Hail the King!

Donald Trump has appointed himself King of the World.  However, he is not behaving as a constitutional monarch.  He and his most ardent followers believe that he rules by the divine right of kings, that he is some kind of messiah, sent by God to save America.

Trump has compared himself to a king on social media.  On Monday, March 17th, amid numerous posts on Truth ("Lies") Social,"  the wannabe king showed a screenshot of an Artificial Intelligence generated meme by a Trump supporter on Elon Musk's X  (formerly Twitter).  The meme was captioned "Kings!"  It included a lion dressed in a tuxedo and a crown with the acronym MAGA emblazoned on its chest.

We all know that Trump enjoys being flattered.  He enjoys being the centre of attention.  He also enjoys bullying and making people fear him.  Thus, he behaves like a mob boss.  Many flatter him and many fear him..  I've said it before and I will say it again.  Trump is no different from any bully.  He is weak inside.  He is insecure.  He is jelly.  He is mush.  He reminds me of the Wizard of Oz and the emperor who wears no clothes.

Trump is so insecure that he needs to knock people down in order to build himself up.  He doesn't have the moral fibre to admit his weakness.  Nor does he have the humility to acknowledge his own mistakes.  Even when he loses, he always declares victory.   He lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, but will never admit it.  He lost the 2024 presidential debate to Kamala Harris by a long shot, but still claimed victory.

Under King Donald (or maybe we should refer to him as Emperor Donald), the United States has rejected its traditional allies in North America, Europe and Asia.  It is aiding Trump's friend, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, a war criminal, in Putin's quest to destroy Ukraine and its people.  The latest outrage is that the Trump administration has ended the tracking of kidnapped Ukrainian children in Russia.  According to the New York Times, Democratic and Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking whether a data base on thousands of children has been deleted.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also waging economic war against my country, Canada, threatening to make it, in Trump's words, "the 51st state."  Trump also wants to add Greenland to his imperial conquests. Never mind that Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and that Greenlanders do not want to become part of the United States.  King Donald feels no need to consult the people of sovereign jurisdictions.  He doesn't care what they think.

Donald Trump is a one-man wrecking crew.  He is determined to impose tariffs.  His tariffs will create an unnecessary trade war, causing recessions and possibly a worldwide depression.  He doesn't care about ordinary Americans or people in other countries.  He has no empathy for the suffering his policies will cause.  He only cares about making life better for himself and his billionaire friends.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the 2nd Continental Congress, establishing the United States of America.   The new republic rejected the idea of monarchy,  Now, almost 250 years later, the U.S. has a president who considers himself a king.. Trump even has a court jester.  Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, who stands beside the king's throne.  Nobody elected Musk to anything.  Despite his great wealth, Musk's job is to slash government programs which actually help the poor and the downtrodden.

Poor Elon doesn't understand why people aren't purchasing his Tesla cars.  He complains that they are being mean to him.  Never fear, though.  King Donald has came to his dear friend's recuse.  The super salesman president has appeared on the White House lawn alongside Musk and a line of shiny Tesla vehicles.  Words cannot express how reprehensible and unconscionable it is for the White House lawn to be transformed into a Tesla showroom.  Join the resistance.  Don't buy a Tesla.

- Joanne

Americans, send me emails of support for Canada!

Hey America

In the name of decency, I appeal to you to support your northern neighbour as it faces an existential threat from Donald Trump and his followers.  How would you feel if another country treated you the way Trump is treating us?  Canada has done absolutely nothing to deserve this.  It's a slap in the face to a good friend. and it hurts.  It stings.

The majority of us, including myself, have relatives and friends who live in the United States.  We want to be America's ally, but we do not want to be part of the U.S.  America must respect our sovereignty.  We should have a say in our future.  I can tell you without hesitation, if a referendum were held, Canadians would overwhelmingly reject a merger with the U.S.  We are just different.  We have a parliamentary system of government, and we don't have a deep distrust of that government.  Most of us prefer sensible gun control laws and we don't want automatic weapons.  We have a French-speaking province and we have two official languages. 

Let me remind you that, along with your country and others, Canada helped fight the scourge of Nazism.  We have always been by your side.  In 1979, it was Canada that played a central role in rescuing six American hostages in Iran.  The late Ken Taylor, then the Canadian ambassador to Iran, was instrumental in saving the hostages.

Ken Taylor

In 2001, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it was Canada that provided a safe haven for almost 7,000 stranded airline passengers, many of them American.  The good people of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed them with open arms.  There is a wonderful musical called Come From Away based on what happened during that crisis.

