The machine was a monster. My Dr. ordered me to have a MRI to better judge the treatment of my arthritis. He thought there might be a wait but told me to volunteer to go any time if a cancellation was made. I received a call the day after but I was not home. I missed the chance but a few days later I received another call so 8 days after my request I was on my way to the hospital.
I really did not know what to expect but filling out the sheet made me a little nervous. One question asked me if I was claustrophobic. All my nervous thoughts were laid aside when I entered the cubicle to prepare for the 30 minute experience. Taking off all my clothes except my shoes and underwear and donning a robe which covered half my body was not pleasant but being laid out on the sliding bed and pushed in to the small cave was a experience. The operator asked if I wanted a cloth over my eyes before entering and told me if I experienced difficulty she was right there to help.
I barely fitted the slot and with my hands by my side I felt very vunerable. What to do if a fly lands on my face. I was told not to move. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something but already I felt uncomfortable. As I was pushed further in she announced the show would begin. Bang and the noise started. For minutes I was moved, bombarded with unnatural sounds and generally unable to have a nap. It was over and when I was pulled out she told me I was only there for 17 minutes and the machine broke down. I had to go back in after the small repair job and this time I knew what to expect. Thirty minutes later it was all over.
It is remarkable what this experience did for my health. My Dr. will receive a report containing information vital to his diagnosis. Technology is wonderful.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Childhood Friends.
Theresa and Carol were school friends all the way from grade one to Senior Matriculation. Their lives were interwoven as the village they lived in was made up of some few hundred people. One school met the needs of all students from grade one to grade 12. They were in the same class, went to the same church and had many of the same friends.
After high school they studied for three years to obtain their RN at the same hospital in Moncton and their friendship continued. After nursing school their paths went in different directions but their friendship remained. Meeting at various times for reunions and visits to their home area in New Brunswick enabled them to catch up on the important gossip and up to date information about mutual friends.
Theresa went across Canada to live on the West Coast for many years and Carol settled in Oklahoma. Again they kept in touch by letter and phone and later by email. They always had things to talk about and time spent together brings a level of joy only friends experience.
A few years ago there was a hundred year anniversary for their old school and I was present to observe the bond established among this group of friends from their class. It was evident that Theresa and Carol had kept their friendship alive and I was introduced to the many people that came together to celebrate a school that bonded so many.
This year Carol is visiting us here in Ontario and I try to stay out of the way as the two friends share special time. They will store up enough memories to last until the next meeting. Having long time friends is a gift many do not have and it is unfortunate as friendship is priceless. I would judge Theresa and Carol to be true Childhood Friends.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Our Queen Is Home
Today our Queen has returned to Canada for the 22rd time. Queen Elizabeth has been our head of state for nearly six decades. Her age was not an issue as she walked down the steps from her plane accompanied by her 90 year old husband. They looked great with her perfect poise and wonderful smile in a downpour as only Nova Scotia can have.
She will be touring Canada for a number of days and will help Canada celebrate the 100Th anniversary of our Navy and the 400Th anniversary of a famous chief of the Micmac Nation. The pomp and ceremony at Halifax would bring a tear to a glass eye as her majesty spoke to the people gathered to welcome her. Local artists sang and danced and the politicians had their photo ops. All in all I feel so close to the institution of the royal family and the stability it lends to our system of government I have an emotional melt down. The playing of the national anthems and the reviewing of the guard of honour makes me remember the debt we owe our service men and women who are dieing even now for their country.
Our system of government is not perfect but it the best we have and we owe so much to those who fought and died in it's defence. Our Queen heads a loose confederation of states called the Commonwealth of Nations and it embraces more than a quarter of the world's population. This group of countries once made up the British Empire but since nearly all the colonies have become independent without bloodshed ( the USA was an exception ) there remains a relationship unique in this world.
I feel good that our queen is back in Canada and remember in 1948 that she and Philip came to Sydney in the royal yacht Britannia and I stood close to them as they addressed the school children in Cape Breton. Since then I saw the queen several times and always treasured the moment. The royal presence is less important now because our immigrants are from countries where royalty is not respected in the same way as people from the UK.
I trust her visit will help us to be more united as she tours across Canada. If she comes close to Oakville I will be there cheering for our Queen.
She will be touring Canada for a number of days and will help Canada celebrate the 100Th anniversary of our Navy and the 400Th anniversary of a famous chief of the Micmac Nation. The pomp and ceremony at Halifax would bring a tear to a glass eye as her majesty spoke to the people gathered to welcome her. Local artists sang and danced and the politicians had their photo ops. All in all I feel so close to the institution of the royal family and the stability it lends to our system of government I have an emotional melt down. The playing of the national anthems and the reviewing of the guard of honour makes me remember the debt we owe our service men and women who are dieing even now for their country.
Our system of government is not perfect but it the best we have and we owe so much to those who fought and died in it's defence. Our Queen heads a loose confederation of states called the Commonwealth of Nations and it embraces more than a quarter of the world's population. This group of countries once made up the British Empire but since nearly all the colonies have become independent without bloodshed ( the USA was an exception ) there remains a relationship unique in this world.
I feel good that our queen is back in Canada and remember in 1948 that she and Philip came to Sydney in the royal yacht Britannia and I stood close to them as they addressed the school children in Cape Breton. Since then I saw the queen several times and always treasured the moment. The royal presence is less important now because our immigrants are from countries where royalty is not respected in the same way as people from the UK.
I trust her visit will help us to be more united as she tours across Canada. If she comes close to Oakville I will be there cheering for our Queen.
The Day After
There is always a gamble that you will have problems when you risk. The G8/G20 was not a risk, but a calculated move knowing what would happen. These meetings are always a focus for groups to air their feelings. This was the perfect venue for dozens of peaceful marchers to demonstrate. There were crowds of hundreds and sometimes thousands who marched, sang, shouted but never broke the law. Their voice was ignored by the media who gave all the attention to the few hundred criminals.
The massive show of force by police was unable to control this element and the innocent law abiding demonstrators were sometimes brutalized by police. At one point over thirty people who were on a corner waiting for a bus were detained and taken into custody. Some of this crowd were tourists, teenagers and workers trying to get to work. What nonsense. Another group of 400 were surrounded and detained in a street surrounded by police for from 3 to 5 hours. It was raining and lightening was in the area. This caused problems for many as there were no bathrooms or drinking water and they were never told why they were detained until their release.
The police had a difficult job but there were bound to be mistakes made. Our police showed restraint and courage but there were problems with their plan. We trust they will learn from this. The biggest surprise came when without notice our provincial government gave police the unusual right to detain anyone without cause or charges being made if they so wished. Most of the 600 or so were released after detainment without charges being made. Our civil rights were breached. The announcement of this cabinet decision will be made today or tomorrow, several days after the conference. Authorities will make excuses for their unusual behaviour but for every Canadian this conduct goes totally against our civil liberties. We did what we as Canadians riled against when others countries used similar behaviour in quelling disorder.
The conference made a good point in advising countries to get control of their budgets. It is voluntary of course and we'll wait for this to happen with elections coming and the political leaders have to be accountable to their voters. The G8 had an opportunity to tax our financial institutions but of course the G8 protects big business. This tax would have been insurance against bank fail ours and situations like we had in the USA, Greece and Spain. The wealthy financial institutions again are protected by we the people. Other than that not much was said about world poverty, global warming and the environment. As a matter of fact not much of anything was done that is binding. The leader of France will host the next meetings and he announced that it will cost one tenth of the money used in Canada for the same purpose.
In spite of what took place in the last while I am proud to be a Canadian and I am sure there will be time to analyze this mess and maybe it was worth it, only time will tell.
