My mother was Finnish

Some have questioned my reference to Finland as a possible role model of what could happen in Ukraine. Let me provide you with a few more details.

Flaws in the US Constitution?

I know it is sacrilegious to criticize any constitution. Here in Canada, we do not really have a constitution, just a patchwork of basic laws like in mother England. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is one of our most basic documents.

However, the US does have a Constitution. It was drawn up centuries ago by the founding fathers. Politicians regularly swear allegiance to it. They quote it as if it is incapable of change or criticism. A key statement therein is “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

I have been thinking of these rights lately and here are my reflections.

A Greek tragedy unfolding in Canada: The rise and fall of Justin Trudeau

The rest of the world must wonder what is happening in Canada. There is a scandal there but what is the scandal all about? There seems to be no sex, no money, and no corruption. Well the last two are not exactly true, but hey! We’re Canadian. We tend to do our corruption and money stuff overseas.

You are known by your face

Recently in the province of Quebec  a law has been passed banning face coverings in certain situations. This has raised quite a flurry of commentaries. Here below is my contribution, plus some comments on my comments.

How Canada's 1 per cent is pulling ahead [The Globe and Mail (BC edition, 9 Oct 2017)]

"New census data provided to The Globe show the biggest pay raises have gone to the country's highest earners, along with significant regional and gender differences. A look at how the numbers break down."

-- Rachelle Younglai Murat Yukselir

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-globe-and-mail-bc-edition/20171009/281642485388035

Basic Income Guarantee (BIG)

What would the world be like if all low income people were given a guaranteed cash income for survival (c.$17,000) with no strings attached? How about if this plan included an incentive to work to increase their minimum income? What would they do with this money? What would be the social consequences of this? This concept will soon have some trial runs in Ontario, Canada. It is called the Basic Income Guarantee (BIG).

Bombardier executives increase their multi-million dollar salaries while they lay of thousands of employees

The unbridled greed of the super rich continues to infuriate. Here in Canada, in 2016 five executives with Bombardier corporation managed to haul in $32.6 million, thus raising their salaries by 50%. During the same time period they fired thousands of employees and received well over one billion dollars in government subsidies.

It is an outrage! There was no real increase in productivity yet they increased their obscene salaries. They say that these salaries are necessary to attract “competent people”. It is a lie. They are themselves voted into power by fellow cronies on a board of directors. It is a system gone rotten at the top.

Civil Rights -- Again

Two days ago, John Lewis, an American congressman from Georgia was interviewed on CBC radio here in Canada. Listening to him brought my mind back to an event in August, 1965 which occurred in Americus, Georgia.

A group of six of us, John Lewis, two black friends, a Jewish woman, with my wife and I, tried to enter an all white Baptist church to worship. We were stopped at the door by a group of church deacons and leaders. John Lewis had some words with them.

Israel-Palestine: Response to Robert Sibley op-ed

Click the "Read more" link below to view my response to the following opinion piece in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper.

Link: "Obama sets the stage for another war in the Middle East" by Robert Sibley

Presumably Barack Obama will return his Nobel Peace Prize now that he’s created the conditions for another Middle East war.

Development: DART Water Mission

DART water team at work

    
DART Water Mission

This describes work in Sri Lanka after the tsunami hit the east coast in 2004     

Local borehole and pump

The recent DART mission to Sri Lanka was located in Ampara district on the east coast of Sri Lanka. This was the region that was the worst hit on the island, with a total of 10,000 of the island’s 30,000 deaths being recorded there. The DART installed 4 reverse osmosis units in two sites in Ampara district. Each one of these units was able to purify 50,000 litres a day of water from a nearby lagoon.

I visited the northern location of the DART water supply point while I was also in Sri Lanka helping with the relief efforts related to water supply and sanitation. The soldiers at the DART water supply point were doing a heroic effort. They lived in simple conditions and worked tirelessly for the period of over a month while they were there. They water they purified was able to keep a steady stream of water trucks supplied with water for the many nearby refugee camps that housed survivors of the recent tsunami disaster.