America, please send me emails of affirmation.  Let me see how much you care.  Restore my faith in the decency of the American people.  Let me know how appalled you are that Trump is friendly with Vladimir Putin, and hostile to Canada.  Let me know how disgusted you are that the land of the free and the home of the brave is aligning itself with a brutal dictator, a war criminal.  Putin does not accept the sovereignty of Ukraine and Trump does not respect the sovereignty of Canada.  They are two peas in a pod.

Trump is imposing tariffs in order to destroy Canada's economy.  In so doing, he is also hurting the American economy by igniting a trade war.  It's a no-win situation.  Many Americans will pay the price for Trump's folly.  Canada's survival is on the line.  We have to stand up to the bully who threatens us.  

Trump is driving both Canada and the United States into a recession.  He and his billionaire friends certainly don't have to worry about paying their bills and putting food on the table.  Trump's buddy, Elon Musk. the richest man in the world, wants to inflict economic pain.  Who elected Musk?  Who voted for him?  Yet he is behaving as co-president.  

On January 20, 2025, when Trump was sworn in as president, he was surrounded by billionaires - Tesla's Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai. were all seated at the inaugural platform.  Their goal is to further enrich themselves.  They don't care if they cut government jobs and make life more difficult for ordinary Americans.  Talk about chutzpah!

Sadly, Trump and his billionaire cronies are causing chaos all over the world, at a time when stability is needed.  I would like to hear from you.  Please email me and lend your support for Canada, the true north strong and free.  My grandparents were immigrants from Sicily, Italy.  They came to this country for a better life.. They worked hard and raised their children here. As proud Canadian citizens, they instilled in me a sense of pride and gratefulness for this land.

- Joanne

Reflections and Quotes on International Women's Day 2025

 

"Woman are like tea bags.  You never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water."

A quote often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt without an original source in her writings, as in The Wit and Wisdom of Eleanor Roosevelt (1996), p. 199. But archivists have not been able to find the quote in any of her writings,

"One is not born a woman, one becomes one."

- Simon de Beauvoir (1908-1986), French philosopher, writer and feminist - From The Second Sex [1949]

Despite the misogyny of Donald Trump, JD Vance and the Taliban, there have been some recent advances for women.  I am going to focus first on two major advances. 

* Mexico elected it first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, 61.  Sheinbaum on October 1, 2024.  She has had to face the bullying of Donald Trump and deal with his disastrous tariffs.

Claudia Sheinbaum

  * On January 6, 2025, Pope Francis appointed the first woman to head a major Vatican office.  Sister Simona Brambilla, an Italian nun, was named was named to lead the Vatican office that oversees religious orders for both men and women, including one quarter of the world's priests.

Sister Simona

Woman by John Lennon

Woman, I can hardly express

My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness

After all, I'm forever in your debt

And woman, I will try to express

Mu inner feelings and thankfulness

For showing me the meaning of success

- From the song Woman, lyrics by John Lennon (1940-1980)

- Joanne

Canada and its European allies must remain steadfast in support of Ukraine

It's hard to believe, but the United States of America, under King Donald, has aligned itself with tyrants and authoritarians around the world.  Donald Trump has forged an alliance between the U.S. and his good buddy, the cruel Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.  In fact, Trump is envious of Putin's raw power.  He has nary a bad word to say about Putin, yet he and his government have have abandoned America's closest democratic allies.  Trump has had  the unmitigated gall to blame Ukraine for being invaded.  Almost every incomplete sentence that comes out of his mouth is a lie.  He is the king of mendacity.  He is the poster boy for bullies.

At Trump's bidding, the U.S. has insulted and threatened Canada, its  good friend and neighbour  As a proud Canadian, I cannot remain silent when the sovereignty of my country is under attack.  I cannot remain silent while Trump starts a trade war, imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico.  It's a trade war that will benefit no one.  It is a lose-lose situation for all involved.  The American economy will take a hit, too.

Trump's actions must please Vladimir Putin a great deal.  The Russian war criminal must have sipped some vodka in celebration when Trump was returned to the White House.  If Putin is allowed to run roughshod and annex Ukraine, expect him to set his sights on other sovereign nations.  He will be emboldened and his ambition will know no bounds.  He and Trump may well be the 21st century version of Hitler and Mussolini.  A hard rain is gonna fall if those two septuagenarian Alpha males achieve their territorial ambitions.  

- Joanne

Number 16 Oscar Quiz 2025

The 97th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025.  The show will air live at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. on ABC and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.  It will also be live-streamed on the ABC app, which requires a cable subscription.  For the first time ever, the awards will be streamed live on Hulu.  Other streaming services such as YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Sling TV and DirectTV Stream will also provide access to the event through ABC on their platforms.  This year's Oscars will be hosted by Conan O'Brien.  As you prepare for the big night, why not challenge yourself and try Number 16's 13th annual Oscars quiz. There are 11 questions. Good luck!