The massive show of force by police was unable to control this element and the innocent law abiding demonstrators were sometimes brutalized by police. At one point over thirty people who were on a corner waiting for a bus were detained and taken into custody. Some of this crowd were tourists, teenagers and workers trying to get to work. What nonsense. Another group of 400 were surrounded and detained in a street surrounded by police for from 3 to 5 hours. It was raining and lightening was in the area. This caused problems for many as there were no bathrooms or drinking water and they were never told why they were detained until their release.
The police had a difficult job but there were bound to be mistakes made. Our police showed restraint and courage but there were problems with their plan. We trust they will learn from this. The biggest surprise came when without notice our provincial government gave police the unusual right to detain anyone without cause or charges being made if they so wished. Most of the 600 or so were released after detainment without charges being made. Our civil rights were breached. The announcement of this cabinet decision will be made today or tomorrow, several days after the conference. Authorities will make excuses for their unusual behaviour but for every Canadian this conduct goes totally against our civil liberties. We did what we as Canadians riled against when others countries used similar behaviour in quelling disorder.
The conference made a good point in advising countries to get control of their budgets. It is voluntary of course and we'll wait for this to happen with elections coming and the political leaders have to be accountable to their voters. The G8 had an opportunity to tax our financial institutions but of course the G8 protects big business. This tax would have been insurance against bank fail ours and situations like we had in the USA, Greece and Spain. The wealthy financial institutions again are protected by we the people. Other than that not much was said about world poverty, global warming and the environment. As a matter of fact not much of anything was done that is binding. The leader of France will host the next meetings and he announced that it will cost one tenth of the money used in Canada for the same purpose.
In spite of what took place in the last while I am proud to be a Canadian and I am sure there will be time to analyze this mess and maybe it was worth it, only time will tell.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Risky Business
Yesterday was a sad day for Toronto and for our country. Our Billion dollar security was not able to stop criminals from doing what they do best and that is committing outlandish mischief. Mischief is not the correct wording for criminal behaviour and the few hundred criminals who mingled with the ordinary protesters gave us a black eye.
I saw many ordinary citizens doing what they are entitled to do and that was protesting issues and policies that they want to publicize. Grandmothers for grandmothers, coalition against poverty and some fifty other groups marched and behaved well. With the city locked down in such a ridiculous manner it begged for trouble by those seeking mischief. It became a challenge and was well organized and became a nightmare for the police authorities.
In Huntsville area where the venue was isolated and easy to police there was little trouble other than a few signs and small group activity. Having this in Toronto was a huge challenge and our police authorities did the best they could under the circumstances. No amount of police force could look after such a difficult task. With the inner city actually locked down the perimeter to be looked after is huge.
It is too late to say I told you so but people in charge will find a better venue in the future for their photo ops. I feel sorry for the innocent owners of property who found themselves in harm's way through no fault of their own. The government already said they would not be responsible for damages but that might change. I am sure the City of Toronto will like compensation for damages to their police cars and so on.
Was it worth the money? Time will tell but until then we can assess the good and bad and become armchair quarterbacks on this issue. I know where I stand and hope I am wrong for Canada's sake.
I saw many ordinary citizens doing what they are entitled to do and that was protesting issues and policies that they want to publicize. Grandmothers for grandmothers, coalition against poverty and some fifty other groups marched and behaved well. With the city locked down in such a ridiculous manner it begged for trouble by those seeking mischief. It became a challenge and was well organized and became a nightmare for the police authorities.
In Huntsville area where the venue was isolated and easy to police there was little trouble other than a few signs and small group activity. Having this in Toronto was a huge challenge and our police authorities did the best they could under the circumstances. No amount of police force could look after such a difficult task. With the inner city actually locked down the perimeter to be looked after is huge.
It is too late to say I told you so but people in charge will find a better venue in the future for their photo ops. I feel sorry for the innocent owners of property who found themselves in harm's way through no fault of their own. The government already said they would not be responsible for damages but that might change. I am sure the City of Toronto will like compensation for damages to their police cars and so on.
Was it worth the money? Time will tell but until then we can assess the good and bad and become armchair quarterbacks on this issue. I know where I stand and hope I am wrong for Canada's sake.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Spring In Ikaluktutiak
About this time of the year spring begins in the Arctic. Everyone has one thing on their mind, Arctic Char. The char move from the fresh water lakes to the ocean. During the winter these fish hardly move as they go into a semi hibernation. They live off their body fat and lose up to a third of their weight. These fish have a clock which switches on and they move to the opening of the lakes where in a few short days the ice will melt and rush like a torrent to the sea.The Char follow the melting water and can be seen in great numbers.
Local Inuit capture these fish on their way to the sea and eat some fresh but dry many for use the following winter. When the Char reach the sea they eat non stop on Tommy Cod and shrimp. Their body mass gain up to a third and all this in about 8 weeks. While at sea the Char swim in great numbers along the shoreline seeking food. Inuit use nets to again catch Char for the winter. On one occasion I was with a friend who was pulling a net after only a half hour in the water. It contained nearly a hundred fish.
These fish average about 10 pounds but larger fish are caught as well. Inuit women are skilled at cleaning and cutting the fish for future use. Families will use hundreds of pounds of this food. It is a great source of protein and even babies chew the dried fish. The same happens with caribou when the migration begins. Inuit will not hunt caribou during the calving season.
While I lived in the Arctic , Char was a staple in my diet but I preferred to freeze the fresh Char but I did dry some. The Inuit have a great way of freezing Char . I wondered how they froze the fish without having freezer burn. They dip the whole Char in water and let it freeze. They do this several times until the fish has a thin coating of Ice completely over its body. The secret is to freeze the whole uncut or ungutted fish. This really works.
This season of the year brings out whole families and before the rivers are open they will jig through the ice. This social behaviour is best shown when part of the catch is given to the elders and needy. This is true of all food gathering whether it be fish, berries, caribou or bear. Everyone gets a share of the bounty. This enabled this society to survive through the years. The fun of living in the Arctic for me was survival for the Inuit. Spring was fun in Ikaluktutiak for me but serious business for the Inuit.
Local Inuit capture these fish on their way to the sea and eat some fresh but dry many for use the following winter. When the Char reach the sea they eat non stop on Tommy Cod and shrimp. Their body mass gain up to a third and all this in about 8 weeks. While at sea the Char swim in great numbers along the shoreline seeking food. Inuit use nets to again catch Char for the winter. On one occasion I was with a friend who was pulling a net after only a half hour in the water. It contained nearly a hundred fish.
These fish average about 10 pounds but larger fish are caught as well. Inuit women are skilled at cleaning and cutting the fish for future use. Families will use hundreds of pounds of this food. It is a great source of protein and even babies chew the dried fish. The same happens with caribou when the migration begins. Inuit will not hunt caribou during the calving season.
While I lived in the Arctic , Char was a staple in my diet but I preferred to freeze the fresh Char but I did dry some. The Inuit have a great way of freezing Char . I wondered how they froze the fish without having freezer burn. They dip the whole Char in water and let it freeze. They do this several times until the fish has a thin coating of Ice completely over its body. The secret is to freeze the whole uncut or ungutted fish. This really works.
