Would you Please pass the Poupon.
Wednesday saw the Impeachment of Donald Trump and Washington was in mourning. Or at least the Democrats professed to be- they who brought it all about.
And there was their intrepid leader all decked out in black claiming it a sad day for America.
And the dear House Leader was for once correct.... the Country was in mourning- but not for Trump but for the way the Democrats have ruthlessly pursued Trump after he had the nerve to defeat their flag bearer of the day - Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Seldom have such a bunch of decrepit politicos come together to try to defeat the Will of the People.
And in this, they have failed miserably - so much so that their antics could very well propel The Donald back into Office for another 4 years come November 2020.
So I ask you again...Please pass the Poupon.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Friday, December 20, 2019
Monday, December 16, 2019
STELLAR BLUEPRINT FOR A RETURN TO CONSERVATISM
UPDATE: fyi. my letter ...see below, was the lead letter in today's (Dec. 17) National Post.
This weekend, saw a brilliant Editorial appear in the Saturday Edition of the National Post concerning the desperate need (my belief) to return to conservatism. The paper has recently printed a number of articles by various personages on what conservatism means to them, but this Weekend's effort captured it in its entirety.
I wrote to the Post thanking them for their insight... as per in italics below. At least we appear to have one news outlet on the right side of the equation.
And even that is surprising since I cannot recall the last time Canada had a truly Conservative Party in Power, in Ottawa and I am in my early 70s. During my time, we have had nothing but shades of Liberal Light and are now moving quickly to full-on Liberal.
Here is what I wrote:
This weekend, saw a brilliant Editorial appear in the Saturday Edition of the National Post concerning the desperate need (my belief) to return to conservatism. The paper has recently printed a number of articles by various personages on what conservatism means to them, but this Weekend's effort captured it in its entirety.
I wrote to the Post thanking them for their insight... as per in italics below. At least we appear to have one news outlet on the right side of the equation.
And even that is surprising since I cannot recall the last time Canada had a truly Conservative Party in Power, in Ottawa and I am in my early 70s. During my time, we have had nothing but shades of Liberal Light and are now moving quickly to full-on Liberal.
Here is what I wrote:
As a life-long social / fiscal conservative, I was simply blown-away with your weekend editorial. Bravo.
I would encourage all those who believe themselves to be conservative to read it.
With the Leadership Race just getting underway, there will be numerous opportunities
to meet the various candidates locally and I would hope Tory members will share copies of this
editorial with their fellow attendees as well as question the Candidates themselves on whether or not
they are in agreement with it. Sincerely, Keith Bell
One unofficially declared Candidate has already voiced her unequivocal support of the Editorial ...Michelle Rempel..
Good for her and our job is to ensure that she really means it ...should she end up actually seeking the role.
As per my letter to the Post we also need to grill the other Official Candidates to see if they too are prepared to
follow the Post's Blueprint realizing that deep down most (all?) may not have the faintest intention of doing so.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
I AM STARTING TO FEEL SORRY FOR ...
JUSTIN TRUDEAU. AT LEAST, INSOFAR-AS THE FOLLOWING IS CONCERNED.
Long time readers will know that I seldom follow the crowd - thankfully and many of you have indicated that this is one of the main reason you read my blog.
The following then may surprise you, not because I do not follow the crowd here, but rather, I suspect more than a few of you will find yourself in their camp.
How is that for a confusing beginning.
Today's Issue concerns Prime Minister Trudeau's recent visit to the NATO Conference in London England where he was caught 'gossiping' about The Donald. May the Saints preserve us.
I say that knowing We All Gossip and having worked in the political field for many years, there is nothing Politicians and their Minions like better than good gossip and this goes for the 4th Estate...The Media, as well.
Those who express shock at 'Trudeau's antics' are ... pardon the expression...being gossipy.
I am embarrassed to say that I was listening to CBC Radio the other day; in my defence, the headphones I was wearing could only pick up the Mother Corp and thanks to its over $1 Billion Taxpayer Subsidy its signal was strong enough to reach even my my dime store device.
The topic on air was Teenagers and their proclivity to gossip. It was presented as if this was a passing phase and that when they grew up .... But I thought to myself 'That is not likely to happen'.
