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'

LIFE IS STRANGER THAN FICTION...

 As I continually tell your Mother.

Take today's National Post for instance:

Under the Heading 'Canada Tries measuring the meaning of life'.

Our esteemed Department of Finance launched a program to determine "people's sense of meaning and purpose..."

What in Sam Hill has this issue got to do with Finance - better with Health and Welfare but even then I would not personally or as a taxpayer want some bureaucrat meddling in my life.  Disgusting.

The question that arises though is how much did this nonsense cost?

That said, there is one question Finance could have asked and in fact should have as in 'If taxes were lowered would your sense of well-being - a) improve, b) stay the same, or c) decline.

You and I of course know the unanimous answer but given the stupidity of their initiative it is not at all that clear Finance would. 

The Other Bone Head Idea ...Canada to pay $290 Million for but Five (5) Soccer Games

You got that right ...Chris Selley writes that given the United States, Mexico and Canada have been awarded (?) 2026 World Cup of Soccer.  Toronto Mayor John Tory is committing $290 Million for the honour...for 5 games.  What possesses these politicians to spend taxpayers money with such abandon.

It is Election Year for Tory and His Ilk and hopefully someone will come along to represent the plain folk and throw these bums out.  Where is Rob Ford when you need Him.  

You can't make this stuff up. Indeed, every day it seems that similar boondoggles are but common fare.

As I See It...

'K.D. Bell'

 

UPSIDE DOWN AND BACKWARDS...

In my most recent Blog I made mention of the fact that President Biden had called for Butcher Putin to be ousted from office.  

Since then, His White House has gone into damage control and the Progressive Media is beside itself in their condemnation.

Regime Change...don't you know.

As I said in my recent Blog...I seldom agree with Biden but in this case He is bang on.

Only in Today's Woke Environment would this even be questioned.

Putin is a killer, he has invaded a neutral country ...killed thousands of its Citizens and displaced millions more.  He does not allow any freedom in his own homeland - but heaven forbid if someone suggests He needs to go.  Of course He needs to go and the quicker the better.

I have said from the outset of this Invasion that Putin's days are numbered - and I stand by that.  With His Nuclear Stockpile this makes things much more dangerous.  But it will not change the outcome...Putin is a Dead Man Walking and even He knows it.

In the unlikely event that He escapes a purge from within, He will eventually go on Trial at the World Court for Gross Crimes Against Humanity and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.  Hopefully this will send a message to the other Dictators of the World for which there are far too many. 

As I See It...

'K. D. Galagher'

 

BACK IN THE SADDLE...

 Home from holidays and nothing has changed.

This Blog will deal with the continued invasion of the Ukraine.

Ukrainians  continue to hold off the Hun at great cost.

Biden's visit to Poland this week should have included a meeting on his part with his Ukrainian Counterpart. That he did not shows him to be once again a man of poor Judgement ...if not a Coward. 

He did say one thing though that was Brilliant...'Putin is a butcher and should be replaced...'.

But then the White House immediately began backing down from His statement.  How absurd...since Putin is indeed a Butcher and is indeed in need of replacement.  Only in this time of  The Woke would such a valid statement be criticized. 

It is obvious too that NATO has continued to fail to provide the Ukraine with the wherewithal to properly defend itself.  Thank goodness for the spirit and determination of its Citizens.  

It is reminiscent of London's Bravery during the early part of World War 2.  Then equipment and material were provided by the United States to England even though the US was technically neutral.

Canada's biggest air field was less then 10 miles from my home town of Brighton and stories told by our veterans saw American Planes fly in ...their Pilots walk away and our own Canadian Pilots hop on board and fly them over to Britain's beleaguered Capital.  

In fact, during the crucial Air Battle of Britain ..., Canadians counted for 25% of the crews.

Without American Planes and Canadian Pilots it is more than likely that the Nazis would have prevailed. 

And now reports our out that the Ukraine may have to sue for peace...with this Butcher Vlad and if that does come about ...NATO will be to blame.

As I See It...

'K. D. Galagher'

  

 

TAKE'N A BREAK ...

 BACK'N APRIL ...GALAGHER. 

I AM ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY...

 With the Courage and Determination and Patriotism the Ukrainians  have shown in the face of Russia Putin's Naked Aggression.

Not only does its President stay in His Country to defy the onslaught and risk injury and most likely death...but the ordinary folks are defiant in their Resistance.  The Stories of such valour keep coming and coming - one among these many is that of a Soldier who voluntarily died when He Blew Up the Bridge he was standing on to stop an Armada of Tanks about to cross it.  Incredible. Bless His Soul. 

