Sometimes An Ingrate Nation Pt. 2: The Iran Blame Game

Let’s give him this much. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau managed to contain himself for a few days on the Iranian airliner disaster. Until he’d had a chance to go all Oscar nominee at the Edmonton memorial service for the victims of Iran’s deadly blunder, Aladdin was “we must wait till we see more evidence”.

Then this past weekend his generous political donor Michael McCain of “sustainable protein” renown scooped him with a viral rant about an employee whose family had been killed in the crash-- and Donald Trump’s responsibility for the “needless, irresponsible series of events”. The incendiary explosion clearly stole the spotlight from our peerless leader. It was a Woke challenge that could not go unanswered. 

So on Monday, the PM succumbed to his usual instincts, telling inquiring minds at Global TV that, indeed, American adventurism had so provoked the Iranians that, in their agitated state, they blew a commercial airliner out of the skies as it departed Tehran airport. So distressed were they by the assassination of KUDS Force supremo Hassan Suleimani that the technicians could not recognize the launch buttons before them on the panel. Twice.

Had the Americans launched missiles into Iran? Had they sent the 7th Cavalry charging across the border, guns ablaze? Had Iran been subjected to a naval bombardment from Trump’s navy? Uh… no. Pace Trudeau/ McCain the mere act of a heartless bastard being “blowed-up real good” at Baghdad airport had caused the panic that killed 167 people. (In fact the blunder occurred concurrent with an Iranian missile attack on American bases in Iraq.)

Think about the logic of Trudeau and McCain (and many, many other Canadians) for a moment. Let’s say you get into an argument with a rival, who then goes home and kicks his dog. Are you to blame for him kicking the dog because you upset him? This is an argument even a 12-year-old sees through.

But in the SJW palace inhabited by Canadian liberals it all makes perfect sense. Because Donald Trump. It’s the same reason CBC luminaries immediately pointed to the staged demonstrations in Tehran over Suleimani as proof Trump had offended a Godlike man in Iran. It’s why Iran’s initial protestations of innocence— and Trump complicity— were given credence by Canadian media. 

It was going to be WW III-- and Trump had caused it. Then Iran fessed up. Apologized. And, less noted by the Katie Simpsons, were days of riots and government suppression of protests for saying good riddance to Suleimani. 

Still, Trudeau joined his pal Mike McCain (related by marriage to Finance minister Bill Morneau) in suggesting that none of this would’ve happened if Trump had just let Barack Obama’s Nuke Deal with Iran— “not perfect but by most accounts it was the right direction”— play out. Hardly surprising. It’s always open season for resenting Americans.

But then, is there a worse friendly neighbour in the world than postmodern Canada? Woke Canada is like Kieran Culkin’s rich-boy character Roman Roy in HBO’s series Succession. One magazine piece described Roy as “a wisecracking mash-up of Puck and Iago sheathed in an Armani suit.”

He’s a glib observer, full of opinions, empty of resolve, listened to by no one of importance. Which is, of course, Canada under Trudeau. Like PM, Canada is not taken seriously any longer outside UN-approved echo chambers. All talk, no action, as we noted in July, 2018, when Trump calling out the nation for not making its NATO contributions prompted a wave of Boycott USA outrage. 

“Canadians liberals dream their smug, self-assured dreams, content that they won’t be sneak attacked, because the USA gives them that peace of mind. For free. Maybe when they’re forgoing a trip to Vegas, Canadians could also forgo the military security afforded by Americans— even as we welch on our commitments. 

The prime minister—who is righteous about his own nation living up to its obligations under the fatuous Paris Climate Accord— sees no problem in stiffing the U.S. for our defence. Many of his fellow boycott-happy citizens seem to agree that’s no big whoop.

And while we’re talking about the assumptions Canadians blithely assume— and their rage when reminded of them— how about the costs of keeping the trading lanes open for the free trade to which Trudeau gives lip service? Do any of the special people believe that Canada’s meagre military does anything to protect the free passage of Canadian goods? 

Of course not. In Canadians’ petulance they might reflect on how the U.S. military, police and intelligence communities are the ones that make sure Canadian wheat arrives in Asia without being hijacked by pirates. Or Canadian minerals make it to Europe.

And while liberals scheme how to punish Trump for doubting our fidelity, maybe those saying no to a Disney World trip should consider how the U.S. bails out Canadian healthcare every day. While progressive saps like Michel Moore tell Americans that Canadians get all their healthcare for free, Canadians themselves know just how often they have to leave the country to save their health.

According to the Fraser Institute, in 2016, 63,459 Canadians received non-emergency medical treatment in the U.S. and other countries. There were many more emergency cases that flee Canada’s cash-strapped system for the U.S. Those numbers are estimated to have risen 15 percent per year since then.

As one American columnist sourly noted, who do you think is filling those cancer beds in Manhattan or the Mayo Clinics close to the border? In short, if it weren’t for the U.S. healthcare system, thousands of Canadians would suffer or die waiting for scarce treatment or surgery that they only find in America. But sure, get huffy over tough love from Trump.

While Canadians pat themselves on the back over their single-payer healthcare system, those perks are only possible, because they don’t come anywhere close to paying the real cost of defending their borders.

If Canada wants to act like a petulant teenager maybe we should call the relationship with our neighbours Sometimes An Ingrate Nation.”

Bruce Dowbiggin @dowbboy is the publisher of  Not The Public Broadcaster. He’s also a regular contributor to Sirius XM Canada Talks Ch. 167. A two-time winner of the Gemini Award as Canada's top television sports broadcaster, he is also a best-selling author whose new book Cap In Hand: How Salary Caps Are Killing Pro Sports And Why The Free Market Could Save Them is now available on brucedowbigginbooks.ca.