Books

Sidekicks to American Empire

An interview with Linda McQuaig

By Charles Demers, 1 May 2007, TheTyee.ca

Linda McQuaig sitting

Linda McQuaig.

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  • Holding the Bully's Coat: Canada and the U.S. Empire
  • Linda McQuaig
  • Random House (2007)

A strange thing has been happening over the last few years in this country of ours. Our public attitudes on key issues such as the war in Iraq, same-sex marriage and the Kyoto protocols have been diverging ever more sharply from those of southern neighbour. But the federal government and mainstream opinion-makers have been headed in the opposite direction, cozying up to the Americans in ways that would make Brian Mulroney blush.

In her new book, Holding the Bully's Coat: Canada and the U.S. Empire, author and columnist Linda McQuaig's tackles this paradox with wit, alacrity and vigor. Luckily, McQuaig didn't get the memo that the left had conceded the terrain of populism and accessibility to the right, so she's able to establish with eloquence that yes, she's angry, and, yes she can tell you why.

The 'why' includes a list that goes on and on: from the Harper government's shameful defense of Israeli policy, to the cottage industry of penis-envying commentators like Jack Granatstein, who view peacekeeping as an insult to balls and country, all the way through Canada's military side-kicking for the White House in Afghanistan and Haiti.

McQuaig's writing on Afghanistan is especially commendable for its clear-headedness, demolishing the schoolboy delusion that we're there to free long-suffering women or to build a functional democracy at gunpoint.

The Tyee spoke to McQuaig by phone last week about empire, Michael Ignatieff, and the hurdles of national identity:

On American Empire

"The notion of the Bush administration as imperialistic, or bullying, or whatever, really has entered the mainstream. And there's no question I want to highlight that connection we have, or that role of the Bush administration. But I also do, in the book, make the point that it's really not just the Bush administration that we're dealing with here. It's the whole history of U.S. interventionism that goes beyond the Bush administration. It's something, you could say, deep in the American political psyche that seems to predispose them to this kind of behaviour. It's definitely reached a phenomenal proportion, a transparency, with the Bush administration, but it's not like it's just the Bush administration -- we're talking about a much deeper phenomenon on the part of the U.S. than that."

On Canada and the European Union

"I did a book called The Wealthy Banker's Wife which, among other things, looked at social programs in U.S. and Europe. In terms of attitudes, we were strongly more similar to Europe. The problem is that our elite keep pushing us towards the U.S. But in our mentality we're much closer to Europe. And we can get support from Europe for our positions, so we should be making common cause with them more often, both in terms of a social welfare model and in terms of taking stands in the world. In June, 2006, the European Union came out against Guantanamo Bay. Why didn't Canada get on board with that and add our voice to that? We should be criticizing Guantanamo Bay anyway, but if there's a powerful voice like the EU we should get on board.

"There's lots wrong with Europe and European countries, but in lots of areas there's lots of common ground with Europe and Canada. Like [on] gun control, for example, we're a lot more progressive than the U.S. We should be covering Europe in much more detail. I mention in the book that in the federal government, we've been shrinking our ties, bureaucratically, with Europe and we should be expanding them."

On Ignatieff, torture and arrogance

"That quote [in Holding the Bully's Coat] from Ignatieff, where he talks about torture [being defensible] as long as it's done by a patriotic American, now that's an interesting quote. That one hasn't gotten the play that some of the others [have]. That one was from an interview he did with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. That is an incredible statement of the notion of American exceptionalism, the idea that America should be excepted from being bound by international law. And for Ignatieff to come out and endorse that in the way he did is just phenomenal. I find it striking, because he doesn't talk like that in Canada. You don't hear him talk like that so much in Parliament.... And yet if you actually look at some of the things he's said, he's actually an extraordinary neoconservative. He's up there with guys like Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith and some of those people in terms of the extremism of his position. And yet this guy's a prominent politician in Canada....

"I mean imagine somebody in the U.S., a politician, spending 40 years outside the country and then thinking that they could just sort of sweep in and run for president. I mean the arrogance of it is just mind-boggling. And yet he came very close."

On so-called anti-Americans and real-life anti-Canadians

"I've always been astounded by the way [elite opinion-makers] can get away with that stuff, that they can go on lecturing us, like if you criticize American behaviour in the world, as any sane morally-based person should, you're dismissed as some kind of anti-American. I mean, why isn't that just 'speaking up'? Recognizing a force that's out of control causing damage in the world? Why would that be something to attack people for...?