This season of the year brings out whole families and before the rivers are open they will jig through the ice. This social behaviour is best shown when part of the catch is given to the elders and needy. This is true of all food gathering whether it be fish, berries, caribou or bear. Everyone gets a share of the bounty. This enabled this society to survive through the years. The fun of living in the Arctic for me was survival for the Inuit. Spring was fun in Ikaluktutiak for me but serious business for the Inuit.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Excitement
Our oldest daughter has the ability to walk into a room and change the dynamics instantly. This is because of her ability to talk and gain the floor. This last few weeks were different. She usually is able to do fifteen things at a time but as of this week she was bogged down. It is not enough that she is going to Africa in a week with her daughter to help build a school with Free The Children, but she also has a graduation for her youngest. On top of this, her job requires her to write not one but two newsletters - and she bought a cottage.One or two of these items have some people in a tizzy but she always said she works better under pressure; well she is under pressure. She must have forgotten the mess of sorting out papers for a mortgage and purchase of property in Parry Sound. She and her husband dropped in to pick up a rain barrel and some tools for their trip to the new digs this weekend. She must have done her homework as she appeared to be calm as a cucumber. In addition she is taking a two day work holiday at their new cottage. This is the way my oldest works - calm, cool and collected. She earned the time off. Enjoy.
Milestone
Yesterday we had a visit from our youngest grand child. He was the eighth and last I think but who knows these days. Troy rode up in his new bike which he got for graduation. We helped with the cost rather than buy a gift separately. He came just before getting ready time for his ceremony to thank us for the gift and explain why we were unable to attend. He was given five seat tickets and this accommodated the immediate family only.
Somehow he has grown up this year with muscles showing signs of development and a marked change in his voice. His ability to express himself sets him away from the silliness often associated with a 13 year old. After greetings to his grandmother and great grandmother we left for a game of pool.Troy said if I drove him home we could play for half an hour. We just began our game and the phone rang with his mom wondering where the heck he was . Mom was getting anxious. He explained and all was well.
This is the time when we talk one on one and share our inner feelings. With a little coaxing he revealed that he was sad to leave his school and teachers as well as his friends, He had a good year and played all school sports but more than that he grew up and accepted more responsibility for himself. For kids this age it means he finally kept his room tidy and helped mom. Theresa and I are very proud of this little fellow and look forward to his visits. Now that he will be in Secondary school this may change with his busy schedule and need to belong to the group. We will now have to share him with many others and new school activities.
Another milestone for Troy and an even more important one for us. Life has been good to us and my hope is that it will be as good for Troy.
Somehow he has grown up this year with muscles showing signs of development and a marked change in his voice. His ability to express himself sets him away from the silliness often associated with a 13 year old. After greetings to his grandmother and great grandmother we left for a game of pool.Troy said if I drove him home we could play for half an hour. We just began our game and the phone rang with his mom wondering where the heck he was . Mom was getting anxious. He explained and all was well.
This is the time when we talk one on one and share our inner feelings. With a little coaxing he revealed that he was sad to leave his school and teachers as well as his friends, He had a good year and played all school sports but more than that he grew up and accepted more responsibility for himself. For kids this age it means he finally kept his room tidy and helped mom. Theresa and I are very proud of this little fellow and look forward to his visits. Now that he will be in Secondary school this may change with his busy schedule and need to belong to the group. We will now have to share him with many others and new school activities.
Another milestone for Troy and an even more important one for us. Life has been good to us and my hope is that it will be as good for Troy.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Physio
My Dr. signed me up for physio for pain relief from arthritis. Lower back pain strikes most of one time or another but now clinics swear they have cures. When Theresa had trouble with a rotator cuff she went to physio and got relief. When she was finished her treatment her helper at the clinic told her to go play golf as she was cured. Theresa took her advice and went out to play golf and fell off the cart and suffered a back injury. She never went back there as she thought the advice was a little off the mark.
As I went the first day there was a screening test. The same one my Dr. gave me and this time the screening cost $80. After that I was the willing victim of torture. I was paying $50. a session to have a young lady pull my leg, force my joints to be put in positions they have not seen in years and asked to perform moves that could only be described as vulgar. The reward was the ten minute use of their magic machine. This machine along with heat pads make it all worthwhile. Currents of electricity are shot into your back with a soothing result.
When you complete that part of your session you feel you could take on the world. As you leave after paying your $50. you are prepared to take on the stairs to get down the three flights. I managed ok but when I hit the ground floor I was ready to go back for another treatment. It sounds bad but after only five sessions I feel better. It is like going to school because you never leave without homework. A paper describing what you have to do is part of the treatment. What I have learned is if I was doing my homework all along I might not need to be going there at all.
As I went the first day there was a screening test. The same one my Dr. gave me and this time the screening cost $80. After that I was the willing victim of torture. I was paying $50. a session to have a young lady pull my leg, force my joints to be put in positions they have not seen in years and asked to perform moves that could only be described as vulgar. The reward was the ten minute use of their magic machine. This machine along with heat pads make it all worthwhile. Currents of electricity are shot into your back with a soothing result.
When you complete that part of your session you feel you could take on the world. As you leave after paying your $50. you are prepared to take on the stairs to get down the three flights. I managed ok but when I hit the ground floor I was ready to go back for another treatment. It sounds bad but after only five sessions I feel better. It is like going to school because you never leave without homework. A paper describing what you have to do is part of the treatment. What I have learned is if I was doing my homework all along I might not need to be going there at all.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Rich Get Richer and You Know the Rest
The past years the governments of the free world propped up the financial institutions of Bay Street and Wall Street to the tune of trillions of dollars. Where did the money come from? You the taxpayer who are now asked to tighten your belts because the Government has given away your future. These corporations have just made profits twenty percent above their best years with your money. The American and Canadian Governments have made policies to make sure the corporations make profits for their shareholders. We are not the shareholders.
The governments of Great Britain, Grease and other countries just brought in budgets which have cuts of 25 percent. The cuts are for cutbacks on the poor and the middle class. We are going to pay for the rich to become richer while the poor will become even poorer. Government here and abroad protect the capitalists who control the wealth of the world. Canada as a country has tremendous wealth because of its resources. They are owned by all Canadians but exploited by a few international companies. INCO was the world's biggest producer of nickel and is now owned by a corporation in Brazil.
The men have been on strike for nearly a year but the foreign corporation has been operating the company on scab labour. Why? Because our governments support capitalism. The workers are just a means to profit.
The other night on TV a Republican Senator apologized to BP Oil for the disruption of their drilling and oil production. With this mindset it is difficult for our youth to have any confidence in government protection of the people they serve. The G8 are meeting and these countries control most of the wealth of the world. They promised to help Africa with their health problem, mainly HIV and AIDS. These countries never lived up to their promises and when they did they sent outdated medicines to these people. A Canadian, Stephen Lewis has devoted his life to the women of Africa and is world renowned for his effort.
He is ashamed of our government for not meeting their commitment and pulling out of their future work by stipulating that abortion will not be supported by funds from Canada. Teenaged girls are raped as acts if war and have to bear children from this terrible situation. We were sponsoring a program that would see these unfortunate souls being cared for by clean clinics. Otherwise a high percentage will die from infection in the back alleys of Africa without proper care.
Let us hope the (legitimate) protesters are heard during the G8 and G20 talks, and ordinary people will benefit from the Billion Dollar Conference held in Canada.
The governments of Great Britain, Grease and other countries just brought in budgets which have cuts of 25 percent. The cuts are for cutbacks on the poor and the middle class. We are going to pay for the rich to become richer while the poor will become even poorer. Government here and abroad protect the capitalists who control the wealth of the world. Canada as a country has tremendous wealth because of its resources. They are owned by all Canadians but exploited by a few international companies. INCO was the world's biggest producer of nickel and is now owned by a corporation in Brazil.
The men have been on strike for nearly a year but the foreign corporation has been operating the company on scab labour. Why? Because our governments support capitalism. The workers are just a means to profit.
