This weekend

Tags

Beaverbrook, Budget, Food, Fredericton, Halifax, Riopelle, Ukraine

A quiet time really, much was done this week and now it is quiet. I continue to be horrified by the situation in Ukraine and the war crimes of Russia. The Federal Budget came out yesterday and I am happy with it. I think that Chrystia Freeland as Finance Minister gave us a responsible budget and is addressing important issues. I was also happy to see Justice Brown Jackson confirmed to the US Supreme Court, I heard her speak at the hearing and was impressed with her knowledge and calm, well spoken, she will do well on the Bench. She reminds me of our Canadian Supreme Court Judges, in the way she handles herself.

I am still trying to plan a trip to Halifax which is 325 km away. I would go over 2 days so as not to be too tired.

We visited Fredericton in New Brunswick 2 years ago and at the time the Beaverbrook Art Gallery was closed for a large second expansion construction work. It reopens this weekend with a Jean-Paul Riopelle, CC GOQ RCA (1923-2002) painting exhibit.

He was a painter and sculptor from Quebec, Canada. He had one of the longest and most important international careers of the sixteen signatories of the Refus Global, the 1948 manifesto that announced the Quebecois artistic community’s refusal of clericalism and provincialism.

If ever you visit Fredericton, do go see the Beaverbrook Gallery, it’s collection is beautiful and extensive. The city itself is rich in Canadian History and great heritage architecture. It became an important military garrison town during the revolution in the colonies, several well known figures like Major Andre, Benedict Arnold and others came to Fredericton and their homes can be seen. Fredericton is the Capital of New Brunswick and is name after one of the sons of King George III.

The Beaverbrook Gallery with the new Harrison McCain wing.

I always say to people who would not visit an art gallery that if you go and see a painting that appeals to you, think that the painter is talking to you. The painting is a conversation and the painter is expressing a thought, an idea or a mood. Every painting has a story just like a book, it is up to you to make the effort to decipher what is going on.

Harrison McCain (1927-2004) was the potato king in Florenceville, New Brunswick. McCain products can be seen in all grocery stores from french fries to frozen pizza. He died some years ago and his family gave money to have this wing built at the Beaverbrook. Back in 1984, I was starting my Foreign Service Career and in those days, the Department of Foreign Affairs would send all new recruits on a Canada wide tour. We came to visit the McCain factory and HQ in Florenceville. Harrison McCain, spoke rapid-fire English — and he drove his Cadillac just as fast. He was assertive, salty-tongued, headstrong, and charismatic, he greeted us and like all multi-billionaire business tycoon, he was super confident in his product and it was a national success. After showing us around and boasting about the Frozen French Fry, he showed us a new products aimed at kids after school snack, the mini pizza. It was no bigger than 3 inches across with a tomato cheese topping. The audience test had gone very well, mothers and kids loved it. He asked if we had any questions, one colleague of mine being very earnest and a bit of an nutritional activist, said; Mr McCain how do you feel about feeding fast food to children and ruining their health. McCain was obviously very angry at this question, he immediately demanded the name of this person. We were ushered out quickly and the next day we heard that he had phoned Ottawa and spoke to the Minister asking that this individual be sacked on the spot for attacking a national brand. This person was not fired, but we were told in no uncertain terms never to do this ever again.

On YouTube

Tags

Canada, Judge Brown, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, US Senate, US Supreme court, war

Yesterday I decided to watch for a short while the hearing in the American Senate of Judge Kentaji Brown Jackson for the position of Supreme Court nominee. The American process is very different from the Canadian one for Supreme Court Justices.

