Battle for Freedom of Speech

Joseph Howe & the Battle for Freedom of Speech

Canadian history is a rich subject that few get to past a bit of explorations, treaty's in European context, and what a Beaver hat looked like.

His Excellency, John Ralston Saul, [not sure if you lose that when you are no longer "royalty" (representative or not)] has a quite a few things to say on CPAC right now in a speech to a Canada France colloquium ($50!) on Canada's impact on the world for the past 400 years.

Evidently, according to John, Canada is the oldest federation in the world, beating Switzerland by a few months.

Quebec City is afterall celebrating 400 years this years. The treaty of Montreal of 1701 was highlighted as how the new folks got a deal with 40 aboriginal groups.

I caught this line and its quite telling:

"We people understand mulitple-personality disorder in Canada."

"Since the aboriginals and New France, we have experimented with the non-monolithic nation state."

On citizenship ...

"Since 1847 Canada has been doing something that France has never done. We have had public citizenship swearing in ceremonies. Its a public democratic ceremony."

I have to get the transcript of this. It was on CPAC.ca this morning.

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship has more information surely: http://www.icc-icc.ca