What Happened To The Lib Exodus?

Apparently, like the similar vows made by defeated lefties in the aftermath of the 2000 election, it was all a puerile bluff:

Official statistics reveal that in the six months after George Bush won a second term to the White House, the number of Americans who applied to live permanently in Canada did not, in fact, rise at all: It fell.

Canada, which is generally thought to be more liberal than the U.S., was seen as the place to which disgruntled left-wingers from the U.S. would run, if President Bush remained in office.

Reuters reports that "in the days after President Bush won a second term, the number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site shot up sixfold."

Canadian Immigration Minister Joe Volpe said he'd be happy to accept immigrants from anywhere in the world, but was especially enthused when Internet traffic went up, at least for a while.

"I was absolutely elated to see the number of hits and then my staff said 'You know what? A hit on the Internet is after all just a hit'," he told Reuters.

"I guess I'm happy Republicans and Democrats have found a way to live together in peace and in harmony," he added.

"Peace and harmony," he says. It's more like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, only with John Candy replaced by Hannibal Lecter.

Minister Volpe is still free to come down and take disgruntled left-wingers away. Ditto our European "allies." By force if necessary.

We'll leave the light on for 'em.