Bait and Switch

To get elected, Mark Carney pulled off one of the greatest 'Bait and Switch' cons in recent memory.  And it worked -- at least for the gullible Canadians who didn't do their homework on what this guy was actually all about:  A green, net zero zealot in banker economist's clothing.

Carney's phony stump slogan.

Yep folks, we were had and now we're starting to see just how devastating the economic destruction he is wreaking is.  He's still conning people into thinking that losing the US trade relationship is no big deal because, "Look how much trade we're doing with Europe!"  

Actually, no.  Our biggest trading partners are China and India, but even that doesn't amount to a hill of economic peanut beans, in comparison with what we have lost with the US.  And as for Europe, we do about four percent of our trade with them.  So, Canada is basically going down the tubes.  Fast.

James Moore had an interesting analysis on what $65 billion -- the projected deficit -- looks like in layman's terms.  Apparently, it would buy all of Canada's sports teams, as well as Air Canada and a number of other multi-billion dollar companies.  It was shocking!    

So, "Elbows up" has become "Knees down", as Trump continues to punish Canada because, frankly, he doesn't like the cut of Carney's jib.  Simple as that.  Just to drive Carney's agenda home, he has stock in 567 companies.  Know how many are Canadian?  Three!!!!  That tells you everything about where his confidence is:  Not in Canada!

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A lot of Koolaid was drunk and orange shirts worn yesterday on 'National Day of Truth and Reconciliation'.  You'd think Indigenous women were being killed by evil Caucasian men all-day-every-day, but in reality, a quick check of the RCMP stats (readily available online) shows they are actually being killed by their own kith and kin.  It's not hard to figure out what "reconciliation" means.  

It means money.  

Carney's speech was pitiable.  I thought he was going to burst out Trudeau-crying, as he apologized for giving natives an education, while they were being tortured daily in boarding schools.  Remember, folks, every single Indigenous leader went to one -- often at the request of their parents to save them from starvation and disease on the reserves.  And also remember the majority of assault was perpetrated by older students on younger, not by teachers and priests.  Those are facts.  (Google Judge Brian Geisbrecht for the truth on this file.)

So, another con has been baked into the Canadian identity.  People need to do a little research and wake up because billions are at stake.      

What??!!

"The problem isn't the UN, it's the member states," said soon-to-be ex Canadian Ambassador Bob Rae on 'Question Period' this morning.

What the h-ll, Bob!?  The UN is its member states.  So, ergo, if the problem is the member states, the problem is the UN itself because without the member states, there is no UN.  So duh, yes Bob, the UN is the problem.  It's moribund, ineffectual and incapable of doing anything to solve any conflict anywhere.  And if it can't solve anything because of its own charter and members, why does it even exist??!!  I'm with Trump on that one.

Bob has always been the master of "word salads", hence his successful transition from an NDP Ontario premier who destroyed the province's economy to a guy who landed a cushy $250,000 job in New York.  Not a bad gig, Bob.

Bob's brain at work.

(Just had to jot this down, but now back to the brilliant David Starkey on YouTube.)

   

Insufferable

I just have to put it out there, in my opinion, Andrew Coyne is insufferable.  He's there, on the inside front page of the 'Opinion' Section of 'The Globe and Mail' every Saturday in all his stupefying verbosity with four columns of superfluous opinions and thoughts that go on forever.

A typical Coyne column -- never-ending!

Reading him reminds me of the stream-of-consciousness novels by Virginia Woolf I studied in university.  Every thought that comes into his head he puts down, yet he never gets to a point.  Sometimes, in the very last paragraph, he'll make one, but boy, you have to really hunt to stumble upon it!

He's also a fan of unnecessary words and complicated punctuation.  Here's a perfect example:

"The ruckus began, you'll recall, over the federal government's intervention in a case now before the Supreme Court of Canada involving a legal challenge to Bill 21, Quebec's infamous law banning the wearing of religious symbols across much of the public service, which for some religions is tantamount to a hiring bar."

Phew!  That was one sentence!!  The italics are mine, where these words are not needed.  But he loves to add them all over the place as they pop up in his tumbling head!  Here's another:

"To be sure, it would have no legal effect."  What's with the "To be sure"?  Just make your point.

I learned tight editing when I laboured under the ruthless red pen of the late Mrs. Jean Portugal at Maclean Hunter in the early seventies.  Back then, we used hot type, so every word cost money and Mrs. Portugal (never Jean!) cut out so many.  She was always correct and the work she handed back was much better than what I had submitted.  It was tight, clear and concise and I imitate her when I read columnists today who stick words willy-nilly into every piece. 

The peerless Mrs. Portugal on one of her exotic travels with her husband, Felix.

Coyne seems to be trying to show off his education and many degrees.  Doesn't work.  Ever seen him on 'At Issue' on Thursdays?  What a bore!  Talk about taking yourself inordinately seriously!  And to boot, he has no sense of humour, a sin in my world.  If you can't laugh at yourself, you're hopeless.

He can't.

He went to the London School of Economics and obtained an MA in Economics.  B got an MA from there too, but he went on a scholarship; Coyne didn't.  Guess from whom I take my economic advice?

