Neighbors

    

     One of the identifiers, when Canadians are asked "What makes you Canadian?" is that they are not Americans, as if being an American were a bad thing. 

     My admiration for Americans goes back to the 70's and 80's when I developed a business that was American based. I began rubbing shoulders with and dealing with Americans for the first time in my life and found it to be an eye opening experience, one that blew some of my misconceptions out of the water. Some of the things I admired about them was their tenacity, honesty, entrepreneurial spirit, patriotism, bold faith, forthrightness, and lack of inhibitions. These were qualities that I lacked but coveted. 

     I also have American cousins and I like them a lot. There is definitely a difference between us but it is mostly in style, not substance. 

     This has been on my mind lately as President Trump is making noises about Canada becoming the 51st state. I seriously doubt that this will happen, but exploring the possibilities of this prospect is an interesting exercise. Most dismiss the idea out of hand, but giving it some serious thought opens up a can of worms, and I am meeting some people who are open to some interesting possibilities. Exploring these ideas will take a whole other post. 

     I have been wanting to write about this for a few days now but events are moving so fast that even hours later, what I might write would become irrelevant. I have said from the beginning that all we have to do appease Trump and stop the "annex Canada" talk is to clean up our borders and stop the fentanyl and illegal border hoppers from going back and forth. How much less expensive to do this that to get into a protracted trade war with the biggest economy on earth. Besides, it is the right thing to do, and should have been done years ago.

     And now, as of the time of this writing, it seems that there has been an agreement to do just that. We will see.   

On Election Day 2024

An election can feel like a bend in the road, a choosing of a new direction, or staying the course and enduring (or enjoying) another term of the status quo. The election in the USA today is looking a lot like a pivotal crossroads. Harris and Walz are relatively unknowns especially since they seem incapable of articulating any policy or specifics on how they are going to do what they say they are going to do. Harris has had a chance to implement positive changes as Vice President under Joe Biden, but has not been perceived as a doer or even an idea person in her four years in that roll.  Can it then be concluded that the next four years will be similar to the last four years if she wins? It seems to me that America has declined in those years in many areas.

Then there is Donald Trump. He is a known quantity as he was president for 4 years and has a track record. 

The polarization and antagonism between the two camps has never been so palpable. The final outcome of the election could result in rioting in the streets, no matter who wins, and both sides have a history of this kind of 'sore loser' behavior. As I write this, there are maps being published on where riots are likely to occur after the results of the election are known.

At best, we will know in a few hours who won. At worst, it will be days or weeks as recounts and judicial recounts and court cases are ramped up to clear up any perceived hanky panky at the ballot box. 

Regardless, America will be changed from what it is or even what it was. The forces that are driving division in the population are going to be strengthened, one way or the other. I lay the blame for this at the feet of the media, who have never in their history been so blatantly biased on every news story. We need to get back to investigative, unbiased journalism so that everyone gets both sides of every story. The voter is not stupid and given accurate information about any issue, is quite capable of making an informed decision based on critical thinking. At least, that is the way it used to be when paper ballots were cast by citizens who were registered voters, and we knew the winner hours after the voting stations were closed.  
 

Watching With Wonder

     Watching American Politics has never been more fascinating. With every day that passes in the race for the nominations for the presidency, the stakes get higher and the citizens of the USA become more polarized.
    It is interesting that Bernie Saunders and Donald Trump, though diametrically opposed on almost all issues, are using the same tactics to gain support. It is the old trick of dividing and conquering with fear, alienation and anger. Donald with his dose of racism and Bernie with his 1% lament and diatribes against the wealthy. Each of them have their own brand of 'scary' if they should be elected. And heaven forbid we get another lying Clinton in the White House.
   To put things in a little bit of perspective, let us realise that so much of what we see is showmanship and manipulation of the electorate. Knowing what to say and how to say it is the key to winning over voters, especially those who are ignorant regarding the pressing issues that are often ignored in political campaigns. We saw a classic example of this in our Canadian election just a few months ago.
    But we must realise that the POTUS does not really run the country. The bureaucrats, congress, special interest groups, lobbyists, and big business with its deep pockets are who truly pull the strings behind the scenes. I recently heard Obama state that much has been done but there is so much to do. He was referring to his 8 years in office and his accomplishments. He had 8 years and there was still much to do! That says that he did not have the power to do what he really wanted, and it will be that way with the next president.
    But for me, the bottom line can be found in Daniel 2:21 where it says that God sets up kings and deposes them. That says that God is in control and if Trump (or Saunders) get in, it is not a surprise to God and he will use that for his purposes.
    So I would like to see the American people let democracy run its course. Forget the protests and attacks, and let the people vote for their leader. It is all orchestrated by God and last I heard, He does not make mistakes.

Are You As Confused As I Am?

