A funny thing happened to me while I was watching Question Period last week. Listening to the debate, I realized that we actually don't have any economic concerns in Canada any longer, that medicare is now a problem of the past, that the safety of our borders is not an issue since the frontline workers wear life vests, and that the softwood
lumber from British Columbia now flows freely to south of the border with no surtax.

 It was also informative and inspiring to watch our members of Parliament engaged in a hearty debate to find out, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the legal status of the three individuals captured in Afghanistan by our troops. I was also moved to witness history in the making when MPs debated changes to the Geneva Convention.

 The debate was carried live on CNN while foreign troops deployed all over the world, including those fighting in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, were standing by for the outcome, don't you know. Of particular interest were the results of the debate over Iraqi soldiers: last week, they captured three Kurd terrorists and were not sure if they were supposed to try them according to the Canadian Criminal Code, the Geneva Convention or just shoot them on the spot.

 That's enough praise, let's take a closer look at events that have unfolded on Parliament Hill since Sept. 11. Recall, first how the opposition parties criticized the government for not promptly jumping in to the defence of "our American friends." Recall also the "wishy-washy" Prime Minister asking for more time before to make a decision and remember how oppositions ridiculed our government for not having troops ready to leave and promptly engage in the fighting.

 Of course, the Americans, usually very shy, of course, neither implored our government for help, nor asked for our advice on how to pursue the Talibans or Al Queda terrorists.  Nonetheless, in order to accommodate our national pride, they accepted some of our troops and, slowly, airlifted them into Afghanistan courtesy
of Sunquest Tours.

 Now that we forced ourselves in, we want to change the Geneva Convention, we want the American troops to respect our laws, the White House to sign the international land mine agreement, and re-paint the walls of Guantanamo Bay prisons.

 So here's the opposition parties two suggestions to solve the problem: pull our troops out of the Afghanistan in order to avoid any possible cooperation with the American illegal combatants, or get Defence Minister Art Eggleton to resign. Meantime, I am sure Americans are quaking in their boots if our troops are pulled out. (In The New York Times the only place where you see Canada mentioned is in the weather report). Moreover, in order to save Mr. Eggleton's career, the opposition parties are ready to give honorary citizenship to Osama Bin Laden and his closest advisers.

 In reality, U.S. President George W. Bush shouldn't feel threatened by our politicians. Why do you think he almost choked a few weeks ago because he was watching Question Period? And the White House should relax. Our politicians are very level-headed and have no intention of re-working the Geneva Convention or threatening to pull out. Who is going to fly them back?

 The opposition parties would settle for much less. I'm sure that if the minister in the middle of the controversy becomes toast, then controversy will go away too and the opposition parties will move on to their next kill. Where they smell some blood they'll go.

 One example? Only a few weeks ago the opposition parties were so concerned about the issue of political patronage in Canada that they trashed Alfonso Gagliano asking for his resignation. Gagliano is now gone, patronage is still there. But for the opposition parties, the mission was accomplished: they were looking for blood and they got it. The show goes on and Mr. Eggleton is next on their list. Mr. Prime minister, please, prorogue!