So, that's my take on Coyne -- just my opinion, so don't sue me, but what I wouldn't give to be his editor!  His columns would go from four to one or two at the most.  Now and then I toy with the idea of sending him an edited version of one of his, but since I have many letters in there, I don't want to upset the apple cart.  

Andrew, if you're reading this, for Gawd's sake red-pen yourself!   

 

I agree with Poilievre

Carney is proving to be worse than Justin Trudeau, if that's possible.  Poilievre said it would be unfair to Trudeau to compare him to Carney because, "Carney's even worse," said the leader of the Opposition.

So far, that's correct.  He was elected as some sort of economic guru who was going to be the only guy capable of bringing Trump to heel on the tariff file, but so far that has backfired spectacularly.  Did he think going to Mexico to unilaterally cook up some deal with them just ahead of CUSMA negotiations was a great idea?  If so, dumb and if so, fail.

Did he think going to Poland and Ukraine on his own was a brilliant move?  If so, dumb and if so, fail.  Did he think recognizing a Palestinian state was going to stop the war?  If so, dumb and if so, fail.  

Hamas real purpose in continuing the war is to make Israel a pariah state and on that, it's winning handsomely.  Canada did not have to join this charade.  Most European nations are not granting recognition, including Germany and Italy; neither are Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

Every time the guy makes a move it's to stick a fork in Trump's eye.  That's a recipe for disaster, as Trump outlined in his tirade at the United Nations yesterday.

Carney's foreign policy.

Trump's right, of course.  The UN is an unmitigated disaster, incapable of settling anything on any file in any country.  It was long ago taken over by Arab countries, with an agenda to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.  All the aid the UN sends to Gaza is highjacked and never reaches those who need it.  Now he's musing about sending troops to Gaza and even Ukraine.  Why?  That would be another disaster.

Carney said Canada will conduct its own foreign relations policies, "For the benefit of Canadians."  Of course, he doesn't say what those policies are because so far they're not turning out too well.

So, another brilliant move by our wonder boy prime minister.  Hang onto your hats.

He's a despot

A rogue prime minister.

I'm talking about Carney.  He has just announced that Canada will officially recognize a Palestinian state.  Really??!!  On what authority?  Certainly not Parliament's.  He just unilaterally announced Canada will formally recognize Palestine as an official state.

Firstly, what is Palestine?  It currently is not a state.  It's a territory stuck in between Israel and the Jordan River to the Mediterranean sea.  It's not actually a country or a state, it's a territory with a terrorist head, so, how can it be recognized?  Hamas runs Gaza and Hezbollah the West Bank.  What exactly would he be recognizing?  He'd be dealing with terrorist organizations.  Brilliant!

Carney earlier said he would only recognize it as an official state (which was ludicrous) if Hamas agreed to immediate elections and that no Hamas leaders would be in the government.  As I have blogged, the guy running Gaza has not had elections since 2005, so obviously won't hold any now.  But Carney jettisoned that condition today by recognizing it.  Abas is head of an officially-recognized terrorist organization!  And Carney recognized him as Head!!!!

Right after Carney's announcement, Hamas executed three people in the public square for alleged ties to Israel.  Wow, so civilized!  Then Trump tweeted that it would be very difficult to get a deal with Canada, now that Carney has done what he's done.  Remember, dealing with Trump was Carney's hallmark position?  He was going to handle Trump.  WTF!  Now that's definitely off the table.  

How dumb!?

Who is advising him?  He is a rogue prime minister doing whatever he wants with absolutely no Parliamentary oversight.  Remember, 40 percent of Canadians voted Conservative, but Carney went ahead and announced he would recognize Palestine anyway??!!

This is criminal and he has to be stopped.  Now he's off to New York and the UN, which is why he made the announcement he did when he did.  He had no authority to do this.  He has been acting as a despot and it has to end.  As an aside, why does his wife tag along on every state visit?  No one voted for her, yet there she is beside him on panels blabbing away.  Please.      

I told you so

Hate to say it, but I did.  I said Mark Carney would not be able to withstand Poilievre's relentless and brilliant criticisms and interrogation of him in The House and he couldn't.  Off Carney desperately fled to Mexico after just one day -- ONE DAY -- in Question Period.  That was it.  He abandoned his post as "leader" of the country after only a couple of hours of actually doing his job responding to Opposition questions.

Carney in Mexico avoiding doing his job in The House.

I told you it would happen.  The worst of it was his smirking and laughing when being questioned about the shocking loss of jobs and the fleeing of billions in capital from this country.  We get it, Mark, you're a billionaire so you don't care about the millions of Canadians who have to choose between putting food on the table, or paying the rent?!  Hey, what me worry?!

Again, to all of you who voted for him -- especially those of you in the cocooned Ottawa Bubble -- I hope you're starting to realize what a colossal mistake you've made.  He ate the Conservative's lunch the minute he got into office.  That was tragic for the Conservatives, but Pierre is still hanging in there and is on his case.

What has he accomplished in Mexico?  He's signed a "strategic partnership agreement", in other words, NOTHING.  It's going to be a rough ride for all Canadians and it's all our own fault.  And what's to negotiate in Mexico anyhow?  The entire economy runs on only two things:  Tourism and drug cartels.  That's it.  

