I am currently following three Leadership races here in North America - - four actually, though one is a none race - 2 in the US of A and 2 here in Canada. Lets begin with the former.
We are now down to 2 candidates for the Democrats - the above-noted Biden and Bernie - both are past their 'best before dates' and even when they were in their prime - they were nothing to speak of. Sorry guys.
Smart money is now on the former V.P. but it really matters not, since neither one will take out The Donald.
And Donald Trump is the second race I will also deal with quickly here. There isn't one - a race that is and there should be. Trump has been a disaster in his term of office and someone(s) in the Republican Party should have come forward to challenge him. I can think of several but won't name them - if they did not have the patriotism to come forward - I cannot be bothered with naming them either. And, I well remember the 1968 Election Campaign when Bobby Kennedy challenged then President Lyndon Johnson. It cost Kennedy his life but it also forced Johnson's resignation.
So Donald Trump runs unopposed when he should not be there at all - and this coming November he will find himself running against a candidate - likely Biden - who is even worse than himself.
Where is Winston Churchill when you need him. Even in advanced age - he would beat the socks off these guys. And to think, the Presidency of the United States is the highest gig going. Pity.
So now we come to my own country Canada. Nationally we have a Leadership Race for the Conservative Party - and also have but two eligible candidates - both second-line stringers. For some reason, the Conservative Party apparatjik went out of its way to discourage participation and in that they have been most successful.
Given this, we too in Canada may well end up with our current Prime Minister come next election which would be similar to the United States since, like Trump, our current guy is probably the worst Prime Minister we have had in modern time. Indeed, the only thing our guy can still look up to is his own Ego.
Now to our largest Province - Ontario where 40% of Canadians reside. The Liberals in fact just wrapped up their Leadership Convention on Saturday and some guy whose name begins with Del ? was elected on the first ballot. Don't feel bad if you do not recognize the name- none of us here do either.
His claim for fame is that he is a professional politician having entered the fray at the tender age of 15. What he does not realize of course is that this attribute is not an asset for him but rather a detriment.
And, the only thing Del ? has in his favour is that if and when the mantle of power is placed on his shoulders he does not need to worry about growing gray.
With the world feeling like it is falling in upon itself we need great Leadership more than ever and yet seem to go out of our way to see that we do not get it. Pity too.
As I See It,
K.D. Bell
Monday, March 9, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
CORONAVIRUS.....WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO ?
UPDATE: Just to keep the coronavirus in some perspective, 10% of the US population (25 million) gets the flu each year and 36,000 die from it on average
NOTHING NADA ZIP ZILCH RIEN
It has been less than two months since this new virus has become a house-hold word and yet during this relatively short time 'The Experts' & 'The Politicians' have gone all the way from saying "nothing to see here...move along" to Henny Penny's famous running about proclaiming "the sky is falling".
And all the while entire cities have hunkered down indoors leaving streets abandoned while the world's commercial network has virtually come to a stand-still.
So what began and still is a health matter has morphed into a social and economic catastrophe.
So how did we get where we currently are?
In the beginning the danger of this virus was sorely downplayed while today is it grossly overblown.
The Experts are calling for hospitals to "stock-up with medications" while the Politicians are telling us to "stock up basic supplies" such as food and water.
Exactly what 'medications' hospital would stock-up on is a mystery to me since no medications exist yet for this new virus.
It is all over-kill and only serves to spread panic throughout the world which they have been very successful in doing.
Which leads me back to today's solution - We Should Do Nothing.
The virus is less serious than the flu which we have contended with since the early 1700s and every year sees outbreaks of this old virus all over the world. And yet we do not shut down whole cities and discontinue international commerce in its wake. Granted, vaccinations exist for the flu but the same will apply soon in the case of the coronavirus virus.
Fatalities are less than they are with the flu - something around 2% and then mostly affects the elderly - which though bad enough - if the numbers were reversed...if the survival rate was 2% and the death rate 98% then I could understand the need for panic. But it is not.
