Canada

Tomorrow we celebrate our country's birthday. We  started out with the joining together of four rather small {in population} province in 1867. Over the years we kept growing until we reached 10 provinces and three territories. All this to form one of the largest countries in the world and all without armed conflict.

Yes we had three rebellions within the country and one great war to defend our border with the USA. The war of 1812 was a defining moment in our history when we not only pushed back the USA but brought all of our people together for a common cause. The real victory for Canada was its growing up.

Today we stand among the nations of the world who have found their reason to be without bloodshed and became one of the most if not the most diverse and cosmopolitan democracy's in the world. We love our diversity and embrace our cultural differences and welcome people from all over the world to join and strengthen our country Canada.

Around the globe we used to be known as a peacekeeping country and were admired and trusted for our status among the leaders of the world. Sadly that has changed somewhat during the past few years but Canada and Canadians will bring us back to our roots and our true democratic ways.

I love Canada as others who live here and cherish all that we have. Life is good and we are leaders in the social changes that are a must if we are to have a true inclusive society. Tomorrow I will be thinking of all the opportunities that Canada has afforded me and give thanks for the past gifts. I will also seek ways that I may contribute to making this country a better place in which to live for all people in all parts of our country.

One obligation the we must take more seriously is our great gift of a free vote. An election with a 50% turnout is not acceptable. Well begun is half done......lets get out and participate when you have the opportunity.

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Everything Is In Bloom

The last few hot and humid days brought forth all the flowers and weeds in the garden. I was surprised that the strawberries came so quickly and are now practically over. Perhaps we are going to have that kind of summer. The weather patterns are nasty out west and all over the world there are signs of extremes in  rainfalls and wind patterns. With these conditions being the norm in the future we will have to adjust out growing to match.

Some of our flowers have already bloomed weeks earlier than usual. I enjoy the activity but hope I am able to keep up with the changes.

Lindsoy's Boat Trip

Each year Lyndsay organizes a boat trip for her friends. John has a beautiful  53 foot Carver and he is generous in as much as he takes us out for a cruise along the shore of Lake Ontario. The marina is home to many boats of all sizes. Oakville is home to sailors of all stripes and there are boats of all sizes to meet the fancy of their owners. The sail boats make a great picture as they set up a racing course just outside of the marina and spectators can watch the whole thing from shore.

Our particular cruise took us along the shore where beautiful homes crowd the shore each one  more beautiful than the next. Most of these homes cannot be seen from land so it is a real treat to cruise along and admire them from the water. Of course Lyndsay planned great food and during our several hour tour we were fed and entertained by a young dog. Darcy, Lindsay's young sister socializes dogs for the training center here in Oakville. The Lions Club have established a huge center for training dogs to work with individuals who have special needs. This is her third and will soon have to give back this puppy for further more formal training.

Every year we look forward to this outing and we never tire of the beautiful cruise and hospitality given to us by our hostess Lyndsay.

Perfect Day For Golf

Theresa and I decided to try to get out for golf every week. So far we have failed to do so because there were too many tasks to perform. Today was perfect for a game. Using a cart we attacked a very difficult course which offered many challenges. A hilly 6580 yard from the whites provided more than I could provide.'

There were many people playing but the starter allowed us to play by ourselves which is always a good idea but we found the rhythm of the group and managed to keep up. Three years ago when we played this course I received the joy of getting a hole in one. It was a 139 yard hole over water to an elevated green. Theresa was watching from the red tees and when I shot my ball with an eight iron I never realized that the ball was in the hole. We looked for my ball and finally I decided to shoot another when Theresa looked  in the cup and there was my ball. Because I never actually saw the ball enter the cup it had not the excitement normally connected with a hole in one.

Golf courses here in this part of Ontario are being swallowed up for development and those still open are so costly that the number playing has been greatly reduced. Outside of the built up area there are dozens of courses but they also are not doing so well financially . We love the opportunity to play as it is the better part of a day outdoors and in touch with nature.

I probably should say that when I arrived at the tee where I scored my ace I told Theresa to get the camera ready. She did and I did not as I used the same eight  iron but hit away right and lost my ball. She took the pic anyway. Golf is a great game.

Aboriginal Day

This year Aboriginal Day was celebrated right across from coast ,to coast ,to coast. It was a celebration for the first nations who have been fighting to gain status within Canada for decades. I realize that for many Canadians the aboriginal question is one of the most misunderstood problems we have. Here we have well over one million people who have survived terrible hardships at the hands of their conquerors who seized their lands and placed them on reservations which in many cases could not support their way of life.

The government who for years under the Indian Act were obliged to take care of them neglected their duty and left the people in dire straights. Inadequate housing, dirty drinking water, little health care and a school system which was not supported to the level of other Canadians. To say employment was a problem would be a joke as there was little opportunity for work on the reservations.

