[Eric]

Americans no doubt would like to think that their Canadian neighbours are like Americans who don't quite get it right (or right wing). The majoritory of Canadians ... I don't speak for the opportunistic and selfish Canadians like Conrad Black, but the ones who vote election after election to maintain our way of life ... believe that medical care should be available to all, that the poorest among us should get the same treatment as those more fortunate. We believe that the unfortunate in our society should not be completely shut out. We believe that those in the world who need are help, victims of events beyond their control, should also benefit from our immense wealth.
I should also like to point out that though most of us like our southern neighbours as individuals, most of us do not like America and what it stands for in the world. Canadian voters destroyed one political part for being too cosy with Reagan. Mulroney's conservatives were reduced to 4 seats in our House of Commons because of their pro-American policies.

We are not the fifty first state and we never will be. We hold different values. Through the governments we elect, we try to make sure that all in our country and many around the world share in what we have. As a country, we are blessed. Western Canada is floating on a sea of oil, as is the offshore of Newfoundland and Labrador. Uranium, potash, lumber, nickle, bauxite, natural gas, fresh water .... and on and on ... we have it all. But we don't use our wealth to throw our weight around. We do not storm all over the world trying to shove our system down the throats of those who do not want it. Our power is not in our military might; we are respected in the world, not feared.

This does not mean that we will not fight if necessary. Canadian troops are fighting as bravely in Afghanistan as did their great grandfather's at Vimy Ridge and the Canal du Nord, and as their grandparents did at Dieppe, Juno Beach, and in the liberation of Holland.

We respect our laws. We have Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarntees us all the basic rights Americans have. We do not walk around in our communities armed to the teeth. Yet we have a very low murder rate, and, in fact, violent crime is on the decrease in our country. If people need guns to protect themselves from their fellow citizens something is wrong, sadly wrong.