Prime minister Brian Mulroney abolished the Foreign Investment Review Agency (FIRA) in 1985 as part of his free trade agenda. Since then, how many Canadian firms have been bought by foreign companies and how many such sales have been blocked?

The score is 14,218 to two, according to Mel Hurtig, prolific author, founder of the Council of Canadians and former leader of the National Party of Canada.

Hurtig tallied that score while researching his next book. Tomorrow he speaks in Vancouver on the theme: "Take Back Canada."

Hurtig told The Tyee he's one in a rising chorus of voices angry that Prime Minister Harper and his Conservative party are "changing Canada to reflect an agenda that is out of step with the majority of Canadians who did not vote for their regressive, right-wing policies."

Asked for examples, he fired away.

"Insanity" is what he calls the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline connecting Alberta's raw bitumen to tankers bound for other nations' refineries and consumption. At tomorrow's talk, "I'm going to propose that we stop importing oil from Venezuela and the Middle East into central and eastern Canada and instead build two massive oil refineries, one in Edmonton, one in Montreal" to supply those domestic markets, he said.

Harper's love of the private sector threatens cherished public treasures, asserted Hurtig. "It was just announced this morning that the long proposed discovery walk in Jasper National Park has been approved despite the fact that a majority of people in Jasper and Banff oppose this proposal. Some people are talking about it as the first wedge in the privatization of the national parks."

On the foreign policy front, Canada's reputation is being tarnished by business deals trumping human rights concerns. "Harper should have been condemning in the strongest possible terms the fact that China would not support a UN resolution on Syria in the face of thousands of men, women and children being slaughtered there."

Hurtig said he agreed with the observation of another veteran political author and hardcore Canadian nationalist, Peter Newman. "A few more years of Stephen Harper and we're going to have to change the name of country."

Hurtig's talk will include ideas for how to reverse the tide, he said.

The event is Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. at 2010 Dundas East. Admission by donation.

David Beers is editor of The Tyee.