The other night on TV a Republican Senator apologized to BP Oil for the disruption of their drilling and oil production. With this mindset it is difficult for our youth to have any confidence in government protection of the people they serve. The G8 are meeting and these countries control most of the wealth of the world. They promised to help Africa with their health problem, mainly HIV and AIDS. These countries never lived up to their promises and when they did they sent outdated medicines to these people. A Canadian, Stephen Lewis has devoted his life to the women of Africa and is world renowned for his effort.
He is ashamed of our government for not meeting their commitment and pulling out of their future work by stipulating that abortion will not be supported by funds from Canada. Teenaged girls are raped as acts if war and have to bear children from this terrible situation. We were sponsoring a program that would see these unfortunate souls being cared for by clean clinics. Otherwise a high percentage will die from infection in the back alleys of Africa without proper care.
Let us hope the (legitimate) protesters are heard during the G8 and G20 talks, and ordinary people will benefit from the Billion Dollar Conference held in Canada.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Dad's Helper
My son is visiting us today and little does he know the jobs I have lined up for him. Henry has always been a good helper and has been my loyal assistant on many projects. From early life he was a reliable helper and when we worked together he knew my thoughts and without much verbal communication we functioned as a well oiled team.Now we are older and I find myself being the assistant in many cases as he has become a very efficient worker and undertakes projects around his house and mine that few would attempt. He can read plans and execute them effectively. I never took the time to read plans and instructions and often found myself taking twice as long as I should have. His field is centered around electronics and has helped me in so many ways. All my family are pretty handy with computers and cameras and use this skill to communicate.
I wait for my son to come and set up a new (new to me ) music center for my garage and get my CD player hooked up (for the third time) to my TV. These chores get done when I get help. His visits are partly work but always fun. Today we have to schedule the laying down of a floor for my grand daughter and putting on a new roof at my house. A small section has to be replaced and it too small a job for a contractor but a one day for us. I messed up my GPS somehow so he took it and re-programmed it for me. He likes it so somehow I feel I may be waiting for its return.
I look forward to these little visits and the time I share with my son. It is a good feeling to have family close enough that we see each other at times other than weddings and funerals. My daughters are helpful as well but I only have one son. I am beginning to rely on him more and more to take charge of the heavy going. In return I make his favourite meal and enjoy the company.
Monday, June 21, 2010
School Year Ending
For thirty-five years the end of June was the busiest time of my life. As an educator we focused on student evaluation, graduation and special events. For the principal we had to make sure everything was organized to make the year ending smooth and plea sent. As much as I loved to see my students move on I always had a little mini depression on the last few days. Even though it was the beginning for the graduates there was a sense of loss to the people who nurtured them along the way.The pride shown by staff and parents on these special occasions was overshadowed by the bright eyes of the students who were eager to advance into new territory and new challenges. Every year my wife would tell my children to be a little careful around this time of the year. Your father has so much responsibility and so on. Actually the responsibility part was nothing as I trusted staff to carry out their responsibilities and this made it easy for me. It was this emotional thing for me. Staff leaving, some retiring, parties, special events like the annual golf day were all part of the closing ceremony called "end of the year" for educators.
Now as I see my children having the same experience because their children are moving on and I feel more comfortable. I am no longer in the mix and can stand back and bathe in reflected glory as my grand children pick up their diplomas and sometimes recognition for a job well done. I don't get invited to speak at graduations any more nor to be there to present the athlete of the year award. I kind of miss that but only a little as other important issues take up my time and tomatoes become my students and the fruit from my trees sweeten up my life and help with the memories of those great year endings.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Father's Day
Writing about fathers day a day early gives me an opportunity to rant before the fact. This year I have been a father for over fifty years. Having that title means more than the initials you put behind your name or rewards given for good efforts in other fields. Some people wear the crown gracefully and comfortably as they have done all the right things parenting their kin. I have constant thoughts about doing the right thing or making decisions for your children when you had the control and the will to do so. My attitude has been very consistent.As a young person I was never one to take kindly to controls of any type. It cost me dearly in my early life but formulated a philosophy for my parenting role. I felt and still feel that you can lead a child or young person in a direction dictated by your family values. Following that you have to trust in your child to make the right decisions. Let them make mistakes unless they are life threatening or dangerous and experience the consequences. Support your child and let them know you believe in them and expect them to respect you for what you are.
Be a parent but don't worry about being their friend. You will always be their friend but there will be times your children will not show it. For a time you may be the enemy but you are always their parent. I always think of Mark Twain's expression about parents when he said, "when I was 18 years old I did not know how my parents could be so stupid. When I was 19 I did not know how they learned so much in one year." That is not an exact quote but makes the point.
My father was a father in so many ways. He was not trained as a parent but he acted and reacted from the heart. He was not always correct in his dealing with me but like Mark Twain I realized he did what he felt he had from a motivation of true love and concern. Today when I look back I feel so fortunate to have had a father that had so many qualities of leadership, and I inherited some of them. As I look at our family I see my dad in so many of my siblings. Little, subtle qualities that make our family what it is. On father's day I look back to see where I came from but I always look forward to see where my children and grand children are going. It is great to be a father who is proud of his family because he is part of it.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Immigration
Other than our First Nations People everyone who make up our total population are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. America became the new home of millions of people from all corners of the world. Most of these new folk came because of special circumstances. Famine, religious persecution, chance for a better life or a thousand other reasons. These people enriched their new homeland and helped to make it prosper.
There was such an abundance of good land available that the new settlers quickly made a good life for their families. With special skills and talents came a new culture. A vigorous workforce and a need for services brought more professionals to this country and soon Canada and USA were leading the world in new ideas and technology.
All this activity caused the USA to become a melting pot of society. In Canada these was more room for individuals to maintain their identity and many immigrants settled together and formed a community with a homeland flavour. Throughout the west there are enclaves of distinct connections with their mother country. This has brought Canada to adapt a multi-cultural policy. People felt comfortable with familiar surroundings and people who spoke their native tongue.
This strength has also been a weakness as some of the immigrants brought with them cultural baggage. Some groups still were fighting their demons from their old homeland and this has caused problems. Recently there have been a rash of so called honour killings. There is no such thing in Canada as it is murder here and this clash of culture is painful.
New Canadians who grouped together maintained the richness of their former motherland's cultural while becoming true Canadians. Our first true Canadians are being recognized for their unique status as our First Nations and land claims settlements are being written to define that point. The largest land settlement agreement was the Nunavut agreement. One fifth of Canada's land mass was deeded to the Inuit as well as Territory status bestowed on this first nation.
Canada is revising their immigration policy to reflect new trends and we trust that our doors will remain open to suitable people wishing to make Canada their home. For sure immigration is the lifeblood for growth in Canada and will make our nation stronger and healthy.
There was such an abundance of good land available that the new settlers quickly made a good life for their families. With special skills and talents came a new culture. A vigorous workforce and a need for services brought more professionals to this country and soon Canada and USA were leading the world in new ideas and technology.
All this activity caused the USA to become a melting pot of society. In Canada these was more room for individuals to maintain their identity and many immigrants settled together and formed a community with a homeland flavour. Throughout the west there are enclaves of distinct connections with their mother country. This has brought Canada to adapt a multi-cultural policy. People felt comfortable with familiar surroundings and people who spoke their native tongue.
This strength has also been a weakness as some of the immigrants brought with them cultural baggage. Some groups still were fighting their demons from their old homeland and this has caused problems. Recently there have been a rash of so called honour killings. There is no such thing in Canada as it is murder here and this clash of culture is painful.
New Canadians who grouped together maintained the richness of their former motherland's cultural while becoming true Canadians. Our first true Canadians are being recognized for their unique status as our First Nations and land claims settlements are being written to define that point. The largest land settlement agreement was the Nunavut agreement. One fifth of Canada's land mass was deeded to the Inuit as well as Territory status bestowed on this first nation.