 

All of us have been inundated, in the last few weeks, with information regarding Islam, immigration, and terrorism. Anyone engaged in social media is well aware of the blizzard of posts, opinions, videos, and sound bytes surrounding these topics.

 

As we sort through the information and opinions, we are looking to clarify our own perspective, our own ideas, and somewhere in the mix, the truth. The truth, for me, has been elusive, to say the least. There are too many opinions, too many facts, too many charts, too many testimonials, too many 'cobbled together' videos, and too many 'experts', all of which are contradictory to some degree.

 

Being the kind of person who likes cut and dried answers and cut and dried solutions, I find it all troubling and confusing. I have been interested in reading about (I almost wrote studying) the Islam issues for many years, ever since I began to delve into the Jew/Palestinian conflict. I read a number of books written by former Muslims who came out of, and rejected that tradition and religion, because they became disillusioned. One of the authors was the foremost Islamic studies professor at the University of Cairo. What he did not know about Islam was not worth mentioning. I tend to give former or current Muslims more credibility as they have lived the faith and were indoctrinated in it since birth. They should know what they are talking about. Another reason these reformed Muslims have credibility is because their lives have been threatened, even by their own families, for being at all critical of Islam. They have nothing to gain by exposing the shortcomings of Islam, other than to inform the world of the threat.

 

With the internet today, extensive research can be done with the click of a mouse, and bit of time to read. But I keep getting mixed messages in the research, and therein lies my confusion.

 

1. The meaning of Islam. Islam means submission ... to Allah and his written word, and his prophet Mohammed. Immediately I am confused because the claim is that God is God, and we all worship the same God. However, the Islam God (Allah) has no partner, no equal, no son, and no associate. Mmm. The Christian God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The reason that is a problem is because although Muslims also believe in Jesus, they do not believe he is the Son of God and do not believe that he died and rose again as the saviour of mankind. And that is what makes us their enemies. We are blasphemers.

 

2. A Muslim, in order to be a true believer, must live by the Koran and the writing of Mohammed. I have read parts of the Koran, enough to see huge contradictions. There is love and peace and neighbourliness, but in the next verses there will be an injunction to cut off the hands and head of the unbelievers. Mohammed himself was no saint, but was a murderer and a pedophile, not exactly a prophet to hold up as a role model, and yet there are Muslims who are model citizens and do good works in their neighbourhoods and communities. Where does that inspiration come from? How do they see the unbelievers around them? Are they only tolerant until the day of Jihad. One only wonders this because it in their holy book. One of the guidelines when reading the Koran is that when one scripture contradicts another, the one written at a later date (the newer one) is the one to adhere to. As Mohammed progressed in his pursuits, he became more violent and so the more violent scriptures are the true and right ones. How many Muslims know this? How many believe this. Is this why so many remain silent in the face of terrorism?  

3. The Islamic doctrine of deception, or Taqiya, troubles me greatly because this would seem to give a Muslim permission to lie in order to  preserve their life or their faith. In terms of immigration, this is extremely concerning as the lack of data bases and other information leaves, often, only the word of the applicant when filling out the immigration papers. Vetting becomes very unreliable, especially when hurried under duress of immigration quotas and deadlines.

 

4. PEW research finds that an overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world want Sharia Law (Islamic Law as defined in the Koran) to be the law of the land where they live. Would this not fall under the definition of radical Islam? And yet we are told that only a tiny fraction of Muslims are radicalized.

 

5. If the majority of Muslims around the world are for peace and tranquility, why are they not speaking out against their terrorist brothers? Are they afraid? Do they see the radicals as the foot soldiers of Allah and are secretly rooting for them? There seems to be evidence for this when a moment of silence at a soccer match, meant to honour the dead of the Paris massacres is booed by the Muslim fans.

 

6. It is troubling that the west is supposed to rescue the distressed Syrian migrants yet other Muslim nations do nothing to help their Muslim brothers. Why is this? And why does the US under the leadership of Obama refuse to take Christian Syrian migrants, a people group who has the most to lose by staying in harms way. You would think that these are the very people who have the best chance of assimilating in the west.

 

7. Why does the world not stand with Israel in its fight against terrorism? They have many years of experience. It is the same bunch who are terrorizing Paris and threaten to terrorize the entire world of Christendom, that Israel is up against, yet most of the world demonizes Israel.   

 

8. Is Islam a religion, a geopolitical movement, or both. Again it is confusing, and depends on who you listen to and who you believe. Mohammed declared that Islam would conquer the world by the sword and the cradle. Muslims are doing both, some through terrorism and most by their prolific  birth rate. If the prophet Mohammed's teachings are paramount in your submission to Allah, would you not, as a Muslim, be sympathetic to this agenda?  

