Holding the Bully's Coat

Book excerpt: As the Bush administration has turned the United States into a belligerent and lawless force in the world, the Canadian government has followed in close step. Attempting to please our powerful neighbour, Ottawa has abandoned Canada’s traditional role as a leading peacekeeping nation, and instead adopted a more militaristic, warlike stance, battling insurgents in Afghanistan as a junior partner in the U.S. "war on terror." Ottawa has also abandoned Canada’s traditional attempt to be a fair-minded mediator and conciliator, most notably in the Middle East conflict. And, under the government of Stephen Harper, Canada has joined the United States in becoming a leading obstructionist in worldwide efforts to deal with climate change — perhaps the most urgent issue on the international agenda. The switch in direction evident in these positions has redefined the way Canada operates in the world, transforming our country into a helpful assistant to an aggressive U.S. power, increasingly out of sync with our European allies and with the rest of the world. As in all her previous books, Linda McQuaig strips away the comforting illusions peddled by those in our elite. With her trademark combination of research, analysis, irreverence and passion, McQuaig shows how the elite has pushed us down a path with far-reaching consequences for us as a nation, and for our ability to find our own way in the world.