Canada is revising their immigration policy to reflect new trends and we trust that our doors will remain open to suitable people wishing to make Canada their home. For sure immigration is the lifeblood for growth in Canada and will make our nation stronger and healthy.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Stager ... De-clutterer
A house down the road from us sold the other day. It was an older home and housed a couple who are moving to Ottawa. The house sold in a day or two after being advertised with a large sign on the front lawn. It is customary for houses to be sold within a day or two if they are priced correctly. The sold sign appeared almost the next day.
Within a few days articles appeared on the sidewalk marked free. Every few hours more and more things were placed outside clearly marked for free. As we are having a yard sale soon to help build a school in Africa, Theresa and I began to pick up treasure after treasure. Our garage began to fill up right after I gave it a spring cleaning. As Theresa and I drove to the grocery store we saw a huge pile of treasures by the side of the road. There was a youngish man there and we stopped to check out the goods.
We talked to the man and he told us he was de-cluttering the house and everything he took out would be given free. This was his task and he was paid much the same as a stager. He also said that under normal circumstances he took the de-cluttered treasures to a charitable organization for resale. This is recycling in the finest tradition. From his work we gleaned quite a few items for our fundraiser for Africa.
People are more and more into this type of behaviour. We find that our generation were collectors and we filled out homes with things that - after a while - become clutter. I am a self -proclaimed collector but in my defence, I also recycle. I pick up furniture and objects and refinish them and give them away. I have never resold a found treasure except once. My habit has helped friends and family and I have this compulsion about waste. Therefore I have to de-clutter several times a year. I might even have to get learned up and become a stagger, or a de-clutterer. In any case I think it would be a good practise to de-clutter at least once a year. I would have to be away when this occurred as all my clutter is viewed as treasures to me.
I might change but don't hold your breath.
Within a few days articles appeared on the sidewalk marked free. Every few hours more and more things were placed outside clearly marked for free. As we are having a yard sale soon to help build a school in Africa, Theresa and I began to pick up treasure after treasure. Our garage began to fill up right after I gave it a spring cleaning. As Theresa and I drove to the grocery store we saw a huge pile of treasures by the side of the road. There was a youngish man there and we stopped to check out the goods.
We talked to the man and he told us he was de-cluttering the house and everything he took out would be given free. This was his task and he was paid much the same as a stager. He also said that under normal circumstances he took the de-cluttered treasures to a charitable organization for resale. This is recycling in the finest tradition. From his work we gleaned quite a few items for our fundraiser for Africa.
People are more and more into this type of behaviour. We find that our generation were collectors and we filled out homes with things that - after a while - become clutter. I am a self -proclaimed collector but in my defence, I also recycle. I pick up furniture and objects and refinish them and give them away. I have never resold a found treasure except once. My habit has helped friends and family and I have this compulsion about waste. Therefore I have to de-clutter several times a year. I might even have to get learned up and become a stagger, or a de-clutterer. In any case I think it would be a good practise to de-clutter at least once a year. I would have to be away when this occurred as all my clutter is viewed as treasures to me.
I might change but don't hold your breath.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Vital Vegetation
The Gulf of Mexico is under attack by an oil leak that is so bad it will impact the bordering states for years if not generations.In the bordering states, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Missouri there is near panic as the oil blobs are washed up on the beaches. This is the good news as the people are able to capture the mess and bag it. The real problem is with the wetlands. We usually see these states depicted as having pristine,sandy beaches. This is true but the real truth is this makes up a small portion of the coastline.
Most of the coastline is composed of mangroves or marshes. When oil penetrates these areas it is impossible to clean it up causing eventual death to the nursery of the gulf. The mangroves are unique in as much as they grow in salt water and become home to nearly all fish life. The mangroves protect the young hatching's from predators and become the nursery. Even young alligators spend their early life here in the mangroves.
The marshes are composed mostly of saw.grass, a tough grass that accepts salty or fresh water and again is home to the young life. Many fishes lay their eggs in these marshy areas. With oil penetrating these areas all life ceases. Economically the marsh which is home to shrimp breeding becomes a key factor for the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.
Since these vegetation forms are the key building blocks for life in the gulf there is worry for the future of this beautiful spot on the map. There seems to be no quick solution to the problem and frustration becomes panic. I wonder what mother nature thinks when she is attacked in such a brutal and insensitive manner. Again greed for the almighty dollar superseded the need for proper safeguards. Corners were cut and and in some places not activated as this tragedy not only cost precious lives but destroys the future for so many types of life.
We all see the tragic pictures of the birds but this is only the tip of the problem. This is not oil as we understand it to be but more like brownish peanut butter in its crude state. We hope that this disaster can be controlled before It gets any worse. Projections show the oil slick will escape the gulf and work its way along the east coast of the USA reaching Canada's Maritimes sometime in the future. There is something to be learned here as we in Canada just authorized drilling to be started off Newfoundland in conditions much more hazardous because of the challenges there. Storms, drilling at depths exceeding 8,000 feet, icebergs and other unknown difficulties make us a sure candidate for disaster.
Most of the coastline is composed of mangroves or marshes. When oil penetrates these areas it is impossible to clean it up causing eventual death to the nursery of the gulf. The mangroves are unique in as much as they grow in salt water and become home to nearly all fish life. The mangroves protect the young hatching's from predators and become the nursery. Even young alligators spend their early life here in the mangroves.
The marshes are composed mostly of saw.grass, a tough grass that accepts salty or fresh water and again is home to the young life. Many fishes lay their eggs in these marshy areas. With oil penetrating these areas all life ceases. Economically the marsh which is home to shrimp breeding becomes a key factor for the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.
Since these vegetation forms are the key building blocks for life in the gulf there is worry for the future of this beautiful spot on the map. There seems to be no quick solution to the problem and frustration becomes panic. I wonder what mother nature thinks when she is attacked in such a brutal and insensitive manner. Again greed for the almighty dollar superseded the need for proper safeguards. Corners were cut and and in some places not activated as this tragedy not only cost precious lives but destroys the future for so many types of life.
We all see the tragic pictures of the birds but this is only the tip of the problem. This is not oil as we understand it to be but more like brownish peanut butter in its crude state. We hope that this disaster can be controlled before It gets any worse. Projections show the oil slick will escape the gulf and work its way along the east coast of the USA reaching Canada's Maritimes sometime in the future. There is something to be learned here as we in Canada just authorized drilling to be started off Newfoundland in conditions much more hazardous because of the challenges there. Storms, drilling at depths exceeding 8,000 feet, icebergs and other unknown difficulties make us a sure candidate for disaster.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Cherry Time Again
When Doris bought us a cherry tree for our anniversary five years ago I never thought we would be blessed with such an abundance of fruit. There are four kinds of cherries on this tree which now stands taller than our home. I actually pick many of the cherries while standing on the roof of our home.
Most of the fruit is of the large yellow type. Excellent for eating or preserving. Its greatest use is fattening up the blackbirds. On the day I plan to pick I must get all I wish as the birds take over. They glean the trees clean in short order. Since today is picking day we are fortunate that the birds have not come in numbers to fill their crops.
We get enough fruit for many families and I extend a welcome to my family and friends to come pick all you wish. We make cherry jam, my favourite, jelly and freeze bags for pies and baking. They freeze well and last year we were able to use the frozen fruit until we retreated to Florida. We are happy with the crop and it will make up for the no show of apples. Our apple trees were full of blossoms but too early as they never got pollinated.We have one little apple on one tree and a handful on the other. Well next year it will be better.
For today I have to try to put some of the picked cherries in the pot and not in my mouth. They are so tempting. Mother nature delivered again and we are thankful.
Most of the fruit is of the large yellow type. Excellent for eating or preserving. Its greatest use is fattening up the blackbirds. On the day I plan to pick I must get all I wish as the birds take over. They glean the trees clean in short order. Since today is picking day we are fortunate that the birds have not come in numbers to fill their crops.
We get enough fruit for many families and I extend a welcome to my family and friends to come pick all you wish. We make cherry jam, my favourite, jelly and freeze bags for pies and baking. They freeze well and last year we were able to use the frozen fruit until we retreated to Florida. We are happy with the crop and it will make up for the no show of apples. Our apple trees were full of blossoms but too early as they never got pollinated.We have one little apple on one tree and a handful on the other. Well next year it will be better.
For today I have to try to put some of the picked cherries in the pot and not in my mouth. They are so tempting. Mother nature delivered again and we are thankful.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Unifying Force
Sports can be a great unifying force for good. The Olympics show that every four years. The world football cup is such a force. Rarely is one event that important but soccer football is such an international game that nearly every country has a soccer presence. Canada for years lagged behind the world in promoting this game. All you need is a space and a soccer ball. Pictures coming out of Africa show third world children playing soccer in every imaginable place with a smile on every face.
People who travel to remote areas of the world report the condition of this game and it appears to be played everywhere with passion. Because the world cup lasts for a month the publicity is enormous and feelings run high. Here in Oakville, which is a soccer crazy city cars drive by with their country's flag flying in the wind. Oakville has the largest soccer population for its size in all of Canada. Because of the costs involved many children were excluded from playing our national game hockey. Soccer was a good alternative. Here in Oakville we have one of the few indoor soccer pitches and it is used all year long.
School soccer is catching on every where in Canada. Even in Canada's far north soccer is played by the Inuit all year and outside as well in temperatures well below freezing. Schools like the game as both boys and girls have the same opportunity to play. Although soccer has been given a black eye by the professionals in Europe and South America because of the riots, international soccer has not been tared with the same brush. Friendlies are played on a regular basis and breed good feelings among nations of the world.
Africa is been given an opportunity to show the world who they are and my wish is that we as wealthy nations see the spirit and resolve of the African nations in putting their best foot forward.
People who travel to remote areas of the world report the condition of this game and it appears to be played everywhere with passion. Because the world cup lasts for a month the publicity is enormous and feelings run high. Here in Oakville, which is a soccer crazy city cars drive by with their country's flag flying in the wind. Oakville has the largest soccer population for its size in all of Canada. Because of the costs involved many children were excluded from playing our national game hockey. Soccer was a good alternative. Here in Oakville we have one of the few indoor soccer pitches and it is used all year long.
School soccer is catching on every where in Canada. Even in Canada's far north soccer is played by the Inuit all year and outside as well in temperatures well below freezing. Schools like the game as both boys and girls have the same opportunity to play. Although soccer has been given a black eye by the professionals in Europe and South America because of the riots, international soccer has not been tared with the same brush. Friendlies are played on a regular basis and breed good feelings among nations of the world.
Africa is been given an opportunity to show the world who they are and my wish is that we as wealthy nations see the spirit and resolve of the African nations in putting their best foot forward.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Roses
Every year at this time I delight in seeing our roses put on a show for anyone who cares to watch. Our roses are many and we have half a dozen varieties. Our favourite are the large , pink ones which bloom every year at the same time except this year as everything is weeks early. Some of the roses are worth cutting but I prefer to see them in their natural state, on the tree.
Our roses compliment the clematis which climb close to the side of the house. Combined with morning glory we have colour most of the summer months. Rather than talk about these flowers I will show a few of our favourite spring roses and others.
Our roses compliment the clematis which climb close to the side of the house. Combined with morning glory we have colour most of the summer months. Rather than talk about these flowers I will show a few of our favourite spring roses and others.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Canada's International Image
A few years ago Theresa and I celebrated Canada Day in Ottawa and freely walked the crowded streets without a thought of security. On the street in front of the parliament buildings throngs of people were waiting for the walk about of our Governor General and the Prime Minister. As we mingled with the crowd I came face to face with our prime minister. As I shook his hand Theresa took pictures and he continued on his way. His security was there but his candor was so apparent he continued to out walk them and he felt safe and secure in his home town, Ottawa.
We are entertaining leaders of the world in Canada's largest city. In a few days the downtown will be an armed camp with 15,000 security people protecting a few dozen leaders. High security fences will be constructed, man holes will be welded, crowd control vehicles in place, tear and pepper spray canisters will be available and helicopters will cover the downtown. In addition every building will have security people on rooftops, residents will vacate their condos and people who wish to demonstrate will be herded into special areas. Does this sound like Canada, the safest country in the world or like the USSR in bygone days?
The decision to host the G8 and G20 was a decision by the Prime Minister to place Canada in the limelight. We make good hosts and were prepared to meet our responsibility as a member of the G8. The choice of venues was a mistake of because of the costs and difficulty in providing security. The 1.1 billion dollar price tag is out of all common sense as other countries were able to host this charade for much less money. With the government asking Canadians to tighten their belts and federal spending causing a 50 billion deficit makes the taxpayer a little concerned when they look at what they get for the 1.1 billion.
Huntsville and area are happy to get pork barrel projects as far away from the meetings as a hundred kms. Parry Sound received new sidewalks, other villages had parks and facilities upgraded even though the G8 will be nowhere near. The last straw was the media center at a cost of over a million including a fake lake has nearly everyone upset and a recent poll shows that over 60% of the people were upset at the reckless spending.
Again I wonder why these meetings could be not be held in secure facilities at the UN or isolated venues where security is not such a great problem. I would suggest Nunavut or the Yukon or anywhere but in Toronto and Huntsville. The 250 km distance makes it expensive and difficult to manage. If we wished this to be a advertisement for Canada and its freedom and beauty, consider it a failure. It will be a reminder of the past regimes who built fences and walls to keep their people from escaping. We are not this kind of country and this is not the image we wish to show the world. We just hope that we are not judged too harshly by the media and it is a great success. It should be at this cost.
We are entertaining leaders of the world in Canada's largest city. In a few days the downtown will be an armed camp with 15,000 security people protecting a few dozen leaders. High security fences will be constructed, man holes will be welded, crowd control vehicles in place, tear and pepper spray canisters will be available and helicopters will cover the downtown. In addition every building will have security people on rooftops, residents will vacate their condos and people who wish to demonstrate will be herded into special areas. Does this sound like Canada, the safest country in the world or like the USSR in bygone days?
The decision to host the G8 and G20 was a decision by the Prime Minister to place Canada in the limelight. We make good hosts and were prepared to meet our responsibility as a member of the G8. The choice of venues was a mistake of because of the costs and difficulty in providing security. The 1.1 billion dollar price tag is out of all common sense as other countries were able to host this charade for much less money. With the government asking Canadians to tighten their belts and federal spending causing a 50 billion deficit makes the taxpayer a little concerned when they look at what they get for the 1.1 billion.
Huntsville and area are happy to get pork barrel projects as far away from the meetings as a hundred kms. Parry Sound received new sidewalks, other villages had parks and facilities upgraded even though the G8 will be nowhere near. The last straw was the media center at a cost of over a million including a fake lake has nearly everyone upset and a recent poll shows that over 60% of the people were upset at the reckless spending.
