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At Issue

With Philip Shaw

The American Who Changed My Sniveling Canadian Attitude

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

I have a signifigant American readership for my agricultural economic column, "Under the Agridome". And one thing I've learned about my American readers is how fair they can be. There have been times in my sojourn writing for Americans where I became a self righteous, blankety, blank Canadian espousing some type of inherent moral superiority over our American friends. In many ways, I was espousing the views quite common in Canadian
circles, that our way as a people is simply better than the Americans.
I was brought down to earth by an American reader by the name of Paul Penner from Hillsboro, Kansas. It was a long time ago now, but Paul wrote me a note to chastise me for my sniveling attitude of moral superiority when it came to Americans and Canadians. Paul had a sister in Guelph, Ontario who he visited on occasion. While there, he looked around, talked to the populace and came to the conclusion that Canadians weren't as morally superior as your loyal commentator kept exuding. He also let me know the Canadian media seemed "paranoid" when it came to the US, my writings included.
That was seven years ago. I must admit, Paul Penner from Hillsboro, Kansas changed my attitude toward the Americans forever. Since that time, I might rail against American policy, but never from a perspective that they are morally inept. I try not to criticize American policy to the point where paranoia sets in. You see Paul Penner was right. As a people, Canadians are no more moral than anybody else. Trying to be that way only cheapens who we are. From that point forward, my Canadian perspective on our American friends would be without an attitude of smugness.
So when Prime Minister Jean Chretien got up in the House of Commons last week and announced that Canada would not participate in an American war on Iraq, I was a bit shaken. Not from what Prime Minister Chretien said, but by the reaction from the smug minions behind him who cheered wildly followed by all kinds of damaging comments about our American allies. I know Jean Chretien doesn't feel this way, but how can you explain the stupidity of those who thumbed their noses at our biggest trading partner and best friend.
Liberal, Bloc and NDP MPs who disparaged the Americans in public should know better. If you are one of the millions of Canadians who depend on the American market for your high standard of living you should be livid. It is one thing to legitimately believe that Canada needs UN approval to take part in a war on Iraq, but it is surely another to flaunt this decision on a country which means everything to Canada.
Much is said about the 80% plus of our exports going to the United States. But in reality when looking at GDP, our precarious perch is further exposed. Exports to the United States represent almost 40 per cent of Canada's gross domestic product. Exports to Canada represent 3 per cent of the U.S. GDP. In other words, we need them a lot worse than they need us. Add another 9/11 terrorist attack to the equation, and our position gets
even more shaky.
The implications for those of us in Chatham-Kent are daunting. Not only do many of us cross the border for social outings, but many of us rely on the American market for our income. How long can the Canadian auto industry operate in a political environment that constantly puts our border at risk? You cannot blame our American friends for turning the other cheek the next time a trade irritant comes up. Nobody likes being insulted.
I don't know where my American reader, Paul Penner, is now. He wrote me a few years ago asking if he could read my work somewhere else. Apparently he was moving on, possibly out of agriculture. But I owe a lot to him. If he hadn't taken me aside seven years ago convincing me of how overbearing, smug and wrong my Canadian attitude was, today, I'd be just like the rest of the Canadian yahoos espousing their moral superiority over the Americans.
But this time Paul, I say, God Bless America. Maybe Canada and the US are on a different page for this war, but at the end of the day we're still the best of friends. As a friend, trading partner and southern neigbour, the USA is very much appreciated.



Philip Shaw, farms 830 acres near Dresden, Ontario. He holds a Masters of Agricultural Economics and Business Degree from the University of Guelph and is a well-known commentator on agricultural issues in print, on radio and over satellite in Canada and the United States. In the Chatham-Kent Times, Phil will use his frank and forthright writing style to address political and economic issues from the local to the international stage. He is a keen observer of political life at all levels, reads widely and has travelled the world to gather fodder for his column. See what's At Issue this week.