 

The confusion comes from the contradictions, and often a bit of fear and paranoia arise from misinformation. As a Christian, I have great assurance and comfort in knowing what I am supposed to do, and knowing that God is in control, and that no matter what happens, it is part of the master plan, of which I know very little. So while I trust God and cast out fear, I know also that my mandate as a Christian, is to love, help and protect the helpless. In so doing, I become a tiny piece of the solution. I do not lose sight of the fact that there is good and evil in the world, and I will be an advocate for government and law enforcement to root out that evil, wherever it is. But if Muslims comes to my neighbourhood, I will be a good neighbour to them, as I am to my South Asian neighbours. And herein lies the ultimate solution. We are all created in the image of God, he loves everyone of us, and wants us to love each other.  

 

  

 

 

Local Elections

 

The municipal election champagne is heating up. The road medians and ditches are polluted with 'Vote for ME' signs and the local paper is full of ads, opinions and reports about this candidate meeting or that one.

As in all elections, there is a lot of bafflegab happening. Take the diatribe recently on Facebook by one of the incumbent counselors. There is something new in the politics of our little city, and that is an effort to elect a team of candidates instead of a full slate of so called independents. The 'Team' has been saying some things about the debt and poor management of the incumbents, and now a couple of them are striking back and calling the 'Team' liars.

What is interesting is that they are both getting their facts and figures from the same financial statements and from the same audits. Interesting how one comes up with a huge surplus and one comes up with a huge debt, all from the same columns of figures.

I will not get into how two differing opinions come from the same information, but suffice to say that the voter can be very confused about the whole thing. In the end, it comes to "who do you trust".

 

I truly hope that there is a greater interest in voting this time around. There is, what I perceive to be, a distinct opportunity to do things a little differently at the municipal level in our city. If we all do our homework and our research, and get out and vote, perhaps there will be some change. If new blood and new ideas do not pan out, we can always vote the good old boys back in next time.

 

PS: The claim by our mayor is that our home owner taxes have not increased in the last year. Maybe one of the counselors  could tell me why I am paying $400.00 more this year than last. A real smooth talker might be able to convince me that I am actually paying $400 less.  

Hypocrisy

 




Have you noticed the leap of logic and the hypocrisy?

By the end of this month, the legal society of BC, also known as the 'Benchers' will have the results of an internal referendum on their website. The referendum's purpose was to give all members of the society a chance to vote on the controversial issue surrounding the Trinity Western University's own law school and their requirement of all students to sign a 'community covenant'. The covenant states that they promise not to engage in sex outside of heterosexual marriage.

If the referendum passes, there will be a legal challenge because the graduates from TWU'S school will not be allowed to practice law because they will not be able to join the law society. Some legal societies from other provinces have already declared that TWU legal graduates will not practice in their jurisdiction. The community covenant has already stood the test of the courts and has been deemed legal under freedom of religion.

Now lets jump over to the mosques in Canada which are essentially schools where Islam is preached and taught. There is nothing wrong with this. The Sikhs, Christians, and Hindu's also have such establishments. It is obvious, and has come to light many times, that some mosques and their Imams (teacher/preachers) are preaching hate. Hate, as described under the law of hate crime legislation, is directing negative attention that may result in discrimination or harm to a recognisable group. This teaching is very effective as we have seen in Canada in recent days and in the recruits that ISIS gets from western Canada. The recognisable group or groups are Jews, Christian, lapsed Muslims, and now Canadian armed forces personnel.

The lawyers find it worth their time and effort to go after celibate single young people, but why are we not hearing from our Government, judiciary, and law enforcement about the blatant breaking of our treasured hate laws when they result in death and terrorism?
Apparently a community covenant is more dangerous than a jihadist on a murderous rampage.

Hate Crimes

 

This is a photo of Nathan Cirillo, a young man who was a victim of a hate crime today. He was gunned down as he 'guarded' the national war monument on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. There was no simmering conflict, no harsh words, no disagreement, but a gun was drawn and a life was lost, for nothing.

His crime was that he was a very small part of Canada's national defence and as such was a representation of Canada's military and by default a representation of Canada's stand against radical Islamic actions abroad.

Why was he killed? Some guy who was taught to hate was fulfilling a figment of someone's imagination. He was taught that it is an honourable thing to strike at the infidel (that would be any non-believer or any non-Muslim) and kill him. It would mean that he would get the approval of Allah and be ushered into paradise forever.

We have hate laws in this country which for the most part are expressions of political correctness gone bad. But when someone is taught hate to the point of murdering some innocent and unsuspecting citizen of this country, action must be taken. The source of this hate is almost always traced back to some mosque somewhere, and there are many of them that are of this ilk in Canada.

It is time to root this out at the source. I would even go so far as to say that banning all speeches, prayers, and teachings at any mosque, that had to do with "striking at the throat of the unbeliever" should be enforced. The immediate penalty, without appeal, would be deportation to the nearest Muslim dominated country.

