Creative treaty interpretation

Trump is following in Putin's footsteps when it comes to shaky treaties.  Putin is claiming that Ukraine isn't really a legitimate country at all, that it really belongs to Russia.  

Same with Donald Trump.  He is claiming that the US/Canada treaty of 1908, signed in Washington on April 11th of that year, which finally clearly delineated the border between the two countries, is invalid, that Canada has actually belonged to the US all along.

That's what he is hanging his hat on with his determination to annex Canada for our water and minerals.  He's also talking about the 300 percent tariffs Quebec puts on imports of dairy and eggs via the supply management systems in place.  That's a convenient fact Trump and Karoline Leavitt are jumping on to bolster their arguments about reciprocal tariffs.  Those supply management systems need to be dismantled, but they won't be.  Quebec has too many seats to risk that move.

I hope either Carney or Poilievre are up to the task at hand.  I don't know what Trump thinks of either potential PM, but I suspect he will take an instant dislike to Carney.  Carney is the opposite of The Donald.  He's polished, buttoned down and a bit precious; Trump is the exact opposite.

Will he detest him as much as he does Trudeau and Freeland?  We'll see.

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Listening to a YouTube podcast about the criminal, anti-Israel-pro-Hamas student demonstrations that took place last April at Columbia University in New York, I was shocked that the mayhem and destruction was allowed to run unchecked and amok for so long.  Who let this happen?  

Pro-Hamas mayhem at Columbia.

So I pulled back the curtain and guess who was the president?  Someone named Minouche Shafik.  Her biography told me everything.  Born in Egypt to Muslim parents, naturally she has to be anti-Israel in her heart of hearts, as all Muslims are.  It's in their DNA.  As I always say, you can't hide your core beliefs and culture.  You can try papering them over with a long list of dazzling academic credentials, but you can't erase your core beliefs.

This must have been the case with Ms. Shafik.  She finally called in the police, but delayed far too long while buildings were overrun and destroyed.  That's why Trump just pulled $400 million in federal funding from the place.  He's nothing if not serious about his agenda.

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A word about the American media -- especially CNN.  They have been claiming that Britain is in trouble because Trump will not be visiting there first, as is always the case with a new president.

No, new presidents always visit Canada first.  

In another act of ignorance, when then-Prince Charles was visiting the US around Remembrance Day a few years ago, they lamented about how sad it was that he had to wear a fake flower on his lapel.  They didn't even know it was a poppy!

When I was plying my journalism trade in Toronto in the late sixties -- my glory days hanging out with the likes of Margaret Wente and Christie Blatchford -- I would never have been able to get away with such inaccuracies.  The brutal Jean Portugal, my ruthless editor with the bright red pen, would have insisted I got it right.

Rest in peace Mrs. Portugal.  We will never see your equal.