NUMBER 16 OSCARS QUIZ

1. British actor Ralph Fiennes has been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar this year or his performance as Cardinal Lawrence in Conclave, a film that explores the intrigue behind the election of a new Pope.  Has Ralph Fiennes ever won an Oscar?

Ralph Fiennes

A,  Yes, for The English Patient

B.  Yes, for Schindler's List

C.  Yes, for In Bruges

D.  Yes, for Quiz Show

E.  He has never won an Oscar.

2.  Jack Nicholson has won three Academy Awards.  He won an Oscar in the Best Actor category for his roles as Randie McMurphy in the psychological drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).  He also won a Best Actor Oscar as a man with obsessive-compulsive disorder in As Good as It Get (1997), a romantic comedy in which he co-starred with Helen Hunt.  Nicholson's third Oscar was in the Best Supporting Actor category.  For which film did he win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor?

Jack with Oscar in 1998

A.  Easy Rider

B.  Chinatown

C.  Terms of Endearment

D.  Five Easy Pieces

E.  Prizzi's Honor

3.  Which movie is the most decorated Oscar winner of all time (counting both wins and nominations)?

A.  Ben-Hur

B.  All About Eve

C.  La La Land

D.  Titanic

E.  The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

4.  Ben-Hur (1959) won 11 Academy Awards at the 1960 Oscars.  It only lost in one of the categories for which it was nominated.  What was that category?

A.  Best Adapted Screenplay

B.  Best Sound

C.  Best Art Direction (Color)

D.  Best Special Effects

E.  Best Film Editing

5.  Which is the only animated film to win an Oscar for Best Picture?

A.  Frozen

B.  Shrek

C.  Toy Story

D.  Up

E.  No animated film has won an Oscar for Best Picture 

6.  How many times has Emma Stone been nominated for an Oscar.?

Emma Stone

A.  Five times

B.  Two times

C.  Three times

D   Once

E.  None of the Above

7.  Citizen Kane (1941) is Orson Welles' masterpiece.  Along with Casa Blanca, it is considered by many as one of the finest films ever made.  However, Citizen Kane did not win an Oscar for Outstanding Motion Picture from the films of 1941 (at the awards ceremony in 1942).  Which film won the Best Picture Oscar, beating out Citizen Kane?

A.  The Maltese Falcon

B.  How Green Was My Valley

C.  Hold Back the Dawn

D.  Suspicion

E.  Sergeant York

8.  Who is currently the oldest person to win an acting Oscar?

A.  Jessica Tandy

B.  Christopher Plummer

C.  Anthony Hopkins

D.  George Burns

E.  Melvyn Douglas

9.  Bob Hope hosted the Oscars a record 19 times.  In what year did he first host the Academy Awards?

Bob Hope hosting the Oscars

A.  1939

B.  1949

C.  1942

D.  1941

E.  1940

10.  Angelina Jolie has won two Oscars.  She received her second Academy Award in 2014, but it was not an acting award.  It was the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.  For which film did Angelina Jolie win an acting Oscar?

Angelina Jolie

A,  Changeling

B.  Girl, Interrupted 

C.  A Mighty Heart

D.  The Tourist

E.  In the Land of Blood and Honey

11.  Adrien Brody has been nominated for an Oscar this year for his performance in The Brutalist (2024).  For which movie did he win an Oscar for Best Actor?

A.  The Thin Red Line

B.  Detachment

C.  The Pianist

D.  The Jacket

E.  Midnight in Paris

ANSWERS:

1.  E.  Ralph Fiennes has never won a Oscar.  

Ralph Fiennes in Conclave

Ralph Fiennes received a Best Actor nomination for his performance in Schindler's List (1983), but did not win.  He was also nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The English Patient (1996), but did not win.  Conclave represents his third Academy Award nomination.

2.  C  Terms of Endearment

Nicholson in Terms of Endearment

Jack Nicholson won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of former astronaut Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment (1983).

3.  D.  Titanic

1997's Titanic won 11 Oscars and earned an additional 3 nominations.  Ben-Hur and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King also received 11 Academy Awards.  Ben-Hur swept 11 of the 12 categories for which it was nominated, including Best Picture and Best Director.  The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won all 11 Oscars for which it was nominated.

La La Land was  nominated for 14 Oscars, but took home 6, including Best Director and Best Actress.  All About Eve also won 6 of its 14 nominations.  

4.  A.  Best Adapted Screenplay

At the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960, Ben-Hur won 11 Oscars in the following categories - Best Motion Picture, Best Directing (William Wyler), Best Actor (Charlton Heston), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugh Griffith), Best Music (Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture),  Best Sound, Best Cinematography (Color), Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design (Color), Best Art Direction (Color) and Best Special Effects.  The film received in an Oscar in every category it was nominated for, except Best Adapted Screenplay.

