Skip to main content
regional rant

PM Stephen <strong>Harper</strong>, his wife Laureen and daughter Rachel watch the annual Stampede parade during the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede in CalgaryTodd Korol/Reuters

Damn it Canada! Enough with the bland is king nonsense!

There may be lots of reasons why you don't like Stephen Harper, but for those of you giving him the gears for praising his second-home of Calgary – give it a rest. That is almost enemy of the state behaviour. Well ... maybe not. But, c'mon Canada, it's time to take off the shackles of sameness that are imprisoning you.

The guys down south are the ones who celebrate the melting pot. We're the ones who like mosiacs. Remember? We have long celebrated Canada for its distinct differences and regional identies.

For a while, we loved that Brian Mulroney was the Boy from Baie Comeau. And to this day many we remain charmed by that Lil' Guy from Shawinigan, Jean Chretien. If the current Prime Minister wants to be the Cowboy from Calgary, so be it.

Does anyone believe that John Crosbie would have hidden his Newfoundland roots had he won the 1983 PC leadership and become Prime Minister? Had he tried he'd have been found bobbing outside St. John's harbour.

The people of Hudson, Quebec just dedicated a monument to Jack Layton. They didn't do it because he disavowed where he was from.

Jeff Douglas are you there? I think it is time for an updated "I Am Canadian" rant. At a bare minimum Molson should give out some of its product so a few people can loosen up a bit.

Or we could always have the nation enraptured in a national discussion about Ottawa Twitter chatter. Oh, wait ...

Interact with The Globe