There were notable exceptions as some communities have flourished. The reason is all about the answers to the aforementioned problems. The aboriginal communities which received the proper care did very well. I have lived in aboriginal communities and have seen first hand just what the potential is for an intelligent work force. Our first nations hold a potential for great economic benefits. The government is bringing in hundreds of thousands of migrant workers but look right past our potential workers in Canada.

Where the opportunity comes the aboriginal workers are quick learners as is seen in the diamond industry and the oil patch where they have fared out very well. All that is needed is a level playing field. Canada has to address this situation in a positive manner as the fastest growing segment of our population is the aboriginal community. Canada has a challenge and I am sure the right government program could help solve it. Aboriginal day was a great success with great talent shown right across Canada.

Pride Week In Toronto

Not so many years ago people in general were hesitant to use the word  Gay in public. Our generation thought that people with a different sexual orientation were Queer. That word resonates with me as I lived through all the years when Canada wrestled with just how to deal with a segment of the population who were different. Fortunately we had a prime minister who brought the issue to the forefront and made strong statements which enabled there to be an open discussion on rights for every Canadian.

During my lifetime I have had contact and been close friends with people who were Gay. They were integrated into our family as lifetime friends and never felt the shame of words which marginalized their worth.Some of my best memories were of people who were shocked by my being associated with gay people.

One instance stands our during an election for Mayor of Pembroke. One well placed lady in the community said she liked me but why did I befriend gay people as my friend. The shock came when I replied that you don't want me to associate with Gays....well I guess I cannot associate with your nephew. She was absolutely taken by surprise. Months later after the election she met me and with a smile and a handshake thanked me for making her aware that being Gay was not a plague but a normal orientation for many of the people who live in and contribute to our community.

Since that time I have been a advocate for equal rights for all and enjoy the company of family and friends who just happen to be Gay. I know there is a whole bunch of letters that describe the Pride Week community but you can get the picture from my rather casual manner that we must be transparent and accepting of people of all leanings. Pride week somehow does just that even with all of its problems and faults. We live in a better space since people came out of the closet and joined society.

Baird's Flip/Flop On Foreign Policy

During the last few days most of the western world is livid about the sentencing of the reporters to seven years in prison in Egypt for doing their job. Baird has been silent as he does not wish to upset the so called democratic government of Egypt. Only a few weeks ago he was sitting with the leaders of Egypt and offering money to help democratize their country. Only blocks away was a Canadian citizen being held in a prison . Not a words was said about this matter.

In the meantime Baird has been in the Ukraine several times only to pull in votes by spewing a multiple ugly statements about Russia and its leadership.Russia cares about as much about Baird and Canada and its influence in the world as he has for Albania.  Here we see a minister who may have to face Russia in the near future about the Arctic separation and he insults the country and its leadership.

He now says that loud speaking in regard to the Egyptian things will not help. Will shouting about Russia do more? We should always use diplomacy because we have no credibility left on the world stage. Canada should keep him at home and send people who understand just how the world of diplomacy works.There is also the new immigration policy where people[ several hundred thousand ] are being treated quite differently when it comes to their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights. Could this be the motivation for this minister being a toad in the world of diplomacy ?

Our foreign policy has been so disrupted during the past eight years that it will take a decade of hard work to bring it back to the time when Canada spoke the world listened.
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Darcy's Grad Party

Darcy is the latest of our kids to graduate from university and we had a gathering of family and friends to mark the occasion. Lyn and Peter hosted the party and with perfect weather and mountains of food shared over four hours of fun. Darcy was excited to see all the people and I was also as there were some friends that Theresa and I had not seen in years.

These occasions have to be celebrated to keep the bond with family and friends strong.Family and friends showed their support for Darcy in so many ways least of which were many books showing her the way of the future.All the time there was a good natured air and comments from the group caused laughter and were answered by Darcy that showed her ability to receive and give was part of her natural spirit.

Darcy has always had an international spirit and along with her university work she was a leader in helping the needy and less fortunate in Africa and Costa Rico. The we movement was on her radar and the combination of developing her inner needs with a broader outlook always made us so proud.

In a personal way I had a special opportunity to share special time with Darcy as a young person and started off her musical career by teaching her songs from the past which she performed without hesitation. Fond memories from the past along with a great future make Darcy a most wonderful grand daughter and child of the universe.

Strawberries

Our strawberries were big and ready to ripen days ago but the weather was not quite ready. Today the berries came out in numbers as we had a few hot and humid days in a row. Theresa and I have to pick early in the morning because we are sharing the crop with the birds, squirrels and above all the chipmunks

It promises to be a bumper crop as the number of berries on each stock is up from last year.We don't really mind sharing with with our little friends as we have plenty for us and more.This has been a particularly cool spring but enough rain to make crops grow even if more slowly than usual.