In Canada there is no confirmation process, Justices are selected from a list prepared for the Prime Minister by various bodies like the Law Society of Canada and consultative committees who will recommend a list of people and one will be chosen after vetting by the Privy Consul of Her Majesty. A name will then be given to the Prime Minister who will announce who is being nominated. That is it, no partisan nonsense. Judges in Canada are all politically neutral and if they want to keep their jobs better keep to that. The only time you hear from them is when they render a judgement. The Supreme Court in Canada is the Third pillar of our Constitutional Order, independent of any political interference or pressure. A few years ago Conservative PM Harper was unhappy with some judgement of the Supreme Court and made a point of criticizing openly the Chief Justice of the time Beverly MacLachlin, Harper said that the Judges where activists and rewriting laws, etc…

Not only is this totally inappropriate for a PM to do that as head of Government but it creates sort of an American atmosphere of trying to pressure the Court. The Chief Justice never replied to him, kept silent which only reinforced her hand and he looked foolish. PM Harper lost 16 cases at the Supreme Court because the Laws being contested were unconstitutional and poorly written. He was not happy about that, thus his criticism of the Court. He also lost despite trying to name people who he thought conservative and would see matters his way, that backfired and he realized too late that you cannot control the Supreme Court.

In this case I watched Judge Brown being questioned by Senator Cruz, Cotton, Graham, what fools. Cotton implied that she was rewriting laws, his questions were poor, confusing, he did not seem to understand that Laws are written and directions is given by Congress and Judges must abide by the Congress wishes, this is what Judge Brown reminded him time and again. Nope, Cotton did not get that at all. Cruz apparently went to the same Law school as Judge Brown and he raised the whole Race Theory agenda and the Child pornography laws, trying to give the impression that Judge Brown was an activist and soft on crime. As for Graham, what a clown, in an underhanded way, he called her a skunk, saying he had heard that from another senator, he asked her about her religion and if she went to Church, often, how many times in a year, was she some kind of religious freak. He also attacked Biden and his past record and without saying it implied that Biden was not a good choice for President. The abuse the poor woman had to put up with was unbelievable and had nothing to do with her record as a judge. It was a partisan attack to smear her. For someone watching from a foreign country it really does not show the USA in a good light. The Republican are also fascinated with pedophilia, this topic came back time and again. Graham went on and on about it. To the credit of Judge Brown she kept her composure, she spoke very clearly and well, level headed, not taking the bait, not getting angry at the terrible comments and the abuse. She has a superior intellect and that is clear. I stopped watching it, it is simply a disgrace to watch.

More important things are happening at NATO HQ in Brussels this week and our collective fate is in the balance. NATO is a 30 member States, it was revealed today by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, that battleships from various nations including Canada are gathering in the Baltic and Black Sea, NATO nations have readied their Air Force, Canada has sent our F-18 to Poland and armies are being massed in Eastern Europe, the USA has 100,000 troops, all on high alert. Tomorrow Thursday a Special Meeting of NATO is taking place and we will know what measures will be taken to stop Russia. From listening to various European experts and from our own Canadian Ambassadors, something is going to happen Thursday.

China has also been implicated now as complicit with Russia in this war and may face severe economic sanctions.

We are now at a very dangerous moment in the history of the World. We can only hope that Putin can step back, can save face and make a compromise. Putin has refused despite repeated demands by NATO that he not use Nuclear Weapons or chemical or biological weapons, if he does, well the response will be very strong from NATO.

On the map below not shown is Canada and the USA as NATO members.

Best Birthday Gift

Tags

Canada, Concert, Liberal, NDP, Parliament, PEI, Singh, Trudeau, Ukraine

This morning in the news some unexpected developments in Parliament in Ottawa, the NDP and the Liberals have reached an agreement which would allow the current government of Justin Trudeau to stay in power until 2025 for the next election. The NDP would support them on supply votes (Budget) which is very important on the condition that the Liberals would push for implementation with the Provinces of a Pharmacare and Dental Care for all. This is how we got the medicare system for all in 1964. At the time Prime Minister Pearson supported Tommy Douglas the leader of the NDP. The opposition you guess it was the Conservatives who preferred the American system fend for yourself approach, they still do 57 years later.

