Canadians for Obama

So, I can’t recall if this usually happens in Canada or not, but The Globe and Mail just published its own endorsement for Obama

Obama could really change many international perceptions of the United States, and that matters a lot. Last week, the 109 students and faculty on our Ottawa field trip had a 90-minute question and answer session with Dr. Michael Dawson, a Senior Policy Advisor with the U.S. Relations Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Hon. Dr. Hedy Fry. Fry, originally from Trinidad, spoke about how Pierre Trudeau and his vision of a “just society” caused her to emigrate to Canada and become a Canadian citizen.

This is a story one hears time and again from people who came to Canada from all corners of the globe during that era, inspired and energized by Trudeau’s vision of a just society — a national metanarrative that stay with Canadians to this day. I don’t think you’ll ever hear anyone say that about the philosophies of George Bush, Stephen Harper, or Paul Martin, for that matter. Someday, though, I think we might just hear American immigrants say that about Barack Obama, that they came here inspired by his vision of what America can become.

We are, of course, still several days away from what I hope will be an even more historic result to an already historic election in the US. We’re even further away from seeing what type of President Obama will become and whether his grand vision will be tempered by the demands of actually governing. People talk about Obama as potentially being like Kennedy. I, for one, think he might just have the chance to be America’s Trudeau instead.

And, if for some reason, he doesn’t win on Tuesday, I’d like to suggest that Barack join the many people who are talking about fleeing for Canada. We definitely have a job there ready and waiting for him.