The only thing he's done that makes sense is dump the odious Freeland, Lametti, Wilkinson, Guilbeault and Blair.  Finally!  I was shocked when he re-appointed so many of the tired, old Trudeau clubhouse gang, but at least they're gone -- to nice, cushy postings -- but out of The House and out of sight.  Now get rid of Anand, Joly and Hajdu -- all disgraces to their gender -- and a few more freeloaders and hangers-on and real progress might be made.  

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A word about Danielle Smith's government and its decision to have drivers' licences include the citizenship status.  If you're a Canadian citizen, you will have a "CAN" stamped on it.  I think it's high time, but, of course, the workery are up-in-arms.  Why, I have no clue?  Why shouldn't your status be readily and visibly available?

I have said for years that currently there is no way to ensure voters are Canadian citizens when they go to the polls.  All you have to produce is a driver's licence, which shows your address -- not proof you are a citizen.  That means you can just go ahead and vote, which is against the law.

"Don't you have to ask for proof of citizenship when people show up to vote?" I asked a scrutineer during an election.  "Oh, no, we trust you."  How dumb!  You have to wonder how many non-citizens have been voting illegally for years in municipal, provincial and federal elections.

Who's voting?  No clue??!!

So, if you're not a Canadian, you can't vote.  Plain and simple.  I'm all for proof.    

 

 

This is the guy who runs the public service

 

Incoherence at its finest.

"The public service's job is to be disciplined and concentrate, resist distractions from the prime minister's missions.  (This is incoherent because what he is saying is "Don't be distracted by the prime minister's missions," instead of what he means is, "Don't be distracted from what the prime minister's missions are."  Who's writing this stuff?) Be organized, but intense.  Be in a hurry, but better organized and done with the public service and not to it," wrote PCO Clerk Michael Sabia to all deputy ministers.

Huh??!!

What does that even mean?  He then goes on to say, "There is always the risk that following the process is so time-consuming that everything slows down at a time when we need to speed up because the world is moving as fast as it is.  (I'd say, "...the world is moving fast," but I digress again on such bad writing.) When standard operating procedures just don't work anymore, rigorous debate is the best path to the best decisions."

Huh??!!

I still have no clue what he is saying?  Is it, speed up, but risk the process will break down?  How would that get anything done?  Will he be playing by Queensberry rules, or is it playoff hockey -- or even a barfight?  

Then he goes onto accountability:  "It is divided into two key elements:  senior-manage-informed structured decision-making and personal accountability based on commitment and initiative."  What the hell does that even mean?  It's totally incoherent.  

Then he closes with this:  "Diversity in thought is certainly important, but is nevertheless a departure from the recent emphasis on the representational aspect of diversity."  Huh??!!  More incoherence.

"Listening to the open and honest debates is what the public service needs in order to capitalize on the differing perspectives of diversity," he concludes.  Complete gobble gook.  His mother, Laura, was insane, so I guess the apple didn't fall far.

Where I a deputy minister reading this, I'd throw up my hands.  It's a no-win mandate.  Do I debate, or do I lead?  Do I have to be open to diversity, but not too open?  Do I follow process, or do I throw it out the window and start a barfight?

It's all bullsh-t.  And this from the guy who is going to lead the charge.  Man, am I glad I'm retired.

It's official

As you know, thanks to DNA, I learned two years ago who my birth Father really was and that I had five sisters and two brothers. It was such a shock, but a welcome one! I had found my birth Mother pre-internet 40 years ago through dogged research and sleuthing, but sadly, she had died at 49 (yikes!) the year before I discovered who she had been.

I was told who her boyfriend was at the time and assumed for the next 35 years that he was the father.  But lo and behold, DNA revealed that someone named William Doyle was my genetic father.  As I say, this led to the revelation of five sisters and two brothers; Bill Doyle was one of them.  

My niece, one of his daughters, sent me the obituary, below, and I shocked to see I had been mentioned as one of his sisters too!  When you're adopted, you are not part of the "official" birth family circle, but thanks to Maureen and Nora, I was actually added to the obituary.  Although I never met brother Bill, I am there as a sister.  What an honour and I thank my niece, Kristin, for sending his obit to me.  Here it is:

_________________________________ 

My late bother, Bill Doyle II

William "Bill" P. Doyle II, 75, of Watertown, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by loved ones on September 10, 2025.

Born March 4, 1950, in Potsdam, NY, he was the son of the late William P. Doyle and Mary Keegan Doyle. Bill graduated from Immaculate Heart Central School in 1968 and attended Jefferson Community College before beginning his professional career at Century Housewares, where he advanced through the company to become a district manager. He later retired from WWTI TV 50 as a sales executive, where he was respected for his dedication and strong work ethic.

Bill proudly served in the Army Reserves and was an active member of his community throughout his life. He was a 46-year life member of the Elks Lodge 496, a member of Morning Rotary, and a devoted member of the Watertown Golf Club for more than 30 years. An avid golfer and bowler, Bill also loved cheering for his favorite teams-the Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Cowboys-and never missed an opportunity for a spirited football debate with his son-in-law over the annual Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry game.

