Only two more days and it’s over!!!!

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Canada., elections, Federal, Harper, Mulcair, Padova, Padua, Parliament, Pyramid, Rome, Trudeau, Veneto, Venice

Like most Canadians, I have suffered through a long and often painful electoral campaign of 78 days, the longest in Canadian history. In Canada usually a campaign is 42 days which is long enough. I am sorry that the important issues like Health Care funding, the infrastructure in our Cities, the economy and our Foreign Policy was not fully discussed instead we got the racist and xenophobic speeches of Stephen Harper who revealed himself to be a hater, a loner and someone out of touch with reality, promising mediocrity and a colonial Canada back to the bad old days.

On the other hand I am very proud that my riding Ottawa Centre had the highest participation of early voters during the four days of advance polling of all of Canada. A feat really when you think of it. Mind you, I, like many people in Ottawa Centre can walk to Parliament in about 10 minutes by foot. So when you are that close to the seat of power it is difficult not to be plugged in all the time, which can also be a curse.

Some 3.6 million Canadians voted during the advance polling an increase of 71% since 2011. It is a supreme irony that Justin Trudeau the son of Pierre E. Trudeau one of our great Prime Ministers, would defeat Stephen Harper, according to Harper, Justin was not ready, really? It seems the public thinks otherwise. Am sure the bitter irony of it all is not lost on Harper and his crew. Justin is 43 years old the same age as JFK when he became President. Justin style was to lead a campaign where he includes everyone of us and speaks of fresh air and positive change. Though Tom Mulcair of the NDP had a good campaign his ideas were sound and solid but unfortunately he forgot lesson number one of politics, keep it simple, in the end too many big words and concepts, all good but  difficult for the average person to grasp.

The vote is Monday October 19 and all the polls of various polling companies now say that the Liberals are at 38% the Conservatives at 30% and the NDP at 24%, many predict a small majority Liberal Government. I am just happy like lots of people that the toxic Harper may be gone and with him the party he fashioned, because if you look closely you will notice there is no team, it’s a Party of One.

Also on Friday many Shred-it trucks around the Prime Minister’s Office and other Ministerial Offices in downtown Ottawa. The number of trucks alone was highly unusual, too many boxes being loaded, there was also some moving of furniture going on. Already a transition on the way? Seems so.

It is Fall now in Ottawa, the leaves have gone from the trees and the air is crisp, pumpkins are out and the Rideau Canal is being drained in preparation for the Winter skating. I have changed my wardrobe to Winter setting a Seasonal ritual. It is also a chance to give away things you no longer want.

We are also getting a trainer again for our two dachshunds, they are as a breed of dogs very difficult to train, too stubborn they say, but it is not impossible and what we want to correct are things that should be attended too.

I am also thinking of Christmas this year what will we do. Probably stay in town, at home. No I am not putting the Xmas music on quite yet.

Here are photos of places I like and visited often maybe Fall like in a way.

Padova, Italy, view of the basilica of Saint-Anthony of Padua which is a beautiful church and contains the grave of the Saint who remains one of the most popular in the Catholic church. He was Portuguese and joined Saint Francis attracted to the Humanist thinking which would lead to the Renaissance period. The Oval park surrounded by a ring of water is the former Roman colosseum which at the Renaissance was converted into a green space. Padova is a University town, lots of good restaurants and history and if you wish to visit Venice, you are only 25 minutes away by train.

The pyramid tomb of Caius Cestius Epulo in Rome at the Protestant Cemetery by the Gate of St-Paul, built in 19 BC in only 330 days. Recently restored with a monetary gift of a Japanese businessman.

A view of the entrance to the Grand Canal from the Sea in Venice. Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore ( Most Holy Redeemer) built in 1592 in Giudecca. Architects Andrea Palladio and Antonio Da Ponte.

The column of Saint Teodoro with the monster of the lagoon in Venice. He is the Patron Saint of the City of Venice. The monument is next to the Royal Palace and the Palace of the Doge. The Chapel in the Palace of the Doge is dedicated to him. St-Teodoro is an Eastern Orthodox Saint and until the 9th century Venice was close to the Eastern Christian rite which explains the Byzantine decorative style of the Basilica of St-Mark. After the Venetian brought back the remains of St-Mark from Egypt in 828 AD, he replaced St-Teodoro as Patron of Venice.

Montreal, today, my home town.

Paris

A simple pleasure, a nice coffee on a Fall day or any day really.