Open and Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama, and Canada Has Stephen Harper

by John Ibbitson

Last November America elected its first black president. Canada, too, went to the polls that month. The difference for the two nations was Americans had a clear choice between an indecisive, has-been who represented at best more of the same and a progressive, eloquent, African American, the first ever black presidential candidate. As Ibbitson remarks, "What were Canadians being offered? An overweight economist who couldn't offer an honest smile to save his life, and a backpacking political scientist whose English made your ears bleed. Who elected these guys? Practically no one."

Ibbitson argues that the result of the US election was electric, energizing, and represents a profound changes in American politics. Barack Obama may well be just the man to rescue the republic from its many serious woes. The result of the Canadian election was, he says, as flaccid as the campaign another Conservative minority government that shortly afterward tripped over its own hubris, causing a major political tempest in the Ottawa teapot. The elections and their aftermaths tell us two crucial One, America is still capable of slamming on the brakes and putting itself back on the right track. Two, in Canada, something has gone so seriously wrong with our leadership it's time to sound the alarm. Which is just what he does in this timely, perceptive, persuasive book.

Genres: Politics

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2009

About the author

John Ibbitson (born 1955 in Gravenhurst, Ontario) is a Canadian writer and journalist. He is currently Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail. He has written three books on Ontario and Canadian politics - Promised Land: Inside the Mike Harris Revolution (1997), Loyal No More: Ontario's Struggle for a Separate Destiny, and The Polite Revolution: Perfecting the Canadian Dream (McClelland & Stewart, 2005).

His latest young-adult novel, "The Landing," was winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award for children's literature. His latest political work, "Open & Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama and Canada Has Stephen Harper" was published in May 2009. It was written while he was in Washington, covering American politics and society for the Globe.

He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1979 with a B.A. in English. After university, he pursued a career as a playwright, his most notable play being Mayonnaise, which debuted in December 1980 at the Phoenix Theater in Toronto. The play went on to national production and was adapted to a TV broadcast in 1983. In the mid-1980s, Ibbitson switched over to writing young-adult fiction, including the short YA science-fiction novel, Starcrosser (1990). He also wrote two full-length novels, 1812: Jeremy's War and The Night Hazel Came to Town. "The Landing" followed in 2008.

Apart from his Governor-General's citation, Ibbitson has been nominated for several awards for other works, including a Governor General's Award nomination for 1812. Hazel received a nomination for the Trillium Book Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. His journalism has also been nominated for a National Newspaper Award.

Ibbitson entered the University of Western Ontario in 1987, graduating with an M.A. in journalism one year later, and joined the Ottawa Citizen, where he worked as a city reporter and columnist. He covered Ontario politics from 1995 to 2001, working for The Ottawa Citizen, Southam News, The National Post and the Globe and Mail. In August 2001, Ibbitson accepted the post as Washington bureau chief at The Globe and Mail, returning to Canada one year later to take up the post of political affairs columnist. He moved back to Washington as a columnist in May 2007, returning to Ottawa in September 2009.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting suggestions, ideas, and analysis in this ‘political pamphlet’ as the author, John Ibbitson, describes this publication. I intend to make contact with the Mr Ibbitson to discuss how things have changed, what aspects he believe are still valid, what he thinks he got right and what aspects he missed the boat on since the book’s publication in 2009z Enjoyed reading it.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

First thing: Major points for clear writing. I took sciences humaines instead of social studies in junior high and learned all about les autochtones and nothing about Canadian government. So, other than acing a few quizzes matching Premiers with their province circa 1999, I know nothing about how Canada works (or doesn't).

The really good bits in here are the pie-in-the-sky fantasies that are fun to imagine, like an open border and North America as one big happy country with two opposite immigration policies. Uh huh. Or trying to boss China around and seeing where that gets ya.

Oh, and, Quebec is evil and we should probably have had a civil war. That opportunity seems to have slipped us by... or has it?! Seriously, the vitriol against Quebec was disturbingly almost convincing... to me!... and I love Quebec. When I drove to Montreal a few summers ago (nonstop from Halifax, ending up lost at 2 am in an under-construction tunnel, not recommended), my brother and I were so excited about real francophone people that we waited outside a gas station for a few minutes after a pee-stop to hold the door for a guy just to hear him say "Merci". For real! Quebec and francophone culture is part of Canada. A part that I love. Besides, kids don't start French immersion in grade primary now for the freaking fun of it.

Another note: This book is a little outta date now/already. Written in '09, Obama was still a rock star and hadn't yet had former celebrity endorsers speaking out against him in disappointment. It's nice to think back in time about how things could have ended up though. Ahhhhh, hope. Also, the Stephen Harper picture hasn't gotten any prettier either. I would even dare to say he can't do anything right, but no one cares. SEE, PEOPLE! THIS is why we're stuck with him. Complacency. Lack of options.

This little manifesto of Ibbitson's also had an accompanying forum on the Globe & Mail's website, which I would still be interested in seeing, but it seems to have been completely removed rather than closed and archived.

[David Mcphee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective could be that the election of Obama was, in some respects, the consequence of Americas horribly difficult, but ultimately successful, quest of racial justice. The election of Stephen Harper might be another chapter in the battle for environmental justice. I appreciate that the word racial and environmental justice may be too value laden for many.

But the carbon age (aka status quo), proponents who were very active in their support for G W Bush, were also threatened by Stephane Dion and his carbon tax pollution not income approach and so successfully marshaled their political hatchet men.

However once elected this ‘conservative’ government faced an economic downturn caused by war and debt and they promptly chose to incur a deficit building the infrastructure of yesteryear, eg roads, bridges and parking lots. These are in effect public subsidies for oil consumption, dirty or not. The final chapter has not be written in this Canadian book yet will parliament be produce a government able to nurture of profitable green economy or not?

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book. Recommended by a colleague, I initially scoffed that I already knew why we have Harper and they have Obama. She said that she thought the same thing, read it anyway and learned some stuff. Short book, so I gave it a shot. And she was right. Very readable. Funny to see someone I know in it (David Eaves). Provocative - he's starting a conversation here...I'll have to check out how the conversation has been going online.

[Brendan Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Ibbitson would prefer to be an American, I think.

[Ahmed Messaoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Ibbitson's book is a great read and gives insight into the Canadian Parliamentary system. The book is mostly focused on what makes Canada and the US different