This agreement is leading to announced progressive policies which will be beneficial to so many people, this includes the national daycare for kids at $10 a day. Now many of these policies will not benefit me but the point is that it will benefit society as a whole and make life more affordable for all including seniors in the case of pharmacare reducing to a minimal amount or $0 the cost of medication. Same with dental care, meaning better health care for all. The NDP and the Liberals have all the votes they need now in Parliament to push all those policies through. Also in this agreement there will be no more run around the bush committee meetings the Conservatives love to attack none stop the Government inventing scandals that do not exist and waisting parliamentary time and money.

Immediately the leader of the Conservative Candice Bergen jumped denouncing this agreement and saying this was illegal and a power grab, you cannot trust Trudeau and Singh, two dangerous socialists. It’s the end of the world, lost jobs, debts, etc… She also called it a coalition, which it is not. The PM did not offer any Cabinet seats to the NDP, it is an agreement to work together in the House. Of course this agreement throws a monkey wrench into the Conservative’s narrative and now they have to come up with a better plan or argument. PM Trudeau has a minority government and such arrangements are feasible in our Parliamentary system. It showed Ms Bergen as disingenuous in her criticism. The Conservatives for years now have always fallen back on how Trudeau is a crook and cannot be trusted, blah, blah, blah. It works with their base, remember the truckers occupying Ottawa, yes that bunch, the white supremacists and the Trump supporters.

So it is all good and will ensure stability in Government for the next few years, allowing for the progressive agenda to move forward including the Green Agenda to deal with climate change.

Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the NDP and PM Trudeau in his Office in Parliament today.

Please keep Ukraine in your thoughts.

Licence and permit

Tags

car, licence, tax, the Queen, Trudeau, Ukraine, Windsor, YouTube

In PEI each year if you own a car you have to renew your Licence plate sticker and have your car inspected for safety another sticker. It happens on your birthday so it is up to you to remember to renew, no one is going to call you about it.

The Licence plate sticker is $100. it is done online and takes about 1 minute to do. The safety inspection is done by appointment to your dealership or any accredited garage and cost $45. However often the inspection has a surprise to it. The garage or dealership may say suddenly, you need new brakes or you need 4 new tires or you need this and that fixed. There is no way out of this one, if you say no, you do not get your sticker showing you pass the safety inspection and your car insurance is cancelled. No appeal. So you do what you are told. I do not like the system in PEI because it is really useless, every year? Could it not be every 3 years. True you do not see old cars or jalopy cars on the road, but we do get the no muffler models cars, trucks and motorcycles which baffles me because it is illegal.

Have you seen on YouTube the numerous videos about abandoned mansions or palaces in Europe or abandoned cemeteries in the USA. I wonder if those places are truly abandoned or just closed up by owners over a period of years and people just break in and tell you it’s abandoned. The same for cemeteries which have big mausoleums where dozens of people are encased in wall niches, the stench alone would be enough to make me run away. One video was of a famous American family of the 19th century, very wealthy and they are all entombed in this mountain side mausoleum outside New York City. The family had to have the doors bolted shut and added steel bars to prevent anyone from entering. It is ghoulish and you have to wonder why anyone would want to film around such a place. Can’t people just rest in peace.

As for the mansions and chateaux here and there, some are in a state of advance ruin, others simply appear shut down for a few months. I did see in one video the keeper of the place come after the intruders with big guard dogs. If it says Keep Out, that is what it means. The people filming always say: would you not want to restore this place and live here? Really, do they have any idea what it would cost to renovate such places nowadays. Just the cost of maintaining large homes or chateaux is beyond most people’s budget. To do what with it, impress your friends?

It seems that on YouTube there are people making a career of developing a hobby of filming just about anything they believe could be of interest to a larger group. I would not call them influencers.

This week Prime Minister Trudeau is in Europe as is the Minister of Defense Anita Anand and the Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly. All 3 are on different missions but all of it is about Ukraine and NATO.