After high school, Bill married Christine Clement, and together they shared two daughters: Amy J. (Patrick) Thompson, Woodside, Queens; and Kristin (Scott) Doyle-Edmondson, Concord, MA. He later married Debra Platko in Saginaw, MI, and together they shared a son and a daughter: William P. (Amanda) Doyle III, Massena; and Shannon DeMarco, Watertown. He is also survived by six beloved grandchildren: Skylar, Emily, Aidan, Madelaine, Landon, and Samuel; and two great-grandchildren: Charlotte and Brynlee.

In addition, he is survived by his six sisters: Nancy Marley-Clarke, Cochrane, Alberta; Dr. M. France Doyle, Rochester; Margaret Doyle, Rochester; Eleanor Goldfarb, Rochester; Dr. Nora M. Doyle, San Antonio, TX; and Maureen Doyle, Rochester; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Along with his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Theodore Michael "Tim" Doyle.

As per his wishes, Bill is donating his body for science. A Memorial Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church on September 23 at 10:00 a.m. Following the service, a luncheon will be hosted at Art's Jug in Watertown, where family and friends are invited to gather in his memory.

Arrangements are entrusted with Cummings Funeral Service, Inc., Watertown, and online condolences may be posted at www.cummingsfuneral.com (http://www.cummingsfuneral.com/). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support a scholarship fund established in Bill's name to: Northern NY Community Foundation, 131 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13601.

Bill's warmth, sense of humor, and love of life touched everyone who knew him. He will be remembered for his generosity, his easy laugh, and the countless friendships he nurtured over the years.

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Rest in Peace, brother Bill.

Is it brilliant, or dumb?

I think Machiavelli has taken over the prime minister's office because Carney's latest move is definitely modeled on the late philosopher's devious tactics.

Niccolo Machiavelli

This one involves establishing an Indigenous Advisory Council to steer the "big, bold, projects" gang on how to deal with treaty rights in order to accelerate the projects.  And he's put one of his biggest critics, Trevor Mercredi, in charge.

What a cute trick.  Presumably, Mercredi will be given a big wad of cash to do the job, something no self-respecting native would ever turn down, but how's Mercredi supposed to oppose anything with one hand while pocketing the dough with the other?

Trust me, he'll manage because Indigenous leaders have been taking cash and bashing governments who dole it out for generations.  It may, however, be a little trickier this go 'round because he's tasked with getting stuff moving on a file natives have traditionally resisted and fought FOREVER.  "Touch one blade of grass or one tree on our traditional lands and we'll aggressively oppose it every step of the way."  Ya, that file.

"We expect the Major Projects Office to genuinely listen to the council's opinions," said Chief Terrance Paul of the Membertou First Nation in Nova Scotia.  What Chief Paul needs to understand, however, is that listening and vetoing are two different things.  Unfortunately, the natives think consultation equals a veto.  It doesn't, but that won't stop the hysteria.

And how long does "consultation" have to go on?  That's another mystery.  Again, Carney is banking on his meeting-and-consulting-and-consulting-and meeting M.O. to carry him through the next four years, when I predict he will throw in the PM towel and move on.  But never mind, he'll have the top job on his resumé forever, which is the only reason I think he wanted it in the first place -- not to help Canadians, just to pad his overblown credentials.

But sit back and enjoy the theatrics when the House resumes and Poilievre rises to pound him.  What fun awaits!

  

      

Why???

Someone needs to remind Mark Carney that he is the prime minister of Canada.  Obviously, he's forgotten what his job is because he's now going to host a gaggle of speakers and ministers from the G7 countries here for a meeting.  

Right after that, he'll be hosting another bunch of ineffectual G7 foreign ministers for yet another expensive gabfest.  And right after that, he'll be meeting in Edmonton with his caucus.  

Another meaningless meeting.

Huh??!!  Why??!!  All he has done since he was unfortunately elected by dumb Canadians -- yes, I'm talking about all of you who bought into his smarmy banker bullsh-t -- is run off to Europe for gatherings and meetings.  What a pompous ass.  

Canada is in tatters on so many fronts and all he does is run to, or hold, meetings.  It's a disgrace.  He hasn't travelled anywhere in Canada and he's running the country!

This latest vain and pointless powwow will be discussing:

• The challenges facing legislators worldwide;
• The importance of parliamentary democracy; (uppermost I am sure in the minds of embattled, dead and dying Ukrainians);
• The threat of disinformation (there's a laugh, he's an expert at it!);
• Fostering respectful debate in a climate of polarization; and
• Violence against lawmakers (I predict we'll be seeing a lot more of this.  Mélanie Joly won't be the only minister needing 24-hour protection). 

Another meeting of the "Coalition of the Shilling".

He's also including the Ukraine in his meetings.  I wonder how many of the topics on the agenda will end the war?  And how many times do we have to see Zelensky in his "battle" fatigues appear in one country after another?!  He's the guy who said, "The war will not be over until I decide it's over."  So, that'll be never because he's out on his ass when it ends.  

So, congratulations to all of you who drank the Carney Koolaid!  We're in a sour pickle for the next four years.  

Another gathering of the same old, same old

Well, here we go again.  All 634 Indigenous chiefs will be gathering this week in Winnipeg to plot how to foil any and all project proposals the Federal government dares put forward.

Frankly, Carney has done absolutely nothing so far, so there may be nothing to protest and block, but if there is, they'll be on auto-block immediately.  They're calling it "consultation", but it's really a plan to get yet more money out of the Canadian public purse.