And speaking of their President staying put...forgive, but I cannot see even one Western Leader being willing to do the same.  A sad commentary but I fear true.

Related to this is my belief that we in the West have gotten soft since World War II - we no longer appear to have the grit and resolve needed that my Father, my wife's Father and many other of our Ancestors had in spades those many decades back.  In attacking the Ukraine, Putin picked the wrong target.

And with each news conference these Western Leaders promise nothing more than imposing more sanctions.  Putin quakes in his size 6 shoes.  He could probably save money if he wore kids shoes ...but I digress. 

The Outcome is I believe still predetermined...I do not think the Ukraine can successfully repel Russia - but by Gawd they are giving it a hell of a try and Who Knows...

But most certainly, in the longer term, Putin's goose is cooked.  He has finally mobilized the Free World against Him and this will ultimately end in His imprisonment or death.   Count on it. 

One threat that I have yet to hear from the West is the promise to charge Him Crimes Against Humanity and take Him to the World Court ...with the end result being His Incarceration for Life.  That is even if he lives long enough to stand trial since I suspect his Rich Oligarchs will themselves send  him to Hell  as the Sanctions more and more take hold.  

Bye Bye Vladimir... It has not been nice knowing you. 

As I See It...

'K.D. Bell"

IT WAS INEVITABLE...

 I AM SPEAKING OF COURSE OF RUSSIA'S INVASION OF THE UKRAINE.

BUT IT REALLY WASN'T... AS REGULAR READERS OF THIS BLOG WELL KNOW.

IT CAME DOWN TO A FAILURE ON THE PART OF NATO AND SADLY...THAT FAILURE CONTINUES.

So permit me to recap.

All NATO had to do was first - admit the Ukraine into its Club years ago.

Even having failed to do that,,,it still could have flooded the Ukraine with Troops - lots of Troops.

The fact that it did not ,,, gave the Green Light to Putin to walk right in,

As for Sanctions and the Threat of Sanctions one Wagg correctly summed that up today as "handing out parking tickets to Russian Tanks".

Putin's Objective is patently obvious ...He wants the return of the olde USSR.

The West's Objective is much less clear.  Our Democracies are in Decline and the Will to fight for Freedom in recent years has become more and more impaired.  Added to this is the fact that several European Countries most notably Germany relies on Russian Oil and Gas and this has made them timid in their opposition to this Dictator.  It has become most apparent that their reliance on Green Energy has been pure folly.  They failed to realize that if they chose to shutter their Oil and Atomic Facilities Bad Guys like Putin and Xi would not do likewise.  I suspect this will be the beginning of a Rethink on Green - sadly too late for the Ukrainians. 

The Only Thing President Biden came out strongly against yesterday was stating categorically that US Troops would not be dispatched to the Ukraine.   (Justin Trudeau made the same declaration but in His case ithas understandable due to the fact that He is having trouble finding our one and only Soldier to send off to War.)

But seriously speaking ...they are both Wrong...Dead Wrong in fact but from a practical point of view they are merely echoing the wishes of their Citizens. 

And in the case of America you can almost understand their feelings - the Korean War ended in stalemate.. in fact it is technically ongoing even to this day.  Vietnam was an unmitigated disaster...as was Afghanistan.   

They did beat Saddam Hussein and Iraq but that too was a failure on 2 fronts - first, was the reason for that war ... was to abolish Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction which it turned out never existed.  Second and even more importantly - Iraq was an effective buffer against an even worse Evil Empire ...Iran. So they won the battle but lost the war ...so to speak.

This led to Their Failure in countries like Syria and the Middle East generally.  It has been one disaster after another, no wonder Americans are not at all anxious to get involved in another foreign war,

But they of course need to so, as does the whole of Europe, otherwise no country there will be safe and it will only be a matter of time when Putin acts again as he will. 

And guess who else is watching these events with utter glee?  Why Xi Jinping ...China's Dictator for Life of course.

And in His sights is the tiny island of Taiwan.  If I was them I would get out of Dodge...which of course they cannot do.  And Xi will most certainly do this ...just as it was preordained that Putin would do what he did.  I will go further...I can just hear Xi's Advisors telling Him to go into Taiwan now while the Free World is otherwise occupied with Ukrainian Invasion. 

Although I fully realize that I am wasting my time - if that same Free World...what is left of it - wanted to prevent the loss of Taiwan - all that would need to be done is for countries like the US, Japan and South Korea to flood the waters around Taiwan with War Ships.  That would stop China in its tracks but again - as in the case of Putin ...this will not in all likelihood happen.

Maybe the lesson for us in all of this is that maybe the time has come to take up learning Chinese and Russian...we may soon need it.

As I See It...

'K.D. Galagher'