And then a day or so later came the tape of Trudeau speaking (gossiping) off the cuff with some of his NATO colleagues including the Queen's very own daughter Anne. (As an aside, as time goes on I feel sorrier and sorrier for Members of the Royal Family having to stand in in bore-fests like that).
Anyway, it would have been the non-even of non-events save for the fact that the subject of his scorn (?) was no other than Donald Trump. And what pray tell did Young Trudeau have to say.
He first commented on his lateness to the gossip fest on the basis that Trump went overtime on a Press Conference. The event went a shocking 23 minutes and should have concluded earlier. I know it doesn't get much worse than that. But hold on ..there is more...much more.
Trudeau then went on to spill the beans that Trump's entourage's collective jaw dropped...And Why? Because Trump had announced that next year's NATO gabfest would take place at Camp David. If there is anyone out there that did not know this, beforehand, I sincerely apologize to you and only hope that someone nearby you has some smelling salts or something even stronger.
Trudeau, belatedly realizing the error of his ways, quickly tried unsuccessfully to cover-up by saying how pleased he was that next year's event would be held there... but you and I know, a guy like Trump will see through this subterfuge like a hot knife through butter.
So there you have. Demands for Trudeau's Head were ubiquitous. NAFTA lay in ruins, as did the Steel and Aluminium Tariffs, there was no limit to the vengeance Trump was gong to rain down on Canada's Head.
Oh, what's this? Just in... 'It was just announced that NAFTA has been signed and Tariff Agreements re Steel and Aluminum have been entered into.'
So what was all the kerfuffle?
Oh, word has it that John Diefenbaker is coming out of Retirement to Lead the Hapless Conservatives. Well it is about time.
As I See It,
K.D. BELL
Saturday, December 7, 2019
ANDREW SHEER ....HE'S TOAST.
UPDATE: Yesterday, Andrew Sheer did the right thing and announced that he was stepping down as the Leader of the Conservative Party. Although I agree with his decision as per below, I am yet saddened by it...Politics is a dirty albeit interesting business. Now the real fun begins. Many pundits are already predicting that a large number of candidates will seek the Tory Crown and moreover, that the Tories are most likely to beat Trudeau when the dust from the next election settles. Not so fast say I. The majority of those pundits are predicting that the Party will move further left so rather than the Liberal Lite Party we now have...my words...the Tory Party will be full-fledged Liberal. So what does one gain when one sells out? Stay Tuned.
I say this with a certain amount of sadness since I believe Mr. Sheer is just too nice for politics. As I have told my wife on several occasions (to her chagrin, she is my sounding board), Speakers of the House, do not usually make good Leaders. The only exception might be the retiring Speaker of the British House, but it is a sure thing, we'll ever know that for sure.
At this point, for his own well-being and that of his family's, he should resign and perhaps he could even do so on his own terms which I will come to shortly.
My wife and I both had votes for the Leadership Contest that saw Sheer win in May of 2017. Neither one of us voted for him despite his apparent Social Conservative credentials and this in spite of the fact that we are both strongly of that persuasion. We simply believed, even then, that he was too weak & too silent on the social issues of concern to us both.
So why, so close to the end of this October's Canadian General Election, do I believe he needs to go??
Simply stated, he ran a very poor campaign. If you cannot beat Justin Trudeau after his first term of miscues and shenanigans...it just ain't going to happen.
Related to this, is the fact that no-one supports him ....not the Social Conservatives, not the Red Tories, and certainly none of Society's Progressives which make up between 65 and 70 % of the voting public. The way I have it figured is that Andrew may be able to count on his family voting in his favour at this coming April's Leadership. Okay, I exaggerate a bit but you get the idea.
If I was advising Andrew Sheer I would encourage him to resign but to insist that he stay on as Interim Leader until a successor has been voted in at at full blown Leadership Convention. I would also insist that that Leadership Contest be delayed as long a possible to help ensure that some good candidates come out of the woodwork. Too often quick Leadership Contests results in limited ...B and C level contestants. The Tories are in desperate need of an A Leader. John Baird and Pierre Poilievre come readily to mind. But delay is needed in case there are others of that ilk.
