This Week's Honourary Canadian Citizenship Award

The winner of this week's Honourary Canadian Citizenship Award is none other than that feisty and controversial Democratic senator from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold.

Feingold was one of the few Democrats who voted against the Iraq war which, in itself, makes him more than eligible for the award. But, he is also currently calling for the censure of President Bush over his illegal NSA spying program which targets Americans and has no accompanying accountability assurances. Ordering bulk baklava from Lebanon? Your call could be monitored and you would never know it.

Despite receiving almost no support from his Democratic colleagues for his censure resolution, Feingold has made no apologies in pushing the issue and has refused to back down no matter what his detractors have said. He was also the only senator to vote against the intrusive PATRIOT act. That takes guts - the kind of guts Canadians are famous for when it comes to standing on principles of basic civil rights.

As a Wisconsinite (Wisconsinonian?), no doubt Feingold will appreciate our fine, cheese-laden Canadian cuisine, including the infamous Quebecois delicacy - poutine. It may take him a while to get used to using "eh" in congress, but he can work on that. And we already know that he's very accustomed to wearing toques, since he is from the heartland. Feingold is also a Rhodes scholar, so he'll obviously appreciate just how intelligent we canucks all are. (Well, most of us anyway...if you don't count conservatives...)

Yes, Senator Feingold - Canada salutes you! By the way, our federal Liberal Party is looking for a new leader if you're interested - or if Bush banishes you from the country. We'd be glad to have you and your family join us in our humble abode that is Canada. Don't mind the mess. We're just doing some spring cleaning.