Canadian Expatriates, its contributors, and readers have been invited by Foreign Affairs Canada to participate in a series of eDiscussions. The current topic is “Showcasing Canadian Culture and Know-How Abroad”.

We are asked to consider the following questions:

What role does Canadian culture and know-how play in our foreign policy?

How might the government best promote Canadian talent and expertise in the world?

The eDiscussion runs from April 4 to May 6, 2005. At its conclusion, a summary of the discussion will be sent to senior policy planners.

The Expat admin team encourages its readers to join in the eDiscussion at the Canadian International Policy website.

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Posted by Admin

The administration team is currently searching for Canadian expatriates who would be interested in contributing to the Expat Blog. The subject matter is wide open, but must remain family friendly.

If you are interested in joining our blogging team, please send an email our way!

Thank you!

Jon D. Markman of CNBC and MSN Money consider yourself on notice.¹

We Canucks have stumbled upon your evil plan to invade Alberta and we are setting down our Timbits and Double Doubles just long enough to kick your butt.²

In fact, Prime Minister Harper has already diverted five patrols of armed snowmobiling soldiers to defend the 49th from your invading forces in a sovereignty campaign that has been cleverly codenamed "Operation Nunalivut". While your troops are setting down their arms and picking up their Inuktitut to English dictionaries, we plan to have Gwyneth Paltrow hurl insults your way, thus decreasing troop morale. Just when you think that it can't get any worse, we will bring in our big gun - newspaper carrier Danny Atkinson. Snowball after snowball will be hurtled towards you and your troops until you retreat in tears from the bitter cold. You had better hope that you can run fast, Mr. Markman, because we Canucks begin our training in the martial art of the "face wash" at a very early age.

As we are a peaceful nation, the second battle of Operation Nunalivut will not take place in the True North Strong and Free. For years now, the Canadian government has been fostering sleeper cells of its Expat Militia within the United States. These brave troops have sacrificed their cultural identity and their ketchup chips in order to work and live among Americans. Apart from the rare slip of an "eh" or an "aboot", these stealth Canadians have managed to hide their heritage and be completely accepted by the American masses. Beware that these troops have been acquiring vast quantities of maple syrup since they were given the green light on Operation Annexation months ago. In fact, some of our forces have already infiltrated your government, Mr.Markman, and have already made their way up to being 888th in line for succession to the presidency of your nation.

Oh yes, Mr. Markman, you are on notice.

¹ My apologies to Stephen Colbert and his "truthiness".
² In the figurative sense. We are Canadian, after all.