Jim Keegstra was a school teacher from Alberta who claimed that the holocaust never took place and that the Jews were out to destroy Christianity.  He was found guilty of a hate crime, stripped of his teaching certificate, fined, put on probation, and had to do 200 hours of community service. He was a nut case and should have been ignored. What he was disputing (the Holocaust) was indisputable.

 

Now we have Imams teaching young impressionable Muslims that they should kill Christians, Jews, and lapsed Muslims, and nobody is going after them. This has got to stop.

Teacher's Strike

 

I have grown weary of the teacher's strike even though I am not a teacher, nor do I have kids that are not going to school. As a matter of fact, all of my grandkids attend private school so this dispute really does not have any effect on anyone in our family.

 

I have three things to say about the strike that I have not heard anyone say, and believe me, I have listened to this ongoing war from day one.

1. The labour contract that the government illegally 'tore up' is before the courts. Neither side wants to give in until they see what the court decision is. So we have some blaming the government, some blaming the teachers, and who knows, soon some might blame the kids. Here is a fresh take.

Blame the courts! Everyone knows how slow they are in making decisions. Here we have a critical decision that is holding up education all across the province and you would think that the litigators and judges could just burn some midnight oil and get this thing done. I have not heard a single commentator suggest this. Do we just take for granted that the courts are slow and that they have to be so?

2. Having recently read Bill Vanderzalm's autobiography, I have a better understanding about how things work in government and all things that have to do with government. Our government is made up of people who have foibles and faults and it is usually a secret know to only a few that there are personal vendettas and personal agendas going on behind the scenes. This could possibly be the case here. Wielding power, and harbouring hatred for someone, is a bad combination and it would appear to me that because the two sides are so entrenched that there might be some personal conflicts going on here.  

3. And you don't hear this because it is politically incorrect. Nobody is holding a gun to a teacher's head and making him or her be a teacher. We live in a free country with great opportunity all around us. If you do not like the pay, change careers. If it really is the case that you were born to teach and as you say, it is about the quality of education and class size, and class make-up, join the staff at a private school where you will get lower pay, but you will not have to strike and you will get to do the thing you were called to do, teach kids.

I can say this because I too belonged to a union at one time. They went on strike for more pay and less work, something I totally did not agree with. I soon quit the best paying job I ever had and changed my direction in life. It can be done.

BC's 28th Premier

 

My good friend Ray Hall gave me an autographed copy of Bill Vanderzalm's autobiography and I could not wait to get at it.

 

Bill starts right at the beginning and chronicles his life as a boy growing up in Holland. It moves rapidly at first and I enjoyed hearing about his exploits in my home town after he and his family moved to BC.

 

It is interesting throughout and for different reasons. How does a young man with just a basic education establish what becomes a thriving business and eventually leads to the world of politics? His good looks, sunny personality, and optimistic attitude were definite assets, but his work ethic, creativity, and honesty were keys to his brilliant future.

 

He leads us through the days of municipal politics and his being wooed (and lied to) by Prime Minister Trudeau to run for the federal Liberals after being such a popular mayor of Surrey. It seems that he was successful at almost everything he put his hand to but he gives ample credit to both his wife Lillian and to God. 

 

The book gets really fascinating when he recounts the Social Credit party's leadership convention in Whistler in 1986. I remember it well as it was the time in my life when I was starting to get really keen on the political scene both federally and provincially. He tells of the handshakes and deals, the jealousy and backbiting, the subversive pranks and manipulations of the power brokers and the media. 

 

Bill, at all times, was honest, above board and was what is known as a populist, an advocate for the rights of the common man. He was not manipulative, wishy-washy, or duplicitous, but was honest and forthright, and you always knew where he stood. He was not afraid to make a stand based on his moral convictions even if it was not popular with the media or his enemies. It was refreshing and he was enormously popular. BC had some of it very best years under his premiership.  

 

But for this very reason, he was made an enemy of the establishment and the media was on the side of the establishment, or at best on the side of left leaning policies, something Bill would not tolerate. The book becomes a diatribe against the media who eventually destroyed him. 

 

As I observed the Victoria actions and reactions, I sometimes thought that Bill had a sour grapes attitude toward the media but after having read his book and the record of how he was hypocritically treated by print media, TV and radio, I must agree with him. The attacks were at first subtle, but became blatant, biased and fabricated as time went on. There was almost a race to the bottom to see which reporter could dig up the worst dirt and lie to spew in order to drag Bill's name through the mud. 

It all reached a climax during the Fantasy Gardens affair when Lillian sold the gardens when it became too stressful for her to see protesters day after day plugging up her parking lot and driving business away. The Vanderzalms were treated horribly and the media were having a heyday. 

It did not stop there but continued until his resignation and even into his later years. There is no shadow of doubt that the media were very biased against him, labelling him with negative epithets at every turn.

Bill's very strength became is downfall. He was too trusting and took advice from people who were out to get him. He thought everyone was honest like he was and he thought that all politicians had the good of their constituents at heart, when it seemed at times that all there was, was a struggle for power and influence. 

