Ghost of a flea: An unbroken line

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October 21, 2008

An unbroken line

Dan Gardner argues for a view of Canadian history that is not constricted to our current geography but part of a "grand, complex, interwoven saga spanning much of the globe". I could not agree more. While I am appalled to discover a new generation of undergraduates with no exposure to Animal Farm or 1984*, I cannot say Canadian history was taught well when I was teenager. Wet blanket, decontextualized nationalism was the order of the day and I expect this has not changed. The first formal exposure I had to Canadian history was through Manifest Destiny, a text on American history that shed some glimmer of light on events north of the border as part of a bigger picture.

Gardner goes on to critique Paul Gross latest acting/directorial effort about Canadian involvement in the War to End All Wars, Passchendaele.

Gross's interpretation of Canada's Great War history is decidedly modern. War, militarism, and bigotry are condemned in Passchendaele. The villain of the piece is not a German but a bald, fat, pompous, conniving British officer who struts about spouting imperialist nonsense until he finally goes to the front line, reveals himself to be a coward, and dies a miserable death. (I suspect German propagandists might have thought Gross laid it on a little thick.)

The hero, a Canadian soldier played by Gross, is everything the Brit is not. Honest. Plain-talkin'. Brave in battle. He has no use for politics, doesn't care how the war started, and is loyal only to his comrades in the trenches.

The sharp division Gross draws between Canadian and Brit -- with the British Empire shoved over to their side of the line, thank you very much -- is also thoroughly modern. Canadians today see this country as a sovereign nation with no special link to Britain. The British Empire is, at most, an embarrassing reminder of the time when we were colonial subordinates; for many, it is a costume drama set in India.

Writing for The Torch, Mark C. points to a difficulty with this thinking - beyond its simple minded anti-Brisih cultural cringe; the bulk of Canadian volunteers were recent British immigrants. It is not clear to me if Gross' film draws the sharp line between British and Canadian an anachronistic nationalism would draw, I have yet to see the piece. If it does, this is as much a symptom of (English) Canada's failure to teach its own history as it is a repetition of it. It is also not clear to me the film will take a pacifist position or whether it will restate the opinion of every elderly relative I spoke with who lived through the thing, viz the Great War was a pointless, tragic waste. If so, this is at least a defensible point of view and one not to be confused with Hollywood's evil vogue for substituting a government conspiracy for every real world instance of jihadi activity.

I am prepared to give Paul Gross the benefit of the doubt. The Passchendaele trailer suggests to me a love story set in a time of great challenge and upheaval and, quite possibly, a story about what it is to be Canadian that includes bravery, sacrifice and feats of arms. I will put up with some (entirely justifiable) condemnation of Britain's decisions in the field for a Canada that includes an heroic army. It is nothing but the truth and it is a story we need now.

Paul Gross appears to believe the same. His words:

“There is an absolute direct line between the Canadian Expeditionary Force of 1914-1918 and our men and women serving in the sands of Afghanistan today,” he said. “It’s an unbroken line of military history, and I guess to some extent, tradition. I think it helps all of us to have some understanding of that history and I would hope for them, our current soldiers, that it will be...of interest for them to see, in a sense, where it is they come from. And also I just hope it helps pass a couple of hours.”

The Dominion Institute is on board with what appears to be a reasonable education guide and a film-related contest for young people. It is a start.

* It is not an accident these have disappeared down the memory hole. The Establishment has decided it is more important for you to feel empowered than for you to be empowered.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 21, 2008 09:47 AM

Comments

I've seen it. I enjoyed it (and not just because Paul Gross can do no wrong in my eyes). I felt he got the balance right between "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" and "dear God, what have we done?" As for his treatment of the British officer, he did the same thing in Chasing Rainbows, while also taking a dig at the (then) Montreal establishment.

Posted by: cm at October 23, 2008 12:26 PM