Canada's greatest foreiegn policy achievement....

[Army Guy]

I find it hard to imagine That a giving the Iraq mission the thumbs down, is our greatest foreign policy achievement are we that short sighted...or is it just me. I've got a few that in my opinion would top a decission not to get involved in Iraq...Not getting involved in going to Iraq was not a big deal, and at the time it was a matter of chosing the lesser of two evils..Iraq or Afgan. it was'nt until the passing of time did it prove to be the road of less resistance.

What about getting involved in WWI..

What about getting involved in WWII...

What about Joining NATO for collective defense.

What about lester pearsons resolution of the Suez crisies, and the creation of peace keeping...

Lester pearson

poll

The most striking evidence of Canadians' views on war and peace came when they were asked to name Canada's greatest achievement in foreign policy.

Fully 33 per cent chose Ottawa's decision to say no to joining in the Iraq war. Even Conservative voters (27 per cent) made giving Iraq the thumbs-down their leading "greatest achievement."

Edited December 11, 2007 by Army Guy

[White Doors]

Vimy Ridge comes to mind.

Anyways, this is a product about Canadians not being taught their history and knee-jerk anti-americanism - nothing more.

[margrace]

And the battle in the first world war that lost Newfoundland most of her young men. Most Canadians don't seem to know about that either.

[Army Guy]

Yes, but at the time NFLD was not part of Canada and faught under the british flag

beaumont hamel

[M.Dancer]

Vimy Ridge comes to mind.

Anyways, this is a product about Canadians not being taught their history and knee-jerk anti-americanism - nothing more.

While I wouldn't consider Vimy Ridge a foreign policy in itself.....I would put some things up for grabs....

Trudeau Visiting China (before Nixon)

FTA

Oh...and definately the NAFTA superduper Subway,,,,,,

[Moxie]

Vimy Ridge comes to mind.

Anyways, this is a product about Canadians not being taught their history and knee-jerk anti-americanism - nothing more.

I also think of Vimy Ridge, but then again that wasn't foreign policy.

Can we really be surprised at the results, our children are being tought indoctornation in schools not education. Our media never reports anything positive on Iraq, all we are fed is more anti-American propaganda.

[Canadian Blue]

All this poll shows is that Canadian's obviously need to be taught history more often in school.

[ScottSA]

All this poll shows is that Canadian's obviously need to be taught history more often in school.

Oh, they are. My 6th grade daughter knows far more about the "lifestyles" of stone age savages than about the philosophies of dead white men who ascended from hell to wreak havoc on the world. She knows too that her forefathers came here and took it all away from the poor stone age savages, who, left to their own devices, would have no doubt evolved into shining cities of light, peace, and sylvan harmony, with nary a cloud in the sky, nor a broken branch nor puff of industrial smoke. She can recite lists of stone age tribes, where they lived, what they ate, and the niceties of their existence (if not some of the inconvenient truths), but she doesn't know who Plato is, nor Adam Smith, and she's never heard of Vimy Ridge.

And she goes to a private Catholic school. I can just imagine the mess the public schools are making of minds.

[White Doors]

I also think of Vimy Ridge, but then again that wasn't foreign policy.

Can we really be surprised at the results, our children are being tought indoctornation in schools not education. Our media never reports anything positive on Iraq, all we are fed is more anti-American propaganda.

WWI was foreign policy and Vimy Ridge was our greatest achievement in that war. Not a stretch in my opinion.

[Canadian Blue]

Oh, they are. My 6th grade daughter knows far more about the "lifestyles" of stone age savages than about the philosophies of dead white men who ascended from hell to wreak havoc on the world. She knows too that her forefathers came here and took it all away from the poor stone age savages, who, left to their own devices, would have no doubt evolved into shining cities of light, peace, and sylvan harmony, with nary a cloud in the sky, nor a broken branch nor puff of industrial smoke. She can recite lists of stone age tribes, where they lived, what they ate, and the niceties of their existence (if not some of the inconvenient truths), but she doesn't know who Plato is, nor Adam Smith, and she's never heard of Vimy Ridge.