As I say, another gathering of the same old, same old.

If you're interested in finding out what colonialism is really all about, have a read of Oxford professor Lord Nigel Biggar's book 'The Myths of Indigenous History'.  I listened to an excellent broadcast yesterday, where he echoed what I have been saying forever, that contrary to their claims, the Indigenous have not been here since time immemorial.  They came across the land bridge that used to link Asia and North America in the northwest.

"They are not Indigenous," says Biggar.  "And they were not peaceful tribes.  They were violent and waged continual war on each other, taking over territory by non-stop bloodshed.  They are not First Nations, as they claim, because they do not fit the definition of a nation.  They don't support themselves, generate wealth, support their citizens or protect their borders," he adds.

Yes, contrary to popular belief and myth, they were not pastoral tribes who sat around weaving blankets and growing corn.  They were warriors and routinely killed and kidnapped each other in murderous raids.

Chief Tyson Bear, of the Flying Dust Reserve, has put forward a resolution asking for more money for  schools, roads and health care facilities.  He figures the natives need about $349 billion to bring reserves up-to-snuff.  $349 billion more!!!!

Of the $32 billion handed to the Indigenous every year, Flying Dust was recently handed another $55 million in some settlement or other -- and this for a population of 592!  A quick look at their latest financial statements shows that Flying Dust had $11,243,153 in its bank accounts before the additional $55 million went in.

Clearly, Chief Bear is delusional, but he's right in line with every other chief who is also demanding more money.

"We find ourselves in a unique, challenging, but opportune time to have really deep-dive discussions on economic development, economic opportunities and land issues that we all want," said AFN Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak:

Cindy on the hunt.  "Economic" translates as "money".

Yep, more money.

Thanks to the breathtakingly inept Justin Trudeau, Canada signed onto the "free, prior and informed consent" provision of the 'UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' in 2021.  That little slip of the pen has been translated into a hard "right of veto" by Canadian Indigenous leaders.  And, folks, therein lies the rub.

Trudeau, you will remember, was the guy who cancelled the Accountability Act that required Indigenous leaders to account for the money they were given.  Introduced by Harper, it was the first thing Trudeau did when he was elected.  He cancelled it!  Just ask Charmaine Stick, of the Onion Lake Band, if she's ever been given an account of what her elders have done with band funds.  They block her at every turn.  It's outrageous.

As I have blogged many times, native chiefs don't care if anything gets built or not; their funds flow regardless.  Nevertheless, they want Canadians to foot the project bills, while they take a huge percentage of any profits that flow.

You and I both know that Carney simply isn't up to the task of reining them in, so sit back and watch how many "projects in the national interest" get built via Bill C-5.  My bet is zero.  

  

  

    

More musings

So now, Carney is musing about putting troops in Ukraine.  Musing-and-talking-and-musing-and-talking seem to be his strong suits because he has done nothing concrete (except reduce the PEI fare by $30) in the more than 160 days he has been prime minister.

And he is doing all this nothingness without any Parliamentary oversight whatsoever!  

Here's what needs to be said:  Canada is full of Ukrainians who have fled their own country, rather than fight for it.  Why then should Canadians be sent in to die to defend it for them?  That's the basic question I have.  If Ukrainians can't fight for their sacred homeland, why the hell should we?

Remember Afghanistan, where 158 young Canadians lost their lives for nothing?  Afghanistan immediately reverted to its caves, medieval ways, burqas and full-on rape culture when we all left, so what was the point?  It was a crime.

Remember when Carney stood up and announced, "Muslim values are Canadian values."  Whoa!  What a dumb thing to say.  Muslims denigrate women (see above) and in extreme cases kill them, right here in Canada, in the name of "honour".  That was Mohammad Shafia, who killed his first wife and three daughters who "dishonoured" the family.

So no, Mark, Muslim values are not Canadian values and you need to pull your head out of that medieval cave and get with the program.

I just spent a beautiful two days at the venerable Palliser Hotel again, this time with my granddaughter, and noticed that the place was crawling with Ukrainian staff who had obviously fled the war they didn't want to fight or die in, so no, Canadians should not be sent there under any circumstances.

Read today that our inimitable PM is also in muse mode about reinstating our peace keeping role in conflict zones around the world.  Again, more musings, no action.

No, no no.

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Another puzzler to me is that Alberta is facing a $6.5 billion deficit because oil prices are dropping.  Once again, Alberta's sole reliance on oil revenues has dug itself a huge fiscal hole -- not helped by the thousands who are pouring into the province from places like B.C. and Ontario because of cheaper housing prices and no sales tax.

No matter how many mayors and premiers vow to diversify the economy, they never succeed.  I mean, why bother when black gold continues to be the currency of the day and has been since that miracle liquid was discovered here in 1914 in Turner Valley and again in 1947 in Leduc?  

It's oil, oil, oil and oil alone.  All I can say is, I'm glad I'm retired and have a modest pension to sustain me.  

  

Limos and nothing burgers

Watching coverage of world "leaders" gathering in the Oval Office to "solve" the Ukraine problem, I was struck by how meaningless the gathering of 'Trump and the Seven Dwarfs' was.  