So here we have a medical issue but you and I are needlessly turning it into social isolation and economic decline. We are shooting ourselves in the proverbial foot. It is like going into a hospital with and earache and asking for castes to be placed on your hands and legs. How to make it a bad situation much, much worse. Have we become so soft in the 21st Century that we are willing to stop living just because we might come down with flu like symptoms?
During World War Two - Londoners went underground as their City was bombarded - buildings obliterated, citizens killed and wounded. And yet come the morning sun, they dusted themselves, stayed calm and carried on.
We, indeed the World, have been given the rare chance to emulate their courage...are we up-to-it?
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
NOTHING NADA ZIP ZILCH RIEN
It has been less than two months since this new virus has become a house-hold word and yet during this relatively short time 'The Experts' & 'The Politicians' have gone all the way from saying "nothing to see here...move along" to Henny Penny's famous running about proclaiming "the sky is falling".
And all the while entire cities have hunkered down indoors leaving streets abandoned while the world's commercial network has virtually come to a stand-still.
So what began and still is a health matter has morphed into a social and economic catastrophe.
So how did we get where we currently are?
In the beginning the danger of this virus was sorely downplayed while today is it grossly overblown.
The Experts are calling for hospitals to "stock-up with medications" while the Politicians are telling us to "stock up basic supplies" such as food and water.
Exactly what 'medications' hospital would stock-up on is a mystery to me since no medications exist yet for this new virus.
It is all over-kill and only serves to spread panic throughout the world which they have been very successful in doing.
Which leads me back to today's solution - We Should Do Nothing.
The virus is less serious than the flu which we have contended with since the early 1700s and every year sees outbreaks of this old virus all over the world. And yet we do not shut down whole cities and discontinue international commerce in its wake. Granted, vaccinations exist for the flu but the same will apply soon in the case of the coronavirus virus.
Fatalities are less than they are with the flu - something around 2% and then mostly affects the elderly - which though bad enough - if the numbers were reversed...if the survival rate was 2% and the death rate 98% then I could understand the need for panic. But it is not.
So here we have a medical issue but you and I are needlessly turning it into social isolation and economic decline. We are shooting ourselves in the proverbial foot. It is like going into a hospital with and earache and asking for castes to be placed on your hands and legs. How to make it a bad situation much, much worse. Have we become so soft in the 21st Century that we are willing to stop living just because we might come down with flu like symptoms?
During World War Two - Londoners went underground as their City was bombarded - buildings obliterated, citizens killed and wounded. And yet come the morning sun, they dusted themselves, stayed calm and carried on.
We, indeed the World, have been given the rare chance to emulate their courage...are we up-to-it?
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
ARE WE IN FOR ANOTHER BIG ONE ?
As in Recession ....or even Great Recession? Or how about a Depression or even another Great Depression?
Can't happen you might say. But maybe, just maybe...
Yesterday, the DOW was down over a thousand points and today it again came too close to that significant number - so nearly 2,000 points down in but 2 days. What will tomorrow or the day after bring?
It has been but 10 years since the world experienced the Great Recession - 2007/08 and some 90 years since the Great Depression and folks I can tell you things on the ground today - as we head into a new decade - look similarly bleak.
The immediate cause for this week's down-draft is the spreading of the Coronavirus. Whole countries are shutting down and with them - economic activity is coming to a halt. It just shows how vulnerable commerce is to outside influences in this modern, mobile age.
But there are other perhaps less serious causes for the economic retraction but all still substantial - take Donald Trump's irresponsible policies of trade war and devastating tariffs. They hurt the USA as much as they hurt other countries. Even the 'White House' came out recently to say that its President had been mistaken in these regards.
And then you have the Climate disasters that abound through-out the world - forest fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and twisters. They do not just damage infrastructure - they destroy it for years on end. Revelations makes good suggested reading.
Add to this - war and strife that too inundates world affairs. The economy takes second-fiddle to trying to protect life and limb.
Finally, to insult to injury is the progressives' move to everything Green. It is expensive, inefficient and takes away from serious economic activity. Our Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau is a prophet when it comes to this nonsense and if you do not have the misfortune of living under his delusional leadership - you are indeed most fortunate. But many other countries have also drunk the kool-aid.
