Looking to enter our passages

The Americans have taken a renewed interest in one of Canada’s passages. The Northwest Passage, to be exact. On his way out the door, George W. Bush signed a new Arctic policy that not only considers the passage to be international waters, but also thumbs its nose at the European Union’s desire to regulate fishing, shipping and energy development in the region by means of an international treaty.

Because unilateralism isn’t quite dead just yet.


In yesterday’s Toronto Star, columnist Rosie DiManno says that Ottawa needs to call in the Queer Guys to give itself a makeover before Obama arrives. After all, he’s GQ cool and we’re just The Bay and off-the rack.

Um, gee, thanks. You know, some of us are making an effort and trying to sex up this city a bit more, even when everyone isn’t breathless with anticipation for the arrival of a messianic figure from the States, their panties moist as they hope desperately that he will love them. Hell, even some straight MPs are trying to up the sexy factor in the House, and one of them was known to throw a fit because he didn’t top the Hill Times’ list that year. Or so said his somewhat inappropriate girlfriend at the time in her recently published memoirs (not naming any names).

But seriously? This sudden mania that this city has taken on because Obama is coming for his first foreign presidential visit? We can give it a bit of a rest. He’s not the messiah. He’s not going to turn water into wine, and feed the assembled masses with a few loaves and a couple of fish. He’s going to smile and wave, and maybe give us a few platitudes that will likely contain the words “hope” and “change,” and not necessarily in that order. We really need to get over it.

But as for just which particular Queer Guys we should be calling to give this city that makeover? Well, I’m open to suggestion.

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