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OH CANADA
The Ontario election clock is ticking! On June 2nd 2022, we can finally kick Premier Doug Ford's Conservative's out at Queen's Park! Send them packing!
Sure! It should be a slam dunk. His government's been criminally negligent throughout the pandemic. We still lack proper contact tracing, rapid school and workplace tests. So too, a comprehensive paid sick leave plan, a guaranteed income and an orderly vaccination program for Ontario's frontline workers.
Meanwhile, the corporate lobbyists are reaping huge profits at Ford's cabinet table. As the science and medical experts take a backseat to the huge cash drain from our provincial coffers to the business and development sectors.
Ford's prospects look bad but he's a wiley political beast. Plus we have to wonder: Are the opposition parties up to the task? How about our labour unions? Or our political activists, like you and me? As for the fickle Ontario voter? How quick they forget!
Often times in politics, the bottomline is organization. Plus a lot of sheer dumb luck. That's a lot to consider. We best start getting on it now! @ CP24
Reopening Ontario: Taa Daaa! Our Dougie'$ got a three $tage roadmap for a return to normal of sort$. Maybe thi$ time he'll get it right?!? Let'$ not kid ourselve$. Beyond the fixed vaccination rate$, he'$ left lot$ of wiggle room, nothing'$ written in $tone. Just like before, he can $till do pretty much whatever he politically like$, whenever he $o pleases, $crew the medical Scientific evidence. With Premier Doug Fraud, $ome thing$ never change @ On.Ca
Bill 254 -Notwithstanding Doug: Ontario's CUPE, ETFO, OECTA OSSTF teacher and education worker unions win a major, provincial supreme court challenge.Yes! They have a constitutional right to voice their educational concerns. Sure the Covid concerns at our schools are horrendous. However, Premier Doug Fraud doesn't want voters talking about that, not with an election in the works. So he evokes the obscure "notwithstanding clause" to override Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Unconstitutionally limiting how long the ads can run. How much the unions can spend. Which companies they can use. Let's face it -Ford's useless at fighting a pandemic. But election rigging? That's more his style! Read the supreme court decision @ GP @ TStar Rest assured -Ford's grandstanding will be challenged! More court dates to follow @ Passage
More BS: The notwithstanding clause wasn't created for settling political issues like campaign finance law. Nor to deny anyone their constitutional rights and freedoms. Just because one can do something, doesn't mean that you should. Let's watch as Douglas learns that lesson the hard way @ CTV
Shuffling The Chairs: Disgraced former Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips returns to cabinet from his extended Covid holiday. He's our new Minister of Long Term Care. While Merrilee Fullerton now shifts her ... ummm ... deadly skills to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services portfolio. Sadly, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce remains Ford's "go to" school boy. Basically, lotsa the same old shit; the same nasty smell @ Now
Unite The Left: Maybe if the Liberal and NDP formed a coalition, we could soundly defeat the Ford government for sure come next June? Sound good? Beware! If you've followed my blogs over the last ten years, you'll know that the Ontario Liberal's weren't that progressive last time they got into office. Remember the tight ass austerity measures and generous corporate tax cuts?!? Basically, we just ended up stuck with a bunch of smiley faced McGuinty-Wynne Neo-libs to replace the big, bad Harris-Eve's Neo Cons. Sigh. Alas. The NDP best be very, very careful with the provincial grits @ Huff
Money Talk$: Toronto's wealthiest neighbourhoods are also our healthiest. Yup! Somehow they've gotten a big head start with second doses of the vaccine being administered by postal code. The goal? To quickly target the Delta Covid variant from spreading more. Go figure. @ CTV
Homeless Inc: Meanwhile Toronto Police Services are very busy dispersing the growing homeless encampment at Bellwoods,Trinity Park. So who's looking out for these poor folks? No, they haven't got a postal code. That's because they lost their homes along with most everything they own, through no fault of their own, during the pandemic. Does Mayor John Tory really care?!? He sure has a strange way of showing it! No justice, no peace! @ BlogTo
