Douglas Coupland on Hockey and the Canadian Identity

“Canadian winters are long. Life is hard and so is ice. Canadian teams playing within the NHL are, in effect, a microcosm of Canada’s ongoing process of trying to remain a country – battling constantly not only against Americans but against other teams from within their own country. It’s ugly and yet it’s civil; and most tellingly, it’s the one place where people still sing the national anthem.”

- From Hockey.

The Grapes of Wrath

Don Cherry’s Speech to Council

Actually I’m wearing pink for all the pinkos out there that ride bicycles and everything. I thought I’d get it in. What’d ya expect, Ron MacLean, here? To come here?

You know, I am befuddled, because I thought I was just doing a good thing, coming down with Ron—Rob—and I was gonna do this here, and it was gonna be nice and the whole deal.

I’ve been bein’ ripped to shreds by the left-wing pinko newspapers out there. It’s unbelievable. One guy called me a pink…a jerk in a pink suit, so I thought I’d wear that for him too, today.

You know, it’s funny. In those articles I was made fun of ’cause I go to church. I’m easy to do it that way. And I was called maudlin for the troops, because I honor the troops. This is the kinda, uh… You’re gonna be facin’, Rob, with these left-wing pinkos. They scrape the bottom of the barrel, but AGAIN, I was asked, why I was asked, and I asked Doug, “why?” And he said: “We need a famous, good-looking guy.” And I said, I’m your man, right? Right off the bat.

You know, I was asked: why, why, why [the] landslide. And I was in their corner right from the start. They phoned me. Doug phoned me, the morning. They’ll get a landslide! And why? Because Rob’s honest. He’s truthful. He’s like Julian Fantino. What you see is what you get. He’s no phony. And I could go on right now, all the millions and millions and thousands of dollars he’s gonna save and everything, but I’d just like to tell a little story that was in the Sun, I think it was in the back pages. It was just a little, little thing. And Fiona Crean, for eighteen months, has been trying to get something done with City Hall. And then the story—I think some of you know the story—that there was a little old lady and all of a sudden she got banged on the door and two guys were there and said: “We’re cutting your tree down.” You know that’s just a little thing, but to me that’s a big thing. “We’re cutting your tree down!”

And she’s, well: “I don’t want it. That’s my favourite tree. A hundred year-old…”

“No! It’s down. Cut it down.” And then they give her, send her a bill for five-thousand dollars, for cutting it down. And for eighteen months her son and Fiona were: “City Hall. City Hall. Please help us.” Thirty, forty calls. Unbelievable. Nothing. Laughed at. Rob’s the mayor one day, apology comes, and a five-thousand-dollar cheque.

And that’s why I say he’s gonna be the greatest mayor this city has ever, ever seen, as far as I’m concerned! And put that in your pipe, you left-wing kooks.

Thank you very much.

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Some thoughts:

• Don Cherry did back track a little bit today.
• Don Cherry is wealthy, and Rob Ford became wealthy at a company he inherited. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that but both men need to be called on their faux-populism.
• The day of this speech was the first time Rob Ford and Don Cherry met in person.
• The Cold-War ended more than a decade ago. So not only is Mr. Cherry’s use of “pinko” dated, he was so unimaginative that he has to use it two times. The fact that he didn’t have the decency to break out his “Meathead-Thesaurus” is what I found most insulting.
• It was Rob Ford’s decision to invite Don Cherry to his inauguration. Ford himself actually delivered a fairly moderate speech but he set a bad tone with his choice of speaker.
• In the National Post Tasha Kheiriddin argues that the right-wing in Canada need more “Don Cherrys.” The Conservative Party of Canada actually has a surplus of individuals who prefer yelling to rational debate so I’m inclined to disagree.
• Was anyone really surprised that Don Cherry was so disrespectful? I didn’t lose any respect for him in the aftermath of this speech. You can’t jump out of a basement window.

Canada and Hockey: Our fair Dominion Now Extends Around The Globe

Canada 3. USA 2.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

I watched the game with friends from all over this fantastic country. All of our Olympians competed valiantly and it doesn’t matter what who won/lost in the end. When all eyes were on them the Canadian Men’s Hockey Team showed how awesome Canadians can be when they work hard, are willing to make sacrifices and put up a united front. When the game ended we cheered and when the Medals were awarded we all stood up and sang ‘O Canada’ together.

Canada has an awesome hockey team and dominated this Olympics. Now we need a government that is good enough to represent this fantastic land!

Two Extremely Important Facebook Groups

Canadians Against the Proroguing of Parliament: 86, 355 Members as of 2:00PM.

The” Eh! Oh! Canada Go!” chant is a national embarrassment: 45, 404 Members as of 2:00PM.