We will begin making our freezer jam and freezing the whole berries for enjoyment during the long winter.Perhaps most people love strawberries fresh with a little sugar and cream. Our old mother Doris loves the cream so she will be treated to her favourite on next visit.

Fathers Day

If my father was alive today he would be way over 100 years old but still relevant as he was a person for the ages. Born before the first world war into a coal mining family within a stones throw to the mine which would dominate fifty years of his life. He was one of these boy helper miners sons who were cast out of school by the time they reached grade seven or eight and worked a 10 hour day along the side of their fathers. Their pay was pennies and given to their father rarely seen by them.

My father made the best of the experience and developed a love for horses while he worked in the pit .During his few breaks or lunch time he went to the horse stables where he used to share time with the pit ponies. He often spoke about one special pony named Samson. Every time he spoke of this little Welsh pony his voice changed as he thought that their life was down right miserable as they never saw the light of day except at miners vacation in August for two weeks.

Dad was a good miner and moved up the ladder in miners circle and became a loader. At this point dad and his partner had to cut, blast and load coal from the face of the seam coal measuring 20 feet long, four feet deep and 6 feet high. This task amounted to about ten tons per man every shift. Needless to say you had to be strong to endure this type of work day after day.

Perhaps the most enduring quality  my father had was his ability to do everything and anything. He loved a challenge and during his life rarely said no when asked if he would do a job. The neighbors saw him build his own hay baler ,build his home, act as a mechanic for himself and others, build many boats and you name it. His passion was fishing and as a member of a large family you had to learn to fish with Dad. He tied his flies and built a car top boat for getting to those hard to find places where the trout were numerous.

In his senior years Dad taught skating for many and never missed a session at the local rink. Time and space will not permit me to give a true and adequate account of my Dad but when I talk to my brothers and sisters we all agree that he was a man for all seasons. I have one brother who is just like him when it comes to doing and making things...Melvyn. He carries on the tradition of just being Dad.

Election Hangover

Having been subjected to six weeks of  negative adds, acrimony and promises we who followed the election process with great interest now suffer from election hangover. Even after a great party people who celebrate too much have that ugly feeling next morning. This election was quite different as the outcome was not predicted by even the experts and the polls were all over the map.

I made my predictions days before the election and came up with reasonable success. My predictions were made on the fact that events and personalities were very important and policy was forgotten by many. People of Ontario showed little trust for a leader promising jobs by cutting 100,000 jobs. We know that properly explained this was not as the opposition parties used to kill the idea. Delivering the message was not a strong point for the Conservative leader. The Liberal leader stayed on course with the points from the defeated budget and captured the interest of the general public. Here was a lady leader who was beat up pretty badly in the debate, looked a little weak but still managed to come out on top.

The unions broke rank with tradition and deserted the NDP and went all out to defeat the Conservatives. With the NDP leader less than powerful by calling the election she never gained traction and in reality deserted the field and never gained the result she desired. She lost more than the election as she revealed a weak leadership style and poor judgment and may have a hard time keeping her job.

The election is over and our new Lady Premier has a majority and an opportunity to shake off the sins of her party from the past and be a force for meaningful change in Ontario. She has a wealth of talent for her cabinet and we can look forward to four years of seeing just how the Liberals will use this new mandate.

Election Day

Election day is always exciting for me whether it is municipal, provincial or federal. There is something special about seeing people putting their name forward to try to be the peoples representative. It takes courage to step forward and the election that is taking place today will have  more losers than winners if you just count the votes. To my way of thinking there will be no losers as the very fact that people got involved in the democratic process makes them a winner.

Our most precious gift that democracy has to offer is the vote. The right to elect representatives by secret ballot guarantees our democratic expression through the ballot. Our party system has some flaws whereby once elected members are expected to follow party lines instead of following their conscience.

Ontario has an opportunity to elect a new government today and there are clear choices. The four parties looking for a mandate made their platform known and have been campaigning in person and through the various media. Much negative advertising has been evident and many half truth spread through the media confuses  many voters. The results of the vote today will determine our government for the next four years. Hopefully everyone will accept the results and consider the newly elected government as everyone's and support it until the next call in four years.

Our turnout for provincial elections has been dismal so get involved and get out and vote. My 96 year old mother in law will vote today and considers it not only a right but a privilege. I will be anxious to see the results which will be basically known by 10 pm.

Election Fever

There is little election fever this year because the time was increased and people are sick and tired of the negative add by all parties except the Green, I am not directly involved in this process this time around and I am looking in from afar.