LTC Nightmare: Remember Ford's "iron ring" around Ontario's LTC long term care homes? It was supposed to prevent any more "deaths from neglect" during the pandemic. Well, mum's the word from Ford since that turned into a total horror show. Turns out that the vaccines were his only real line of defence, but he and Hillier screwed that up too! The horrible neglect of our sick and elderly will be a very hard baked election issue for those of us who've lost a loved one, or sat helplessly by as they were being so badly mistreated! Notwithstanding Doug of course! He's hellbent on stopping the doctors, nurses and healthcare workers from speaking out. Certainly doesn't want everyone being reminded of what happened on his watch, as election time approaches. Good time for a recap @ QP
Terrorism Ontario: During an evening stroll, an innocent London, Ontario, muslim family are ruthlessly struck and killed by an angry, young, white male driver. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rightly labels it a "terrorist attack". Canuck far right wingers erupt into a mad, feeding frenzy. Not much surprise! Here's how the PostMedia newspaper chain has been busy sparking up the Islamophobic hate fires across Ontario for years. Think Toronto Sun @ CL @ NPR
Colonialism 215 Plus: Canada's colonial lethargy gets shaken to it's historic roots! 215 indigenous children are found buried outside a Catholic residential school in Kamloops, BC. Lots more bodies will be found. This story isn't going away anytime soon. Our Prime Minister calls for a Vatican apology and asks for the church files to be released. Instead Pope Francis and the Canadian archbishops hunker down into damage control mode like never before. But now the whole world's watching @ WP @ Reuters @ Passage Trudeau @ Global The church leaders @ CBC @ NP Residential backgrounder @ IPA
Tom Collins On The Rocks! How do 215 indigenous children die at a Catholic residential school without record or trace? Unlike the clergy, the Catholic Healthcare Networkers still have a strong social conscience and moral compass to guide them. indeed, hundreds of Catholic doctors, nurses and healthcare workers join together demanding that Toronto Archbishop Tom Collins and the church apologize immediately. Any relevant residential school documents must be released now @ CBC Meanwhile a very privileged looking if not rather coy Tom Collins seems sadly out of touch, spinning the same old magisterial platitudes, mansplaining the children's death away @ AT
Catholic Pride: Here's a first! Too bad it's so late! For the first time, Toronto's TCDSB, the world's largest publicly funded Catholic school board, is flying the LGBTQ flag during Gay Pride month. Surely, it's in keeping with the board's theme of "inclusion, dignity and respect for all". The Catholic teachers know that! Many Catholic parents too. So what's taken the TCDSB so long? @ CBC @ TCDSB @ OECTA
TCDSB Gay Pride -The Right Wing Watch: Tragically, the Pride Flag meetings have been like a clown show, only a lot scarier. Picture Toronto Archbishop Tom Collins gone Catholic Nationalist, wrapped in the Canadian flag and holding a cross. He's telling the Catholic Register that these are the only 2 symbols he wants to see in the schools, especially during Gay Pride month @ CR
Check out the Catholic Life Site News as they gleefully defend an angry parent's thinly veiled threats against the gay community during the pride flag debate. Apparently killing the LGBTQ by drowning them with a a millstone around the neck, comes straight from scripture @ LS @ CC
Hey! Isn't that TCDSB trustee Mike Del Grande crashing the school board Gay Pride Flag debate? After refusing to apologize and complete an equity training program for his earlier, hateful, homophobic remarks? @ City
Watching the great debate unfold, we see TCDSB Chair Garry Tatum pledge his fealty to the archbishop and board director. He's turning to them for guidance about where to stick the gay pride flag?!?
Homophobia clearly runs contrary to Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Aiding and abetting it is wrong too. Seriously, should this type of behaviour be funded on the public dime? In our publicly funded schools of all places? Stay tuned. I doubt we've heard the last of this yet.
