British news paper salutes Canada

[IAN 2411]

Australia (whose politicians (not people) seem to display resentment and scorn against Britain (the people just see Brits as a joke!)).

I think you might be a little out of touch MMI. The Queen and the UK will always have ties with Australia and Canada. I might point out that the UK might be in Europe, [But for how much longer I am unsure] but there is still a commonwealth that the queen heads. The Queen and the UK have always allowed Australia and Canada and any other commonwealth country to walk their own path, which is their God given right. The Australians took a vote a few years back on whether they should break with tradition and forget about the Queen. I think it was with their last PM that brought up the subject. It backfired in his face because there was an overwhelming yes to stay in the British Commonwealth.

So back to that little quote, [It is a minority of politicians that wish to be King or Queen of Australia. Much the same as King Paddy O Bama in the USA. I think strange people with duel identities like the thought of wearing a crown.

There are still Aussies who see themselves as Australian-Britons, and there are still many Canadians who think the same way - a few still add the letters UEL after their name, but I fear the links are weakening as both countries begin to assert their identities in the world.

There was a tour of Canada by Prince William with his new wife earlier this year. Wherever he went he was greeted by thousands of well wishers and the like waving the Union Flag. This also took place in the French sector, so what you’re saying is this show of solidarity to the Queen and her envoys was a staged side show.

Canada and Australia have no reason to assert themselves to anyone, as all countries know of their strength. At the end of the day the relationship between, Canada, Australia and the British people is just that, a relationship. We have a relationship with the USA, but I have to stress that the one between the UK, Australia and Canada is not as demanding.

In WW2, Australia fired the first shots of the war against a German ship, within hours of war being declared in London. Canada chose to wait a week before joining in, to emphasise its freedom from Westminster.

How do you know that, is it written down somewhere, and why the hell would they want to do it? At that time the commonwealth was strong and along with Australia, Canada were Britons closest allies. America if you remember had got their independence and cut the umbilicle cord.

Both countries are now taking part in the Afghanistan War, not (to my way of thinking) because Britain is there, but because they have their own relationships with America to foster, and they would have joined in even if Britain hadn't.

I doubt very much that it is because of their relationship with America or the UK. I would like to think they have a mind and conscience of their own and it has damn all to do with relationships. I would also like to think that those two countries were as disgusted with this atrocity on the World Trade Centre as the rest of the world was, and it was also done out of respect for the 24 Canadians and the 11 Australians that died in the Twin Towers along with the other 2716 innocent people.

Be well IAN 2411.