If ever I was disillusioned about politics, I am even more so now. That which I always suspected has been confirmed by this revealing book. But unlike Bill, I have a difficult time putting a happy face on in spite of it.  

When one clearly spells out where he stands on every conceivable issue, he will make wonderful friends but will also make bitter enemies. This is the story of Bill Vanderzalm in a nutshell. I suppose it is why one encounters so few principled people in these days, especially politicians. When you try to be all things to all people, for the purpose of pleasing all people at all times, you become like jello and keep sliding off the plate. Soon you do not even know where you stand and everything you say and do is irrelevant because it does not come from firm convictions. 

Late in the book, Bill gets into his own personal convictions and beliefs on a variety of issues. He leaves no stone unturned and there is nothing ambiguous in what he says, but the reader knows exactly where this man stands, whether you agree with him or not.  

I find this an admirable characteristic and one lacking in our leadership today. 

4 1/2 stars      

Putin and the PQ

 

As we creep closer and closer to war in the Ukraine, I interrupted my reading of that situation with an article about the coming election in Quebec. I could not help but see a ludicrous parallel.

 

Putin claims to protect ethnic Russians in the Ukraine from the extreme right wing elements in the newly formed government there. The danger was greatest in the Crimea where ethnic Russians dominate the population so a referendum was taken and the overwhelming majority of the citizens opted for joining Russia as opposed to staying with the Ukraine. What do those people know that the west does not? I am of the opinion that referendums are an accurate gauge of the citizens wishes and are more or less pure democracy. Why should the west oppose this? Now there is threat of war because some people want to determine their own future. I know there are other serious issues but let us stick with this item for a moment.

Here in Quebec, there seems to be a resurgence of that old independence movement by the PQ. Let us say for argument's sake that the PQ win the election and there is a referendum and that the 'yes' (for separation) vote wins. Will Putin come to the aid of the separatists? Would we be upset if some foreign country came to prevent Quebec from separating or to help us keep Canada together? The obvious answer is 'yes'. This is our affair and has nothing to do with any foreign power. If separation did indeed take place and Quebec became an independent foreign nation and she decided to recruit another power as her ally, we would be powerless to stop her but as long as we are one country, nobody need interfere.

This proves to me that the real issues in the Ukraine are not political boundaries and democracy, but power and ego plays, and economic realities having a lot to do with oil and gas distribution.

 

As for our own Quebec struggles, I would like to see a serious attempt at separation, which would obviously result in utter failure, so the issue would be put to rest once and for all.  

What is Going On?

 

As I write this, the last votes are being counted in the Crimean referendum. Just what is going on is a bit mystifying. Consider this:

-there was an 80 percent voter turnout and the vote was 95% in favour of joining Russia.

-only 58% of Crimean residents are ethnic Russians and 12% are Tatar Muslims who oppose joining Russia. Did the Tatars not vote?

 

The ballot question was rigged, the two options were to join Russia or become an independent state. There was no option to remain part of the Ukraine.

 

There is something fishy about all this. At first I thought this mess in the Ukraine was a call to democracy as opposed to going back to the old Soviet style regime. An alignment with Europe more so than an alignment with Russia. Is not the Crimean referendum democracy? Should the west condemn a democratic referendum?

 

Putin has been described as an old school Soviet man who wants to restore Russian fear and respect in the world, as in the time of the 'Cold War'.

 

Yes, the old Ukrainian leader was corrupt and was skimming money for his own personal opulent lifestyle, but who exactly was  behind the up-risings. During WWII many Ukrainians joined the Germans to fight the hated communist Russians. They became Nazis. It is a heritage that many in the Ukraine kept to this day. There are numerous ultra right wing groups in the Ukraine and they go by various names but many are what we would call 'Neo-Nazis'. In fact, it was these people who were on the font lines of the violence a few weeks ago. Is it these people that Putin is referring to when he says he wants to protect ethnic Russians in the Ukraine? Is his concern legitimate? Would there be a regime of ethnic cleansing if the new leadership were to have their way? Actually, it is probably the far right interests that control the new government right now. Could Putin actually be justified in his actions? The referendum might suggest this is true.

 

Add to this, the power plays between Russia, the west, Europe, and the fact that 70% of Europe's gas and oil flow through Ukrainian pipelines. Add to this Obama's weakness or perceived weakness on foreign policy. Add to this egos.

 

If it all comes to violence once again, it will be many ordinary people who will die to satisfy the machinations of a few world leaders. What else is new? Some of my family's ancestors were Ukrainians and I am glad they got out when they did. At that time they were running away from both the Nazis AND the communist Russians. There will be many more running to the west if it comes to war once again.    

