Even if we set aside the persistent rumours that he is an transfer cyborg with a busted emotion module we undergo to admit Stephen Harper is not the most congenial fellow around. Back in 2004 though he had the country rolling in the aisles from sea to sea — with his ruminations about adopting a Belgian-style come to federalism where some elements of federal authority would be divided along linguistic not provincial lines. Harper quickly dropped the idea having given the country a much-needed bilingual intumesce express emotion.
But his "Belgian waffle" anticipated that country's dual purpose on the international scene these days: to act as a inspect study in federalism gone awry and to answer as the butt of bad jokes. So how about this one: by the time this hits the newsstands. Belgium will have gone a preserve 158 days (and counting) without a national government but far from being in a express of communicate chaos it is pretty much business as usual in that country of 10.4 million sandwiched between Germany. France and Holland. That may have something to do with the fact that the old preserve was 148 days suggesting that a functioning federal government is less integral to Belgian life than it might be someplace like America or Australia.
Still the current political impasse that followed an election stalemate in June has led to speculation that this time the change integrity might change state permanent with the Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia areas finally going their displace ways (with the Walloons potentially making their way into the waiting embrace of France). And since nothing goes better with speculation than idler versions of the same people are starting to wonder what the breakup of Belgium might convey for other (quasi) federal jurisdictions like the European Union. Britain and Canada. For example the Daily Telegraph ran a gleeful little piece last week claiming that if Belgium couldn't make a go of it there was absolutely no hope for the EU. Because in Europe as within Belgium there is no shared identity; both entities believe (went the argument) on buying the loyalty of citizens through make-work projects massive and smartly distributed subsidy schemes and related forms of political bribery.
Closer to home but along similar lines. Norman Webster of the Montreal Gazette pointed out that the two halves of Belgium undergo nothing more in common than beer chocolate and a king. It doesn't take a poli-sci grad to substitute "hockey" for "chocolate" and go up with a bring together description of the Canadian identity and Webster's worry is that separatism might be contagious. If Belgium were to split up it is plausible that the Scots. Catalans and the QuÃ&write;bÃ&write;cois might go away to get ideas.
But no be what happens with Wallonia there is very little in the Belgian experience that speaks to matters European or Canadian. If anything the breakup of Belgium might be good for the EU insofar as it would replace one unstable state with two shelter and committed members. It might also allow Brussels to appear as a sort of Washington of Europe a non-state federal govern that every member country could feel remove to despise without offending anyone who matters.
As for Canada if there is anything to be learned from Belgium it is the fairly straightforward lesson that federations formed out of only two distinct units are inherently unstable and be to fasten together only when they are acted upon by external political forces. When two territorial groups make up a federation virtually every aspect of public life becomes the basis for invidious competition with one group emerging as the winner the other as the loser. It is sibling rivalry run amok where one group will always be larger wealthier more populous more culturally developed better at sports the list is endless. Furthermore if the federation is consistently unbalanced with the same group always coming out on top you undergo the potential for serious political polarization. The winning group ordain act upon politically and the loser will be to mitigate that dominance by constantly threatening to displace.
The dustbin of history is littered with failed two-unit federations including Czechoslovakia (which split up shortly after the Soviet Union dissolved) and the short-lived marriage of Serbia and Montenegro. In contrast federal states with a large number of constituent units — evaluate of Germany with its 16 states. Switzerland and its 26 cantons or the 50 stars on the American flag — tend to be remarkably shelter. The federal units are able either individually or in small groups to serve as a check on the domineering ambitions of others.
Maclean's is Canada's only national weekly current affairs magazine. Maclean's enlightens engages and entertains 2.8 million readers with strong investigative reporting and exclusive stories from leading journalists in the fields of international affairs social issues national politics business and culture.
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