QUEBEC'S PROPOSED TAX ON THE UNVACCINATED...

An Update:  I was too generous in my praise of Mr. O'Toole below.  In looking more closely at what he said about Quebec's stand on the Unvaxxed - he said that while he personally opposed its stance he understood that Quebec has the independence to do that if it wishes.   Hog Wash - typical splitting hairs that O'Toole is well known for. Canadians must have the same rights from Coast to Coast and our Political Leaders need to be brave enough to stand up and say just that.    

A dumb idea but one that it appears the majority of Canadians favour.

It is interesting to note though that Conservative Columnists mostly seem to be opposed as do the Tory Premiers.  

Even Opposition Tory Leader Erin O'Toole has come out against it which is refreshing for me since up till now he has been loath to criticize the Quebec Government.   O'Toole is also against requiring our Truckers to be vaccinated in order to cross back into Canada.  Another smart move since our Supply Systems are already in terrible shape without having this added to the mess.  I was out grocery shopping today and everything...I mean everything,  continues to spike in price along with lots and lots of unstocked shelves. 

So O'Toole now has Two Issues he needs to Milk to the Hilt.  Let's see how He does. 

So we all know the case against what Quebec is proposing ...no point regurgitating that other than to point out it is a slippery slope when people get penalized for their choices medically speaking and for their health choices in general.

I will though deal with my own case...I am a Diabetic and for the most part have kept it under control.  It often goes hand in hand with weight gain and again I am guilty as charged though several heart attacks have worked wonders in bringing those numbers down.  That said, you could say 'Keith it is your own fault you contracting diabetes so if you get ill because of it...you will be on your own when it comes to paying the medical bills'.    I already pay a price in that I am not insurable but if you apply Quebec's Premier's logic to my case...it would be tough luck for me.

I could say...but would not ...that their Premier too is a bit on the heavy side.

Our Health System is faulty and not because of the unvaxxed.  It needs to be reformed to include the best from both the Public and Private Sectors all under the one Umbrella of Universal Care.  The United States has just the opposite problem ...It is all Private and its users get the quickest and best treatment but those users must be rich ...they need to incorporate the Public Sector in their Care.  Many countries in Europe have better Health Care than either of use because their care is a combination of both.

I often speak of the poor young woman in Florida who told me that she had a temperature of 105 (F) but could not afford the $6,000 deduction payment required by her Insurance Company so she spend days on end in a cold water bath to help keep her temperature under control.

So let's stop the nonsense and get on with real reform of our Health Care before the next Pandemic raises its ugly head. 

As I See It...

'K.D. Bell'

IS DEMOCRACY DYING ? PLUS ONE MORE...

 I have written of late of the decline of Democracy ...all across the World and even here in Canada.

This past week an article appeared in the National Post by columnist Tom Blackwell which backs my assertion.  His article begins by documenting the perils faced by Rwanda Canadian David Himbara who believes he is being targeted by authorities residing in his country of birth...Rwanda.  He fears for his life and Blackwell documents well his concerns. We have heard other accounts of Chinese Canadians too being harassed by their former homeland. 

The article goes on to cite a number of of democracies around the world that appear to be crumbling in this time of growing autocracies and left wing politics.  He states: the 2,000s were billed as the century of democracy...they have become almost the opposite.

He specifically names several including: Latin America...especially Nicaragua and Venezuela, Europe, Africa, East Asia, Philippines and Hungary.   Even with India he finds that it is suppressing freedoms as our own Priest told me not that long ago.  He hails from India and told me the number of assaults on Christians by the Hindus has risen dramatically in recent years and the Hindus control the national government. And then you have China stealing the last vestiges of freedom from Hong Kong and is now looking wantonly at Taiwan.  

Accordingly the World is becoming quickly less and less free and safe. 

Freedom House is quoted as stating that the number of not-free countries is the highest it has been since it started doing its report some 15 years ago and that but 20% of the world's population lives in a free nation.

In regard to this 20% I have said that Democracy is an inch thick and a mile wide...I have revised that of late to a centimeter thick and a kilometer wide.  

In short the olde saying if you don't use it you are going to lose it and I fear that that is happening here in the West before our very eyes. 

THERE WAS ANOTHER INTERESTING ARTICLE IN THAT VERY SAME EDITION:

Barbara Kay wrote about Electoral Reform being Key to America's Healing. 

She points out that from the day Donald Trump was elected President the Democrats pulled out all stops to discredit him.  

My words - 4 years earlier and even dear Hilary regularly and often complained that she too was robbed in her election defeat but again that is her and Trump is he and one is treated worse than the other by the Progressive Left. 

