Harper: Evil Incarnate or Just Incredibly Stupid?

Well, he did it. Harper signed the dreaded FIPA deal with China. We are now locked into this horrifying deal for the next 31 years! What a seditious bastard! And the fact that he waited until late Friday shows how unpopular he knew this deal to be. (Friday being the day that journalists and readers/viewers are notoriously not paying attention or have already left for long weekends.) But isn't he supposed to be running this country for Canadians as opposed to just doing what he wants for God knows what reason?

I won't get into all the reasons this trade agreement is so odious. Suffice it to say that with a stoke of a pen (or I guess two strokes as he probably signed first and last name) Stephen Harper has sold our sovereignty. It is a lengthy document which I admit I have not read. According to several sources one of the particularly damning aspects of this deal is that we give unfettered rights to China to develop and exploit our natural resources. If, in doing so, the Chinese corporations threaten our health and/or environment, Canadians are not allowed to stop them without risking huge lawsuits for impeding their ability to make money. Much like the small town of Fryeburg, we would be at the mercy of corporations--many owned or backed by the Chinese government.

Now I'm not wishing to sound racist, but many Chinese corporations and indeed the Chinese government  have proven to be notoriously crooked, environmentally insensitive, and downright homicidal in their pursuit of profits. And this is the country we're inviting in to plunder our wilderness? If they don't mind destroying their own land and killing their own people, why would we possibly think they wouldn't do the same here?

So why is Harper so eager to jump into bed with China? I don't really believe he's taking personal kickbacks for selling us out, but I'm pretty sure he's been bought (as have most politicians) by multi-corporations in exchange for campaign money and votes.

I also believe he desperately wants to leave a legacy as the prime minister who didn't lose as much money as his predecessors. And that he has so much hubris that he believes that he knows what Canadians need and want and nobody else is bright enough to see it. I worry too, that his faith makes him blind to environmental disasters as he probably believes that God won't let us destroy the earth, or that if He does, well, Harper and his fellow believers won't go down with the ship.

I don't know that there's anything we can do now to get out of FIPA. (God knows that despite many petitions and several protests, we weren't able to stop Harper from signing it) but we definitely need to get Harper out of power fast before he does more irrevocable damage.

I hate to even suggest it for fear of jinxing Canada, but I'm truly scared that facing criticism for this deal will only cause Harper to double down and sign the TPPA deal that gives unmitigated power to major corps like Monsanto, Dupont and Nestle. I get the feeling maybe we should just roll over and say, kill me now.

But of course I'll keep signing useless petitions and yelling into the wind. I'm just glad I'm old and won't have to watch the total destruction of our country and world. I feel sorry for the mess we're leaving for our children, but in the meantime? Pass me that glass of Shiraz. No, better hand me several bottles...