Anyone with any historical perspective understands that the beaver has historical roots to the coeur d'bois who laid the foundation for Canada through the fur trade. Perhaps the beaver doesn't present as imposing a figure as the polar bear but it was a good enough symbol for the troops at Vimy and Normandy.
But then Harper doesn't have a grasp on the meaning of bravery does he? What with the way he hides behind cowardly attack ads on his rivals. Or telling some sap he appointed Senator to propose the symbol switcheroo.
Eaton, a former Montrealer who married into the Toronto-based retail dynasty once famous for its catalogues, had previously sung the praises of the beaver before her recent turn against the animal, which she now calls a "dentally defective rat."
In a speech in Parliament last year, Eaton expressed admiration for the beaver as a pivotal player in "the founding of our country."
She quoted fur-trade historian Harold Innis in saying that "the history of Canada has been profoundly influenced by the habits of an animal that fittingly occupies a prominent place on her coat of arms. The beaver . . . "
He could have floated this out using any number of back benchers or Senators but he chose Eaton. Because it gave him a warm feeling in his special spot to order someone who was on record as supporting the beaver last year to come out against it. Pretty sad actually.
This idiocy over symbols should be taken as fair warning that Harper intends to leave no rodent un-turned in his quest to remake Canada into a Milton Friedman inspired dystopia. Since he probably even hates the name Canada, what will he want to call his new creation? Harperland? Harperstan? Sounds crazy but who would have thought we would ever have a government proposing we get rid of the beaver?
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