And thanks to our flakey Prime Minister, we in Canada have the unique problem of our natives deliberately trying to bring our commerce to a halt - via rail, road and bridge stoppages. All that our natives want is for the 'white man' to turn over the lands they stole... back to the Indian. Simple as that and - dear reader - the natives have an ally in Justin.
So the question becomes not Why Are The World Economies Faltering - but, Why Did It Take So Long? ... When the World is going to Hell in a Hand-basket.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Can't happen you might say. But maybe, just maybe...
Yesterday, the DOW was down over a thousand points and today it again came too close to that significant number - so nearly 2,000 points down in but 2 days. What will tomorrow or the day after bring?
It has been but 10 years since the world experienced the Great Recession - 2007/08 and some 90 years since the Great Depression and folks I can tell you things on the ground today - as we head into a new decade - look similarly bleak.
The immediate cause for this week's down-draft is the spreading of the Coronavirus. Whole countries are shutting down and with them - economic activity is coming to a halt. It just shows how vulnerable commerce is to outside influences in this modern, mobile age.
But there are other perhaps less serious causes for the economic retraction but all still substantial - take Donald Trump's irresponsible policies of trade war and devastating tariffs. They hurt the USA as much as they hurt other countries. Even the 'White House' came out recently to say that its President had been mistaken in these regards.
And then you have the Climate disasters that abound through-out the world - forest fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and twisters. They do not just damage infrastructure - they destroy it for years on end. Revelations makes good suggested reading.
Add to this - war and strife that too inundates world affairs. The economy takes second-fiddle to trying to protect life and limb.
Finally, to insult to injury is the progressives' move to everything Green. It is expensive, inefficient and takes away from serious economic activity. Our Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau is a prophet when it comes to this nonsense and if you do not have the misfortune of living under his delusional leadership - you are indeed most fortunate. But many other countries have also drunk the kool-aid.
And thanks to our flakey Prime Minister, we in Canada have the unique problem of our natives deliberately trying to bring our commerce to a halt - via rail, road and bridge stoppages. All that our natives want is for the 'white man' to turn over the lands they stole... back to the Indian. Simple as that and - dear reader - the natives have an ally in Justin.
So the question becomes not Why Are The World Economies Faltering - but, Why Did It Take So Long? ... When the World is going to Hell in a Hand-basket.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Monday, February 24, 2020
THE WEEK THAT WASN'T...
This week was supposed to be the week when our Federal Government ruled on whether or not Teck Resources' Frontier Project would be allowed to proceed in the Province of Alberta.
Earlier today though, the CEO of Teck came out to say his company was cancelling the project - a project that would have created 7,000 good paying jobs and would have injected over $40 Billion into Alberta's stalled economy.
Now if I was the cynical type - I would say from the above that we the taxpayer had been had. After 10 years of fighting tooth and nail for this project - its owners come out at the 12th hour to announce that it has lost interest in it. Pshaw !!
And I later learned that my suspicions were validated.
Some intrepid reporter found out that or Progressive overly Green Government had recently approached Teck to say that although it would approve the project later this week - it would do so with a number of conditions that would keep the project on ice for a further 10 years or more.
To understand what happened here - is to understand that had the Government imposed more restrictive conditions at this late stage - Albertans would have gone ballistic. Fuel would have been added to the ever-growing separatist feelings.
By having Teck do its dirty work - it at least dulled the impact and at the same time - keeps its stranglehold on their progressive, tree-hugging followers.
But now we know the rest of the story - my apologizes to the late Paul Harvey. Teck was tipped off and knew full well their project - after 10 years was dead on arrival.
Or do we know the rest of the story...Perhaps only part.
Again call me a cynic - but what would you do if you were the head of Teck and Young Trudeau's thugs came to you to tell you a decision would be forthcoming but with a number of conditions that could not be possibly met?
If you are anything like me - you would not issue a last minute statement to say your company was pulling up stakes. Why - you's let the Federal Government render its divisive statement and then you would announce your pull-out.
