Wilted Rose

This isn't about Trudeau -- he's just an example. Nor is it about Quebec, as that's just where the '01 Summit of the Americas happened to be held. A huge anti-globalization protest took place there, with activities both legal and illegal; as I understand it, police responded to both with a level of force appropriate only for the latter. Sounds like this is what Page considers "the day my country died". As a fellow Canadian, I hope he's being a little hyperbolic; using excessive force is bad, but it's still a mistake decent people can make. Somebody had to make that call, and I don't envy whoever it was.

Anyway, that's just the occasion for the song, not what it's really about. As I "read" it, Page is expressing frustration and fatigue. He feels like the movements he supports aren't getting anywhere; he may make some small difference with his music, but the larger battle is being lost. People just don't seem to care, and it makes him wonder why he bothers. This part I can relate to. I think anyone who cares about a cause feels the same way sometimes.

So Pierre Trudeau used to be PM of Canada. And Steven Page isn't happy about what's happened since he left? That's about as far as I've gotten. Can someone who understands Canadian politics explain, please?

After years of being one of the most successful Prime Ministers of Canada, Trudeau (a liberal) tried to add a provision to the Canadian constitution which concentrated on freedoms. You would think that freedom would have no opposition, but his proposition failed. Soon after, he made the "walk in the snow" right before retiring. This has long stood as a symbol for the loss of freedom and a dismal future. This particularly works for the song, which show the decay of freedom and government via corruption and lies. However, the average citizen would rather just do nothing than actually get involved ("it's hard to care").

I think this another song about the question of Quebec breaking away from Canada, a la "You Will Be Waiting" by BnL. The "They built a wall" part could refer to the famous "Wall of shame" that they built in Quebec to keep Canadians away from the Summit of the Americas in 2001. That, along with "Can it be time to leave" lead me to think it's abour Quebec.

Is there some significance to the Rose having to do with Quebec?

I hadn't really thought about meaning of the song other than the sense of frustration cynicism and the reference to the "walk in the snow" which has kind of become a national metaphor for the end of influence and resignation. He is saying that he's having trouble caring about things and is wondering if he should just give up trying...if it's time to go.

The comment about the rose and Quebec above makes me see another angle that may or may not be in there among the rest of what's going on.

The rose is a symbol for the British Empire. Could some tiny part of the song be about the question of whether Canada should get rid of the monarchy? It comes up occasionally and often generates the kind of reaction Page describes "I almost tried to care". The royal family has separated themselves behind their walls, and the rose of the British Empire is perhaps a little tired and wilted.

Also there's the line about revolution going (United States and India left under revolutionary circumstances) and the rest staying (Canada, Australia etc).

It could be too obscure but some of the lyrics seem to back it up. It also could tie in with the whole notion of Empires and globalization.

In 1984 the popularity of Trudeau was going downside and opinion polls showed the Liberals (the political party of Trudeau) were headed for defeat if Trudeau remained in office. On February 29 Trudeau announced he would not be a Prime Minister candidate for next election. He said he took this decision after a “long walk in the snow”. So, “Like Pierre Trudeau's walk out in the snow” is a figured way to say “is it time to throw in the towel and stop this fight for a social democracy”? The social democracy is represented by a red rose, in our case the “a wilted rose”, which is a representation of the social democracy dying.