Don’t listen to any of the detractors, participating in protest through social media can and does make a difference. Each of these groups are dedicated to expressing resentment for an elitist oligarchy thinking they can subvert the will of Canadians. Prime Minister Harper and the Pepsi Corporation are both banking on your apathy. Social Media can help the truth cut through the Conservative spin. The anti-prorogation facebook groups, twitter and blogs are helping keep the story of Prime Minister Harper’s erosion of Canadian Democracy front and centre in the mainstream media.

PM Harper was hoping that people wouldn’t care because of the holidays, hockey and the Vancouver Olympics. Stephen Harper has now been criticized in the Economist and the Guardian. The Prime Minister doesn’t want people to realize that he is cowering behind obscure parliamentary procedure, thankfully social media has drawn national and international attention to his scurrilous actions.

If you have facebook I strongly recommend joining both of these groups and reading as many articles as possible on the Harper Holiday. Kady O’Malley has a great article where she catalogues which bills will be killed by Prime Minister Harper’s suspension of parliament. This is a very important fact that all Canadians should be made aware of. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has repeatedly accused Liberal Senators of “stalling” his regressive and harmful “crime” billa (or “Doing their job by providing oversight” as a truthful person would say.) The PM still has gall to make this assertion even though his unilateral decision to suspend parliament killed 57% of the legislation passed during the last parliamentary session. The Liberals will be going back to work in Ottawa on January 25th. My hope is that this wont be a stunt but a sincere attempt by Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal Party to lay out their plan for Canada to the Canadian people.

Send the “Do Nothing Conservative Government” and Prime Minister Harper a message by joining the Anti-Prorogation Facebook Group!

World JRS Pierre McGuire Drinking Game!

Congratulations Pittsburgh Penguins!

2-1
Solid Game.
Great Comeback.

We Are All Canucks! Part IV

3-1. An excellent game, the Canucks are back in the series and Luongo is back on top form (with 9 saves in the third period.) Their power play wasn’t the best but there penalty kill was very sold, all without Salo. The Canucks came back strong after a heavy loss while playing away from home ice. Remember, with only one Canadian team left in the playoffs: We are all Canucks!
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Canucks outplayed the Hawks
The team was skating, passing and hitting tonight. They outplayed the Hawks and deserved the win.

The first goal was pivotal. I think it lifted all their spirits. Then they executed, executed, executed. Roberto did play very well once again but the defense really stood up well I thought.

The thing I like about this team is they care about each other. It was good to see Taylor Pyatt back.

-Gord

We Are All Canucks! Part III

We Are All Canucks! Part II

What an excellent game. The Canucks dominated the first two periods, with the help of a whole bunch of consecutive power plays. The third period was almost all Hawks but thankfully one really good goal and an empty net goal ensured Canuck victory. There is only one Canadian team left and they kicked ass tonight! Final Score 5-3 Canucks.
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Whew
by Gordan Campbell

I exhaled with all the rest of you when Sami put that puck in the net.

Talk about momentum. You just can’t sit back. Up 3 nothing and yet the Canucks winning goal comes with a little over a minute left. That was much too close for comfort.

Just like everyone said, the penalties played a big part of this story. But we got through it. After the layoff, maybe a bit of fatigue set in , or maybe we thought we were protecting our lead. Whatever it was, it was a lesson. The Hawks don’t quit, and they’ve got lots of talent.

But here’s what counts: we found a way to win. Here we go again.

-Gord

Canucks Sweep St. Louis!

What a great game! The first goal was amazing. And the last goal, seconds before the first period of overtime ended, beautiful. Now the Canucks can get some good rest and practice, and I can get some studying for my exam done. Luongo was on fire the whole game. A perfect end to an amazing 4 games. The score was 3-2 btw.

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Here is Gordon Campbell’s Blog and a Video of him pre-game:

Nice win: thoughts on game 4
How close was that?

We say it every night but I couldn’t believe how well Roberto seemed to be seeing the puck in that overtime period. Some of those stops were amazing considering the crowd in front of him.

The twins were always dangerous even during the 4 minute overtime penalty and the winning goal was such an “Alex” goal. He did not quit and he did what he needed to do in any overtime – he put the puck on the net.

The rhythm of the game was hard to believe. I thought at 2 zip things were calming down nicely and then wham – the Blues wake up with a vengeance. I was glad to get the second period over with. Like everyone, I wondered about injuries in the break and very relieved to learn everything was good for the overtime.

It’s good to have it done and behind us. Our first ever sweep. Sundin and Salo can rest up and recuperate. Everyone can get a little rest. I don’t think the wait will be as long as some are suggesting and it seems to me that the best time to win a series is as soon as possible. Canucks 4 blues 0. Sounds pretty good to me.

-Gord