"They want to enjoy the kind of status, wealth, and power that the American elite enjoy. And so that's why they're always complaining about taxes being too high here, too many social programs, et cetera. And they're just so contemptuous of any expression of criticism of the United States and also, even more surprising, any kind of overt assertion about the things that are good about Canada. Because they dislike all those symbols, and not just symbols, but dislike all those institutions, of goals like equality and inclusiveness, which I would argue are important to Canadians. They just find that almost irritating. And it really does almost speak to an anti-Canadian attitude. Like that thing I quote early on in the book, where David Bercuson is celebrating when that Canadian hurdler trips at the Olympics. He can't wait to get to his computer and type out his screed about Canada as a nation of losers. I mean that just says it all."

[Tyee]

Charles Demers is a regular contributor to Tyee Books and the editor of Seven Oaks magazine.

24 Comments:

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  • BC Mary

    5 years ago

    Great person, that Linda McQuaig. Thanks for this!

    I hate to say this ... no, I don't ... I'm delighted to say this: thank god somebody has drop-kicked David Bercuson through the goal posts.

    As for the anti-Canadian attitude, Linda has articulated that in a very useful way. It's an actively corrosive force in our world, and not an easy thing to pin-point.

    Robin Mathews has a lot to say about that matter. It'd be nice to see one of his essays on The Tyee.

  • ov

    5 years ago

    I was sure I had posted

    about how Linda MCquaig would make a great replacement for Terry Glavin...

    EDITED FOR PERSONAL INSULTS. PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE SUBJECT OF THE ARTICLE. AND REGISTER YOUR DISAGREEMENTS WITH TYEE WRITERS IN A CIVIL WAY. -- TYEE EDITOR

  • G West

    5 years ago

    I'll second, or third, as the case may be - that motion

    Nice piece Charles.

  • Cynic

    5 years ago

    Linda is very good at

    Linda is very good at articulating what most Canadians feel. Very few want us to be killing and being killed in Afghanistan, fewer yet want to be absorbed by the bully, and we need voices like Linda's to remind us of that after our daily diet of elite horseshit. Bravo, Linda!

  • Jeffrey J.

    5 years ago

    Excellent Interview

    Way to go Tyee and Linda McQuaig and Charles Demers. For those readers who haven't read her earlier publications, I highly recommend them. She has hit the nail on the head (again) with this latest analysis. OF COURSE Canada's sovereignty is under attack. And if each and every one of us stands by and does nothing, we will all share in the blame. It is shameful what Canada's "leaders" are permitting to happen to this fabulous society. Thank you again Tyee for being the voice of reason in a time of corporate conformity!!

  • Skywalker

    5 years ago

    An excellent article

    It would be fair to say that Linda rocks!

  • Bullgoose

    5 years ago

    Correct - almost

    Linda McQuaig is my hero (heroine?) - Her argument that Canada's elites are pandering to US imperialism is correct, and should be shouted from the rooftops. Lawrence Martin of the G&M has said that those who do not criticise America in these times are the ones who are truly "anti-American." But McQuaig, like Jack Layton and many on the Canadian left are mistaken about our role in Afghanistan. In their justified revulsion at American imperialist wars, they miss the fact that Afghanistan is truly an multilateral, law-based mission. Canada's precipitate withdrawal would represent the worst stain on Canadian honour in our history. It is not morally defensible to call for a Canadian withdrawal from a combat role in Afghanistan at the present time.

  • Bobb999

    5 years ago

    CanWest DOWN for the count

    Slightly Off Topic, but...

    Linda McQuaig may be pleased to know that
    CanWest's newspaper readership is failing badly , according to the latest stats from the independent Audit Bureau of Circulation that tracks readership of the major papers.

    Comparing the most recent Sept. to March,
    6 mo. period, to the same period a year ago, their flagship Nat. Post readership is down a staggering 10.7%, by far the worst showing of a major Cdn. paper! Yippeeayeohkayeh.
    The 2nd worst showing was another CanWest paper, the Vanc. Province, down 2.4%. The Vanc. Sun was also a loser, down 1.3%

    Winners included McQuaig's own Toronto Star,
    and the Globe (weekdays, not Saturdays), both seeing small gains in readership.
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070501.RABC01/TPStory/Business

    I'm guessing it's 'cause increasingly Canadians see Canwest's propaganda agenda on issues ranging from global warming to the middle east and the "war on terror",
    as out of touch with views of citizens, on
    such important issues.

    Canadians are getting fed up with CanWest's relentless propaganda campaigns, and crankish insistence on being firmly on the wrong side of issues Canadians view as crucial.

    I say, let them bleed themselves into insolvency.

  • G West

    5 years ago

    Bullgoose

    Quote:
    It is not morally defensible to call for a Canadian withdrawal from a combat role in Afghanistan at the present time.

    If what we're doing is supporting a thug-laced government and handing over hostages to be treated in a way that violates the Geneva Conventions I'd say we have a moral duty to stand down, or, at the very least, to adopt the Netherlands' posture rather than act as powder monkey for the Americans. It's their capitulation from the original program in Afghanistan that was the real moral sell-out.

