Wake-up Call for Canada

I ‘virtually’ met Saul about a year ago. The fifty-something Israeli comes from a family that is very politically aware and, with relatives scattered throughout the globe in places like Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and the Far East, has been able to formulate a very unique and distinct view of the world. We have been engaged in email ping pong ever since he happened upon my blog and sent me a comment, and our discussions have run the gamut from his Homeland to the War on Terror to international trade. A wise and most certainly knowledgeable man, he possesses the ability to nail home a point. Such was the case when the topic was the Canadian people and their attitude towards terrorism.

Even a proponent of my nation’s involvement in Afghanistan such as me was surprised when told that Canada is considered to be ‘naïve’ on the world scene.

“The people who know Canada, who know modern Canadian culture and the trends of your country’s society, are beginning to shake their heads,” my friend claimed. “You see Europe finally getting it after the late ‘90’s and of course 9/11. The Germans and the French have voted strong, pro-War leaders into power. The people are realizing that we are entering a world war against Islamofascist terrorists.”

“Even the Scandinavian people are opening their eyes with regards to their nations’ immigrations policies,” Saul continued, “while Canadians, for the most part, don’t see any issue at all.”

I questioned just how prevalent this image of Canada is with several contacts around the world. While many said that Canada never entered their minds (we’re still the nice cold little peacekeeping nation in the corner to many) or praised Canada for their strong leadership in Afghanistan, all who did have an opinion spoke of a wake-up call. Not whether one was needed or not, but that one is inevitable – one way or another.

After the post-New York attacks in the U.K. and Spain the Europeans were shocked into realizing that the War on Terror isn’t, as many Canadians have told me, an ‘American problem’. They awoke to the reality that there is an enemy who has declared war on them, their way of life, their freedom, their religion, their economic success. It dawned on the people on the streets of Paris, Hamburg, and Newcastle that they are now targets. A car full of bombs can speed into any Scottish airport at any time. A city railcar can be attacked in Madrid without warning.

Subsequently, the people of Europe and Scandinavia started to tell their governments that it was time to think about safety and security; time to rethink the decades-old liberal and open immigration policies; time to fight those who would so savagely and so cowardly attack innocent men, women, and children in their own streets.

The fear of others is that it will take an actual strike within Canadian borders to wake the people of this land to the truth that years of the Trudeau-born open immigration system has not only left Canada vulnerable, but must quickly be restructured in the name of our own security. Will only the fulfillment of Usama bin Laden’s own promise of bringing terrorism to Canada change our mindset? Or will Canadians shake off the layers and years of socialist-based ideals and ultra-left politically-correct thinking on our own in time?

They’ve got the message overseas. What will it take for the message to come through here in Canada? The world would like to know.