Kay rightfully points out too that the Insurrection on Capital Hill last January was anything but...there was no chance of America's government falling at the hands of a bunch of keystone cop type Trump followers.  

This 'attempted Coup' lasted but hours should be contrasted with the summer of 2020 when Anarchists seized control of Seattle Washington - wrecking havoc and mayhem and not a word of criticism from America's Left.  

Today I hear Democrats complain about Donald Trump and his plan to run again for President in 2024 ...they complain bitterly how divisive the guy is...and they are right...but so are they.  America has become divided right down the centre - on one side the Right and on the other the Left with very little in the middle for use in compromise.

With 'Demagogues' on both sides claiming voting irregularities Kay sees the place to start to fix things is to establish a 'bipartisan commission on electoral integrity".  She believes this will 'de-weaponize regulatory measures that will restore across the board faith in the electoral process'.

Bless the woman's heart ... I do think that he suggestion is most worthwhile but I fear it will not achieve the peace and goodwill between these opposite and divisive two factions.  

 Good article though...as was the one by Blackwell.  Both worth the read.

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher'

NATO...

 IT IS TIME FOR EUROPE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE.

To this point, NATO has been all about the United States and as recent history shows its power is in decline.  

The Other NATO Countries have gone along for far too long with with a free ride our own Country Canada included. 

I say that because as we all well know - the World is becoming more and more dangerous and the old ways of doing business...that is to say Democracies ability to protect the world is in desperate need of fixing. 

China, Russia, and Iran have made it known that they are out to cause trouble and they have a number of other lackey countries at their beck and call... their names we are also quite conversant with.  

So let's deal with Russia and Iran first:

Russia has taken over parts of the Ukraine and is threatening an all out invasion as I write this Blog. It has also just sent troops into neighbouring Kazakhstan to put down a resurrection by its common folk who are tired of their existing dictator and autocratic government.  This Dictator has recently ordered that these folks to be shot on sight.  

In the face of Putin's threats against Ukraine, the United States threatens 'sanctions' ...you can just imagine Putin quaking in his boots. Not.   And Germany - the Green Leader of Europe, has no gas to heat their homes or run their industries and as such is totally reliant upon Russia for supply.  In other words - Putin is being given a free ride.

This despite the fact that NATO consists of 30 nations...12 of which came from the former USSR.  The Ukraine should be part of it but NATO dragged its feet too long and with 100,000 Russian Troops on Ukraine's doorstep... now is not the time to grant it membership.  Rather, NATO should flood Ukraine with troops until this standoff... stands-down. Will they do that ...unlikely. So the chances of Russia following through on its threat are all the greater. 

And let's look at some other numbers ...the population of Russia is 146 Million - the population of Europe is over 5 x as large at 750 million.   Russia's GDP is a mere 1,483 Billion in US Dollars while Europe has a staggering GDP of 21,500 Billion (USD).   You have a mouse going up against an Elephant. And yet the mouse seems to be winning.  This must stop if Europe and the Middle East are to be safe.

Before going on about China - a brief word about Iran.  Another Dictatorship with a stated goal to blow Israel off the face of the Earth.  And they mean it.  For years Iran has motored on with its Nuclear Program - in secret, and by now must be at its end goal.  It needs to be totally dismantled / abolished.  Do you think Joe Biden and the other Progressives will do the job?  Not likely ...it will be left to Israel but they need to have a united and powerful Europe covering its back.  Again Doubtful but sorely needed.

So NATO needs to step up to rogue states like Russia, Iran and other bad actors in the Middle East.  It can no longer depend on the United States to do its bidding.  Will it - I honestly do not know - I think given time it will be inevitable but I am not sure that time is on their side.

Now China.

The other even more evil presence is Communist China.  It has used a corrupted form of Capitalism to vault itself into the 21 st Century with a booming economy and flourishing military.  Europe is more or less out of the line of fire but not the United States, not Japan, nor India, nor South Korea...nor the many other countries trying to survive in South East Asia.  Here is where even a weaker United States continues to have an important role to keep the peace and keep China under control. Will it do so...I believe even Biden and company realize the danger that exists if they do not actively involve themselves in the affairs of this region which is ever growing in importance.  Economists predict the Asia region will surprise the West in GDP within many of our lifetimes. 

But here again the United States cannot do it alone.  The one thing China loves even more than its military might is money.  They only recently acquired it and would be loath to lose it.  Countries of the World must stop trading with the Devil - not even to buy tooth paste from it.  What is a million souls lost to China in war compared to Trillions lost in trade.  That is the final answer and again I am skeptical that it will come about ...but that is the only thing that will work unless the ordinary Chinese rise up and replace their government with true democracy which too is more of a dream than a reality.

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher'