A La Prochaine

 But no longer via these blogs.

Readership is down and since I have been writing these blogs since early July of 2009 the time has come.

Faithful readers know of where I am and those who have not followed me ...the loss is theirs.

Sadly most of my pitches have been in the negative but this my last will be anything but.

We - you and I have so much to be thankful about.

We have an abundance of food and clean water.  When we are cold we turn up the heat and when too warm - the air.

Roofs over our heads and homes that are the envy of all past generations and of many of the poor throughout the world today.

The best in Police and Fire Protection. 

And the best in health and dental care.  

Good paying jobs and benefits and for us older folk, rich pensions. 

We also receive Canada Pension and Old Age Security.  

We want for nothing.

We have excellent roads and transit.  Great Schooling and Day Care.

The latest in Cars, SUVs, Trucks.

As well as Boats and other expensive Land and Water Toys.

And speaking of Toys ...our young children have everything imaginable under the sun.

And don't get me going about Computers and Cell Phones...remember I am a luddite but do know never is history has society been so closely connected with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Clothes...we have an abundance and of good quality. So much so, the second hand stores are booming.

We have the latest technology for stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers. Anyone remember wringer washers and clothes lines?

Did I mention in door facilities - many of our homes have a least 3.  I remember growing up with but one for 5 of us.  Now we have toilets for each.  I also remember outhouses still in use - though not for us and my aunt and uncle with a hand pump for water in their kitchen.  And they were one of the happiest couples I knew.

I could go on and on but add all the above together and we still have something that even beats all of those - we have each other ...Family and Friends.  

No generation has been blessed as much as ours and I am truly grateful for having known each and everyone of you.

A La Prochaine.

'K.D. Bell' 

WHERE IS ADAM SMITH WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

 Adam Smith as in the author of the 'Wealth of Nations' which He published in 1776.

 Smith was a great proponent of Capitalism and had many things to say about it including:

That by giving everyone freedom to produce and exchange goods as they pleased (free trade) and opening the markets up to domestic and foreign competition, people’s natural self-interest would promote greater prosperity than with stringent government regulations.

As I have written many times of late, Capitalism as Smith knew it in His Day is under attack.

Governments of all types and kind have taken over and in so doing have grown like Topsy.

Let's take the current housing shortage as a prime example here. Homes are selling on average for well over $800,000 if you can even get one let alone afford the steep cost.  These are not Mansions by any stretch of the imagination - plain houses.  One such home sold for over $800,000 above the asking price of well over a million dollars and looked on t.v. like a dump.

Our Federal Government came out with a Budget yesterday which contained some provisions to address lack of housing which will only exacerbate the problem.  A bit of money to the Municipalities which will do spit and a little to first time home buyers which will only serve to jack the cost of housing up even more.

What is needed is for Governments at all levels to get out of the way...cut out the red tape ...let the builders build and increase the housing supply dramatically which in turn will bring down prices and make homes available to all who wish them at a reasonable cost. 

I remember when I was a kid and t.v.s first came out - they were small - 17" and they were very pricy. Only the rich could afford them.  However governments were small in those days so mass production occurred much like Henry Ford and His Model T...so product cost fell to reasonable levels and product quality vastly improved.

Same would happen today with Housing if Government would just keep to minding its knitting.

Another big budget initiative was in Health Care ...again - like Housing a Provincial Responsibility and should not be included in a Federal Budget.  In today's National Post one of my favourite writers Philip Cross points out in detail the many contradictions yesterday's budget contains.  I would urge you all to read it...it is excellent.

In regard to Health he rightly points out that the Feds should steer clear of Health not only because our Constitution opposes it but because the initiatives the Feds are putting forward conflict with the objectives of the Provinces when it comes to healing Health Care.

The Feds want money spent on child care, dental care and pharmaceuticals.  The Provinces again the ones responsible for Health Care have identified as their priorities - Long Term Care...it is in shambles...lack of Doctors...lack of Hospital Beds ...lack of PPE and so on and so on.   The bottom line here is that since Health Care is on a respirator already, the supposed help from the Feds will only make it worse.  Everything in Health Care cannot be a priority.

Anyway Cross deals with these subjects and many more..please read it if you get a chance. 

And next time a Leftist Progressive disses Capitalism be prepared to set them straight if for no other reason than the fact that Capitalism is the only ISM that actually works.

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher' 

Everything But What The Ukraine Initially Asked For...

 I watched a Press Conference earlier today given by America's Secretary of State along with the Head of NATO.  

Two things struck me about it...First, all the talking was done by the Sec State and all the questions from the Press were directed only to Him.

So what then exactly is NATO doing in all of this as in Great Britain, France and Germany?

No one asks and no one appears to be concerned or interested about it.   Rather Bizarre don't you think?

The other thing that struck me is that the Sec State Antony Blinken promised everything under the Sun ...more Sanctions and much more.

What He did not promise though was Fighter Planes for the Ukraine -- you know the ones they asked for right from the beginning and the ones they desperately need to stop the Russian pillage and destruction that is currently taking place.

Again, no one asked Him about this glaring omission.  Why So?

Russia needs to be stopped in its tracks and the innocent Ukrainians need to be protected. 

To Do This Ukraine Needs Planes...Provide Them Now !!

Blinken mentioned several Allied Nations that were helping out by Name ...Never once mentioned the name Canada.  Another sign that we have become a Non-Entity on the World Stage.