IN THE NEWS
Keystone XL RIP: It's official. TC Energy finally pulls the plug on it's controversial oil pipeline across indigenous lands. But the fight isn't over. Stateside, there's still Line 3 and 5, plus the Dakota Access pipeline to go @ NR
"Weaponized Communion" or "Biden Denied" The US Catholic bishops vote to deny communion to any politician who supports abortion. They were quiet about Trump's bizarre, moral indiscretions. But now they've got pro-choice US President Joe Biden firmly lined up in their sites? It's very shaky moral ground, their absolute moral certitude inviting close scrutiny into a wide range of troubling human right issues. The church and women's rights? Homophobia? Sex abuse? Child abuse? The residential schools? What'll Pope Francis do now? Better act quick, the clock is ticking. The bedrock below St. Peters church is beginning to shift. Can you hear the rumble? @ BG
Columbia Neo Lib: Think we got it bad? Progressives in Columbia are fighting an especially vile and recessive tax reform bill. Meanwhile, the police are busy cracking down on protesters at the urging of Columbia's oligarchical, neo liberal elite. Clearly, it's street fighting time. Columbia's middle class is getting nailed with the Covid relief bill. Can't happen here?!? @ Jacobin
Canuck Neo Lib: Guess what?!? We're implicit in the brutal repression. Yup! Canada's providing the arms, tactical training and other supports for the oligarchical baddies down Columbia way. Yeah, Justin seems so nice, but ..... @ Passage
Vaccine Blockade: So far, President Joe Biden is continuing the illegal US economic blockade of Cuba. As a result it's impossible to import vaccine, syringes, PPE's and even the most basic medical supplies.
Cuba's developing it's own vaccine, will begin immunizations soon, with plans to share it throughout the developing world. But all is not well. I'm still in contact with the teachers at the Cuban schools. They report that sickness, poverty and despair are rampant with little hope in sight.
The US is playing the same dirty political game in Venezuela. Guess Biden doesn't want to anger the latino vote in the swing state of Florida?
To beat the coronavirus, everybody needs access to vaccine, even in countries some of us don't like. Otherwise, the new variants will keep on showing up here in the first world, time and again. Gee, thanks Joe @ Intercept
Canuck Complicity: Unfortunately, Canada is complicit in the US vaccine blockade. We support Big Pharma's monopoly over the patents for the vaccines. Think about it -They're unavailable throughout much of the developing world, because they can't afford the price. For shame! @ Passage
Cuba Si! For the 29th consecutive year, the UN General Assembly holds a vote on the illegal US economic embargo of Cuba. Once again, only the US and Israel are in favour of it. As for US compliance? No way @ UN
COVID BEAT
The Covid Union Wave: Quite literally, Premier Doug Fraud has nothing but praise for our province's frontline retail workers. As for sick days, a living wage, rapid testing, contact tracing, evidence based restrictions, safety conditions or PPE's? They've been secondary to Ford's political, economic agenda throughout the pandemic. As a result, our unions must earnestly begin organizing the province's forgotten workers now! To stand up for their rights! So they'll be safe at work! And can protect their families! Here in Ontario and across Canada too @ OT
A Healthcare Tsunami: The worst of the pandemic seems over, barring some dangerous, new, unforeseen variant of concern. However, full recovery often involves a lot more than just surviving the initial viral attack. Patients could be suffering the huge, long term, aftershocks to our healthcare system for many years to come! Think cardiovascular problems! Heart and lung disease! The untold mental health effects! On and on the list grows @ CBC
Brain Fog: The long term loss of brain tissue resulting from the virus can also badly effect the "recovered" Covid patient's memory, sense of wellbeing and overall mental health @ CNBC
An Aniti-Vax Vex: An unvaccinated IT worker infects the other unvaccinated workers at a government office in Florida. Turns out everyone didn't want to get vaccinated. You don't have to wear a mask inside either. So 2 die and many more get sick. Meanwhile, the inoculated employees are fine. No problem.