Honestly the leaders lack some of the qualities of the older times when you had Bill Davis and such run an election on issues instead of acrimony. The Liberals brought forth a budget that caused the NDP to say enough was enough and pulled the plug. I am sure that with hindsight they are very sorry as their presence in the house will be diminished this time around.

The Conservatives have a leader that has about as much  charisma as a toad but managed to put forth a platform which defies arithmetic but seems to gather traction with those who are voting against the liberals for their mishandling of our tax dollars.

The Liberal plan is to reintroduce the same budget if they win a majority. Their leader is being punished for the sins of the past leader but has risen above the mess and will be OK if elected. This election is hard to call and I will look very bad if I do not predict the outcome at least closely. 

I predict a Liberal majority with  54-60 seats. The Tories will win between 34-38 seats . The NDP will drop to between16-20. The Green party are leaving their party to vote Liberal as they do not wish to help the Tories. 0 seats for the Green...too bad because they deserve a presence in the house.

I hope everyone who has a vote will use it and vote early and often.

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Cottage Weekend

Daughter Lynda and hubby purchased a cottage on Lake Mckellar five years ago.Theresa and I have visited the lake several times but this time the weatherman said that the weather would be perfect. Theresa and I left Oak

ville early in the morning to avoid the traffic rush and quickly gained the 400 North. Travelling north at even the early hours causes traffic problems but on Saturday it was light and not too fast.

We drive a little slower than our kids as they seem to always be in a rush. We had a leisurely drive past Barrie and into the cottage country.Half tons pulling boats, half tons pulling trailers and vans jammed packed with kids and bags of food and what not passed us like we were stopped. We finally reached Parry Sound district, a place where I once knew well as I lived and taught there for some years at a time that seemed like an age ago.

We drove off the main highway and drove for a dozen miles on a secondary road that was fine and finally entered the real cottage road which was a dirt road which reminded me of my youth . We arrived at the cottage and was greeted with the humming of mosquitoes. I don't mind these little fellows but Theresa really hates them. We unpack and with the help of Peter and Lynda scamper down the path to a beautiful new world.

A view from every angle and a lake that was as nice as you can imagine. A new deck last year set the stage for our visit and what a stage it was.Beautiful workmanship from some local carpenters gave the cottage the setting you can only dream of and we immediately realized that in this case the journey was not half of the experience.The setting into the hill and huge trees embracing the rustic cottage was worth the journey and more.

We experienced some quality hours in this setting and while enjoying the smorgasbord of nature had conversations with our kids that were enhanced by Mother Nature filling in with the background of birds singing and chipmunks doing what they do best...clowning around.

Time went quickly and as Theresa and I went to sleep that night we remarked that we could not hear a sound...something we never experience back home in the city . It was a great time for us and a realization that just how our city environment has eroded our lives through sound and light.

Reflected Glory

Anyone who has a family will be proud of the progress their children make while travelling through their life experiences especially when it is successful.This past few weeks were just such times as our children and grandchildren met with success in their studies.Two of our children achieved a life goal. One daughter received the honour of her peers when she was promoted to a high position in her field of work. The other daughter just completed her Masters through intensive study programs while continuing with her extremely challenging position with her school board.

All the other kids made us proud of their progress in university.There is a saying that pride cometh before a fall but I don't think the pride we have is in that category. It just makes us so aware that we are blessed with family that respects the need for education and are prepared to work hard for the opportunity

Our most valuable asset is our family and I see our friends who share our joy at the success their family receives when good things happen.It must be a universal trait of proud parents.At any rate we have had a whole lot of good things happening in our life and part of it is the reflected glory from our family's success.

Everything Is Growing

This spring got off to a slow start but Mother Nature has put everything into high gear this past week. I was amazed with the growth in every corner of the garden and it seems that we made up for lost time. There is something magical about planting a tiny seed and after a week in the ground a plant appears with special characteristics.

Even more magical is the different seeds planted in the very same ground will grow and show a multitude of colours. As you wonder about the magic performed in your garden you have just realized one of the great lessons taught to us by Mother Nature.Growing seeds into plants is one tiny aspect of the power of nature.In trying to solve the great questions about the universe and the supreme power of the natural order we have become closer to the realization that we share a huge space in the universe with billions of other life forms.

Man is a strange animal who feels that they are above all other forms of life and have gone to great lengths to establish institutions such as churches and religious doctrine to make us believe we are masters of the universe and man somehow attempts to personify their power through doctrine.

If only we could attempt to harmonize our lives with nature and feel the rhythm of the natural order there would be far less frustration and discord among peoples of all stripes. I have felt for some time the lessons we could learn from the aboriginal people who see themselves as caretakers of the environment and sharing in the bounty of the earth. They see everything living as part of the whole and this theme is repeated in many cultures.

We can learn something from communicating with nature and it is all good.