As I See It...

'K. D. Galagher'

Like Elon Musk...I Am A 'FREE SPEECH ABSOLUTIST.

 In an article about Musk taking a major position in Twitter, he is quoted as saying  that He is a Free Speech Absolutist.  I am not totally sure about Musk generally but must admit He appears quite successful in what He takes on but I unquestionably support This Proclamation.

Either there is Free Speech or there is not ...there is no in-between ...kinda like either you are pregnant or you are not... there is no partly. 

Simply Stated, Freedom of Speech is the first and foremost requirement for Democracy.

Which brings me for the reason of today's Blog...in our Liberal Government's infinite wisdom it is going ahead with Regulating the Internet via Bill C-11 and by so doing, protect Free Speech by Limiting It.  Half Pregnant anyone?  

In His article today, Lorne Gunter of the Ottawa Sun sets out in great detail why our Government's action is so dangerous.  It is a must read. His ending sums up exactly why Canadians need worry about this Bill... 'Free Speech is too important and too subjective to leave in the hands of regulators'. 

In earlier Blogs I have pointed out that True Democracy is under attack here in Canada and indeed throughout what's left of the Free World.  If Bill C-11 becomes Law ...as it likely will with the undemocratic union between the Grits and the Dippers..it will represent another nail in our Democratic Coffin. The olde Coffin can't take many more. 

I say 'undemocratic union' not because it has come about post election but because both the Liberals and New Democratic Party campaigned on the promise not to conclude an Alliance once the election was over.  

Again it brings back to me one of my favourite sayings...you can always tell when a politician is lying ... His or Her Lips begin to Move.  

Lets hope Elon can make a difference via Twitter.  We will all be in His debt. 

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher'

THEY ARE THROWING THE BUMS OUT...

Update: Now I know where Joly got her marching orders from ...our juvenile delinquent Prime Minister.  Trudeau is quoted today saying that he is opposed to throwing the Russian Bums out for fear they will do the same to our Embassy Folks in Moscow.  Does He not realize our embassy staff should have long ago departed Russia and our Embassy there Shuttered.  What a dip we have for PM.  

As in Russian Embassy Staff along with their In-house Spies.

Included...The United States, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Sweden,  Denmark, Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia...the List Goes On and On.

And no wonder so many countries are doing this... as each hour passes another atrocity comes to light in what the Russian Forces are doing to innocent Ukrainian Women  & Children and Civilian Men.  I would recite some of this but it is simply too sickening to repeat.  You though know full well the despicable things Russia is doing.  

Their Brave President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to the United Nations Security Council earlier today and filled them in on the War Crimes occurring in his beleaguered country at the Hands of Vlad the Barbarian Putin.  (I still cannot get over the fact that President Biden has taken so much criticism for wishing Putin gone.  Has the Free World really gone that far off course).

And never forget - Russia is a member in good standing on the UN's Human Rights Commission.  In fact, it appears that many of the World's Bad Actors are nicely ensconced in this Prestigious Sinecure. 

Question From The Back?

"I noticed your list did not include your own country Canada...I take it that that was simply an oversight"?

Actually not, Canada has yet to throw these bums out and our Distinguished Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly indicated earlier today that She has no intention of doing so.

Only in Canada You Say.

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher'

AND ANOTHER POPE APOLOGIGES...

Update:  In my Blog below, I mention the fact that the real issue in all of this is the quest for more money.  This was confirmed in today's Nat'l Post (April 5th) in an article by Anna Paperny where she writes "Pope Francis' long-awaited apology ....should be followed by millions of dollars in compensation...".  If money was the answer to the Aboriginal Issues / Problems, they would have all been solved many, many years ago.  Victimization only begets more Victimization. 

Second Update:  I often wondered whether Canada's Natives were cultural misappropriators.  I always knew that many American Indian Tribes wore Feathered Head-Dresses but did not think our own Natives ever did.  So I looked it up... especially since several of the Canadian Aboriginals who came before Pope Francis last week wore such Head Pieces.  Sure enough it is well documented online that Canada's Natives did not get into Feather Head-Dresses until modern time.

I AM LOSING COUNT. 

But Priest and Writer Raymond De Souza has kept count:  the most recent before Francis was Pope Benedict XVI.

Sad to say but the real reason I believe that fuels this industry is the quest for more money...but more on that another time.

I was pleasantly surprised though by an article in the weekend paper by Claudette Commanda a member of the Algonquins' and a self professed Indian Day School Survivor - not quite sure how that differs from the Residential Schools but must assume it too was a terrible place to be.

Anyway, I was prepared to dislike her article but found myself agreeing with much of what she wrote:

1.  "Pope Francis' apology feels like a box checked from the 94 calls for action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission".  I too feel that way.

2. "We're still wards of the Crown...we're still under the Indian Act".  Once again Commanda is bang on.  

3.  And finally "You need to hold these sexual perpetrators accountable".  Exactly.  For some reason the Church and our Governments are withholding the documentary evidence that would prove or disprove that abuse was widespread.  I say - get it out ...get it all out and expose those who committed crimes that are now dead and charge criminally any and all who are alive and who lowered themselves to do such evil. Put them behind bars and throw away the key.

If the documentation release shows widespread abuse I too will apologize to our Aboriginal Brethren.

As I See It...

'K. D. Galagher'