Here is the photo of the audience Prime Minister Trudeau at Windsor Castle meeting with Her Majesty this week. She has known him since he was 5 years old when his father Pierre Trudeau took him on his Official trips around the world. The Queen quite likes Justin and gave him a 45 minute audience. Most people get only 20 minutes.

Foods good and bad

Tags

dachshunds, dogs, economy, Food, Oil, Ukraine, war

To continue with my story about Nicky and Nora, Nick will not jump on anything, so I have to lift him up unto the sofa. Nora just jumps and is very independent. Nick is the whiner, not only do you have to lift him up, he then expects you to tuck him into his blanket and say a few soothing words and a cuddle. Nora needs no help and she keeps one eye on you at all times, Nick falls asleep. He is happiest if I am sitting next to him and he snuggles up in his blanket and I put my arm over him. Then he feels perfectly safe and falls into a very deep sleep and dreams. Last night he was sound asleep when all of a sudden he starts to dream and he huffs and puffs, his face twitches, his eyebrows move up and down and he starts to have muffled barks and growls, his claws come out. I do not wake him up it’s his dream. It passes soon enough and when he wakes up, he looks at me as if to say, where am I. Nora also dreams and also has these little episodes, we always wonder what they are dreaming about.

About food, when shopping at the grocery store I am continually surprised that we have so much on offer, from frozen foods of all kinds, to a large variety of meatless products, natural, bio, gluten free, halal meat, we do not have kosher on the island despite our Jewish community of 260 people. Then the ancient grains and other combinations. Apparently ancient grains are so much better for you, your ancestor the cave guy ate them all the time. There are a lot of food fads around and they do not last. What about these doctors who beg you not to eat this or that fruit or vegetable, where does that come from? There are a lot of scams out there.

On instagram there is a plethora of physical fitness, training instructors who constantly push diets, eat this and eat that. Do’s and don’ts, carb and protein, etc. I simply cannot pay attention to any of it. Also most of these guys are under 30, there entire life is at the gym, morning, noon, night. When not at the gym they travel to Mexico or Thailand for a vacation. I found them vacuous during the height of Covid, it was party, party in packed discos and now with war in Europe, they look mindless, their lives appear out of any real context, it’s still party time, not a care in the world. They must all be millionaires or….

What is also the fascination with Dubai? I don’t get it. To me Dubai is and was a duty free city and nothing else. It is all about shopping for luxury products and cars. Again why would you want to live there for an extended period of time, as a young person. It is all very strange.

Gas in PEI is now $7.90 a gallon. the price went up another .10 cents this morning. It had gone up .12 cents 2 days ago and I am sure it is going to continue to rise even more. The big question here on the Island is what to do, people love buying big gas guzzlers, F-150 trucks and giant SUV, you can well imagine the cost now at the pump. It is all about putting priority on status symbols. An interview this morning on the radio, asking people will they consider buying an electric car, no comes the reply, this hike is just temporary. HELLO!!!! no it’s not, but they will find out soon enough with the war in Europe and the disruption it brings to the world economy. Next came a report on the price of food, Ukraine is the breadbasket of Europe and Canada is a huge producer of wheat, we had a very bad harvest in the last 2 years due to climate change, guess what, food prices will continue to climb. This with rising interest rates will create a storm for many who have over extended themselves. Economists have shown that the average Canadian for every $1.00 earned owes $1.64 in debt. How do you get out of that one? Too many hope the Government will provide a miracle cure. I am always surprise how few understand basic economics.

Recurring dream

Tags

Canada, dreams, life, nuclear war, Putin, Russia, Ukraine, work

In the last 3 years I have been having this dream which at times is very real and vivid. It is always the same scenario, I am not retired from work but on some kind of vacation or leave. I get a call to come back to work, a special assignment abroad, which is various regions of the world and where there is a lot of work to do and experience is needed. No one wants that job, I am happy to do it and volunteer for it. I go through the preparation and meeting prior to a posting. I see people and have conversations with them. Reminiscing about past years and other postings.

