The Battle of The Plains of Abraham --- con't.

‘Facts.’ Such a quaint notion now. Mark Steyn, Maclean’s.

Your literary “gunslinger” Mark Steyn has returned after a much appreciated hiatus –at least, by yours truly. Now it’s Iggy’s turn in the barrel –patches and all. Obviously, he is being led down the garden path by Obama; another left-wing scoundrel. The eye patch analogy is too cute. At least, a patch can be removed; it’s not permanent like Harper’s myopia.

As to his argument against cancelling the battle enactment, I offer this:

The enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham project was a half-baked and stupid idea in the first place, akin to waving a red flag before a bull, with predictable results. We have enough strife between the French and English factions of this country, without actively looking for trouble.

Until the Québécoise “revolution” in the sixties, English-speaking Canadians did, to a degree, “lord” it over the French-Canadians; controlling to a large extent the Quebec economy, and making Quebeckers feel like second-class citizens in their own Province –a conquered people, if you will.

Quebeckers, however, until the battle of Plains of Abraham, were French. They lost to the English, and had no say about becoming British subjects. Fortunately for them, the British, in their wisdom, magnanimously allowed the conquered to keep their language and (Catholic) religion, as well as control over education; thus perpetuating and protecting the separateness inherent in a different language and culture. The tension between two “solitudes” was, for better or for worse, set in motion. However, as they say, that’s history, and we are what we are, and it’s not so bad. As long as we remember to respect our differences and not throw sand in each others eyes.

I have a suggestion for Maclean’s editors: Make Steyn and Amiel a two-some. Put them side by side in you Magazine. You could even bring in Conrad –making it a three-some. He could then expound, pontificate and generally wax eloquently about his days as a budding pianist, lecturer and general good fellow in his little cocoon at the Federal Penitentiary in Florida. Preferably put them on perforated pages, so they can be easily expunged from your otherwise esteemed Magazine. In that way, I won’t run a risk should I forget to take my hypertension pills.