The Death Zone

Lying in bed this morning, I started thinking about the recent death of yet another friend and began listing all my relatives and contemporaries who have left this planet for the great unknown in the past few years.  Yep, B and I are definitely in what I call 'The Death Zone'.

Here are just the ones I can remember at the moment.  I am sure I will add to this sad list as the day wears on and memories flood back:    

Betty-Anne
John
Bob**

Mike

Jane

John

Wendy

Heather

Art*

Barry*

Libby

Jamie

Gordon

Holden

David

Terry

Stevie

Brian*

Bryan*

Andy

Richard

Ted

Paddy*

Donna

Charlotte

Cameron

Russ

Joe

Joe

Wendy

Jack

Ian

Jimmy

Jeff

Derek

Jacqui

Emile

Gabriel

Madame Blais

Billy

Bill

Theodore

May they all Rest in Peace.  

Lost friends, husbands, beaus and loved ones.

I am approaching my 79th birthday, May 1st, so this list takes on new meaning.  Today, I thank God for my health, my children and my grandchildren.

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Note: ** ex-husband

            * former beaus

Memory lane....

Seventeen years ago, Marlene Shepherd, owner of that fabulous store 'Shepherd's', asked me to take part in her Christmas ad campaign.  I was flabbergasted, but thrilled of course.  I was 62 and this campaign was brilliant because all the models she chose were of a "certain" age.  Why?  Because we had the money!

Here are a couple of newspaper ads that ran in 'The Ottawa Citizen':

I bought and still wear that beautiful red jacket.

Here we are, the models of the mature women ad campaign.

It was quite the Christmas.  The campaign also included radio spots, which I had to record in a studio in the Market.  My salad days for sure!

 

The highlight of my year

Every year, Hilary and I enjoy a girls' weekend for her birthday.  We stay on the Gold Floor of the magnificent Palliser Hotel in Calgary.  I use the time to talk about anything and everything -- including observations of fellow diners that tell us what to wear, what not to wear and how to behave.  Or not.  

This year, she turned 12, here is a little visual record of our time:

Enjoying the Gold Floor.

The famous Calgary Tower, where we had lunch in the revolving restaurant at the very top.

The magnificent Rockies, viewed from the Calgary Tower.

My beautiful granddaughter.

Great swimmer!

So many desserts!

The Saddle Dome, seen from the top of the Calgary Tower.

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This came across my feed, unrelated to our weekend, but Barton's outfit on the left is a perfect example of a screaming fashion botchup -- such as the ones I warned Hilary about during our weekend observations.  Camouflage pants and blue shoes?!  And to think, we are giving her a clothing allowance via the CBC! 

Didn't get published

Just to make sure I have a record of my letters (I have a huge scrapbook of Vol. 1), I am sharing a few that didn't get in, so when I publish my next volume, they will be recorded.  Here are just a few............

Me and my letters.

 Dear Editor, Globe and Mail,

I too am adopted, but am not part of the Indigenous "sixties scoop" , thus would never presume to comment on the experience of that cohort.  I am instead a Caucasian baby boomer who considers herself "rescued".  Finding my birth mother and family (pre-Internet) was a years-long, arduous slog through city directories and dead-end phone calls.  Sadly, when I did finally light upon the right person, I learned she had died just a year before.

However, meeting the family within which I would have been reared made me profoundly grateful to have been adopted by the fine people who became my parents and extended family.  Instead of the privileged, middle-class upbringing I had had, I would have been raised in poverty and intermittent depravation.  My birth mother's unselfish sacrifice in giving me away allowed me to succeed; I doubt I would have in my birth family.  

So, not all adoption stories are bleak.  Mine was done in the best interests of both me and my birth mother.  I was lucky and very grateful society found a place for me to reach my full potential.

_______________________________________

Dear Editor, Globe and Mail

While a letter writer claims Pierre Poilievre shows disdain and contempt for journalists, I would argue Prime Minister Carney shows even more disdain and contempt for Parliament itself.  He rarely attends question period and when there, often leaves early when questions get too annoying.  To me, that is clear disdain for our democratic system.

Mr. Carney needs to park his jet in a hangar for a while, stay in Ottawa and show up to face all Canadians in the House of Commons — those who voted for him and more to the point, those who didn't. 

_____________________________________

Dear Editor, Globe and Mail

Never mind Gateway and Trans Mountain, I'm old enough to remember 'The Great Canadian Pipeline Debate" of 1956.  The issues surrounding this kerffufle centred on who would pay and who would own the TransCanada Pipeline to get Alberta oil to Ontario and Quebec.  Chaos reigned in the House of Commons for months, with one Liberal MP, Lorne MacDougall, actually dying during the overheated debate. 

Now the debate is about getting Alberta oil to offshore markets, but it remains about getting an invaluable resource for all Canadians to market.  Sound familiar?  Plus ca change.....

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Dear Editor, Calgary Herald

Carney's recent video to Canadians was a re-hash of unfulfilled pre-election promises, not a summary of actual accomplishments.  Yet, his poll numbers mysteriously remain consistently high. 

Puts one in mind of that old fable, "The Emperor's New Clothes", in which the emperor rides around town completely naked, while everyone raves and cheers about his beautiful new outfit.  It's baffling?  When will Canadians wake up and realize Mr. Carney is basically that naked emperor?

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There are many more, but I will include those in another blog.

I'm not interested

I don't know why, but lately my facebook algorithm has been popping up coverage of Margaret Trudeau?  In my view, if ever there was a useless woman, it's Margaret.