I never actually leave for the post in question but it feels like I am back at work and happy to do it. Then I remember that I said I would retire but luckily I did not or did I, some confusion but it seems that all that is overlooked, I can re-integrate my work unit. It seems the dream has a lot to do with crisis in the world. During my career, I often went on assignments or took postings in difficult areas, I always enjoyed them and felt I was helping or making things happen. It is almost as if my brain still thinks that this part of my life is not really over, despite the fact that I have now been retired 10 years. Strange how one’s brain and memories come forward and dreams opens the door to the past and to fantasies.

Right now I am focusing on Spring and how many days are left before it officially arrives, the sun now sets at 6:25pm a month ago it was setting at 5pm and around new year at 4:15pm. Soon in a few days the clocks will spring forward and one more hour of daylight will happen instantly. To me this means Winter is definitely on the way out.

Strangely COVID wise in the last 24 hours the artistic and musical community has been hit all of a sudden in large numbers. Many shows have been cancelled. People still wear their masks and many are saying they will keep their masks even if it is no longer mandatory.

Despite the very bad news coming from the war in Europe, life here on the Island continues, people are worried but not overly so, there is a feeling that all this is very far away, but tonight French President Macron said after his 90 minute phone call to Vladimir Putin that the war was going to get much worse in the days to come. Are we slipping into a disaster? It looks like it and frankly like a lot of people I have no idea what to do. Will anyone stop Putin? I don’t know, he appears totally isolated in the Kremlin. His advisors can only see him via Zoom. If this war is about settling scores with the USA and humiliating America we are in for a very rough and dangerous time, it is not going to end well.

At doom’s doorstep:It is 100 seconds to midnight

Tags

Canada., climate change, covid, life, nuclear war, PEI, Russia, Ukraine, war

Since January 2020 things have not gone well in the world. COVIC has taken it’s toll on all of us and many are beyond tired of the disinformation and the general selfishness, me first attitude of many. Climate change is ever present and the weather is becoming weird and dangerous.

I thought that 2022 would be different but no, now we have the threat of Nuclear War which comes from Vladimir Putin. His language is more and more bellicose and you cannot afford to think that he may be bluffing, the consequences are too dire for us all. Canada is a sitting duck, we have a long border with Russia in the Artic region, and the USA on the 49th parallel. Both great nuclear powers and it is easy to believe that Canada in the middle could be sacrificed. Few believe that nuclear war could happen given that this would mean death to millions of people in a few minutes and make life on Earth impossible for the survivors. Because it is so unbelievable most prefer to think that no it is just a Russian bluff. Canada has the largest Ukrainian population in the World at 1.3 million people outside of The Ukraine. Living mostly in Western Canada, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Canada has closed its airspace to all flights from Russia, European Union and the UK have done the same. We also closed our waterways and ports to all Russian ships. Politicians are hoping that DEFCON and NORAD which is in need of upgrading will protect us. Canada does not have much of an airforce our planes are old F18. Same with the navy and our army. As for emergency preparedness we saw in Ottawa a few weeks ago how unprepared the city was to occupation by a small group of Qanon and anti-vax individuals, the city’s administration collapsed, the police collapsed and the Chief resigned. No one knew what to do in a city of 1 million people and the capital of Canada. The Opposition party in Parliament gave their support to the so called Freedom Convoy, called on the Prime Minister to resign and go talk with the protesters. A terrible situation, not to mention all the US right wing media and Trump attacking Canada.

Here is PEI the little racist drama of PEI HOCKEY continues, some 16 yr old and their parents using racist language towards other players of colour, Hockey PEI at first pretended they did not know or where unaware, but in the glare of the media were forced to admit wrong doing. Many Islanders resent deeply the presence of non-Islanders as permanent resident of their Island Province. You will not encounter this in other parts of Canada where large populations drown out such voices. The population of the Island is growing quickly and the new comers are from other parts of Canada or immigrants. Investments in general come from Canada or is international. There is a continuing whining about the good old days before the Bridge over the Strait was built in 1997, when only white people lived here. It is said that Islanders are generous but not kind, that is true. It’s the ugly side you don’t see covered up by the myth of the cradle of the sea.

