Great Moments in Polticial History.

Parliament Building, Montreal, Canada -  1849.

On July 26th 1849, the Tories convened in Kingston (the recently vacated capital) and voted in favour of annexation into the United States. What caused them to consider such a drastic measure? They didn't want to pay damages to the innocent Quebecois bystanders whose farms were burned down by the British military during an intimidation campaign in the immediate aftermath of the 1837 Rebellion. A similar compensation package for Upper Canada had passed without controversy five years earlier.  The bill so enraged the entrenched Tories that they fomented a riot that culminated in the burning of Parliament in Montreal (the fire brigade, which was controlled by English Protestants, let it burn unimpeded).  This measure was so offensive to the Tories (which included a young John A. MacDonald), that they would rather Canada cease to exist altogether.

Something to keep in mind the next time Harper's Conservative government calls some Liberal's patriotism into question or implies that a certain politician isn't sufficiently Canadian.

Last North American Tory?

I just finished reading David Frum's latest article in the New York Times, and while I certainly disagree with much of what he says - at least I can understand it. Much of the rhetoric coming from the right (the Glen Becks in the United States and the Blogging Tories in Canada) is very bizarre to me, and on a fundamental level, I just don't understand.  Frum seems to be coming from a classic Tory background, something we haven't really seen in Canada since Joe Clark shuffled off the stage.

Anyways, Frum's latest is an interesting read...which is something I never imagined I'd ever say back when Frum was Bush's speechwriter and coining the phrase "axis of evil". You should check it out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/magazine/14FOB-idealab-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1