There was Georgia Meloni, grooming her dyed blonde locks with a vacant expression on her face, while Starmer blathered on saying absolutely nothing.  Now Carney has snuck off to Ukraine to indulge in a few photo ops.  Why?  Canada is falling into tatters and he cuts and runs off to sign onto the "Coalition of the Willing".  What does that even mean?!

Of course, they all arrived in limos with about a dozen gas-guzzling security SUVs trailing behind to "guard" them.  It's ludicrous.  

I think the point of Carney's trip was to show the "force" and "might" of Canada (wink wink, nudge, nudge) after having been shut out of  Trump's latest Oval Office gaggle of the willing.  

The "Coalition of the Willing".  Carney has been replaced by a potted plant.

I said long ago that Carney would rub Trump the wrong way and the latter would simply dump him into the same category as Chrystia Freeland:  The personally detested.  That's how Trump operates, on a personal level.    

I don't know who is advising him?  Has he no clue about how he is perceived?  When first elected, instead of travelling across Canada to meet the great unwashed and the good burghers of the country's towns and hamlets, his first act was to jump on a plane and head to Europe.  Again.  Huh??!!

This latest boondoggle is his fourth since March!  Imagine how huge a carbon footprint he is leaving -- wrong look for a rabid greenie. 

As I keep repeating, Carney lacks a proper conceit of himself.  

Dear Diary

Whenever I want to write something naughty and private, Diary, I always turn to you.  So, just between us, I wanted to tell you about the ordeal B had trying to call his granddaughter on her birthday today in Houston.  She has her own phone number, but of course, when he called, The Warden just had to pick up.  

"Hello, may I please speak to Caitlin?", B said.  "Aren't you going to say hello to me," said The Warden indignantly.  "I just called to talk to Caitlin, please, to wish her Happy Birthday," B replied.

"Aren't you going to say hello to me!"  Really?!  This from a daughter who NEVER calls her father.  NEVER.  Diary, if she wants him to say hello, if she wants to know how he is, call him!  I don't understand a daughter who never calls her father, I really don't??!!  

If he dies before me, I will not be calling her.  As you know, Diary, I have not spoken to her in seven years, ever since she started bringing her mother up to our sacred cottage.  That did it for me, but I have always been nothing but supportive of his relationship with his grands.  You, Diary, know this better than anyone.

I mean, we had the two of them here at Christmas and what a lovely time we had.  For years, I supported B's annual visits to Houston to see his family but now, all we can hope for, Diary, is that they will want to come on their own -- without having to beg for parole from The Warden.

Well, I'm going to sign off for now, Diary, because I want to do a little research on what makes people become control freaks.  Frankly, I bet it will tell me she's a sociopath -- or even a psychopath.  Insecurity is obviously another big factor. 

Stepdaughter

More later. 

p.s.  Don't tell anyone about our little chat, please.  This is just between you and me.

    

We demand?!?!

"We demand immediate action and call for full regularization of all undocumented people and permanent resident status for all migrant workers!"

You demand??!!  Really??!!  This is what some guy named Syed Hussan, spokesman for the 'Migrants Rights Newtork' uttered the other day.  Who the hell does he think he is??!!  He represents illegal criminals, for Gawd's sake.  The very fact that they're here illegally makes them criminals, but this lunatic is demanding they be automatically given permanent status!

I'm getting very sick of "you people", as the great Don Cherry dubbed them and was fired for.  B waited for five years to be accepted to Canada with his family.  Five years, not five minutes.  That's how things used to be done.  Legally. 

It's estimated there are 500,000 undocumented illegals without valid immigration status working in Canada, but frankly, no one really knows how many there are.  The borders are sieves and need to be tightened up.  As I keep saying, countries have borders for a reason.  Sadly, no one seems to care.

The latest Liberal immigration minister is someone called Lena Diab, a first-generation Lebanese-Canadian who, although born in Halifax, moved back to Lebanon with her parents at age two.  The family then moved back to Canada to escape the Lebanese Civil War, which is what thousands of these Canadian citizens of convenience do regularly.

Gee, I wonder where Diab's loyalties lie?

I'm sick of it.  

   

Everyone's effed

I pulled this bombshell from the CBC off the internet. You just wait until lawyers representing Indigenous land claims all across Canada get ahold of this ruling!

Hitherto, all Indian lands were on Crown land, given over to them for their use. But the title was in the Crown's name. That's basically over and we're all effed. Now the Indigenous -- only four percent of the entire population -- will lay claim to every inch of land in the entire country. You just watch! Here's what's happened:

________________________

"The British Columbia Supreme Court quietly issued its long-awaited decision in Cowichan Tribes v. Canada on Thursday.

"In a decision that is sure to ruffle feathers, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Barbara Young declared the Cowichan Tribes have established Aboriginal title to roughly 800 acres in Richmond."

All now owned by the Cowichan.

This land includes very expensive real estate and a golf course (see above), but woe betide anyone who tries to sell any of it because title will automatically revert to the Cowichan, so no one will buy it! The Cowichan are on Vancouver Island, but they claimed that they used to hunt and fish on the mainland, so that's their land. Get a grip!

"A B.C. Supreme Court judge has recognized the Cowichan Nation’s Aboriginal title to parts of Lulu Island and the Fraser River’s south arm, concluding a five-year, 513-day trial — described as the longest in Canadian history.

