that Rick Mercer still has a sense of humour (at Ralph Klien's expense).


General Canadian Politics

Yes, there is more going on in Canada besides same-sex marriage and health care debates.

Shane at the Left Handed Right tells us why he joined the Red Ensign.

General Rick Hillier garnered a lot of praise from the Red Ensign Brigade; John of Arrgghhh!!!, Blue Perspective, and John the Mad all had nice things to say about the guy in charge of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Ravishing Light figures that Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has a future as a Canadian Liberal party hack. Angry in the Great White North takes on Gwynne Dyer, as does Blue Perspective. Bound by Gravity takes a close look at Joe Volpe's expense account. John the Mad rips Carolyn Parrish a new one. Canadianna defends Monte Solberg. Glenda at Just Between Us Girls talks about the smearing of Gurmant Grewal and the continuing aftershocks of BSE.

Peter at Rempelia Prime remembers Chuck Cadman, as does Stephen Taylor. Stephen also notes the the RCMP had to pay the Liberal party for the "privelege" of protecting the PM and figures that John Kerry is more right-wing than the Conservative Party of Canada.

John of Arrgghhh!!! has some Canadian Artillery and thoughts on the military's transformation. Babbling Brooks bemoans the nadir of the Canadian military and the end of the 429 Bison unit. Dust My Broom argues that the Canadian military needs its own planes, and that they shouldn't be flying Air Canada. Myrick has a harsh word (and an etymology lesson) for Air Canada and Scotiabank.

Dust My Broom looks at anti-Americanism entrenched in the Canadian mass media and is thinking that Alberta may be all that is left of Canada. M.K. Braaten is in favour of the Alberta Firewall, and shows the similarity between Alberta politics and federal politics.

Raging Ranter shows that Canadians lack political perspective. Right Jab looks at the reasons behind the Conservative Party's "hidden agenda". The Conservative Hipster backhands the Calgary Observer and laughs at unions. He might not laugh much longer, as M.K.Braaten figures unions are becoming irrelevant. Bound by Gravity fisks the Calgary Observer, too. Finally, the Phantom Observer tries to get Brian Neale of NealeNews awarded the Order of Canada.


the Blogosphere

A little navel-gazing.

Angry in the Great White North says that the blogosphere doesn't have much influence but contradicts himself by getting some Australians in contact with their loved ones in London after the terrorist attack (way to go Angry). Curt at North Western Winds discusses the (apparently illusory) power of the blogosphere. The Phantom Observer says journalists should be scared.


Economics

The dismal science is a popular topic this time around.

The Meatriarchy says that Jacques Chirac is economically illiterate and notes that Bob Geldof knows as much about economics as Tom Cruise does about mental health. (Of course, Mick Jagger is a different story, seeing as how he actually has a degree in Economics... but then, the Rolling Stones didn't show up for Live 8, did they.) Blue Perspective tells Bob Geldof that trade, not handouts, is the real aid. Nicholas at Quotulatiousness has praise for microloans in the third world and thinks that sales taxes may be the reason that kids have trouble with math. Raging Kraut takes on extended warranties. The Last Amazon compares life under Castro to life under 19th century slavery, and finds Castro worse. Finally, the London Fog notes communist nostalgia on the free market.


Miscellaneous

So titled because it is getting late, I'm tired, cranky, overcaffeinated, and starting to get really lazy.

Dust My Broom talks about gang violence on native reserves and native gangs off the reserves. He also looks for a common-sense solution to mosquitos and the spread of West Nile virus: minnows.

Anthroblogology says punk is dead, but that doesn't stop Alan at GenXat40 from playing DJ. The Phantom Observer has some musical hallucinations; good thing he has an Ipod Shuffle for those long road trips. Barely skirting the edge of the musical theme of this paragraph, I write a poem about a decidely non-poetic subject.

Curt at North Western Winds gives Sartre a few whacks upside the head with a shovel and examines pre-Socratic philosphy.

Chris of Taylor and Company reviews War of the Worlds. The result of another war echoes today, as the Green Baron mourns Bastille Day.

The Freeway to Serfdom likes Paul Tracy. Temujin of West Coast Chaos has a new car while Sue at Turning 30 and a half looks at an old tank and proudly displays a note commending her grandfather, from 1918.

Terrorism isn't the only thing out of Britain making waves in the blogosphere. There's a new Harry Potter book out, too. Angry in the Great White North takes a look at the Pope and Harry Potter,
and concludes that magic and ignorance are the same.

The newest gee-whiz killer app out there is Google Earth. It got praise from Abracapocus and the Freeway to Serfdom

So miscellaneous I can't logically clump these together with anything else: Absinthe and Cookies gets hit on at a wedding . James at Hammer into Anvil has a lousy neighbour. And Lastly, Younger Pitt at the Monarchist calls for more respect for Prince William.


So, that's all for this edition of the Red Ensign Standard. I think I got everyone who posted in the last two weeks. If I missed anyone, well, sorry. Would I do it again? Yeah, in a heartbeat. But first, I'm going to sleep for two days.

update: thanks for the plug, Professor Reynolds. It's my very first Instalanche!

Technorati Tags: Red Ensign