Teck says that it has lost over a billion dollars on this futile project ....I wonder how much of that the Feds will cover-off? Nothing else makes sense.
Our Government makes Trump and an company look like amateurs.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Earlier today though, the CEO of Teck came out to say his company was cancelling the project - a project that would have created 7,000 good paying jobs and would have injected over $40 Billion into Alberta's stalled economy.
Now if I was the cynical type - I would say from the above that we the taxpayer had been had. After 10 years of fighting tooth and nail for this project - its owners come out at the 12th hour to announce that it has lost interest in it. Pshaw !!
And I later learned that my suspicions were validated.
Some intrepid reporter found out that or Progressive overly Green Government had recently approached Teck to say that although it would approve the project later this week - it would do so with a number of conditions that would keep the project on ice for a further 10 years or more.
To understand what happened here - is to understand that had the Government imposed more restrictive conditions at this late stage - Albertans would have gone ballistic. Fuel would have been added to the ever-growing separatist feelings.
By having Teck do its dirty work - it at least dulled the impact and at the same time - keeps its stranglehold on their progressive, tree-hugging followers.
But now we know the rest of the story - my apologizes to the late Paul Harvey. Teck was tipped off and knew full well their project - after 10 years was dead on arrival.
Or do we know the rest of the story...Perhaps only part.
Again call me a cynic - but what would you do if you were the head of Teck and Young Trudeau's thugs came to you to tell you a decision would be forthcoming but with a number of conditions that could not be possibly met?
If you are anything like me - you would not issue a last minute statement to say your company was pulling up stakes. Why - you's let the Federal Government render its divisive statement and then you would announce your pull-out.
Teck says that it has lost over a billion dollars on this futile project ....I wonder how much of that the Feds will cover-off? Nothing else makes sense.
Our Government makes Trump and an company look like amateurs.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Saturday, February 22, 2020
IMPEACHMENT, MAYBE THE TIME HAS COME FOR DONALD TRUMP. !!
As you know, I was not a fan of the endless Impeachment Debate that, until recently, had plagued Trump's Presidency virtually from the get-go. Like many of you, I saw it for what it was - the Democrats seeking revenge against The Donald for having the temerity to win the 2016 Election over their fair-haired - Hillary Clinton.
I will not rehash this embarrassing period- embarrassing for all participants, other than to say its most recent alliteration - of saying Trump tried to bribe the Ukrainian President regarding matters relating to V.P. Joe Biden and his son. When the President of the United States - the strongest politician in the world, cannot say what he wishes to his counterparts throughout the world without it landing on page 1 of the New York Times ... we're all in trouble. Folks that is simply how politics works - or if you like...doesn't work in the big leagues.
However, that does not entitle a President or any other leader of one of our few democracies to personally interfere in the workings of the administration of justice. And that is just what he did - when he directly involved himself in the sentencing of his good friend - Roger Stone earlier this week.
This has been verified by none other than the Justice herself and by his own Attorney General - William Barr.
It is called interfering with the Rule of Law and not even the President of the United Statesd has the right to do this.
If I was Barr, I would resign immediately - it would be nice to see someone of principle leave on their free will than be dropped kicked out as has happened to so many of his contemporaries.
Strangely, and you will know from my recent blogs, we have the similar problem here in Canada but from the reverse angle. Our Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau, will not invoke the Rule of Law to prevent some Natives from tying up our Commerce via rail and road blockages.
So in our case, Trudeau ensures special legal treatment for some - just like he has shown in the past for special legal treatment for some of his influential friends in our Province of Quebec.
So while Trudeau ignores the Rule of Law like the plague - Trump stomps all over it for a friend.
In both cases it is gravely damaged. Can one Impeach our Prime Minister too?
As I See It ...
K.D. Bell
I will not rehash this embarrassing period- embarrassing for all participants, other than to say its most recent alliteration - of saying Trump tried to bribe the Ukrainian President regarding matters relating to V.P. Joe Biden and his son. When the President of the United States - the strongest politician in the world, cannot say what he wishes to his counterparts throughout the world without it landing on page 1 of the New York Times ... we're all in trouble. Folks that is simply how politics works - or if you like...doesn't work in the big leagues.
