BUSH THREATENS CANADA BUT IT'S A BIG "HO HO HO" FROM BARENAKED LADIES

Canada has long been the U.S.' closest friend and biggest trading partner. Between the people, if not the governments, they tend towards almost being one big mostly happy family. I certainly don't feel like I'm going to see world beat artists when I go see Neil Young or Alanis Morissette or Joni Mitchell or even Leonard Cohen. And last night when I went to see Barenaked Ladies do a rousing concert at the Santa Monica Civic Center it was the closest experience to ultimate homeyness I'm likely to feel all Christmas season (mostly because I'm leaving for Morocco in 4 days). But it's not just because I'm continuing my decades-long tradition of spending Christmas time away from the grotesquely commercial materialistic non-spiritual nightmare Christmas has turned into in the U.S. It's also because Barenaked Ladies, always as American as mom and apple pie anyway, do the ultimate good-time holiday season rock'n'roll show, a show the entire audience participates in. But while Barenaked Ladies were showing L.A. what consummate and even heartfelt entertainers and good neighbors they are, guess what BushCo was up to.

Yes, they're invading and occupying other countries in our name, but that's not what I was talking about. Right around the time that Steven Page had invited me to come over and see them, the U.S.
Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, was threatening Canadians about the way they're running their election campaign. (I'm sure elections in Florida, Ohio and Iraq are more to the liking of BushCo but Canada has their own way of going about the whole process.) But sure enough, according to Reuters The United States made an unprecedented foray into Canada's election campaign yesterday, warning politicians not to bash the universally disparaged Bush in the run-up to the January 23 election.

Although he didn't exactly laugh in Wilkins' face, Canadian Prime Minister, "Paul Martin responded immediately by saying 'c'est la vie' -- that's life -- if the United States did not like his remarks, and he would not accept anyone telling him he cannot defend his country."

Wilkins was in Ottawa lamely complaining about what he called "relentless and incessant criticism of his country, which he speculated might begin to sow doubt about the strength of the bi-national relationship." Like many Americans, he doesn't understand that Canadian-- as well as people in virtually every country of the world, do not feel they are criticizing the United States or Americans when they criticize the contemptible Bush, his horrendous regime or their catastrophic and dangerous policies. 'It may be smart election politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner,' be blustered cluelessly. 'But it's a slippery slope and all of us should hope it doesn't have a long-term impact on our relationship.' He was pissed off because at last week's climate change conference in Montreal Martin has voiced the opinion of the entire world in calling on the renegade Bush Regime to heed a "global conscience" and join efforts to combat global warming.

Previously, and in sync with Canadian public opinion, Martin often said Canada did not want U.S.-style health care, fiscal deficits, taxes or attack ads. Of course, neither do most Americans outside of the backward and reactionary Old Confederacy. But this doesn't fit in my Rove's Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Propaganda Campaign used by BushCo to lull dullards into thinking that... well, into not thinking at all actually.