" 'I agree that Aboriginal title is a prior and senior right to land,' Young writes in the ruling. 'The question of what remains of Aboriginal title after the granting of fee simple title to the same lands should be reversed. The proper question is: What remains of fee simple title after Aboriginal title is recognized in the same lands?'

"The 863-page judgment will have wide-reaching legal implications.

"The court confirmed the Cowichan Nation has legal ownership, known as Aboriginal title, over specific lands on Lulu Island and parts of the Fraser River’s south arm."

_______________________

So, in effect -- not that anyone (except me) has noticed yet -- our entire country is invalid. It's apparently owned by the Indigenous and we have aided and abetted this notion by encouraging anyone who stands up to speak in the public thoroughfare first acknowledge the gathering is on some unceded territory of Band X or Tribe Y.

So, thank you Justice Barbara Young. You have just thrown the baby out with the bath water and opened the door to giving away the entire country.

Let that settle in, folks. Let it. Four percent of the population of one province will now dictate to the rest of us. And we can't even vote in their elections! As I said, let that sink in.

Toodaloo, Muriel

In a brilliant decision, Trump has ordered the National Guard to take over policing in Washington.  So it's ta ta, Muriel Bowser, the Democratic mayor who has failed to control crime and ruination in the city.  

"This is unsettling and unprecedented," said Bowser.  "But we will continue to operate the city in a way that makes citizens proud."  Really?  From what I have seen, if she's making it a source of civic pride, then she and I have vastly different definitions of the word.

"The city's police officers still report to me," she continued.  Well, that's about to change, Your Worship, because you have done a "terrible job", as Trump is wont to say about so many things.  

Some of the city’s police officers appear to be breaking from Bowser in support of Trump’s order.  Gregg Pemberton, chair of the Washington police union, called the federal intervention into the city’s police “a critical stopgap.  We stand with the President in recognizing that Washington, DC, cannot continue on this trajectory. Crime is out of control and our officers are stretched beyond their limits,” Pemberton said in a statement.

Do you think Carney will do that in Ottawa, where once-banner streets like Rideau and Elgin are now cesspools of homelessness, crime, drug activity and public disorder?  It is to laugh.  We drove down Rideau two years ago while on a visit and I was shocked to see people lying about and defecting in broad daylight!

Ottawa these days.

When I was growing up there, shopping with my Mother was a great treat and Rideau Street was a beautiful, bustling venue.  What's Mayor Mark Sutcliffe doing?  Apparently, nothing.  Time's up for him and Carney should step in.  But, of course, he won't because he is weak and afraid of his own shadow.  

Rideau is just a few steps from Parliament Hill, for Gawd's sake.  Tourists flock there and what do they see when they venture down Rideau?  People relieving themselves on the sidewalk and shooting up drugs.

It's a scandal and a disgrace to our country's capital.  Queen Victoria, who chose it, would not be amused.   

World champ!

Got a couple of texts from my swim buddy, Chris, who is competing in the World Swimming Championships in Singapore.  He won his first race!  His time was 1:01:58 in the 100 metre freestyle, which is amazing.  With three more to go, I am trying to follow him on the internet.

I mean, I knew he was a great swimmer, with several national championships under his belt, but to win in world's is amazing!  His texts greet me with "Hey champ...", which is ludicrous, but much appreciated.  Here he is with one of his sons:

He races in the 65 to 69 age category.  Don't know when this was taken, but he still looks like that.  What an inspiration!

Going to keep an eye on his astonishing results.  Who knew we had a world champ in little, old Cochrane?!

Note:  He eventually won four gold medals and one silver!  He cleaned up in every race he entered!  

Here he is with all his medals!

 

More nonsense

What have I said many times?  That the Indigenous and Métis have one fall-back position when it comes to resource development:  No.

That's because their billions are not dependent on any resource development whatsoever.  They get their funding regardless.  

It's insane.  But to drive home this ingrained position, David Chartrand, Manitoba Métis Federation chief, has announced he's flatly refusing to even meet with Carney to discuss any proposed initiatives.  His reasons are both silly, juvenile and uninformed.

Chartrand digging in his unreasonable heels.

"We won't attend the meeting alongside another Métis group that has no reason to exist," Chartrand announces.  Apparently, the problem Chartrand has it that he doesn't recognize any Métis people outside of the Red River nation.  "Ontario and Western Métis have no claim to the heritage" and are infringing upon Chartrand's territory.  

Really?  Officially, the definition of a Métis is anyone of mixed European and Indigenous race, but Chartrand doesn't think so.  He calls everyone outside the Red River "fake".  That's his silly reason.

In his press conference, he said he expects Ottawa to respect "my government".  "To the prime minister, the door is open.  If you want to come and sit down with my cabinet in a government-to-government relationship, we will meet.  But if you want to insult us, they we'll see each other in a different political realms in the future."

The problem is, Chief Chartrand, you're not a government.  Like we do for the Indigenous, Canadians fund you.  You don't fund yourselves.  Federal funding for Métis communities is substantial and multifaceted, encompassing areas like infrastructure, housing, skills training and health. 

Budget 2024, for example, includes:

• More than $860 million for early learning and childcare; 
• $690 million for housing and more than $400 million for skills training and economic development; 
• A significant investment of $867 million for mental health and chronic disease management; and
• More than $360 million for the Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy. 