However, that does not entitle a President or any other leader of one of our few democracies to personally interfere in the workings of the administration of justice. And that is just what he did - when he directly involved himself in the sentencing of his good friend - Roger Stone earlier this week.
This has been verified by none other than the Justice herself and by his own Attorney General - William Barr.
It is called interfering with the Rule of Law and not even the President of the United Statesd has the right to do this.
If I was Barr, I would resign immediately - it would be nice to see someone of principle leave on their free will than be dropped kicked out as has happened to so many of his contemporaries.
Strangely, and you will know from my recent blogs, we have the similar problem here in Canada but from the reverse angle. Our Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau, will not invoke the Rule of Law to prevent some Natives from tying up our Commerce via rail and road blockages.
So in our case, Trudeau ensures special legal treatment for some - just like he has shown in the past for special legal treatment for some of his influential friends in our Province of Quebec.
So while Trudeau ignores the Rule of Law like the plague - Trump stomps all over it for a friend.
In both cases it is gravely damaged. Can one Impeach our Prime Minister too?
As I See It ...
K.D. Bell
Friday, February 21, 2020
I AM QUICKLY BECOMING A BLOCKADE PROPONENT....
BET THAT SURPRISES YOU A LITTLE !!
Permit me though to quickly put your minds at ease.
We here in Canada are currently undergoing 3 weeks of Indian Blockades of our rail systems which has greatly adversely affected our economy. These environmental thugs are blocking our rails attempting to shut down various large mineral and oil extractions. What they do not seem to realize is they can stand-down easy since our Prime Minister - the one and only Gadfly Justin Trudeau has always been willing to do their bidding for them - and there is no indication he will do differently in the future.
So why I am becoming a Proponent for these Shenanigans?
Well to tell the truth the idea is not mine - but belongs to my friend Johnny who grew up with me in our village of Brighton Ontario on the same street. I have mentioned this street in past blogs - as you may recall - it has two names - at the one end it is called Sandford and at the others - the d is dropped. I lived at one end - Johnny's home was more toward the other end so I guess we really did live on separate streets...
I spoke with John last eve by phone - by way of our land phones if you can believe it. Johnny currently lives nearby the Tyendinaga Reserve which has reveled in this self-destructing tactics for many years now. In keeping with Peter MacKay's vocal support for Albertan vigilantism, I asked John if he and his wife would be renting a pick-up truck and routing out these marauders just like the fellows did a couple of days ago out west. Sadly Johnny said "No" - I was naturally disappointed but now hold MacKay in somewhat greater regard.
Okay here is his idea. Many reserves in Canada are simply places for illegal business - cigarettes, marijuana, booze, gambling and the like. In recent years, routes into these reserves have been lined with state of the art prefab illegal sales outlets and all while the police turn a blind eye to the general public coming there on mass to seek out spectacular but illicit deals.
So what would happen - Johnny opinions - if the cops were to block off the general public from their Merchandising Bonanza? I could see his point immediately - their lucrative misadventures would immediately be ruined. Bet you would see their rail blockades come down pretty darn fast. And no one would get hurt.
But the chances of this happening are most unlikely despite the fact that it is so common-sensical. Common sense appears to have less and less relevance in the affairs of man as time goes on.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Permit me though to quickly put your minds at ease.
We here in Canada are currently undergoing 3 weeks of Indian Blockades of our rail systems which has greatly adversely affected our economy. These environmental thugs are blocking our rails attempting to shut down various large mineral and oil extractions. What they do not seem to realize is they can stand-down easy since our Prime Minister - the one and only Gadfly Justin Trudeau has always been willing to do their bidding for them - and there is no indication he will do differently in the future.
So why I am becoming a Proponent for these Shenanigans?
Well to tell the truth the idea is not mine - but belongs to my friend Johnny who grew up with me in our village of Brighton Ontario on the same street. I have mentioned this street in past blogs - as you may recall - it has two names - at the one end it is called Sandford and at the others - the d is dropped. I lived at one end - Johnny's home was more toward the other end so I guess we really did live on separate streets...