Oddly enough I agree with you ScottSA, I went through the public school system and they didn't adequately teach western civilization in great deal. While learning about the Aboriginals is important, people should also learn about Ancient Greece, Rome, the Medieval Period, the Enlightenment, etc. While I'm not in favour of religious schools of any kind, I think that we're doing a huge disservice by creating generations of ignorant children. Just as a side note even most secular humanists and atheists believe that we should give more of an emphasis on western civilization, since it was the west that gave us those free thinkers who have helped shape society.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Canadian Blue

[marcinmoka]

Fully 33 per cent chose Ottawa's decision to say no to joining in the Iraq war. Even Conservative voters (27 per cent) made giving Iraq the thumbs-down their leading "greatest achievement.

This is messed up, and to be honest, I feel almost ashamed.

I'm going with Lesters Blue Helmets.

[AngusThermopyle]

I can just imagine the mess the public schools are making of minds.

I'm afraid I have to agree with you. My friend told me about what they were teaching his kids, it actually shocked me to hear it.

Not far from here we have a place called "Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump". At this site there is a rock, the Natives call it Noppy and claim it is the brother of Jesus Christ. What shocked me is that they teach the kids about "Noppy" in the schools around here.

I was amazed when I heard this. The next time I saw his kids I asked them about it, I really had trouble believing it. They confirmed what he'd said, it is indeed taught. His counter is quite simple, when they tell him about such garbage he simply informs them of the fact that its just a stinking pile of crap and not to put any stock in it.

[g_bambino]

I find it hard to imagine That a giving the Iraq mission the thumbs down, is our greatest foreign policy achievement are we that short sighted...or is it just me. I've got a few that in my opinion would top a decission not to get involved in Iraq...Not getting involved in going to Iraq was not a big deal, and at the time it was a matter of chosing the lesser of two evils..Iraq or Afgan. it was'nt until the passing of time did it prove to be the road of less resistance.

What about getting involved in WWI..

What about getting involved in WWII...

What about Joining NATO for collective defense.

What about lester pearsons resolution of the Suez crisies, and the creation of peace keeping...

Lester pearson

poll

The most striking evidence of Canadians' views on war and peace came when they were asked to name Canada's greatest achievement in foreign policy.

Fully 33 per cent chose Ottawa's decision to say no to joining in the Iraq war. Even Conservative voters (27 per cent) made giving Iraq the thumbs-down their leading "greatest achievement."

People have short memories; our education system does little to remedy this, I think. Most people born in the last 30 years probably don't know much about Canada prior to 1967, and I can't fathom how little many who've come to this country in the last 30 years know about Canada and its history.

But, something to note: involvement in WWI would not have been a Canadian foreign policy decision; it was not a decision for Canada to make. When King George V declared war on the German Kaiser, on the advice of his British government, he did so for the entire Empire. It wasn't until WWII that Canada declared war on Nazi Germany separately from the UK, and had George VI do so as King of Canada a full week after he did as King of the UK, just to make the point.

Edited December 11, 2007 by g_bambino

[Topaz]

I find it hard to imagine That a giving the Iraq mission the thumbs down, is our greatest foreign policy achievement are we that short sighted...or is it just me. I've got a few that in my opinion would top a decission not to get involved in Iraq...Not getting involved in going to Iraq was not a big deal, and at the time it was a matter of chosing the lesser of two evils..Iraq or Afgan. it was'nt until the passing of time did it prove to be the road of less resistance.

What about getting involved in WWI..

What about getting involved in WWII...

What about Joining NATO for collective defense.

What about lester pearsons resolution of the Suez crisies, and the creation of peace keeping...

Lester pearson

poll

The most striking evidence of Canadians' views on war and peace came when they were asked to name Canada's greatest achievement in foreign policy.

Fully 33 per cent chose Ottawa's decision to say no to joining in the Iraq war. Even Conservative voters (27 per cent) made giving Iraq the thumbs-down their leading "greatest achievement."

I would like to know the real truth why Canada didn't send troops to Iraq. I've heard Chretein was agianst it then I hear the US ambassador, former or present, I can't rmemeber which, said that Canada wasn't invite to go to Iraq. Either way, I glad we didn't.

[Canadian Blue]

I wonder if any child that has been a product of our current education system would even know who Louis St Laurent was. For that matter I doubt most would be able to name a Prime Minister before Trudeau.