5.  D.  Up

Scene from Up

The 2009 animated film Up received the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony in 2010.  Up is a comedy-drama adventure film featuring the voices of Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer.  Produced by Pixar Animation Studio for Disney Pictures, Up is the first and only animated film to win the coveted Best Picture award.

6.  A.  Five times

Emma Stone has received five Oscar nominations.  She has one two Academy Awards for Best  Actress, for her roles as Bella Baxter in Poor Things (2023) and Amelia "Mia" Dolan in La La Land (2016).  In 2024, she was also nominated for a second Academy Award as the producer of Poor Things, which she did not win.

In 2015, Emma was nominated For Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Sam in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (2014).  She lost the award to Patricia Arquette for Boyhood.

In 2019, Emma was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Abigail Masham in the satirical comedy-thriller The Favourite.  She lost out to Regina King, who won the Oscar for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk.

7.  B.  How Green Was My Valley

Citizen Kane lost out to How Green Was My Valley, John Ford's film about a hard-working Welsh mining family.  It starred Maureen O'Hara and Walter Pidgeon.  The Maltese Falcon, Suspicion and Sergeant York were also nominated the same year as Citizen Kane.

8.  C  Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins was 83 years old in 2021 when he won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of a man diagnosed with dementia in the film Father.  The Welsh actor was born on December 31, 1937.

In 2012. Christopher Plummer (born December 13, 1929)  was 82 years old when he won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in the film Beginners (2011).  The Canadian-born actor was also nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in All the Money in the World, a 2017 crime thriller.  Plummer was 88 years old when he received the nomination, but did not win.

In 1990, at the age of 80, Jessica Tandy won Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy.  At the time, she was the oldest person to win an acting Oscar.  She remains the oldest woman to win an acting Oscar.  (In 2014, Maureen O'Hara received an Academy Honorary Award at the of 94).  

9.  E  1940

 Beginning in 1940, Bob Hope hosted the Academy Awards 19 times, either by himself or with cohosts.  In 1953, he hosted the first Oscar broadcast on television.  In 1966, he hosted the first Oscar show televised in colour.  In 1978, Bob Hope hosted the Oscars for the final time.

10.  B.  Girl, Interrupted

In 2000, Angelina Jolie won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the American drama Girl, Interrupted (1999).  She was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the 2008 mystery crime drama Changeling, but did not win.

11.  C.  The Pianist  

Adrien Brody won a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the 2002 biographical film The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski.  Brody played Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist, composer and Holocaust survivor.  He was only 29 when he won his Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards on March 23, 2003.

Brody also appeared in The Thin Red Line (1998), Detachment (2011), The Jacket (2005) and Midnight in Paris (2011).

- Joanne

It's Gulf of Mexico. Stay strong, Associated Press! Don't give in to Trump!

It is my hope that The Associated Press does not give in to Donald Trump's bullying.  One of the first things a dictator does is try to control the media, and Trump is no different.  He is determined to unilaterally change the name of  the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."  On January 25, 2025, he signed an executive order specifying that the area of the U.S. continental shelf, "extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba," be renamed "The Gulf of America."  

So far, The Associated Press has refused to comply with Trump's wishes.  To its credit, AP, one of the world's largest media outlets, continues to use the term "Gulf of Mexico." As a result, the giant news service has been banned indefinitely from the Oval Office and from Air Force One.  

Unfortunately, Google, has caved in to the Dear Leader's demand.  Not surprisingly, Mexico is opposed to the name change.  Mexico's firebrand president, Claudia Sheinbaum sarcastically suggested that Trump rename North America.  "Obviously the Gulf of Mexico is recognized by the United Nations . . . but why don't we call [North America] "Mexica America"?  We're going to call it Mexican America  . . . It sounds pretty, no?  Isn't it true?" 

Claudia Sheinbaum

Sheinbaum threatened to sue Google after Google Maps began displaying the "Gulf of America" name change.  She pointed out that U.S. sovereignty is restricted to 12 nautical miles from the coast.  The United Kingdom declared that it had no intention to recognize the name change unless it becomes the most commonly used term in the English-speaking world.  In fact, Sheinbaum thanked Encyclopaedia Britannica for sticking with Gulf of Mexico.

Stay strong, AP!, because the stakes are high.  Stand your ground and resist the White House's strongarm tactics.  Remain true to your journalistic principles.  Don't allow the tyrant Trump to control you.  You must continue to stand up for freedom and democracy or the United States will continue its downward slope towards authoritarianism.

