Eating Out With Adam and Family

Since we are rarely at home for B'days during the winter months it was a treat to be invited to eat out with Adam and his family at a local restaurant. Theresa and I do not eat at restaurants very often so it is a real great way to celebrate another family B'day. Adam turned 25 and is a student at university. It is convenient to study, work and live all within a mile. 

We as a family are fortunate to have healthy grand children who like to further their education. As a former educator I see a high co-oralation between young people who are active in school activities and future desire for success. School sports,music and leadership roles seem to motivate young people to continue these activities after secondary school.

Ethics and Politics

When we think of the basic principals of Conservatism we should think of free trade and personal freedom in making our way in life. Little government involvement as possible and certainly no taxpayers money aiding or interfering in the free enterprise system. Well here we are with the Prime Minister, a hand full of cabinet ministers and forty business people travelling to China to beg for business. The business people incidentally are the oil , lumber and commodities, folks who have the Canadian resources at their disposal.

Already our government gives huge tax breaks to these companies which are for the most part foreign owned. The oil companies have huge cash reserves and show profits unheard of in most circles except maybe the financial business which control much of the economic energy of our country.

Our government cries foul if you mention socialism in any form except their own. We live in a time where big business is often larger and more powerful than their political masters and have the ability to bully governments into decisions which are not always in the interests of the ordinary citizen.

I have stated on numerous occasions that big business have one objective and that is their bottom line. Profit is their motivation and ethics have little to do with their decision making. A case in point is this trip to China where we are dealing with a country which has numerous civil liberty violations and a record of turning a deaf ear to the western worlds concerns. Their behaviour along with that of Russia is causing the rest of the world to be held hostage in regard to the Syrian question. Here is one example where we as a country could be more forceful in our outrage about the slaughter of innocent peace seeking people wishing to have the same freedoms that we enjoy. We instead , with full knowledge of the Chinese stand in this regard seek more trading deals for our big business.

I wonder what our stand would be regarding China's behaviour if we were not seeking  financial benefits through trade agreements. Should we even be trading with China or any country which does not meet the standard of international civility as laid out in the United Nations constitution? These considerations are very difficult to work around and we hope that our leadership shows the correct posture so we are a shinning beacon of correctness rather than a nation only seeking to protect our economic base and powerful multinational companies.

Perhaps some of the answers are found in  the decisions currently being considered at home. The new laws regarding minimum sentencing, more prisons and the ending of the long gun registry, less emphasis on the environment, more emphasis on offensive weapons for our peace  keeping armed forces ( fighter jets) and a much more closed house of commons  are but a few of major changes in our Canadian sensibility. I feel it and so do many more and my wish is that the new conservative goals for our country leave it in a state where we can be proud to say on the world stage that we are Canadian.

B'DAY Special

In our family we always celebrate birthdays but this one is special because three members of our clan have the same birthday. February is a big month as we celebrated two of the clan had milestone numbers as 20 and 25 are quite special when you are a university student.Normally Theresa and I are in Florida for these special days but this year we were happy to be present.

Although this B'day was for  Darcy (girl) the others will have their celebration at a later date with family. Our birthday girl is in second year university studying to be a world leader and has so far been involved in making a difference for less fortunate people. She is a traveller and comes back with wonderful stories about far off places and makes us all motivated to do the same. This year to be involved she has taken a dog to be socialized for the guide dog program which is centered in Oakville. I just wonder what that young dog will learn by attending class or more particularly during the off hours.

This will be the second last family gathering before we leave for Florida so it was a great occasion for picture  taking and getting caught up on all the latest news. For Darcy on her 20th it brought memories flooding into my head as I had the good fortune of having shared many times with her as a very young child. I have to say she was special but spoiled then and special today but less spoiled because she has definite goals to achieve and so much to do.

Caterpiller,Without A Heart.

It was only a few weeks ago when I wrote a blog about the problem in London , Ontario and its dealing with Caterpillar. This company bought the GE plant where diesel-electric locomotives are built. Over 500 men worked there. When Caterpillar bought the plant it had a plan. Firstly they offered the workers a contract whereby their wages would be cut in half. There was little opportunity for the men to discuss this radical offer. It was rejected and the company locked out the workers.

