Intellectual freedom in Canada: Stephen Harper: Maybe not just a dish rag?

Wintery Knight has posted on Stephen Harper, Canada's prime minister, explaining - in clear terms - why the Canadian economy is NOT going belly up. I used to think Harper a dish rag and said so. But he is showing more spine than I would have expected of a policy wonk.

Want to be a Canadian? Lots of people have asked me recently.

Basically: If you want to work and you don't mind the cold, fine, come to Canada.

One thing, though: Leave the politics of hate behind you.

If you are into "death to ... " anyone, please don't come here. Why end up in jail in Canada?

Come to Canada if you want to start a new life, NOT to find a new hive to buzz about old grievances. Just forget that stuff, okay?

If you thought you could solve your problems in your former country, you would stay behind. So obviously, if you come here and say you want to be a Canadian, you don't think so.

About most grievances, most people here won't even know what you are talking about. We all have our own private sorrows and angers, not necessarily yours.

Get the picture: Forget "death to you and yours" grievances. This is the land of "a new life," - not "a new place to plot revenge." Many Canadians will be happy to help you start a new life here - if that is what you want. But we are not interested in helping anyone use Canada as a new place to plot revenge, and - incidentally - we are getting stricter about that all the time.

If you want a new life, consider Canada. If you want to hate some ethnic or religious group - stay where you are.