"The Monster in the backyard"??

Who us? Yikes, our over excited neo-con right wing looney friends to the south of us, perceive Canada as some kind of great Satan to all that is Mom and apple pie. (Cue the scary music and turn the lights on and off). As we approach Halloween, all that is scary to America apparently comes from above the 49th parallel.

An alarmist by the name of Warner Todd Huston, has penned a little contribution to something called The Conservative Voice, that claims Canada is perhaps a greater danger to American security than our fellow continental bookend Mexico.

According to Mr. Huston, Al Qaeda zealots are just slobbering at the prospect of launching their jihad on America from Canada, trotting out stories from a few years old involving the Khadrs of Toronto and their well documented love of al-Qaeda. Mr. Huston may not believe it, at least according to his thoughts on Canadian law enforcement, but I would hazard a guess that the Khadr family can't so much as buy a slurpee without the folks at CSIS having the sales receipt itemized.

Huston recounts the Ressam affair, where the two would be terrorists entered the USA via Victoria, only to be caught by a very aware US customs official. Huston goes on to say that it was just the beginning of a steady stream of similar reports, plots and arrests. All of which seemed to have missed the glare of all media, including the usually excitable Fox News Network. Just saying it, doesn't quite make it so there, Mr. Huston, occasionally you need proof of your facts. But then, we wouldn't want that to get in the way of a good story.

Mr. Huston suggests that our "generous" social system is a bottomless pit for al-Qaeda operatives who apparently love living on the dole, while they make their plans. While we will admit to a certain amount of welfare fraud being rampant in all parts of Canada, the idea that we're some kind of terrorist subsidization program seems laughable.

Now surely there are people who have arrived in the country that may not particularly embrace our beliefs and don't provide an all inclusive contribution to the federation. However, I would think they are by far a small, small minority of all immigrants. To suspect that a wide swath of immigrants are just here to bring pain and destruction to the USA, seems more than just a tad paranoid. Most of them are here to find a better life for themselves, a belief that once led millions to the shores of a less confused and irrational USA.

His assertion that there is a visceral hatred of America by Canadians, seems beyond sanity as well. There are many disagreements that Canadians have with Americans. Most of which by the way, come at the end of an American boot on economic arguments (see the never ending softwood battles or the beef import/export problems of the last five years if you are so inclined there Warren), one which frequently finds our American friends ignoring trade rulings and/or common sense resolutions. But to bray on about a hatred of America by Canadians show a simplistic look at bi-national issues, not to mention a complete mis-reading of the Canadian nation.

He seems to confuse legitimate concern over issues between the two nations with hatred, a rather easy way out of any debate. For every Carolyn Parrish, there probably are tens of thousands of Canadians more inclined to good neighborliness, if only the guys/gals on the other side of the fence were so inclined as well.

But then (at the risk of expressing a visceral hate of America) it's what we have come to expect from the fringe voices of the American right. It's the kind of thinking that will demand passport controls on two nations that depend on cross border trade and travel to keep their economies alive. It seems that in Mr. Huston's world shutting down the unfettered trade of two inter-twined economies is just the nature of protecting his nation from the bogeyman. Mr. Huston's world needs to have sealed borders, one where no one can seemingly get in, nor can anyone apparently get out either. A troublesome outlook on the future of a rather great democratic nation.

One worries that his voice (and his like minded acolytes) may catch the ear of an administration that seems to need diversions at times, especially when things get too hot politically. And right now in Washington a diversion could be a welcome thing for the current officials.

It being Halloween I guess it's appropriate to be discussing monsters and such. I guess if we're a monster, we probably resemble Sasquatch, he of the hairy beast of the Northern woods, swirling snow and fog of breath.

So hey Canada, pull on the ole Halloween mask, it's Monster, Chiller, Horror Theatre time and Warren wants to be afraid, he wants to be very afraid!