    This is not to say there aren't ways we can't contribute positively in country - just not the way we're currently doing it.

    In fact, the nature of the current government's defence of their position - 'Don't say anything about the mission or you will be dissing our troops' - is the real moral sellout on this file.

    My view.

  • Budd Campbell

    5 years ago

    Granatestein and Testes

    "... to the cottage industry of penis-envying commentators like Jack Granatstein, who view peacekeeping as an insult to balls and country, ..."

    Klein may have a case to argue, but once I see this kind of childish metaphor, part Freud, part McDworkin, I am no longer interested in listening.

    It really is a mystery why some people think that the best way to make themelves look clever is to make up something incredibly stupid and vacuous.

  • G West

    5 years ago

    Dunno Bud

    I'm not sure I agree with you. You might want to ask Madame Justice Bertha Wilson how tough it is to be a woman in a man's world.

    The thing that impresses me most about the vast majority of female journalists is that they are accessible and they don't obfuscate.

    I think, on an issue like the military, a little post-Freudian stuff - especially with a pompous guy like Granatstein - is probably jusfiable. he's not really a patriot anyway - he's just a pragmatist. And if you want proof of that, have a look at what he was writing after 9/11.

    Especially when the nominal official view these days is that you can't even question the military 'mission' in Afghanistan without being called "disloyal".

    In short, giving her target and her point of view, the metaphor seems entirely appropriate to me.

    Have a look at some of Bercusson's and Granatstein's stuff.

  • ov

    5 years ago

    Linda's on topic

    and it would be nice to hear more from her. Compare her objection to how being called anti-american by some elitist simply for voicing criticism. How about taking into consideration whether the criticism is warranted which in many cases it is.

    Now compare this to EDITED

    OV - YOU ARE WELCOME AND EVEN ENCOURAGED TO DISAGREE WITH TYE WRITERS' POINTS OF VIEW IN THIS FORUM. BUT DENIGRATING THEM USING PERSONAL INSULTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. CONTINUE AND YOU WILL BE PREVENTED FROM FURTHER COMMENTS.

    a journalist in this article from current Georgia Straight, where he concludes Like I said last summer, this isn't about peace. What I'm saying now is: this is war, and these [peace activists] are not on our side. Makes it all sound very much like the anti-Canadian elite opinion makers that Linda talked about in her column. So I have to ask, why does the Tyee endorse EDITED this when that space would fit the readership better by Mcquaig?

  • James Burns

    5 years ago

    Tyee columnists

    Hell, I could write columns better than Glavin. Hell, I could write the same right-wing tripe better than Glavin. (And yes I am well aware that a regular column is a lot of work) Nuance is a concept lost on Glavin in the political arena. Of course, that lack of nuance does seem to be a trait shared by many testosterone-challenged political pundits, be they male or female. They mistake dogmatism for toughness, and abstractions for clarity and truth.

    But this is a thread about McQuaig, and while I tend to agree with her point of view, I hesitate to endorse her as a columnist for the Tyee; primarily because she isn't a local, and this is primarily a local publication. That said, her opinion of Canadian elites is, unfortunately, spot on for far too many of them. They've migrated from being monarchist lick-spittles to corporate altar boys for American crony capitalism.

    But it would be nice to see a few less grey-haired columnists here, at least among the ones who comment on politics. Mair has surprised me with his depth. On the radio he always came across as a blowhard. But his perspective needs to be balanced by someone a little more wet behind the ears. Dobbin is irritatingly predicable. Woodwind does a good job on arts related topics, but doesn't seem to have the stones for political commentary. Rupp has the stones, but she seems to like to buff them, and cradle them, and show them off in just about everything she writes. That can be a little distracting.

    Perhaps if the powers that be, at the Tyee, paid a little more attention to talent, and a little less to name recognition, they might be able to find a willing rough diamond they could polish.

  • bob the cat

    5 years ago

    How `bout you for a column?

    Quote:
    They mistake dogmatism for toughness, and abstractions for clarity and truth.

    Thats awful good James..can I use it?

  • BC Mary

    5 years ago

    Linda McQuaig's family happens to live in Toronto. So?

    James Burns, that's a worrying thought. Linda McQuaig just brought forth many strong, supportive comments for her thoughts on being Canadian.

    How can you possibly think that she doesn't belong amongst us on The Tyee if we're so lucky as to have her join us? Or is this another one of those stupid "I hate Toronto" or "Down with Quebec" things?

    Don't mean to start a fight, JB; just hoped you'd revise that comment because I can't imagine you really mean it.