 

 

Looking for Significance

 

In case you do not recognize this fellow, he is Neil Young, Canada's most famous aging 'Rocker'. I have always been a fan of his music 

 and have, with difficulty, managed to separate his musical and lyrical talent from his person. We all have people in our lives that we admire, either for their character, their contribution, their personality, or their talents. Because no person is a complete package, we often tend to overlook the bad and appreciate the good. So it is for me with Neil Young.

He is in the news in a big way since his public stand, on Sunday, against the Athabasca Oil Sands.

Endorsements by very public figures work in the advertising industry. That is why celebrities and sports icons get paid the big dollars for doing ads for various products. That is also why many will be influenced by Young's acid comments against our government and the oil industry in Canada.  

When celebrities jump on some bandwagon, we can expect hyperbole and we get it from Young in spades. "The tar sands are worse than Hiroshima" and "the Harper government has no integrity" are comments that are over the top but do get attention.

Why would Young, a famous and rich musician who was born in Canada but had not lived here for the last 43 years suddenly show up on our doorstep and get involved in a Canadian issue when there are so many grievous issues in the USA that he could address?

 

He is not getting any younger and as a man ages, and has accomplished some personal goals, he begins to look for significance as he realizes his life in its fading years. As a secular humanist, and I have no evidence to suggest that he is not one, he is probably trying to do something of enduring value before he dies. He believes that this is an issue that is important and has taken the side that opposes it. I will not get into that debate, but rather simply suggest that he probably would like to see the oil sands shut down and then die knowing he had a significant hand in helping that to come about.

I strongly disagree with him, but will still enjoy his music.   

 

 

Bias

 

I always become rankled when I hear someone defend the CBC as the 'voice of Canada', or 'preserver of Canadian culture'. What I found over the years of listening to CBC, when I have had no other choice, is that the CBC does not speak for all Canadians, even though all Canadians (at least those of us who pay taxes) pay for it.

When we pay over $1billion per year for this monster, we should at least hear something, at least occasionally, that we like or agree with. And those of a strong Liberal bent will hear plenty that will agree with them. And therein lies the problem. They are biased and make no bones about it.

"CBC Exposed" documents many cases of arrogance, bias, fiscal mismanagement, retribution, obfuscation, and elitism. Their arrogance is portrayed in the way they will never admit that they are wrong, and when the evidence is overwhelming, they will go to court and even in their loss of the case, still will never apologise. Using your and my tax dollars, they refuse to pay a $10,000.00 out of court settlement and fight the case for over a million dollars in legal fees and then pay the complainant a million dollar fine. Are you OK with this?

The book documents how anything Conservative is deemed 'the enemy' and must be thwarted or ruined, and they are good at it, having had a lot of experience.

I have no problem with a news media being blatantly conservative, or liberal, but then do not purport to speak for all people and then use all people's money for your big salaries, huge bonuses, and lavish parties and rants against the 'enemy'.

 

Most people are so used to this type of programming from the CBC that they do even think about it. Watch critically the next time you tune in to the news or an editorial on the CBC and watch for what is reported, what is not reported, and how it is said. Critical thinking is required and when it is used, the obvious is right there in front of you.

 

A most recent example that is not in the book because it happened only a few days ago, was how Justin Trudeau was handled after telling aboriginal grade school kids that when he forms government he will legalise pot. Dig out the articles by various news outlets and judge for yourself.

 

3 1/2 stars   

 

Oblivious

 

The sun continues to beat down as our wonderful summer just keeps on going. And now it is a long weekend, outings, picnics, excursions to the USA, and maybe undertaking some last minute chores so that when school starts next week, the transition will go smoothly.

So in this land of peace and plenty, how many of us are watching the drama unfold as today President Obama announced that he has decided that a strike against Syria for using chemical weapons is justified. Do we understand just how dangerous this is, and what the motivations are behind this unilateral proposed action?

 

Obama is the first sitting president of the USA who has had zero military experience. He was a city planner, remember? So I suppose it does not occur to him that as the Commander-in-Chief of the vast US military machine, he should perhaps keep quiet about the plan of action against Syria. Hey, the guy from Wikileaks did not even do something this dumb. By announcing to the world where the strikes will take place, and what weapons will be used, he has just given the terrorist Syrian regime a 'heads up' as to what assets they should move and where they should place the maximum number of civilians, mainly women and children.

 

Lets recognise this move for what it is. He wants to proclaim to the American people that he is a strong and decisive leader. He wants to let Syria know that they are outside the norm of usual warfare and they need to be taught a lesson. But just a minute. Is this about a bad regime or is it about chemical weapons. If it is about a bad regime that tramples on human rights, then what about China, Russia, and North Korea. If you are going to be the policeman of the world, show a little consistency here.

 

He says he does not want chemical weapons to proliferate and get into the hands of the 'bad guys'. I have news. The bad guys already have them. He claims that he is not after a change in regimes, only sending a strong message that this behaviour is not acceptable.

