Canada's New Isolationism

Anti-Americanism seems embedded in the Canadian psyche. When I was young, Canadian school children were taught how shameful it was for United States to delay its entry into World War II and take up the fight for freedom and democracy.

Canada declared war on Nazi Germany shortly after Britain. The United States stayed out until Pearl Harbor. As a schoolboy, I learned about mean-spirited US isolationists, who rejected any global responsibility. I learned about Nazi apologists in the pre-war United States and about anti-British sentiments.

Now that Canada has decided Canadian troops will not “fight” against terrorism, I wonder if US school children will be taught how shameful it was for Canada to refuse to participate fully in the war on terrorism. I wonder if students will learn about Canada’s isolationists, who’ve opposed all US military action, whether it was stopping genocide in Bosnia or the current battle. Will US school children also be taught about Canadian apologists for horrid regimes like the Taliban and about anti-Americanism in Canada?

Anti-US sentiments here in Canada have taken a virulent turn, often going well beyond civilized discourse. Our nationalist left makes statements so disturbing about the United States that such views would be labeled hate literature – by the same nationalist left – if leveled against any group other than our US friends and neighbours.

Canada’s reaction to the September 11 terrorist attacks has been disconcerting from the beginning when Jean Chrétien, in New York shortly after the attack, decided it was more important to get to Toronto for a Liberal fundraiser than accept an invitation from Mayor Rudy Giuliani to visit the site of the World Trade destruction.

Now, after weeks of public fumbling, comes more unsettling news – Canadian soldiers will join the fight against terrorism only if there is no “fighting” and only in places where Canadian troops will be welcome. Last week, the Prime Minister told Canadian troops that Canada does “not want to have a big fight there [Afghanistan]. We want to bring peace and happiness.”

This is silly. Imagine if the United States, after entering World War II, said it would send troops only where they were “welcome.” We’d still be waiting for Hitler to throw out the welcome mat so US troops could “bring peace and happiness” to Nazi Germany. This sounds like a bad Saturday Night sketch, yet it’s the position of the government of Canada.

Even worse, in defending Canada’s non-action, the Prime Minister criticized the British and the French for trying to send in troops before they were welcome.

The greatest danger in Afghanistan is that old tribal divisions, combined with more recent hatreds, will lead to yet another blood bath. From a humanitarian perspective, nothing is more important than landing troops from Britain, France, Canada and other nations. This creates an outside presence that, however imperfectly, can lessen the danger of new atrocities and, if necessary, form a buffer between factions and protect civilians from both our foes and our new friends.

It’s audacious for Canada to criticize governments that take their international and humanitarian responsibilities seriously.

This is even more disturbing because Canada has been a free rider on US defense for decades. The United States may have waited too long to enter World War II, but ever since it has taken on the lion’s share of the costs, in lives and treasure, of defending democracy.

Yet, when the United States comes under attack, we offer help so long as we aren’t really expected to do anything. This is a national, not a political, issue. Canada’s military has rusted away under Liberal, Conservative, and minority governments.

An unnamed Canadian soldier quoted by the press may have given the most telling reaction to our leaders’ decision that ill-equipped Canadian soldiers will stay away from any fighting. “I don''t think they have a good understanding of what armies are for. It’s like asking a policeman to run the other way if he sees a bank robbery.”

I don’t believe U.S. children will ever be taught anti-Canadianism in the way that anti-Americanism is an undertow in our schools, but I do think Canadians should be embarrassed by the unhelpful mean-spiritedness Canada has too often exhibited during this crisis.