Again I wonder why these meetings could be not be held in secure facilities at the UN or isolated venues where security is not such a great problem. I would suggest Nunavut or the Yukon or anywhere but in Toronto and Huntsville. The 250 km distance makes it expensive and difficult to manage. If we wished this to be a advertisement for Canada and its freedom and beauty, consider it a failure. It will be a reminder of the past regimes who built fences and walls to keep their people from escaping. We are not this kind of country and this is not the image we wish to show the world. We just hope that we are not judged too harshly by the media and it is a great success. It should be at this cost.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Computers Are For Everyone
Theresa and I are fortunate to have family members who are very good with computers. We use our computers for nearly everything from banking, email, face book and blogging. The only problem is that we cannot fix the glitches when they occur. A good example of that is a problem we I had in my picture file. I was having difficulty retrieving and posting pictures on my blog. Our grand daughter who lives down the road came to our place on Saturday and in an hour gave us a lesson on how to perform functions on our computer.
While she was here she helped on many counts and wrote out instructions for us and posted them on favourites. Without this help we would be in a mess on many occasions. When we are in Florida the help is as close as our phone or email. People who are reluctant to use the computer are missing out on the best piece of communications hardware. Older people are using this vehicle more and more and their lives are enriched daily.
With Google the capabilities are without limits for instant information. One of my older friends (aged 88) took up using the computer for medical information. Since then he has opened up a whole other world and although he is confined to his home, he roams the world and has brought back excitement to himself and his wife. He bought a printer and now has started to print pictures and and copy documents. His life has been changed and for the better.
While waiting in the doctor's office the other day a man sat by me and pulled out this portable notebook. With the finger doing the walking. I was amazed at the functions. As I looked interested he was happy to show me some of the things it could do. It made me feel I was in the dark ages in as far as computers were concerned. I must get one of them.
Life is better when you are able to mesh the old with the new. Computers are life savers for us and really are for everyone.
While she was here she helped on many counts and wrote out instructions for us and posted them on favourites. Without this help we would be in a mess on many occasions. When we are in Florida the help is as close as our phone or email. People who are reluctant to use the computer are missing out on the best piece of communications hardware. Older people are using this vehicle more and more and their lives are enriched daily.
With Google the capabilities are without limits for instant information. One of my older friends (aged 88) took up using the computer for medical information. Since then he has opened up a whole other world and although he is confined to his home, he roams the world and has brought back excitement to himself and his wife. He bought a printer and now has started to print pictures and and copy documents. His life has been changed and for the better.
While waiting in the doctor's office the other day a man sat by me and pulled out this portable notebook. With the finger doing the walking. I was amazed at the functions. As I looked interested he was happy to show me some of the things it could do. It made me feel I was in the dark ages in as far as computers were concerned. I must get one of them.
Life is better when you are able to mesh the old with the new. Computers are life savers for us and really are for everyone.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Asbestos Re-visited
Canada's ugly little environmental secret is not a secret anymore. International pressure to stop the exporting of asbestos to Asian countries is growing. All the scientific evidence formalized the need for the stopping of the use of this mineral. In almost every country there is a ban on it's use but in spite of this Canada condones the export of this mineral to Countries in Asia. The untold deaths as a result is a black mark on the industry which produces it and the country which supports this industry.
Canada had the perfect opportunity to close this industry down as the readily available resource had all but disappeared. The two operating mines are near bankruptcy and their only hope of continuing their mining is if they get government aid in the way of loans, grants and loan insurance. Private capitol is not available because of the nature of the product mined. Now the ugly story is coming out.
The province of Quebec and their premier Jean Charest and Prime Minister Stephen Harper are about to rescue this killer industry. At stake are three seats in parliament. Apart from the moral issue of exporting asbestos disease for profit we as taxpayers might ask why two supposedly business minded politicians are risking public funds and Canada's international political capital to breath new life into an industry that has been notorious for its record of economic disaster and public health tragedy.
Premier Charest is about to loan $58,000,000 to develop an underground Jeffrey Mine that will produce and export 200,000 tons of asbestos yearly for the next 25 years to Asia and perhaps Africa. There are no regulations to deal with in this market. The amount of suffering and death will be enormous for decades to come. With Quebec providing the financing Harper will provide the international political protection to stop the industry from being regulated. Harper is the only Western political leader who supports asbestos and the only Canadian leader to do the same.
With the ruthless cutting of budgets supporting scientific research and aboriginal healing programs there was no cutting the grant to the asbestos industry [Chrysotile Institute ] lobby group. There was no hesitation with this grant in spite of the objections of the Cancer Society of Canada and numerous health experts. This grant is for $250,000 and is used to assure developing countries that asbestos can be used safely.
There are several disturbing facts about this whole mess. One is that the Quebec government studies show 100% failure rate to handle asbestos in Quebec itself. Another is that the exported mineral carries the logo of Canada on its products indicating it is endorsed by Canada. The third is the most troubling in as much as our Prime Minister has made a commitment to the industry that as long as he is Prime Minister he will support the export of asbestos and will block the UN environmental agreement, the Rotterdam Convention, so as to prevent chryostile asbestos from being put on the list for hazardous substances. This request has been made by the convention's expert body.
Blocking the Rotterdam Convention is a powerful gift given to the industry and one lobbied hard to our government with funds provided by public taxpayers dollars. If asbestos made the list as a hazardous substance every product would have to be labeled accordingly.
I am not suggesting that the Prime Minister is a genuine enthusiast of asbestos as his home at 24 Sussex drive is presently costing a small fortune to remove asbestos and his workplace the House of Commons also. I suggest his motivation is political and to win a couple of seats in the asbestos-producing region. Both the Prime Minister and the Premier of Quebec will be judged harshly by history because of their reckless behaviour. I would suggest if you are interested to talk to your member, and stand back when you get their take on this: Canada's ugly secret - ASBESTOS.
Some of the information I used comes from printed material I have read and some from public information. This is an issue that will not go away and I am dedicated to help it disappear.
You may be interested in:
Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk, National Cancer Institute (USA)
Basic Facts About Asbestos, Environmental Protection Agency
Canada had the perfect opportunity to close this industry down as the readily available resource had all but disappeared. The two operating mines are near bankruptcy and their only hope of continuing their mining is if they get government aid in the way of loans, grants and loan insurance. Private capitol is not available because of the nature of the product mined. Now the ugly story is coming out.
The province of Quebec and their premier Jean Charest and Prime Minister Stephen Harper are about to rescue this killer industry. At stake are three seats in parliament. Apart from the moral issue of exporting asbestos disease for profit we as taxpayers might ask why two supposedly business minded politicians are risking public funds and Canada's international political capital to breath new life into an industry that has been notorious for its record of economic disaster and public health tragedy.
Premier Charest is about to loan $58,000,000 to develop an underground Jeffrey Mine that will produce and export 200,000 tons of asbestos yearly for the next 25 years to Asia and perhaps Africa. There are no regulations to deal with in this market. The amount of suffering and death will be enormous for decades to come. With Quebec providing the financing Harper will provide the international political protection to stop the industry from being regulated. Harper is the only Western political leader who supports asbestos and the only Canadian leader to do the same.
With the ruthless cutting of budgets supporting scientific research and aboriginal healing programs there was no cutting the grant to the asbestos industry [Chrysotile Institute ] lobby group. There was no hesitation with this grant in spite of the objections of the Cancer Society of Canada and numerous health experts. This grant is for $250,000 and is used to assure developing countries that asbestos can be used safely.
There are several disturbing facts about this whole mess. One is that the Quebec government studies show 100% failure rate to handle asbestos in Quebec itself. Another is that the exported mineral carries the logo of Canada on its products indicating it is endorsed by Canada. The third is the most troubling in as much as our Prime Minister has made a commitment to the industry that as long as he is Prime Minister he will support the export of asbestos and will block the UN environmental agreement, the Rotterdam Convention, so as to prevent chryostile asbestos from being put on the list for hazardous substances. This request has been made by the convention's expert body.