These figures represent a broad commitment to supporting Métis self-determination and well-being, says Wikipedia (colouring theirs; can't get rid of it.) 

Based on the financial facts, the above are his uniformed reasons.  It's always in the numbers.  That's the curtain you have to pull back, if you want the truth.

Speaking of money, Carney just announced a doubling of the loan guarantees for Indigenous bank projects.  The figure now is $10 billion.  That means that any project bankrolled by the Indigenous bank, funded with money Canadians give it, that fails will be covered by the federal government -- i.e., you and me.  Same people!

Huh??!!  I'm no economist, but then again, neither is Carney with his PhD in philosophy.

Projects don't even have to have a deadline.  So, an Indigenous group can go to the bank and lay out plans for this-project-or-that and then sit back and do nothing, while taking the money.  

I kid you not!  That doesn't work for any project you or I go the bank for funding for.  We have to have plans and deadlines and guarantees and on and on, or else the funding is not granted.  The banks are accountable to shareholders; the Indigenous bank has Canadians as guarantors -- no questions asked.

Why don't people wake up?! 

   

 

1,200 versus 60,000

That the ratio of Jews killed in the October 7th attack to the number of Palestinians killed to date in that horrific war.

That's obscene.

They call it the Israel Defence Force, but "defence" has long been abandoned.  It's just plain brutal attacks on women, children and anyone else who happens to live there.  The destruction is unconscionable.  Now even Jewish columnists like the usually one-sided Marsha Lederman are calling the massacres a genocide.  

Corpses piling up in morgues await burial.

"We Jews have a special obligation to speak out against what is happening," she wrote.  As Mark Kersten, professor of criminal justice at the University of the Fraser Valley wrote, "Genocide is a process, not an event.  It starts slowly and gradually spreads and widens while people don't seem to notice.

A man tragically holds his dead child.

"Under international law, there is no hierarchy of international crimes," Kersten writes.  "But genocide is generally accepted as the worst and it is being accomplished through starvation.  Israel is chipping away at life in Gaza.  What will states like Canada do to stop it?"

Nothing.  As for Trump, remember he has a Jewish son-in-law and Jewish grandchildren.  These realities factor into his policy on Israel, make no mistake, because ultimately everything is personal.  As I have said, look at Carney.  His green, lunatic wife greatly influences his poor decisions on all files.  The guy is weak.      

What is happening in Gaza is the deliberate extermination of an entire people. Canada, England and France's announcements that they will recognize a Palestinian state in September will only make Israel bolder in its desire to decimate Gaza.  It's a futile finger-wagging exercise, plain and simple.  

Carney predicated his announcement by saying recognition would only happen if President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to free elections.  As if that's going to happen.  Hamas -- a terrorist entity -- is Palestine.  The people elected Abbas and he has been president for 20 years, but refuses to hold an election, so why would he now?  He's effectively declared himself  'president for life', so that's done and dusted.  

We all know that a sitting prime minister cannot be removed in Israel while a war is waged.  That's why Netanyahu keeps it up because the minute it ends, he'll be back in the dock and convicted of corruption.  It'll be jail for him, so he has to continue the genocide to save his own skin.

Zelensky is also doing the same.  He was elected to fight corruption, but he's right in the thick of it and conveniently and secretly tried to take over the running of two independent anti-corruption bodies to save his own hide.  That didn't work, as thousands of Ukrainians found out and took to the streets in mass protests.  He backed down, but he too will be facing charges when his war is over.  

As I have blogged, google his personal wealth since he became president.  A ton of nest feathering has gone on there.  He's now worth millions.  That's where a lot of the money thrown at Ukraine has been skimmed --  into his own personal bank accounts.

Please, please, someone has to do something. 

He gets the dunce cap

 “Under the auspices of B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act, Premier David Eby has admitted that provincially significant projects on Crown land will not be expedited under its own fast-track law without the consent of Indigenous groups. At the same time, an effective veto is already being written into a growing number of agreements with Indigenous groups covering vast swaths of the province.”

Yep, that's NDP Premier David Eby of British Columbia effectively strangling economic development and further crippling Canada's economy.  What a dunce!  Does he not know that three quarters of Canadians support building a new oil pipeline to the West or East?  Obviously not.  He behaves as it he's still in high school writing essays and doing projects on never-never green projects.  Dave, you're the premier.  Until green is ubiquitous, we still need oil!

Tanker ban still in place off the B.C. coast effectively blocking all oil exports to market.  Great job, Messers Carney and Eby!

Although not all Indigenous tribes are against development -- Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Band in B.C. being a strong and sane supporter of economic growth -- many are.  And for no reason, except to say they are against the Feds.  Why?  Just because.

The majority are lined up against Bill C-5 because, frankly, they have no skin in the game.  The billions given them by the Canadian taxpayer will be doled out with or without any shovel digging into any piece of dirt.  Said Jason Schulz, executive director of strategic advisory services of the Athabasca Chipewyan Band, "I'm sure if we asked a number of different individuals, their perspective on what those consultation requirements might entail could vary greatly."

I'm sure they would, Mr. Schulz, because most chiefs think "consultation" means "veto".  But in spite of what Dave Eby thinks, it doesn't.