Canada Needs to Act Like a Country

One of the wisest things I've ever heard regarding Newfoundland and Labrador's place in Canada was on a radio talk show. Whatever your feelings on this conduit of information there are occasionally gems of wisdom that for me makes all the talk about potholes and pokey worthwhile. This gentleman was reflecting on Newfoundland and Labrador's adoption/marriage/confederation/sell-out to Canada. What he said was that he wished that Newfoundland and Labrador had voted differently in confederation. That if Newfoundland and Labrador had become it's own country we could then have negotiated our own terms of union as a full fledged dominion.

A brief moment here for reflection.

Newfoundland and Labrador's status as a country has always been a subject of debate and confusion. My own personal feelings aside I take the moderate stance that Newfoundland and Labrador needs to act like a country regardless of where we are socially, politically and geographically on this blue green sphere. Why can't Newfoundland and Labrador be independent thinking and act like a country? What could be our hesitation?

Part of the answer came last week with the seizure of the eco-terrorist ship named for one of Canada's most prolific liars. You know the one. I don't care to give them a mention here. The answer to the previous ramblings about sovereignty is that not only has the sovereignty issue eluded us in Newfoundland and Labrador, it is a concept our mater Canada has trouble with. Canada itself is not used to acting like a sovereign nation. When Russian vessels drop a flag and claim the Arctic the response from Canada is muted rumblings and shoulder shrugs. "Sher' the world knows the Arctic belongs to Canada right?"

Then our eco-terrorist buddy Paul creeps his way into the very mouth of the nation into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and claims that as long as he is 12 miles from either shore he is entitled to do whatever catches his whim as an international vessel in International waters.

He makes the assertion that Canada's claim to Gulf waters is "disputed" by European countries and the United States. Additional, he feels in his skewed logic, that if he runs into trouble he will high-tail it for St. Pierre and Miquelon. France he believes to be an ally. It is beyond his scope of thought of course that the tiny islands have a people of a strong independent spirit that are not mere outposts of France. We know of course how that went.

This goes beyond the issue of seals and eco-terrorists. This goes to the very issue of Canada's right to protect its own sovereignty.

Should Canada have seized the SS Ship? Absolutely. How many times are you going to let someone slap you with their glove before accepting the challenge. We may be peacekeepers, we may be the polite cousin in the global family, but cowards we are not. As for the ship being Dutch, they are sea-faring people very much like ourselves. I doubt they would give this little tug a second thought, if they respect their naval heritage they will know what an abomination the Farley Mowat and its crew are to marine law and history.

Terrorist cannot go unchecked. Take a lesson from St. Pierre et Miquelon and go at them with axes swinging.