Categorically Incorrect: Ethical Fallacies in Canada's War on Terror

J.L. Granatstein, Distinguished Research Professor of History Emeritus,
York University, served as Director of the Canadian War Museum from 1998
to 2000. His latest works are Who Killed Canadian History?, Who Killed
the Canadian Military, and Hell’s Cor

Alan Borovoy, who heads Canada’s Civil Liberties Association, is a man
of intellect and courage. He’d better be because his book will offend
almost everyone, especially those whose rigour in parsing the issues of
the day is less than equal to the task. They are many.

Borovoy’s subject is Canada’s war on terror and he looks at home
and abroad. He shreds the arguments of those (such as columnists Linda
McQuaig and Rick Salutin) who argue that Canada must pay deference to
the United Nations and to multilateralism, and that the Iraqis or
Iranians wanting nuclear weapons is the moral equivalent of the United
States possessing them. But he also looks at the government’s
rationale for its anti-terror legislation, and he dices the feds’ case
pretty finely too.

Borovoy takes no prisoners, his logic is impeccable, and his prose is
good. The only flaw in this very good book is his section on
“religious faith and secular clout”—which, while fascinating and
rigorous, has little if anything to do with the subject of his book.