Praise to Caesar!

Why does Canada need a Senate? What use is it to the nation? How much does it cost? Via what route do the members gain access?

The only possible answer to question one is another question: Who knows? Number two? Not much. Question three you'll have to Google but today's information is, as it relates to Raymond Lavigne, more costly than we will ever know. Finally, gaining access? Well, it all relates to the political trough. Mr Lavigne was appointed by the Liberals. They suspended him but he continued to draw pretty high expenses. So far Stephen Harper has appointed thirty-seven senators since he "won" his minority government. That power is his alone. One just has to assume that receiving a job with a minimal job requirement (attending one session a year) with a salary of $132,300 per annum demands some allegiance to the giver. While I'm sure Larry Smith is a bright and reliable man, it is hard not to see a plan in his recent appointment. No sooner was he named a Senator than he announced his intention to run for the Tories in the next election, whenever that happens. He shouldn't need to take out any personal loans during that contest, thanks to his Senate salary. Should he win, has he been offered a ministerial job? In both situations, I'm sure he will love Caesar for such kindness.

Back to Senator Lavigne, the non-sitting (since 2007) Senator who is under investigation on charges of fraud and breach of public trust, yet continues to use his "SenmasterCard" (courtesy of Canadian taxpayers) to pay his bills. e.g. September 1-November 30, 2010:
  office expenses:              $17,700           
  travel:                               $8,000                                
  cost-of-living in Ottawa:    $4,500
  Scamming the public?
                                         Priceless!

               "There's nothing money can't buy. For everything, there's SenmasterCard."

Happy Phew! Year

Well, may I first wish a Happy New Year to all three of our readers!

In Friday's Montreal Gazette column, Mark Abley printed a United States Parish Hall weekly programme : Monday: Alcoholics Anonymous; Tuesday: Abused Spouses; Wednesday: Eating disorders; Thursday: Say No to Drugs; Friday: Teen Suicide Watch; Saturday: Soup Kitchen; Sunday Sermon: America's Joyous Future. The future can't get much better than that!

To lower the bar a tad, have you noticed the people of Somalia described as "pirates"? For some time, boats from all over the globe have been robbing the seas around Somalia of their livelihood, i.e. fish. Secondly, those same countries have been disposing of nuclear, and other, wastes in the waters around the Somali beaches. When their fishermen got a little upset and finally started to grab anything, or anyone, they could and hold them to ransom as a last desperate attempt to halt this travesty, the United Nations, and many other nations, censured Somalia for this "crime" of piracy. How would you react if the USA started dumping their garbage into Canada? More than they already do, I mean. NIMB! (Not In My Backyard!)

Finally, our experts have looked into our trust of professionals. Most categories are in decline except for Canadian soldiers. They have improved in our trust level by 11%. Pharmacists are down 25%; airline pilots down 19%. Accountants, at 47%, are still more trusted than church leaders, and national politicians, at 25% trust, are only ahead of car salespeople by 5%. Accountants more reliable than politicians, you say? Perhaps if the conscientious Auditor-General Sheila Fraser became Prime Minister and Amazon.ca ran the civil service, maybe...just maybe...we could have a trustworthy and efficient democracy!

Equations Will Be Equations

Oh, joy! Today's Globe and Mail reassured us that 92% of Canadian executives think the economy will grow next year..."though most feel the expansion will be moderate."

Are the bonuses of CEOs incorporated in this equation? That could 'moderate' the optimistic view!

                                                                   Gobble, gobble!

Screwed Again!

Not many hours available at this busy time of year but I've had enough - and have to comment!

During the past week I browsed books in Chapters. Our dollar is at par... well, 99 cents, US. The national bestseller, Sailing Alone Around the Room, by Billy Collins was USA $14.95 and CAN $21.00. I have been unable to find any reason or justification for this. Amazon.ca will get it to you for CAN $15.16. Having received an iPad for my birthday, I find that the available books, via iBooks, are largely devoid of ones written and/or printed in Canada.

At the same time, Canada is being pushed around regarding the border which separates us from the USA. It is definitely time to dig in our heels! Our P.M., Stephen Harper, always seems content to be kissing our neighbour...one place or another. We may only be 10% of the population of the USA but we punch above our weight when it comes to resources. We must defend all of those, ferociously - forests, minerals and, especially, water. We were hosed by Uncle Sam re. softwood lumber, starting in 1982, and finally losing outright in 2009, with a 10% surcharge awarded the U.S. So much for free trade (NAFTA) and (WTO)globalization!

That 49th parallel is ours to the north, the American's to the south. Any ill-feeling engendered by border guards seems to occur for those travelling south. The few yards between the two control posts is no-man's land! Let us hold our heads high while we are still the true North, strong - and free?

Boys May be Boys But....

On the one hand, here in Quebec, 30% of male students do not graduate from high school by age 20.

On the other hand, a young male Quebecer just made $8 million playing poker! Is there a message here, even if it is a misguided one?

Compare the demands for jobs in the work force against the professional preferences/career choices of boys in schools as to "what they wish to be," and we have a very real problem. The need for office clerks and sales personnel is plentiful. Rock stars, elite athletes, physicians, lawyers, engineers, etc., are in lesser demand and require much greater innate talent, training or educational qualifications. Eventually, that contrast will lead to much dissatisfaction and disappointment - for both the male students and society.

Who can solve the problem? Why, the schools, of course. Now there's an opportunity for a real "reality show"!

Common wealth Games

Intriguing that the Commonwealth survives when the British Empire is long gone. There are probably economic benefits involved as well as preferences if a citizen of a member country wishes to emigrate/immigrate to another member country.

India is a member and is also, of course, host to The Commonwealth Games at this very moment. I wish the country well in this huge endeavour. However, I was pondering what became of the Untouchables, a name I recall learning about when I was a child in England. My research uncovered a not-too-pretty picture. India's caste system seems to be alive and well. If we think we live in a country of differing wealth, rich-poor and middle-class, and if you've already had breakfast, Google the word Untouchable. You will be shocked!

At least 160 million Indian Untouchables are seen by the rest of the country as less than human. If you consider Untouchable men must find it tough, it is far worse for Untouchable women, who are gang-raped with abandon and the sub-continent's police not only ignore the crime but participate in it!

I was checking Voltaire's whimsical comment about us living in the best of all possible worlds. Whatever way you slice it, we still have a way to go. Whoever decides the credentials required for hosting the next Commonwealth Games should perhaps insist it be a good example for other nations of the world, or at least The Commonwealth. India, I fear, while Untouchables are part of the culture, failed that test.

Back to School

This week heralded another school year and, I confess, I had no pangs of regret that I was not required.

The day's news included alarm that STDs in teenagers is increasing fast. That sex education is no longer a compulsory high school subject is the main reason attributed to this increase.

In addition, university principals are hustling to join Facebook and Twitter, thereby bringing them closer, informally, to their students. How they find time for such trivialities one can only guess at.
Universities were once the keepers and harbingers of truth, research and education.
In Chris Hedges' "Empire of Illusion," (2009) he claims that worldwide revenues from pornography are more than the total of Microsoft, Google, Amazon, e-Bay, and Apple combined. The largest users of Internet porn are between the ages of twelve and seventeen. Is there a message there?!