- Joanne

Foolish Shapiro and Atkins fail to sign Vladdy

The Toronto Blue Jays have really blown it.  They have made a fatal error.  Many fans, including myself, are thoroughly  disgusted and profoundly disappointed.  Vladimir Guerrero is the face of the franchise, a four time all-star.  The fans come to watch him play.  Yet, the Jays have failed to reach a long term contract with him.  It's  likely that he will become a free agent in the fall.  

There are no excuses. The Jays had the resources to sign him.  Remember how much they were willing to pay Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto?  They wasted time chasing those two players when it was doubtful they would come to Toronto.  They would have been much wiser trying to make sure Vladdy remained a Blue Jay.  One can only assume they didn't value him enough.

Other teams are already salivating at the thought of signing Vladdy, and they will open the vault.  The vultures are flying overhead.  It didn't have to happen this way.  This could have been avoided.  Vladdy could have been a Blue Jay for years to come.  He wanted to stay in Toronto.  The Blue Jays, however, chose to wait until the last moment to sign him.  Yet, they could have signed him for much less before the Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto deals.  

Unless Vladdy is traded, his free agency will hang like a cloud over the Blue Jays for the rest of the season.   The team will be distracted.  It will be hard for the Jays to attract good players when Vladdy will be a free agent after this season.  

The Jays have made some improvements during the off season.  However, they still do not have enough hitting, and they are in need of a catcher to back up Alejandro Kirk.  Wouldn't it be nice to have Gabriel Moreno sharing the catching duties with Kirk?  He should never have been traded.

The truth is that the Blue Jays are not anywhere good enough to compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox.  I expect them to finish third or fourth in the American League East.  Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins have got to go, and the sooner the better.  In any other city, they would have been gone by now.  There may empty seats at the dome this season.  Blue Jay fans are patient, but there are limits.

- Joanne

An American's Essay about Canada

I couldn't resist posting the following essay, written by an American.  The essay is a commentary on the history of the relationship between Canada and the United States.  According to Snopes Fact Check, however, it has as been falsely presented as an open letter by a Florida circuit judge named Robert Meadows.  In fact, it was not written by Judge Meadows.  This is just a small taste of all the misleading information on the internet and social media.  I urge you to double check and triple check everything you read online.

I'm relieved that I decided to check if the work was indeed an open letter written by a Florida judge.  I learned that it was not the work of Judge Meadows.  I discovered that it was originally posted on Facebook by Bruce Lindner of Portland, Oregon (with Ana Bee Gonzales) on Facebook on June 7, 2018.  The essay was written during the first Trump administration, shortly after Trump announced he would be imposing steel aluminum tariffs on imports from Canada.  As a result, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs.  On May 17, 2019, the U.S. and Canada agreed to lift tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, as well as Canada's retaliatory tariffs,  Three days later, both governments lifted their respective tariffs.

I have posted Bruce Lindner's essay because it is more relevant than ever, more than seven years after it was first written.  

- Joanne

Thank you, Canada

By Bruce Lindner 

"Have you ever stopped to consider how lucky we Americans are to have the neighbors we have?

Look around the globe at who some folks have been stuck sharing a border with over the past half century:

North Korea / South Korea

Greece / Turkey

Iran / Iraq

Israel / Palestine

India / Pakistan

China / Russia

"We’ve got Canada! Canada. About as inoffensive a neighbor as you could ever hope for. In spite of all our boasts of “American exceptionalism” and chants of “America first,” they just smile, do their thing and go about their business. They are on average more educated, have a higher standard of living, free health care, and almost no gun problems. They treat immigrants respectfully and already took in over 35,000 Syrians in the last two years.

"They’re with us in NATO, they fought alongside us in World War I, World War II, Korea, the Gulf War, the Bosnian War, Afghanistan, the Kosovo War and came to our defense after 9/11. There was that one time when Canada took a pass on one of our wars: Vietnam. Turned out to be a good call.

"They’ve been steady consumers of American imports, reliable exporters of metals and petroleum products (they are the biggest importer of U.S. products from 37 states), and partnered with NASA in our space missions.

"During 9/11 many aircraft were diverted to Newfoundland, an island province off Canada's east coast where Americans were housed in people's homes for two weeks and treated like royalty. In return for their hospitality, this administration slapped a 20% tariff on the products of Newfoundland's only paper mill, thereby threatening its survival.

"And what do Canadians expect of us in return? To be respected for who and what they are: Canadians. That’s what I call a good neighbor.

"But the King of Chaos couldn’t leave well enough alone. Based on his delusions of perpetual victimhood, out of the clear blue, he’s declared economic war on Canada. On CANADA! And he did it based on Canada being a national security risk to the US! For no good reason, other than the voices in his head that told him it was a war he could win. So why not do it, then?