She's never earned a cent in her entire life.  The woman has lived off men from her upbringing to her marriages to Pierre Trudeau and then Fried Kemper.  I was baffled when Pierre married her and figured it was to get votes in B.C.  Gawd, what a stupid reason to marry such a vacant airhead.  

When that marriage fizzled, she took the money and ran off with another rich guy, Fried Kemper.  She actually had two kids with him, but when that collapsed, she reverted to the 'Trudeau' moniker so she could dine out on that for the rest of time.  Her two Kemper kids have been kicked to the curb, which upon reflection, is probably a good thing for them.  

Now, Margaret is seen giving "motivational" speeches to rapt female audiences.  Well, of course they're rapt because they actually think she is some sort of "feminist".  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I mean, what has she accomplished?

Reminds me of that other rabid feminist Gloria Steinem who used the wealthy Clay Felker's money to finance "Ms" magazine.  It went bust because the world of money is run by men who really didn't want to hear about how oppressive, domineering and basically bad they were.

Anyway, all I am saying is that if you want to listen to a female role model, don't listen to Margaret Trudeau.  Listen to the brilliant Camille Paglia.  She's my hero.

Camille Paglia, a true feminist.

    

Another nothing burger and a pile of dough

What in Gawd's name could anyone learn from Leblanc?

Before I get started on the Indigenous, again, I just had to let you know that you can hear Dominic Leblanc impart his vast wisdom and expertise at a 'Globe and Mail' sponsored series of round tables and it'll only cost you $995!  What a bargain!

Frankly, I wouldn't pay a nickel to hear anything that over-refreshed shill has to say about anything.  But I bet a whole bunch of people will.  He's the same guy who was going to get Canada a tariff-free deal with the U.S., no problem.  That was a year ago and guess what?  Crickets.  Just another Carney barker, in my view.

Speaking of Carney, he just gave the most bizarre and unnecessary speech I have heard him deliver since his Davos dream speech.  I thought it was on re-wind because it was exactly the same drivel he spouted when he hoodwinked Canadians into voting for him.  Since he has taken office?  A lot of sound-and-fury-signifying-nothing.  He's racked up a lot of air miles and tucked into some very pricey and fancy in-flight catering, but what has come of it?  Rhetorical.  

Now he's handing out millions to Sudan.  Sudan??!!  A completely corrupt and failed state.  He's also throwing another pile at Cuba, a "shith-le of a country," according to Trump and he's right on that one.  As for Ukraine, billions have lined the personal coffers of Zelensky with no end game in sight.  It's all outrageous, while vets and seniors live on Canadian streets and eat cat food.  

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'The Aristotle Foundation' has just released a report on the outrageous money the Cowichan Indigenous gang has bilked the Canadian taxpayer.  Here are the key findings:

"In light of the 2025 B.C. Supreme Court Cowichan decision recognizing Aboriginal title over certain lands, we at the Aristotle Foundation believe it is reasonable to ask how financial transfers factor into the public debate on reconciliation.

"In our new report released today—$1.3 billion in taxpayer funds to the Cowichan Tribes: Federal and provincial funding over 24 years—authors Mark Milke and Ven Venkatachalam examine the scale, growth, and per-member impact of federal and provincial transfers to the Cowichan Tribes since 2001.

"Analyzing publicly available financial data, the short study finds funding accelerating sharply in recent years.

"Key Findings

• Since 2001, the Cowichan Tribes have received nearly $1.3 billion in federal and provincial funding. 

• Funding rose from $37.4 million in 2001–02 to $103.3 million in 2024–25—up 176 percent.  

• Cowichan has 5,627 members, with the on-reserve population at 2,651.  

• In other words, since 2001, the Cowichan Tribes have received $227,223 per member, or $9,468 per member annually. 

"The report notes that taxpayer-funded transfers support important services, such as education, health care, infrastructure, housing, and social programs. However, the cumulative scale of transfers raises broader questions considering ongoing litigation and negotiations that have extended for more than three decades."

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So, that's where the bucks go and you can bet the chiefs are enjoying the majority of the riches.  We need more Charmaine Stick's on the case.  

Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor

Cochrane mayor, Morgan Nagel.

Walking into the Royal Bank here today, I spotted our mayor, Morgan Nagel, sitting waiting for an appointment.

Naturally, I walked over.  "Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor," I said.  He greeted me warmly back.  There he was, alone, no entourage, no driver, no nothing.  He was simply approachable.  Naturally, I started chatting and told him how to run Cochrane.  Hahahaha!  Of course I did.  

He briefed me on what was happening on the issues I raised and actually told me mine were very good suggestions.  That's how Cochrane still runs.  A mayor you can talk to and a mayor who listens.

Can you imagine Olivia Chow being that accessible?  Can you imagine that clown Mark Sutcliffe chatting to the great unwashed?  My advice to Sutcliffe would have been to take a walk down the once-glorious and vibrant Rideau Street -- an avenue now ridden with vagrants, tents, drug addicts, beggars and people taking dumps outside stores, two hundred yards from Parliament Hill!

It's a disgrace and I'm sick of seeing posts of Sutcliffe glad handing at parties in Rockcliffe and Ottawa, while letting the city sink into rack and ruin.  The nerve of the man!

He should have stuck to radio and reading the news.  Ottawa has become unrecognizable.  Shame on you, Mayor Sutcliffe.  Shame, shame.