I spoke with John last eve by phone - by way of our land phones if you can believe it. Johnny currently lives nearby the Tyendinaga Reserve which has reveled in this self-destructing tactics for many years now. In keeping with Peter MacKay's vocal support for Albertan vigilantism, I asked John if he and his wife would be renting a pick-up truck and routing out these marauders just like the fellows did a couple of days ago out west. Sadly Johnny said "No" - I was naturally disappointed but now hold MacKay in somewhat greater regard.
Okay here is his idea. Many reserves in Canada are simply places for illegal business - cigarettes, marijuana, booze, gambling and the like. In recent years, routes into these reserves have been lined with state of the art prefab illegal sales outlets and all while the police turn a blind eye to the general public coming there on mass to seek out spectacular but illicit deals.
So what would happen - Johnny opinions - if the cops were to block off the general public from their Merchandising Bonanza? I could see his point immediately - their lucrative misadventures would immediately be ruined. Bet you would see their rail blockades come down pretty darn fast. And no one would get hurt.
But the chances of this happening are most unlikely despite the fact that it is so common-sensical. Common sense appears to have less and less relevance in the affairs of man as time goes on.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Western Society Continues It's Relentless Descent Into Oblivion
Take our Country - Canada - for example.
We have different laws for our 9 provinces and 3 territories than we do for one of our provinces - Quebec. Well in fact, we have no federal laws applying to that province. Similarly, we have different laws for the average citizen than we do for our natives - indeed, like Quebec, neither federal nor even provincial laws appear to apply to them.
We now have a significant portion of our economy seriously being damaged due to Indian rail blockades. Our provincial police were shown recently approaching one such blockage with a peace offering - maple syrup. Only in Canada you say.
In addition to lack of law enforcement, Religion too is in steep decline. The Christian / Judaic Principles that built our land are long gone despite the fact that these very values were the reason millions of the world's poor, weary and huddled masses came to our shores seeking and finding a much better life.
Given this, it comes as no surprise that the culture of death is extending its tentacles into our society's most vulnerable. Death once had meaning...today it is becoming just an inconvenience.
A former Prime Minister famously said 'our Members of Parliament became nobodies when they traveled but 50 feet from our Parliament'. Today, our Members are nobodies even when they attend that self-same Parliament...Government is run by the Prime Minister, The Head of the Civil Service and their personal coterie of advisors in 'short pants'.
But dear reader, there is even a greater threat to our democracies and that is the Courts. When I went to Law School I was taught that our Laws were made by politicians and administered by the Courts. Today, the Court has assumed responsibility for actually making the laws despite the fact that its membership is neither elected nor accountable to the public.
Capitalism is also under attack. Polling shows that societies' young vastly favour Socialism over Capitalism and all of our Parties are simply various shades of Progressivism. No wonder then, a septuagenarian leads the race for the Democratic Candidate for President - socialist Bernie Sanders.
The Environment has become our new religion - our new economic underpinning. Significant construction projects take years to navigate the cumbersome reviews and then, most likely, are turned down. Indeed the McKenzie River Project took over 40 years to study and finally, ended in failure. At the other extreme we see dictatorships, like China build an entire 1,000 bed hospital in but 10 days. Better start taking Chinese language lessons folks
And last but not least is the issue of Debt and Deficits. Progressives' love them. Everything they could possibly want - their little hands are thrust out to receive. Forget about the American tradition of earning your own way and Margaret Thatcher's apt warning - Socialism works only until progressives run out of other peoples' money to spend. Just like your chargex bills at home - the day will come when the balance is due...and what then.
It doesn't work for you at home and it won't work for your government. Here in Canada we have a master spender of hard-earned taxpayer dollars... our one and only Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When he ran for office in 2015 he promised a modest deficit of $10 billion - modest to him - large to you and I. But that soon proved to be chump change for him. The debt then at the national level was $628 Billion. Today it has morphed to $699 Billion while the deficit has increased to $20 billion annually and is predicted to rise even more. These numbers do not even include the dismal figures at our provincial level. In the USA it is even worse. When Trump came into power the national debt stood at $20 Trillion...today it is $3 Trillion more...some businessman he. This number exceeds that country's annual GDP. He is adding to the debt at a rate of $1 Trillion per year - the same high number experienced by his predecessor Barrack Obama.