"Again, we’re talking about Canada. Our closest ally, friend and neighbor.

"On behalf of an embarrassed nation, people of Canada, I apologize for this idiotic and wholly unnecessary attack.

Please leave the back channels open.

We the People of progressive persuasion stand with you."

Editor's Note:  Canada refused to participate in the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq.  Canada's intelligence services determined that Iraq did not have an active weapon of mass destruction program.

Canada vs. Sweden: What a great hockey game!

Wow!  What a game!  I'm talking about Wednesday night's thriller between Canada and Sweden in the Four Nations Face-Off tournament.  It was one of the best games I've seen in a while.  It was fast and entertaining.  It was everything hockey should and can be.  Here are some comments about the game, which Canada won 4-3 in overtime.

* There was no fighting.  In fact, I think Canada had only one penalty, in the third period.  However, every NHL player will always parrot the party line.  "It's part of the game," they will invariably claim.  I doubt there is a single player who doesn't echo those words.  Players are too afraid to go against the grain, to stand against the macho narrative.  They fear being ostracized, of having their manliness questioned.  If referees called more penalties and there were longer suspensions for fighting, teams would not feel the need to recruit enforcers to protect the more skilled players.  The NHL has highlighted fighting as a means of  marketing the game in the United States.  There are too many teams in the league, and too many games in the regular season.  The playoffs last far too long.  Thus, the quality of play has been watered down.  Furthermore, late June is not the right time for the Stanley Cup championship.  

* Kudos to Nova Scotia's Sidney Crosby for his three-assist performance in the game against Sweden.  At 37, Sid is no longer a kid, but he still has it.  He has been a real leader for Canada in international competition.  Thanks, Sid.

* The Swedish team played well, and they deserve credit for their performance.

* It was good to see Mario Lemieux greet the fans in Montreal.  Lemieux, a Montreal native, sent the crowd into a frenzy.  But where was Wayne Gretzky, Mario's teammate in the 1987 Canada Cup.  Gretzky should have been there to lend his support for Team Canada.  Instead he was a commentator on TNT, an American cable and satellite television network.  

* The All-Star game should be permanently replaced by international competition.  Nobody really cares about the Campbell Conference or the Western Conference.  

* The NHL puts money about all else.  I understand that it's a business.  However, the integrity of the game doesn't seem to be a priority.  The fans are not respected enough.  Many people can't afford to attend a game.  Here in Toronto, the corporations fill the arena.  On top of all the that, some games are only shown on streaming services. which prevents people from even watching the game on television.

I urge Canadians to refrain from booing the U.S, national anthem.  I understand the frustration, and I am appalled by how Trump is treating Canada.  Still, the best way to deal with the tariffs is to buy Canadian and refuse to travel to the United States.  We must stand up to the bully, but booing the American anthem is not the way to go about it.  We can still sing the Canadian anthem louder and with great pride.

- Joanne

Canada is the mouse that roared. Trump has awakened Canadian pride

 

In March of 1969, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, 15th prime minister of Canada, travelled to Washington to meet with then-president Richard Nixon.  While in Washington, Trudeau addressed the Washington Press Club.  He spoke these memorable words, which have come to define Canada's relationship with its southern neighbour.

"Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."

Pierre Trudeau 1969 Washington Press Club

Pierre Trudeau could not have envisioned an American president as unstable and vindictive as Donald Trump. Yet, 56 years later, his words seem more prescient than ever.  Ironically, Trudeau's own son, Justin, is Canada's current prime minister and has to deal with the very aggressive elephant next door.  The elephant is cranky and rude.  The mouse has no choice but to roar.

I have lived in Canada my entire life, and I have never seen Canadians so upset with the United States. Trump's actions feel like a slap in the face from a good friend.  It really hurts.  Can you blame us for being outraged?  What has Canada done to deserve this treatment from Donald Trump and his supporters?  We've been loyal and trustworthy.  America couldn't have chosen a better neighbour and ally.  Trump is using fentanyl as an excuse to bully us.   By the way, it's the U.S. users who have created a demand for the drug.

By the numbers, Canada lets in only a fraction of America's fentanyl.  Here are the facts as provided by data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In the 2024 fiscal year (October to September), some 43 pounds (19.5 kg) of the drug fentanyl were seized at the border, bound for the United States, with an additional 10 pounds (4.5 kg) intercepted since then.