 

Well, let's just watch and see what happens as the Syrians, whose autonomy and pride will be hurt, strike out against Israel. If we are lucky, the Syrians will make sure enough women and children will get killed and the USA will have such a black eye in the world's estimation that they will back off and learn to handle this conflict in another way.

 

Whatever happens, it will happen soon.

 

 

Bone-headed Move

 

 

So tell me. What would you be doing today if you woke up to the news that your country has just seized up to 10% of your savings account from your bank? That is the decision that Cypriots are making today. And they are doing the logical thing, taking their money out. It is called a 'run on the bank'.

 

This is having a far-reaching effect. All across Europe, the idea has taken seed that it could happen anywhere. First Cypress, then Italy, then Greece, followed by Spain and Portugal and perhaps then Ireland. By then there would be a cascading effect and all of Europe would be in a downfall and soon thereafter, America, etc. The warning sign will be huge when the banks declare 'Bank Holidays', a closing of the bank to prevent people from coming in to make withdrawals.

We see our governments do stupid things and we feel relatively helpless as there is so little we can do. But when our bank account is tampered with, we can do something.

We put our money in the bank because we deem it to be a safe thing to do. When it is apparent that it is not safe, we withdraw. When enough people do likewise, the bank and the banking system collapses.

Today's markets, as of this writing, reflect a nervousness, mainly due to the banking sector taking hits. After all, if your mutual fund portfolio has bank stocks, and you think the banks could collapse, would you not withdraw?

It will be interesting to see where this leads. I have always maintained that it will take some seemingly insignificant event to start a ball rolling that will trigger a massive crisis in the world's finances. It could be something like this.

We Need Solutions

I was going to refrain from posting anything on this topic, but due to some in-depth conversations with a number of people, I can no longer hold my tongue. The 'Idle No More' movement has become front and center in Canadian news. If we do not, we should all have an opinion, and should be thinking of a solution or two in the process. Why? Because the outcome of this evolving crisis will be felt by everyone of us, eventually. 

I am troubled by the many contradictions that I observe. 

- 10's of thousands of First Nations people around the country 'round dancing' protesting, marching, drumming and obviously not working while they are doing it. I watch on my lunch break while I am working. 

- Chief Theresa Spence, who is on a hunger strike, talks to reporters, with round and rosy cheeks, and then climbs into a luxury car to go to a hotel to have a hot shower and a rest. "Her health is failing. She could starve to death", say her supporters. She and her husband pull in almost $300,000.00 per year and drive a Cadillac SUV while their people live under leaking roofs. 

- The FN leaders want to speak to our Governor General, the Queen's representative, as nation to nation. The Queen's business was all transferred to the Canadian Parliament when our constitution was repatriated. There is no reality in their request, but a denial of history. 

-Leaders are saying that this whole mess started when aboriginals were not included in the nation building process hundreds of years ago, and yet now want to stay separate as a nation with their own culture, land, resource exploitation and governance. 

-Chiefs and band leaders salaries are in the six figures, often leading small villages of only a few hundred people, while their people live in poverty with inadequate nutrition for the children.  

-FN people's connection to the land, claiming to be guardians of the lands, waterways, and forests, and yet involved in illegal fisheries here in BC that have aided in decimating the Fraser River Salmon runs. 

-Some bands such as the Osoyoos band and the Westbank Band having great success, while others are wallowing in poverty. They could learn from each other. 

-FN people paying no tax and getting free education, and yet very few of them excelling in anything but substance abuse, prostitution, and protestations. 

-Leaders such as the head of the Manitoba band councils calling for illegal actions from his thousands of "warriors" so that they will bring the economy of Canada to its knees while they depend on the success of the Canadian economy to get their monthly welfare cheques. 

Sadly, the movement is not unified in a number of areas. They cannot agree among themselves as to who should be in the talks, and they do not want to be accountable ( they reject Bill C45 207 (3) ) and yet the grassroots band members want the leaders to own up to the abuse of funding.

I would  propose that in order to address the myriad problems that plague the relationship between First Nations and our government, that everything heretofore be thrown off the table and that we start afresh with new ideas that are satisfactory to all. Anything that worked well in the past, keep, and even enhance. Likewise, discard those elements that have been contentious and did not work well. Plan with a view in mind that we are no longer living in the 1800's and we cannot return there. Reject any romanticizing and make it clear that reviving or enhancing valuable cultural traditions will be done by those that value them, and will not cost or infringe upon the rights of other Canadians. Provide mandatory education and require that there be no welfare until at least a high school diploma is achieved. Provide for the bands, both funding and non-governmental expertise in land and resource development that will lead to total independence within a limited time frame. Grant property ownership rights. 

Even if this initially costs us billions and billions, if there is an end game, and true independence is achieved as a result, it will have been worth it. 

