A certain Ramsay Cook, the one who called me a “national socialist” in the late sixties, defines the ethnic nation as having “a language, history and culture that marks them out as a separate people,” while “a civic nation” has only “common civic values” (Globe & Mail, November 10, 2006). In Quebec, says Cook, many “allophones” and Anglophones don’t share the French language and culture, and only some of the history. Therefore, if the Quebec nation is deemed to have a common language, etc., that would exclude the “allophones” and anglophones.

Dear Jack,

I see that you have lined up with Harper (and Martin) behind the brutal (and stupid) Yankee practice of minimum sentences for crimes involving guns (and what next?). The right-wing editors of the Globe condemned you all on January 13 for pandering to law ‘n’ order hysteria. Are you not embarrassed? I suppose not. A social democrat has gotta do what a social democrat has gotta do. And a naive, unrealistic, soft-on-crime small-c communist has gotta write you this Dear Jack letter. Don’t bother answering, I know you’re very busy trying to win as many seats as possible at any cost, and I know what you’ve gotta say.