This is a large increase over 2022 and 2023, which saw seizures of 14 pounds (6.3 kg) and two pounds (almost 1 kg) respectively. However, the numbers were also buoyed by two months (June and July) that saw 23 pounds (10 kg) seized.  Is this a large amount compared to Mexico.?  Not at all, according to the National Post. "Those figures amount to little more than a rounding error when compared to numbers from the southern border. Fentanyl seizures there last year amounted to approximately 21,100 pounds, or 9,500 kg. In the last three years, the lowest monthly figure for fentanyl seizures at the southern border was 461 pounds, or almost seven times the amount seized at the Canadian border during the entire three-year period."  Is this a large amount compared to China?  Not at all.  "U.S. coastal and interior seizures, which would presumably include China, totalled 1,583 pounds (718 kg) over the last three years — 10 times less than the supply from the southern border, yet still more than 25 times as much as was arriving from Canada."

There is a lot of talk about fentanyl.  Why isn't there more discussion about all the illegal American guns that are smuggled into Canada. They are used to commit crimes in this country.  One of the many reasons why most Canadians don't want to become the 51st state is America's lack of gun control laws.  Most Canadians don't want automatic weapons and school shootings.  

Most Canadians value our public heath care.  We don't want to lose the Canada Health Act.  The people of the province of Quebec do not want to be forced to abandon the French language.  That's exactly what will happen if Trump lays his grubby hands on our country.

Yet, Trump insists on slapping tariffs on Canada.  As of the writing, he has announced a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum.  Guess which country sells the most steel and aluminum to the United States?  Canada does, by far.  Wouldn't it be preferable for the United States to work with Canada in order to solve problems, rather than to punish Canada.  Unfortunately, that's not the way Trump operates.

Donald Trump has colonial ambitions.  He seems to have a great deal in common with his good buddy, Vladimir Putin of Russia.  It's likely Putin will equate Trump's quest for empire with his own invasion of Ukraine and future invasions of other territories..  If the United States can annex Canada and Greenland, why can't Russia annex Ukraine?" Putin will ask.

Sadly for the United States, America's image around the world has suffered greatly since Trump's return to the White House.  I realize that millions of Americans did not vote for that madman.  I am not blaming them.  I hope that they let their voices be heard in defence of Canada.  However, Trump was duly elected and he is already causing chaos around the globe.

Donald Trump, stay away from Canada!.  Leave us alone and mind your own business!  We don't want a trade war.  We have never asked for this.  You have foisted it upon us.  You are threatening our sovereignty.  You are also punishing American consumers.  Nobody wins a trade war.  It is a lose-lose proposition.  

Canada's very existence as an independent nation is being threatened by a big bully.  We have to resist the bully or we will lose our precious country.  That's why Canadians are boycotting American products.  That's why Canadians are cancelling vacations to the United States.  That's why the sales of Canadian flags have hit the roof since Trump announced his plans to impose tariffs.  By the way, February 15th is Flag Day in Canada.  We officially adopted our Maple Leaf flag on February 15, 1965, almost exactly 60 years ago.  According to Murray Jefferies of Flying Colours International in Toronto, sales of Canadian flags have increased "I would say 50 per cent."  It's heartening to know that some of those purchasing Canadian flags are Americans.

In the words Canadian-born singer Joni Mitchell in her song Big Yellow Taxi:

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone

- Joanne

Language Corner: Some useful grammar tips

 

Convince versus persuade

There is a difference between "convince" and "persuade."  

Here's a little ditty to help you remember the difference: "Convince of a fact.  Persuade to act."

Here are some examples of the correct use of the two words.

I convinced Joe that his computer was out of date.

I persuaded Joe to buy a new computer.

I convinced my son that he was spending too much money.

I persuaded my son to make an appointment with a financial advisor.

Farther versus further

This is a tricky one.  It can be confusing.  Both words mean "to a greater distance or extent."  Both words can be used as adjectives or adverbs.

Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary states: “Farther and further have been used more or less interchangeably throughout most of their history, but currently they are showing signs of diverging. As adverbs they continue to be used interchangeably whenever spatial, temporal, or metaphorical distance is involved. But where there is no notion of distance, further is used.”

The traditional rule is that farther should be used for reference to physical distance.

Example:  I walked farther than all the others.

Example:  My house is located farther down the road.

Farther has the restriction of physical space  Further, on the other hand, is used when referring to a figurative distance, a metaphysical advancement, or an extension of time or degree.

Example:  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Example:  In order to further myself, I need more more education.

Example:  After being fired from his job, Bob asked for further consideration.  He claimed that he had been treated unfairly.        

Further has the meaning of "moreover" or additionally.  Example: Further to your remarks . . .

When in doubt, it is advisable to use further, because farther has the restriction of physical space.

Correct use of the verb "to go"

It is incorrect to say "I would have went,"

It is correct to say "I would have gone."

'Went" is used in the simple past tense.  Example:  I went to the library yesterday.

