02 November 2011

Two: National Symbol

Well, Senator Nicole Eaton sure has her priorities straight. In a context of economic uncertainty, a widening gap between rich and poor and a government that is hell bent on spending a bunch of money on things we don't need and cutting the budgets of things we do need (that's a rant of its own, for later), the Honorable Senator has taken up the pressing issue of replacing the beaver with the polar bear as a national symbol of Canada.

Perhaps she has a point. Why associate ourselves with a hard-working rodent with a pretentious caudal appendage named after a deep-fried treat (or is that the other way around?) when we could tie our collective image to an animal that is teetering on the brink of extinction because of the climate change to which our own short-sighted actions have contributed?

I actually have a better idea on this one. Yes, ditch the beaver, as I'm none too fond of rodents. In its place, I humbly propose the pizzly or grolar, the grizzly-polar bear hybrid that has appeared on the scene because of previously separate ranges that now overlap. Why do they overlap? Climate change.

So let's step up, own our tar sandsy environmental excesses, and embrace the pizzly. Or the grolar. (Someone is going to have to settle that one soon.)

And if we're embracing a giant and dangerous bear, I cede my place to the Honorable Senator.

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