Some weeks later the company closed the plant and announced that the work would be done in a plant in the USA. The company had no notion of using the Canadian plant but wanted to get their hands on the equipment upgraded by money from the Canadian Government to make it a world class operation. The intellectual property connected to this plant was worth billions and now it all goes away and the workers are left with no hope for the plant to be operational ......ever.

Where Canadian Taxpayers money is used in supporting industries to become competitive on the world stage there should be some terms for security of the intellectual property and jobs created as a result of same. I feel for the workers but see this happening again as it did with Nortel where valuable intellectual property through patents wee sold for a fraction of their true value. We lost not only a major company but the world class patents to our competitors.

Watch for the next big sellout to the internationals who will soon control the tremendous Canadian resource ,the Oil Patch. Our government is not protecting our interests. The short term gain for long term pain will be the call in the near future. Watch China, India and Asian money soon control much of our natural resources. The pipeline debate is just starting the big shift to the internationals and we all know who will benefit that. It will not be the Canadian People in the long run.

Our Prime Minister is now in China for a photo op and will leave that country with secret commitments which will place the oil market in a position where we the local consumers will pay more while we begin our give aways to the very rich multinationals.

It is time for Canada and the USA to stop their expensive support for the already rich oil companies and consider their own taxpayers and needed services for a better life of our middle and low income families.

What A Difference a Day Makes

Here it is the 5th of February and people here are still waiting for winter. We had a few flurries but snow never stayed on the ground for more than a day. My garlic has started to grow and many of the trees and bushes are starting to bud. My small fish ponds have frozen over several times but the fish are still active and that is a first. Theresa took a few pictures when we had our only snowfall and we actually cleared our driveway. However the temperature went up to 10 degrees and next day there was no sign of snow. We took another picture 24 hours later and it was back to summer. What a difference a day makes when it comes to weather.

My Favourite Arctic Animals

While living in the high Arctic I discovered pure joy in my relation with the animals. When I arrived in Akaluktutiak to be interviewed it was in Feburary and the temperature was near 50 below zero. The only wildlife in the hamlet were the numerous dogs. I found out however that the land was actually full of wildlife.During the week I shared with the people there I was given an opportunity to look around and was provided with a sno-machine to get about.

On my first excursion I headed out of town to see Mount Pelly. It looked about a couple of miles away but actually it was about15 miles distance from the Hamlet. I followed a well travelled trail and encountered numerous Arctic hares. Large for a rabbit and stood nearly three feet when standing ion it's hind legs.

About a mile out I encountered some Peary Caribou and this was the first time I ever saw these smaller Caribou native to this area and becomming endangered due to heavy hunting. They were not too afraid so I watched them for a while.

Next came the biggest surprise, the snowy owl. This year was one which produced many lemmings so there were many owls. I got within a few feet of the owl before it flew off. I discovered it was eating a lemming. On my first day out on the tundra I saw four of natures creatures and it made my day.I did not photograph these animals as I had no working camera because of the cold.

My week ended and I returned home with the great enthusiasm of returning and getting the opportunity of actually seeing and photoghaphing the Arctic animals like the muskoxen and polar bear.

Timing Is Everything

Yesterday I had the misfortune to accidentally brake off one of my front teeth. If you have ever had this happen you know it amounts to a tragedy. When I looked in the mirror all I could think of was hallowe'en and the pumpkin teeth. When Theresa saw it she tried to hold back her laughter but with no avail. Similar reactions from everyone. Lucky for me I have time to get it repaired  before travelling to Florida.

A root canal has been completed and I was supposed to go right over for a temporary tooth but my dentist decided to wait until Thursday. Then the fitting for a new tooth. I had the old one but he says I have to get a new on. For one little accident the cost will be $1500. The cost will be partially paid for by insurance but I have to be in hiding until this is all over.

Timing is everything in cases like this. I once broke off two teeth while travelling in the Arctic and I had to live with that for over a month, so this time I got off lucky.