Blocking the Rotterdam Convention is a powerful gift given to the industry and one lobbied hard to our government with funds provided by public taxpayers dollars. If asbestos made the list as a hazardous substance every product would have to be labeled accordingly.
I am not suggesting that the Prime Minister is a genuine enthusiast of asbestos as his home at 24 Sussex drive is presently costing a small fortune to remove asbestos and his workplace the House of Commons also. I suggest his motivation is political and to win a couple of seats in the asbestos-producing region. Both the Prime Minister and the Premier of Quebec will be judged harshly by history because of their reckless behaviour. I would suggest if you are interested to talk to your member, and stand back when you get their take on this: Canada's ugly secret - ASBESTOS.
Some of the information I used comes from printed material I have read and some from public information. This is an issue that will not go away and I am dedicated to help it disappear.
You may be interested in:
Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk, National Cancer Institute (USA)
Basic Facts About Asbestos, Environmental Protection Agency
Friday, June 4, 2010
One by One
It seems that when you hear of death of a friend the event becomes not one but several. Last week my close and long time friend"s mother passed away at age 98. Last eve I received a call telling me of another grand old lady from the Valley passing away. She was 101 years old. Her daughter was concerned about her and expressed that feeling when I talked to her at the last funeral.This lady was one of a kind and possessed that joy of living until the end. She was an independent woman and toiled all her life as a farmers wife and partner. She had a sparkle in her eye and a great sense of humour. One time I was buying meat hens from her. I used to buy ten at a time and they were large. As a joke I told her that if she couldn't grow them any larger I would have to buy them from one of her friends, Mrs. M. She did not say a word as I ordered ten more for the next year. I received her call next fall to say my chickens were ready. That Saturday morning I arrived at her house to pick up my chickens but something was different. We talked a little and I had a short conversation with her husband about politics and then the master stroke.
With a grin she said to get the box of chickens. This time there were three boxes and the total weight was one hundred and thirty five pounds. "Are they large enough?" she grinned. Well, they were the largest chickens I ever saw. I can grow them larger if you wish she said with an impish smile. She had fun with that and I never tried to get ahead of her as she was sharp as a tack.
Politics, business and family was important to her. When Pembroke celebrated its sesquicentennial I requested that she make a quilt for me as a token of remembrance. She and other Micksburg ladies made me the most beautiful quilt depicting the history and culture of our little city. There are many reasons to remember this fine person and she will be missed for sure. She left a legacy of service to her community and it is being continued by her daughter who has some of that same Valley spirit and come to think of it has that same twinkle in her eye to remind you to be on yours toes when dealing with her.
Losing these wonderful citizens is painful but seeing them replaced by their own gives us confidence that her spirit lives on.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Water Levels
Across Ontario the water levels have tumbled in many regions. The weather change has caused serious shortages because of the lack of snow in the winter and an unusually small rainfall in this spring. Out west in Manitoba the opposite is true as the Red River overflows its banks in light of record breaking rainfalls. The Province of Quebec is burning where uncontrolled fires eat up the boreal forests in unpopulated areas. The cause - low snow fall and rain resulting in low water levels.
These weather changes are to be more common in the future because of many factors. People who study the changes are predicting more severe weather patterns meaning a great impact on our environment. Floods, hurricanes and drought will be the norm and we can expect major disruptions to our lifestyle. Agriculture has already had severe issues with frost causing major damage to the tomato and tender fruit and vegetable crops in the south. Records have been broken in nearly every area and this will continue.
We are so dependent on the weather that we have TV stations broadcasting 24 hours - and their popularity is growing. People watch weather events like hurricanes and floods big time. This is not likely to change as everyone talks about the weather but we can't do anything about it.
These weather changes are to be more common in the future because of many factors. People who study the changes are predicting more severe weather patterns meaning a great impact on our environment. Floods, hurricanes and drought will be the norm and we can expect major disruptions to our lifestyle. Agriculture has already had severe issues with frost causing major damage to the tomato and tender fruit and vegetable crops in the south. Records have been broken in nearly every area and this will continue.
We are so dependent on the weather that we have TV stations broadcasting 24 hours - and their popularity is growing. People watch weather events like hurricanes and floods big time. This is not likely to change as everyone talks about the weather but we can't do anything about it.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Stupidity
Rarely in my private or personal life have I been so upset with our Prime Minister Stephen Harper. While the world calls for a immediate investigation into the tragedy with the Jewish blockade in Gaza and the resulting deaths of innocent people hoping to help the people of Gaza with peaceful supplies our PM was sucking up to one of the tyrants in the middle east calling Israel our closest friend.
This was one of the most worst international mistakes our PM has made. Why are we not taking the long time international stance that Canada has made over the last 60 years and remained neutral. The people of Palestine have as much right to a place in the sun as the Jewish people. The Jewish people were granted a piece of land around 1948 to ensure they had a land of their own. This was an arbitrary decision, mainly by Britain but gave the Jewish people a land to settle and recover from the Second World War.
The Palestine people had an equal right for a place in the sun and were denied for many years the right to their homeland. Now we have a nation which is at odds with their neighbours and supported by many western nations committing terrible acts. While our prime Minister was sucking up to their PM their armed forces, in international waters slaughtered some of the people who raised money to provide supplies to the Palestinians.
A blockade to this area placed great hardships on the people in Gaza and the Turkish lead convoy was going to challenge the blockade. Great force in the way of armed Jewish military landed on the convey and killed many innocent people. Prisoners and ships were taken in by the Israel Military.
The world is enraged and the only friendly country seems to be Canada. Our PM made a big mistake because of his right wing conservative feelings. We will realize that his error in judgment will hurt Canada as a country which has been recognized as a state which treats all people equally. We should immediately separate ourselves as Israel's best friend and take our place with all the countries of the world who see Israel for what it is - wrong - and ask Israel to come clean and stand with the world and become a citizen of the world. We can no longer tolerate the actions of this renegade regime. Everyone in this world deserves to have a place in the sun and we must respect every people to find that place. I am ashamed of our stance for the first time in my life.
This was one of the most worst international mistakes our PM has made. Why are we not taking the long time international stance that Canada has made over the last 60 years and remained neutral. The people of Palestine have as much right to a place in the sun as the Jewish people. The Jewish people were granted a piece of land around 1948 to ensure they had a land of their own. This was an arbitrary decision, mainly by Britain but gave the Jewish people a land to settle and recover from the Second World War.
The Palestine people had an equal right for a place in the sun and were denied for many years the right to their homeland. Now we have a nation which is at odds with their neighbours and supported by many western nations committing terrible acts. While our prime Minister was sucking up to their PM their armed forces, in international waters slaughtered some of the people who raised money to provide supplies to the Palestinians.
A blockade to this area placed great hardships on the people in Gaza and the Turkish lead convoy was going to challenge the blockade. Great force in the way of armed Jewish military landed on the convey and killed many innocent people. Prisoners and ships were taken in by the Israel Military.
The world is enraged and the only friendly country seems to be Canada. Our PM made a big mistake because of his right wing conservative feelings. We will realize that his error in judgment will hurt Canada as a country which has been recognized as a state which treats all people equally. We should immediately separate ourselves as Israel's best friend and take our place with all the countries of the world who see Israel for what it is - wrong - and ask Israel to come clean and stand with the world and become a citizen of the world. We can no longer tolerate the actions of this renegade regime. Everyone in this world deserves to have a place in the sun and we must respect every people to find that place. I am ashamed of our stance for the first time in my life.
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