  • bob the cat

    5 years ago

    Local

    The appeal of this site is that it is one of the few places where you can read anything even approaching depth on important local issues daily..I know what James means..but I wouldn`t be upset to see the occasional McQuaig piece.
    Murray can be a bore..and I`m not so sure Rupp doesn`t prefer throwing those stones.
    Rafe is coming along..there is hope for the old codger.
    The Woodwinder is pretty unique ..though I`d have to agree on the chops outside the arts...too bad.
    As far as greyhairs..that young Ron Yamagucci showed a lot of promise..but only one column so far as far as I remember.
    I`d be interested on McQuaigs views on the
    present B.C. zeitgeist as seen from "over there". Its "back there" and "out here" isn`t it? "Back" East and ..."Out" West.

  • charlesdemers

    5 years ago

    Re: Granatstein and testes

    Budd,

    normally, I'd agree with you -- but I used the term very deliberately here. One of the points that McQuaig makes in her book (especially through her heroic collection of quotations from 'the other side') is the on the preponderance of male sexual metaphors in the military debate in this country. The Ignatieffs and Granatsteins and Bercusons are constantly using terms like muscular, impotent, flaccid and other bits and pieces from the grab-bag of masculinity (boy, a Freudian could have a field day with 'bits', 'pieces', and 'grab-bag of maculinity') to discuss He-mannish war-making versus emasculated peace-keeping.

    So it's not McQuaig who has psychosexualized the debate; it's the boys, and she's just pointed it out. Personally, I think it's a great point -- one of throbbing insight, ready to explode onto the scene.

  • anarcho

    5 years ago

    Thanks Tyee

    Thanks for running an article about Linda. At a time when the media and government are completely controlled by Quislings it is great to hear from someone who is willing to stand up to them.

  • Budd Campbell

    5 years ago

    MCQUAIG PSYCHO-BABBLE

    "So it's not McQuaig who has psychosexualized the debate; it's the boys, and she's just pointed it out. Personally, I think it's a great point -- one of throbbing insight, ready to explode onto the scene."

    Well done, Charles! All I can say is I disagree. I hear too much left wing psychobabble and as a social democrat I take it personally. It's embarassing and degrading.

  • James Burns

    5 years ago

    No Mary not an anti-Toronto thing

    I actually enjoy Toronto, especially Kensington Market. Although I could do without the weather there, as I usually find it too hot or too cold. And the pollution really sucks in the summertime. If anything I like Quebec, particularly Montreal, even more.

    No, my concern over McQuaig not being a local is simply that she would be disconnected from the BC political scene. In fact, she would be disconnected from the BC scene in general. She wouldn't be able to avoid missing certain details, particularly a sense of place that you can only really gain by living here. On the other hand, if she avoids BC politics altogether, that would limit her commentary. I do, however, think she is an excellent columnist.

    That said, I also think it is important to develop local talent. Of course the hard part is finding someone who can write well consistently, and entertainingly, yet is capable of being factual. A little humor also wouldn't hurt.

  • lynn

    5 years ago

    Shuck, slurp and devour

    Quote:
    But I also do, in the book, make the point that it's really not just the Bush administration that we're dealing with here. It's the whole history of U.S. interventionism that goes beyond the Bush administration. It's something, you could say, deep in the American political psyche that seems to predispose them to this kind of behaviour. It's definitely reached a phenomenal proportion, a transparency, with the Bush administration, but it's not like it's just the Bush administration -- we're talking about a much deeper phenomenon on the part of the U.S. than that."

    McQuaig is spot on as usual.

    The US really does think the entire world is their oyster alone. We only become real to them when we've got something they desperately need....like oil.... or water....or soldiers at the ready and oh-so handy to protect and die for the ever growing list of items on the US shopping list.

  • ov

    5 years ago

    Sacred cow or what?

    I'd like to see Linda get a regular column. She might not have the BC side down pat but having a Canadian perspective would be a big asset considering that our main stream media is little more than shills for south of the border. There are enough national issues that there would be no problem with her finding material for a couple of articles a month.

    And what's with the censorship blitz on this site. Over in the Campbell dirty tricks topic there are libel erasures all over the place. Looks to me like Vancouver needs an alternative daily that is willing to look at the issues in depth without being frightened by lawyers. All that tells me is that this site is only useful as long it doesn't deal with anything significant, which is much the same complaint as I have with the CanWest monopoly.

  • lynn

    5 years ago

    A Breath of Fresh Air

    I agree, ov.

    I also think it would be extremely interesting to read her very individual take and insights into BC politics.... especially in regard to the present sell-out of this province.

    She's a courageous and perceptive writer....I think she is exactly what we need.

  • ov

    5 years ago

    Linda's here next Tuesday

    giving a talk down at the Maritime Labour Center. Looks like there are prizes too.

    Maybe if there is a question period we can get some quick takes on what she thinks of BC politics.

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