Morning Read: Wikileaks show unease over US-Canada ties
The New York Times is reporting this morning that the Wikileaks dump of diplomatic documents shows American officials increasingly fluttery over anti-American sentiment north of the border.
“The degree of comfort with which Canadian broadcast entities, including those financed by Canadian tax dollars, twist current events to feed longstanding negative images of the U.S. — and the extent to which the Canadian public seems willing to indulge in the feast — is noteworthy as an indication of the kind of insidious negative popular stereotyping we are increasingly up against in Canada,” the cable said.
The article goes on to suggest that American diplomats think Canadians are simply grumpy because of their purported second-class status on the world stage. Here’s a sample, again from the Times:
A trove of diplomatic cables…disclose a perception by American diplomats that Canadians “always carry a chip on their shoulder” in part because of a feeling that their country “is condemned to always play ‘Robin’ to the U.S. ‘Batman.’ ”
As someone with relatives & friends on both sides of the border it is my impression that the average Canadian’s stereotype of those on this side of the border is that we are arrogant, that we think we and only we know what’s right, that we consequently look down on the rest of the world. Sadly, I think that impression is largely correct. If a belief is correct is it still a stereotype?
How ironic. I know of North Country residents who rely and welcome a different perspective on world events that they can get from the CBC news. Some even see it as preferable to NPR.
So, if I read the article correctly, liberal Canadian media bias is feeding and supporting the bias many Canadians hold against the US? Huh, this all sounds sooooo familiar.
My experience is that most Canadians I know, and like very much BTW, are arrogant, think that they and only they know what is right, and look down on the US and other countries. I think that sterotype is pretty accurate and moreover, I think it fits the vast, vast majority of people around the world.
I think for the most part, Canadians find this “news” that CBC is anti-American is a bit of a joke. CBC has for years had this theme but it is based more on a lack of creativity within that corporation formed by comedy by committee. It has been concentrated in the last few years but if you don’t sing from the hymnal, the CBC does not want your view. I am pretty much your average centre-left Canuck but don’t know anyone who actually listens regularly to CBC radio as we all did, say, 20 years ago. Notice that the cables leaked do not look as much at what is going on in other media or cultural areas where this theme is not pronounced.
That is not to say that there are not views of America but if there was a “leak” that a US official though Canadians were dull and reliable, don’t buy into any resulting outrage.
Did you see the diplomatic cable about how Canadians are testy about having to live on a giant block of sea ice? Apparently Yukon Cornelius, along with his personal security Bumble, has been in talks with the Lion from the Island of Misfit Toys on a plan to hold Christmas hostage. The CIA is working out a plan for “extraordinary rendition” to Gitmo.
Maybe some US diplomats failed to see the humor of Rick Mercer’s ‘people on the street’ interviews with ‘real Americans’? E.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZpjtagJ-0w&feature=related
Many Canadians did, too.
As an American living in the Adirondacks, it seems me that the President and all the members of the Senate and the Congress, plus everyone at the Pentagon and every single agency of the US government is arrogant.
Every single one of them are full of themselves.
They all think they are the Pope. Godly and infallible.
Everything they do must be kept a secret and be classified because only they know what’s best for us.
We are to trust them but they don’t trust us.