So yes life is somewhat complicated right now, but one can always remain optimistic, Spring is around the corner and COVID is retreating now. So let’s keep smiling, what else can we do, walk on the sunny side of the street. However one cannot help worrying about nuclear war and an unstable dictator in Russia, the repercussion of economic sanctions, the position of China and India in this crisis both are hedging their bets either with Putin or with the West.

Tomorrow is another day.

On a cold but sunny Friday

Tags

Canada, covid, Food, Russia, Sicily, Spring, Ukraine, USA, Wine

We are in mid-January and typically the weather is very cold. I had my booster shot 3 days ago and all is well, no after effects. So now I am all boosted and frankly Covid is no longer my priority. I lived in too many countries where many awful diseases where endemic and my vaccinations protected me. So time to move along.

The weather has been cold, frigid, the Hillsborough river is now frozen. We are in a lockdown but the number of sick people has been dropping every day. Yes those who are sick are unvaccinated and maybe you will think me callous or unfeeling but I really do not care about them, it has been 2 years, plenty of time to do the right thing. Everyday we have 100 + spot for vaccination available on PEI so if you want a shot it is very easy to get and takes about 6 minutes. Someone I know yesterday was shopping and stopped at the Pharmacy enquired about a vaccine and got it on the spot. Could it be easier?

I have joined those who are fully vaccinated and feel they should be allowed to go about their lives and not have to worry about the Covidiots who sit there and complain.

So we are more or less confined to our homes, though you can shop for groceries and pick up at the restaurant, but that is not civilized living. On the other hand we have had some pretty marvellous meals at home thanks to Will.

I was thinking this week, that if one day I was to travel again I would love to return to Granada to see the Alhambra palace and the gardens again. What a stunning place it was, and to think it was built 1000 years ago, a marvel. Portugal would be another place I would like to visit again. We had a very nice visit to Lisbon a few years ago. Then Sicily, such an ancient place, beautiful Marsala, Trapani, Monreale, Ragusa, Catania on the slope of Mount Etna. The food in Sicily is a completely different cuisine from Italy, due to centuries of Spanish, Normand and Arab influences. The wines are also of great quality with all that volcanic soil.

I would like a month long trip, not a week or a few days, which is good if you are young and must get back. On the other hand I have cooled to cruises, the food is usually just ok despite what you are told, the rooms on board are nice but I never found them as comfortable as an hotel room. Frankly the crowds on ships despite being on smaller ships get to me. I think that I would like some really good food and service, something you do not come across much these days despite high prices. However if one travels now there are all these tests and complications mass confusion at the airport, not to mention the crazy travellers.

Catania and Mount Etna

Well on 1 February we will see if the sanctions come off and if life returns to a more normal pace, let’s hope so.

But then Blinken meets Lavrov to talk about the Ukraine, what they are really talking about is not so much a possible invasion as let’s not use any nuclear weapons, negotiating a complicated ballet. Would be inexcusable to blow up the planet over the Ukraine. If there is an invasion by Russia, the only likely response will be severe or more severe economic sanctions. Europe may not follow because their economy would suffer, China will help Russia in any way they can, Iran also will be part of the underhanded help. I love to listen to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, so calm and worldly, he knows his stuff and will not be perturbed, Blinken looks unsure and nervous.

As for Canada in all this, well our Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, a nice person and well educated but way over her head. Canada can do nothing in this conflict we are irrelevant, even with our gift of $120 million to help Ukraine, chump change really. Our Armed forces leadership has been decapitated with a series of well timed alleged sexual peccadillos. Our army is short 12,000 men, ill equipped, no air force to speak of and no navy, all this due to decades of cut backs on military spending. So I so not think that Russia is too worried about us.

How many days til Spring? 58 Days! Seems like an eternity.