When does it end ...as it surely will. And do not forget, America's Banker is now China.
You might have noticed that I have not mentioned Europe in my above analysis. I did not do so - since those countries are in worse shape than us.
So what is the solution. That's easy ...citizens of western democracies need to take back power from the elites and the small but vocal interest groups. I can be done but time is running out ...for us all.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
We have different laws for our 9 provinces and 3 territories than we do for one of our provinces - Quebec. Well in fact, we have no federal laws applying to that province. Similarly, we have different laws for the average citizen than we do for our natives - indeed, like Quebec, neither federal nor even provincial laws appear to apply to them.
We now have a significant portion of our economy seriously being damaged due to Indian rail blockades. Our provincial police were shown recently approaching one such blockage with a peace offering - maple syrup. Only in Canada you say.
In addition to lack of law enforcement, Religion too is in steep decline. The Christian / Judaic Principles that built our land are long gone despite the fact that these very values were the reason millions of the world's poor, weary and huddled masses came to our shores seeking and finding a much better life.
Given this, it comes as no surprise that the culture of death is extending its tentacles into our society's most vulnerable. Death once had meaning...today it is becoming just an inconvenience.
A former Prime Minister famously said 'our Members of Parliament became nobodies when they traveled but 50 feet from our Parliament'. Today, our Members are nobodies even when they attend that self-same Parliament...Government is run by the Prime Minister, The Head of the Civil Service and their personal coterie of advisors in 'short pants'.
But dear reader, there is even a greater threat to our democracies and that is the Courts. When I went to Law School I was taught that our Laws were made by politicians and administered by the Courts. Today, the Court has assumed responsibility for actually making the laws despite the fact that its membership is neither elected nor accountable to the public.
Capitalism is also under attack. Polling shows that societies' young vastly favour Socialism over Capitalism and all of our Parties are simply various shades of Progressivism. No wonder then, a septuagenarian leads the race for the Democratic Candidate for President - socialist Bernie Sanders.
The Environment has become our new religion - our new economic underpinning. Significant construction projects take years to navigate the cumbersome reviews and then, most likely, are turned down. Indeed the McKenzie River Project took over 40 years to study and finally, ended in failure. At the other extreme we see dictatorships, like China build an entire 1,000 bed hospital in but 10 days. Better start taking Chinese language lessons folks
And last but not least is the issue of Debt and Deficits. Progressives' love them. Everything they could possibly want - their little hands are thrust out to receive. Forget about the American tradition of earning your own way and Margaret Thatcher's apt warning - Socialism works only until progressives run out of other peoples' money to spend. Just like your chargex bills at home - the day will come when the balance is due...and what then.
It doesn't work for you at home and it won't work for your government. Here in Canada we have a master spender of hard-earned taxpayer dollars... our one and only Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When he ran for office in 2015 he promised a modest deficit of $10 billion - modest to him - large to you and I. But that soon proved to be chump change for him. The debt then at the national level was $628 Billion. Today it has morphed to $699 Billion while the deficit has increased to $20 billion annually and is predicted to rise even more. These numbers do not even include the dismal figures at our provincial level. In the USA it is even worse. When Trump came into power the national debt stood at $20 Trillion...today it is $3 Trillion more...some businessman he. This number exceeds that country's annual GDP. He is adding to the debt at a rate of $1 Trillion per year - the same high number experienced by his predecessor Barrack Obama.
When does it end ...as it surely will. And do not forget, America's Banker is now China.
You might have noticed that I have not mentioned Europe in my above analysis. I did not do so - since those countries are in worse shape than us.
So what is the solution. That's easy ...citizens of western democracies need to take back power from the elites and the small but vocal interest groups. I can be done but time is running out ...for us all.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
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