Oh happy days …

Finally, finally, finally the emotionless, closed, secretive, rightest-of-the-right, my-way-or-the-highway Stephen Harper is gone.  Nine years he was in office!  Nine long years.

But we now have a new Prime Minister and hope is in the air.  Glory Hallelujah!  Justin Pierre James Trudeau, the 43-year old son of the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau (seen here carrying Justin), who was Canada’s Prime Minister from 1968-1979 and then again from 1980-1984.

And what a breath of fresh air Justin is.  He’s young,

Well, that sure didn’t take long …

The Canadian election was a week ago yesterday.  Justin Trudeau was declared the winner at about 10:00, 10:30 p.m.  The Liberals, his party, won by a majority, unexpected by most Canadians I think it’s safe to say.  For that matter, it may very well have taken him by surprise.

Absolutely fascinated, swept along the wave of happiness that was permeating our country from coast to coast, relieved we’ll finally see the back

Isn’t it time we stopped deluding ourselves?

I mean really.  Isn’t it time we finally admitted to ourselves, and everyone else, that the Canadian economy is not good?  That it’s tanked?  That we’re really in a recession? And, for that matter, things are not that great in Toronto, either.  I know it’s a tough pill to swallow for folks around here, but it’s time we faced facts.

Every time I turn around another chain of stores is closing.  Big chains,
employing hundreds and sometimes thousands of people.  Independents are

Politically speaking …

…it’s no picnic on either side of the border these days.  Here in Canada we’re getting ready to elect a new Prime Minister, or nightmare of all nightmares re-elect Stephen Harper, our current PM; and the U.S. is awash in presidential hopefuls.  All I can say is, God help us all.

Last Thursday night was election overload.  The leaders of our four parties

Day 338. No Peeking?

Must say I did a double-take when I read yesterday’s WordPress Daily Prompt:  “Who is the one person you hope isn’t reading your blog.  Why?”  Have to admit, the notion of not wanting someone to see your blog is a bit odd to me.

I mean, wouldn’t the Internet be the LAST place you’d put something you didn’t want everyone to read?  Same with your other social media.  How much more public can it get?

So tell me.  Am I missing something?  Is it one of those trick questions?

Well, each to his (her) own.  Maybe there are bloggers hoping certain individuals don’t find their blogs.  Perhaps they should consider blogging anonymously.  You can do that.  Or you can come up with a ‘nom de

Day 312. For Shame!

For a Canadian, I spend a fair amount of time commenting on American politics; and what I think could use some improvement. So I decided it was time I turned my attention, and criticism, a little closer to home. As in right here, in my own back yard.

God knows we’ve got enough crap going on in the land of the maple leaf (and the fleur de lys) to cause us all to wring our hands, hang our heads in shame and scream our bloody heads off.

Which would be a typically unCanadian reaction, by the way. We’re known as “those polite folks to the North”. You know the type. We wouldn’t say “shit” if we had a mouthful. Not me, of course. I’ve never been shy about expressing my opinion. Making my feelings known. But as a general rule, we tend to just sit there and suffer in silence. Take one for the gipper.

Not today, though.

Let’s go to Ottawa where four Senators (that we know of) have been fudging their expenses. Living high off the