International conflicts are dominating the news; China is vying for power in the Pacific Ocean, and in most other parts of the world; Russia is causing trouble wherever it can, and the Middle East remains tense as it has always been.
Meanwhile, another international dispute is going on in our own backyard right before our very eyes. You see, Canada and Norway are locked in a bitter power struggle. The prize is not control over ocean access, and has nothing to do with who has the biggest missiles, or the biggest foreign trade deficit. No, the fight is about who has the biggest moose.
Up to now, Moose Jaw has been proudly able to claim that they have the biggest moose statue in the world. His name is Mac, and he is indeed impressive. But out of the blue, Mac’s supremacy in the moose world is being threatened by a truly stunning new moose statue from Norway, and this new moose – really an elk – is really something. Not only is he a giant, he is silver. That’s right, a giant silver moose statue that is trying to take Mac’s title from him. Not since the days when Rocky Balboa met Apollo Creed has there been such excitement. Moose Jaw’s mayor is busy raising money to make Mac even bigger. His Norwegian counterpart is responding in kind. International tensions are hitting the roof.
To make things even worse, the mayors have been issuing blood curdling threats and taunts. “Oh, he’s so tiny” taunted the Norwegian mayor.
What to do? How can an international incident of epic proportions be avoided?
Fortunately , just as both cities were at the very brink, it was proposed that there should be a moose summit to attempt to deal with the crisis. At last report, the mayors were meeting, and perhaps Moosehead beer and flesk og duppe were being served. So far, there have been no reports of gunfire.
So, until we know the outcome of the moose summit, the other international squabbles will have to wait. What will the Chinese do next in response to the Huawei case? What are the Russians up to? Will Trump wiggle out of the current trap the Democrats have set for him?
Who cares, when the international moose statue record is up for grabs.
Brian Giesbrecht is a retired judge and a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
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