"The acquisition of Canada this year, as far as the neighborhood of Quebec, will be a mere matter of marching, and will give us experience for the attack of Halifax the next, and the final expulsion of England from the American continent." –Thomas Jefferson, speaking in 1812.Here's the context: (1) Canada was not in any way shape or form an independent nation at the time, but part of the British Empire. AND the United States was in (or about to be in) a state of war with Britain at the time; (2) Jefferson was not the President at the time, Madison was; (3) Jefferson often walked that fine line between genius and lunacy.
I don't blame Collins for reproducing this quote because he got it from the pages of a Vancouver newspaper (I couldn't find the reference) that is obviously in the mood to stir up some self-hating in Canada because the new PM referred to President Bush as "the President" while Bush referred to Prime Minister Harper as "Stephen". (Bush is wrong on this and should use the appropriate titles. Bush's forced folksiness drives me nuts.)
There does seem to be some small segment of the Canadian population that loves to labor under the illusion that their evil neighbor is just salivating at the thoughts of annexing Canada. Again, a small segment, but a nutty one (and all nations have a nutty segment of the population).