"Have gone" is used in the present perfect tense (have + past participle}. "Gone" is the past participle of the verb "to go."  Example:  I have gone to the doctor twice this week.

Redundancies

"Tuition fee" is redundant.  Tuition is a fee.  

"I have paid my tuition fee" is incorrect.

 "I have paid my tuition" is correct.  

Revert back is redundant.  Revert means to come or go back.  Therefore, "back' is not needed.

"Revert back to your old eating habits." is incorrect.

"Revert to your old eating habits." is correct.

Incorrect use of past participles of irregular verbs to swim, to drink, to take, to shake and to eat.  

According to grammarly.com: "Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the normal pattern of conjugation to express tenses and past participles.  Unlike regular verbs, which take on their simple past tense and past participle forms by adding -ed or -d to their base, irregular verbs are conjugated in many unpredictable ways."

I have swam is incorrect.

I have swum is correct.

I have drank is incorrect

I have drunk is correct.

I have took is incorrect.

I have taken is correct.

I have shook is incorrect.

I have shaken is correct.

I have ate is incorrect.

I have eaten is correct.

Medium and media

Medium is the singular form of media.  Media is plural.

Examples of correct use:

The medium is the message.

In totalitarian countries, the media are used as propaganda tools.

- Joanne

Take the Pledge for Canada: Stand up for this country

Calling all Canadians who love this beautiful country!

Canada's sovereignty is being threatened by an increasingly cruel, unstable authoritarian American president and his misguided, sycophantic supporters.  Donald Trump is threatening Canada economically.  He is threatening Canadian values.  Retiring Canadian MP Charlie Angus has had enough.  That's why he's launched a resistance against Trump's bullying and his imperialistic rhetoric.  Angus has set forth a Pledge for Canada.  Below is what is written on the pledge website, along with a link to the website.  I have proudly signed the pledge, and if you are concerned about the future of this country, I urge you to sign it, too.  I also encourage Americans who are appalled by the way Trump is bullying America's northern neighbour to email me.  Let me know that you truly respect Canadian sovereignty.  I would really like to hear from you, and I will post your letters on this blog.  Talk about the 51st state is no laughing matter to Canadians who cherish this nation.  It is time for Canadians to stand united and discuss what we can do for Canada.  Enough of the negativity of the far right who claim that Canada is broken.!  Remember that Trump claimed that the U.S. was broken and that only he could fix it.  Yeah!  Right!  He and his billionaire buddies (Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg et al) are trying to take control of the media and other levers of power in order to turn America into an undemocratic, authoritarian state.

- Joanne

"Previous generations have fought to protect our democracy and made sacrifices to build the Canada we inherited.

This is now our time.

The threats of economic coercion from the United States, our neighbour and leading trading partner, pose serious risks to the well-being of all Canadians and to our sovereign right to determine our political, economic, social, and cultural destiny.

We will meet the challenge as previous generations have done, not by bending to threats but by joining together in common purpose, across partisan, regional, and cultural differences, to look out for one another, to protect our shared interests and assets, and to safeguard our democracy.

Canadians will decide Canada’s future and place in the world.

What is required in this moment is solidarity among Canadians and among our political leaders – federal, provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and municipal. We call on our leaders to work together across partisan divides to forcefully affirm and defend, in word and deed, Canada’s sovereignty, to put in place measures that mitigate the consequences of any unilateral actions on workers, families, and businesses, and to increase Canada’s resiliency in an increasingly turbulent and unpredictable world.

We therefore pledge our commitment to the following principles:

1. We must develop an all-of-Canada approach that is built collaboratively, engages Canadians, and balances to the extent possible our shared and diverse interests. We must also respect and protect our official languages, rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. No region or sector should seek to secure favour at the expense of the rest of the country.

2. We must unequivocally assert and protect the sovereign right of Canadians to shape their own political, economic, social, and cultural destiny, and protect our democracy from disinformation and foreign interference from both public and private actors such as through the manipulation and capture of online platforms.

3. To enhance Canada’s resiliency in this increasingly turbulent world, we must reduce our dependence on the United States by diversifying our trade and strengthening our collective tools and institutions necessary to defend and build the Canada we want, consistent with our shared commitments to inclusive democracy and human rights, equity and labour rights, environmental responsibility, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and good global citizenship.

4. We must give priority to protecting nature, to preserving control over our lands and water systems, and to resolute action on the climate crisis.

5. We must seek and build alliances with other countries similarly threatened and with other like-minded countries. We must contribute our fair share to international cooperation for global climate action, common defence through alliances of democratic societies, humanitarian response to suffering in the world, and welcoming and protecting those seeking shelter in our lands."

Click on the link below to sign the petition.

Sign the Pledge for Canada - Action Network