Join in the celebration, and tales of the onion ring that could

Today marks the start of the 20th anniversary of International Development Week.

Between 7 and 13 February, a collection of meetings and lectures across Canada will publicize the work of the Canadian Government and other Canadian organizations regarding progress achieved and lessons learned in international development work. For more information about happenings in your area, check out the calendar of events and get involved.

Notwithstanding the current Government and the general meander away from a centred, solid politic in Ottawa over the last 7 years, Canada has a tradition of helping others. In fact, it's a rather short legacy in which we should all take pride -- it's only since the 1960s that as a nation, we began to understand the value of international development and helping others beyond our borders. Pearson really built the foundation, which then blossomed into a reputation for non-politicized assistance to developing countries in the ensuing years.

'Non-politicized' is really the key. Today, that has changed dramatically with the unenlightened, rather provincial and downright Machiavellian conservative yahoos who have steamrolled Ottawa. So let me get this right -- prorogue parliament but take away a couple of week-long breaks for MPs? How utterly stupid. Change internationally agreed-upon language in foreign policy documents to a sanitized and incompatible lexicon? When did Ottawa become a national daycare centre?

So forget about Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament -- that train has left the station. How about a grease-soaked, translucent onion ring for Prime Minister... I can almost guarantee we'd have better politics and better foreign policy, too.