The dependence that has been fostered and foisted upon FN peoples was a road to ruin from the beginning. With no pride of accomplishment, no reward for effort, but only a sense of entitlement, the creative juices and talent that we are all born with, are wasted and will wither away. After generations of this, it is time to start afresh.  

When will we as Canadians stop trying to be a bunch of nations within a nation? ( Quebec, and now FNs) We are all Canadians. There is room for all of us. Let us be united in our citizenship of the greatest country in the world and take equal responsibility as we enjoy equal benefits. Every people group that has come to Canada to make a new life, including my own, left oppression and depredation, but did not protest to the government for handouts. We all worked and took advantage of the unlimited opportunities that are here. Those opportunities are still available. Even to First Nations people.  

Gun Free

 

 

Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The law, still intact after many challenges and rewrites, reads: "It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone."

 

"The government should do something", is the cry we hear in the wake of the atrocious murders of those innocent school children a few days ago. Well, they did, and it was 22 years ago that this bold law was put into effect. What has been the result you might ask.?

 

 

 

The law did not work, at least not as intended. On the contrary! A killer can be pretty much assured that when going into a gun free zone he will be the only one armed.

Think of this: Schools in particular have been singled out as a place without the ability to defend against violence. Have school shootings declined since this law as written? Most major shootings now occur in gun-free zones and nearly twice as many since the act was passed, than in the twenty years prior!

 

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This is plain and simple logic that most media and most people will overlook simply because they deny reality. NOBODY wants guns in the school. NOBODY feels comfortable with teachers and principals 'packing', ready to shoot the next crazy "Lanza" that enters their school. But then neither does anyone want any more innocent grade one children murdered.

 

 

 

 

And here is a story that did not make the news in a big way, but should have. Just days after Sandy Hook, a shooter attempted to gun down people at the Mayan Palace Theater in San Antonio, Texas. (Yes, people have guns down there) An off duty deputy whipped out her own gun and blasted him before the killer could reenact the rampage at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. The tragedy was averted. Who knows, it could have eclipsed the Sandy Hook shooting, but it was prevented, and yet it gets almost no coverage.

 

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Until such time that there are virtually no more guns in society, (and that will never happen) at least let institutions and individuals protect themselves. Knowing that they can and will do that, will be a huge deterrant to gun toting 'crazies'.

Out of Touch

This is how 'out of touch' our civic politicians are with the people they serve.


From Abbynews.com

Online Poll

Council has given approval in principle to a $17.5-million partnership with the YMCA. Do you support that decision?

Yes
No

DISCLAIMER: This web poll is informal, not scientific. It reflects opinions of site visitors who voluntarily participate. Results may not represent the opinions of the public as a whole. Black Press is not responsible for the statistical accuracy of opinions expressed here.

Current Results
Total Votes: 205

 

 

Yes

24 votes (12 %)

 

 

No

181 votes (87 %)

                                                     Current High Answer: No

Not a Corny Joke

 

Bureaucracy (Big Brother) has never been stopped by reason or common sense. Rules, regulations, agendas, dogma, and pig headedness are the guiding lights. Take the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in the USA for example.

It is commonly known that the drought throughout most of the USA Midwest this summer has decimated the corn crop. The corn shortage has driven up prices for anything corn, including both animal and human food. One would think that would precipitate an action to reduce the Green driven agenda of using a designated amount of corn for ethanol, which is mixed with our gasoline to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The effectiveness (or lack thereof) of this initiative is a story by itself.

The mandated increase in corn consumption for ethanol for 2013 brings it to 40% of the total corn produced on US soil.

Why are we burning our food?

A few days after his election, President Obama declared 1.6 million acres of potential oil producing, government owned lands, off limits to oil extraction. Another agenda by the Greens.

Would not common sense dictate that in order to keep food prices down, that some of that ethanol could be foregone by extracting a little more oil from the ground? After all, the USA is declared to have become the country with the richest oil reserves in the entire world.

Don't you think some of it could be used for a rainy day*?

 

*I use "rainy day" as a euphemism for drought. Rather clever, don't you think?

Petitions

 

Americans are becoming more polarized with each successive election. Something is happening now with Obama having been elected for a second term. Some folks are wanting out.

 

It is interesting that the Obama administration has promised to grant a "generous review of online proposals" to petitions that attract more than 25,000 names.

As of yesterday, Texas has 116,070 individuals who have pledged allegiance to the idea of leaving the USA and going it alone. Texas maintains a balance budget and is the 15th largest economy in the world! How better to preserve their standard of living and secure their rights as citizens?

 

Similar petitions (69 at last count) were filed in the last few days across the nation, indeed in every state. The most enthusiastic are Louisiana 36,738 ...... Florida 34,468 ..... Georgia 31,799.  Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama all posted more than 30,000 names. So far.

 

It reminds me of our own Quebec and Alberta. Occasional flare-ups  of heat, but to this date, no light.