Bush of the North
Image by cliff1066 via Flickr
If anyone’s looking for George W. Bush in October, I know where to go: Canada.
The liberal-thinking, left-leaning, home of “socialized medicine” Northern neighbour of the US seems to be a new favorite place for George W. Bush to come and make some money. Talking.
No, seriously.
In March of this year, Bush spoke to a very receptive crowd in Calgary, Alberta who had paid about $400 each to see the ex president. There were protests, obviously, and some even called for Bush’s arrest when he landed in Canada. That didn’t happen, and Bush obviously enjoyed not being arrested for war crimes in Canada so much, that he’s now booked to speak in Edmonton, Alberta in October.
For those who know Alberta, a Bush speaking engagement might not be a big surprise. After all, the province is rich in oil and natural gas, and thus the interests of many Albertans coincide nicely with those of some Americans (read: Texans). Alberta is the hold-out province of a predominantly right-wing populace, and home to a former Premier who was best known for flipping the bird to an environmental activist; plagiarizing an essay in his adult education class; getting pied in the face at a public pancake breakfast and; getting drunk, walking into a homeless shelter in Edmonton and throwing loose change at the occupants. Oh, and for leading the province for over a decade. Yup.
So maybe Bush’s visits to Alberta aren’t that surprising after all.
After Edmonton, Bush will speak in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan’s biggest claim to fame in Canada is being the birth province of our national health care program, for electing left-of-centre governments, and for being pretty much the emptiest place ever. But though Saskatchewan’s endless fields of grains are commonly assumed to be its largest economic sector, the truth is that its mining and petroleum sector is much bigger. Saskatchewan is competing to be Canada’s Next Alberta, and the hope is that jobs – which, for years drained into Alberta – will return with more investment in natural resources.
Perhaps a trend is developing.
Except then, Bush will go to Montreal. Speaking from experience, Quebec seems to hold the title for the most anti-American province in Canada. Why Bush would chose to speak in Montreal does raise an eyebrow, but there is most likely a very simple explanation: ticket sales (why else?). But though there might be some interest amongst Montrealers to hear Bush speak, his reception party in that city will most likely be violent, angry, and passionate – which might at least be a nice change of pace from the often muted protests in Canada’s Prairie provinces.
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Quebec the most anti-American province? When Mulroney, biggest US-loving PM ever came from there? What makes you say this?
Bill Clinton spoke two weeks ago in Toronto at $150/ticket ($175,000 speaking fee) but they had to practically give tix away at the end as they did not sell out.
Hmm. Fair point. Quebec-as-anti-American is a generalization obviously. Mulroney is a good example of a Quebecois who did get along well with the US. Perhaps I should have said anti-Bush.
And yes, I heard about Clinton’s speech. I think the issue might have been that he had just been in Toronto to speak in May (with Bush), so there might have been some over-exposure. That was weird, though – he usually sells out quickly here.
In response to another comment. See in context »I got to hear him free a while back at a restaurant in Chappaqua, the town the Clintons live in. Bill stood in the doorway and held forth to some enraptured listeners for a good 15 minutes, with his SS guy standing by as the waiters tried to get past. Wacky.
That sounds surreal. I wonder how often he does that?
In response to another comment. See in context »