I don't feel sorry for the anti-vaxers. They were warned. It's quite exasperating after awhile. Seems like just desserts. But unfortunately there isn't a vaccine for children under the age of 12 yet. They can get infected too. No, the pandemic isn't over. Bet we'll be hearing lots more horror stories like this for some time to come @ CNN
Dag Jab It: It's been confusing but it's official now; Health Canada advises that, in fact, you can mix the first and second vaccine shots of Astrazeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer, as follows @ Ca
Make That A Double: Over 70% of Canadians have received their first shot, 20% the second, as summer begins. It's still very confusing! What exactly can we and can't we do as more and more of us get inoculated? As our herd immunity grows? Some early pointers @ CBC @ CBC @ Global Plus more news on international travel @ WKBW
EDUCATION BEAT
Schools Out: The Ford government finally closed our schools early for the year, choosing at home learning rather than risk more in school community spread. Makes sense but how was the decision reached?
True, our Douglas consulted last minute with the province's teachers and education workers. Quite frankly, they reminded him that it's kinda late, he should of done so long ago. No matter. Seems he was only listening to Arthur, his mystery pal anyway.
Yep! Arthur somehow knew what to do about at home learning and graduation day. But when it comes to teacher and student vaccines? HVAC repairs? Contact tracing? Rapid testing? Alas! Like his pal Douglas, Arthur doesn't know.
Too bad the big Ford Fraudster didn't just cut the malarky. Focus instead on getting our Ontario schools ready to safely reopen this fall. Who knows what happens next? Not Ontario's teachers, parents or students! More @ CBC Read the teachers letter @ OSSTF More on Arthur @ Narc @ OC
Unsafe Schools: England's unvaccinated students are proving a ready target for the new Delta variant. Think of it as a rather grim warning about the true cost of inschool learning. There could still be another deadly wave of infections, when Ontario's schools re-open this fall. The children will pay the price @ FT
Student Mental Health: Sure, students belong in school. However, think of all the wars, catastrophes and other such interruptions throughout history. Sometimes kids just can't go to school. Childhood is too short anyway. Why the mad race to get them back? So that they can finish quickly?!? Go to work for the rest of their lives?!?
Contrary to popular opinion, a recent study suggests that our Canadian students didn't really suffer any "extraordinary mental crisis" from either in class or at home learning, during the pandemic. Well then, let's just relax. Breath deep. It's okay @ PSY
Lockdown -What We Learned: We were unprepared and ill equipped to deal with the pandemic in a timely, effective and equitable manner. We are very lucky that it wasn't much more virulent than it was. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes so that we don't get caught off guard again. But don't count on it. Nope. No way @ Vision
KULTURE KULT INK
Cancel Canada Day: Should Canada Day be cancelled this year, in special recognition of the indigenous students whom died at our government and church run residential schools? PM Justin Trudeau, like NDP opposition leader Jagmeet Singh want us to celebrate while also considering it a "time of refection". Meanwhile PC Conster Erin O'Toole plays the cancel culture card, warning it's all a ... oh oh ... radical leftist plot @ IdleNoMore @ Global Here's the kids version @ CBC
To Party Or Not To Party? A break from Canada Day might well be in order this year. Like it or not, we need to face the fact that racism, genocide and stolen land helped define the birth of our nation.
It's time that sinks in. Our inglorious past can no longer be ignored or denied. On a go forward basis, truth and reconciliation are the order of the day. We must address these issues, so that real peace and justice can prevail.
I'll do so quietly in my own way, probably out in my kayak on lake Mississaganon, smoking a joint to celebrate my Canada, the one we live in today. Then paddle back to party with a small, inoculated circle of my family and friends.
As Canadians, we come from all over the world. Most of us are here to stay. Together, we are a work in progress, capable of so much better, than what history has now shown us. If we really try, perhaps even leading the way.
I hope so. I really do. Happy Canada Day!
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