I'm ashamed to be Canadian

Letter to Mr. Christian Paradis,

Since you're the best known figure of the Conservative government in Québec, please allow me to write you these lines.

I'm ashamed to be Canadian, I'm ashamed to have yours as my government, one that has not taken a single decision to inspire me in saying: "yes, I'm Canadian and proud to be a citizen of this country, a model for the world."

I'm sad to see that our national vision is taking the paths of the past and withdrawal rather than moving forward with openness to the world: the environment, the return of the Queen's image, militarism, C-10, unilingual ministers, unilingual judges, etc.

I'm afraid of your ways that ignore transparency (the silence of Tony Clement and the hidden costs of the G20 summit), democracy (prorogation of Parliament, Dimitri Soudas mocking the bailiff at Parliament...), the choice of Canadians (campaign against the CBC along with a private broadcaster, abandoning our position as a model of secular peace in the world, blind alignment with Israel...), and so on...

I fear your hypocrisy (electoral maneuvers and abandoning the Kyoto Protocol on December 23rd), your bigotry (too many examples to cite), your four-year term...

I fear you like one fears coldness, malice, hypocrisy, dishonesty and stupidity.

I'm ashamed to be Canadian.

Translated from a letter by Denis Michaud, published in Le Devoir [in French], November 30, 2011.