Admittedly, these decisions do not rest with the Leader of the Party but rather with the Party President and if I was that person, I'd take the offer. A failed Leadership vote in April would only expose more division and embitterment throughout the Party. And it would be a win / win for both Sheer and the Party. Sheer is young and has lots of years left to serve the Party and our Country in Parliament. And he is not the type to pose a threat to whomever comes out victorious. Sort of like another Joe Clark but even better. And he'd make a great Party Statesman.
So say the Tories get a good Leader...how should he / she lead?
Well is it not obvious? With up to 70% of the voting public left of centre - of course you would want to move the Tories to the left as well ....indeed this is what past Tory Leaders have done consistently including, Stanfield, Clark, Mulroney, Harper and currently Sheer. The only trouble with this very sensible approach is that it does not work. More government intervention, more debt, issues of genuine import get ignored with the unelected courts only too glad to step in to fill the void.
We need a truly Conservative Government. Small Government, Balance Budgets, and Social Issues such as open season on Abortion get addressed. For instance, in the case of the latter, a reasonable term limit could, I believe, be negotiated such as 3 or 4 months. With modern birth control there is absolutely no reason a baby can be aborted right up until the time of birth and sadly despite the denial of left radicals, this does happen. In this atrocity we are right up there with the North Korea and Red China.
We also need a society consisting of more givers / more doers and less takers. That is what made the West Great and that is why billions around the world are so anxious to reach our shores. Sadly though and by example of our resident progressives, immigrants and refugees are now too often coming to receive rather than contribute. And who can blame them! Religion is under attack, Capitalism is discredited despite the fact that is has literally raised billions out of poverty. We have become morally bankrupt and the world economy is listless and heading down.
So how did we get here? Well in the case of Canada, The Right - Conservatives and Libertarians have failed to sell the need for values at the core of Conservatism, Rather they have adopted Liberalism over the course of the last 50 years so no wonder the electorate has been brainwashed wth liberal / progressive thinking.
The Right needs to finally enter the debate and I can assure each and every one of you that the task will not be an easy one. In fact, we will likely suffer more defeats along the way but at least - at long last - the voter will be given a real choice. Less Big Government, more Independence and we can do this with our heads held high in the knowledge that Socialism Simply Does Not Work !
The only country left where the battle between left and right continues is the United States of America but the division lines are split 50 / 50. Unless the world's democracies get their respective acts together the day is quickly coming when we will see American numbers reflect our own miserable figures.
Here in Canada we need to get started and the opportunity for that begins with the Tory Leadership Vote in April.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
I say this with a certain amount of sadness since I believe Mr. Sheer is just too nice for politics. As I have told my wife on several occasions (to her chagrin, she is my sounding board), Speakers of the House, do not usually make good Leaders. The only exception might be the retiring Speaker of the British House, but it is a sure thing, we'll ever know that for sure.
At this point, for his own well-being and that of his family's, he should resign and perhaps he could even do so on his own terms which I will come to shortly.
My wife and I both had votes for the Leadership Contest that saw Sheer win in May of 2017. Neither one of us voted for him despite his apparent Social Conservative credentials and this in spite of the fact that we are both strongly of that persuasion. We simply believed, even then, that he was too weak & too silent on the social issues of concern to us both.
So why, so close to the end of this October's Canadian General Election, do I believe he needs to go??
Simply stated, he ran a very poor campaign. If you cannot beat Justin Trudeau after his first term of miscues and shenanigans...it just ain't going to happen.
Related to this, is the fact that no-one supports him ....not the Social Conservatives, not the Red Tories, and certainly none of Society's Progressives which make up between 65 and 70 % of the voting public. The way I have it figured is that Andrew may be able to count on his family voting in his favour at this coming April's Leadership. Okay, I exaggerate a bit but you get the idea.
If I was advising Andrew Sheer I would encourage him to resign but to insist that he stay on as Interim Leader until a successor has been voted in at at full blown Leadership Convention. I would also insist that that Leadership Contest be delayed as long a possible to help ensure that some good candidates come out of the woodwork. Too often quick Leadership Contests results in limited ...B and C level contestants. The Tories are in desperate need of an A Leader. John Baird and Pierre Poilievre come readily to mind. But delay is needed in case there are others of that ilk.
Admittedly, these decisions do not rest with the Leader of the Party but rather with the Party President and if I was that person, I'd take the offer. A failed Leadership vote in April would only expose more division and embitterment throughout the Party. And it would be a win / win for both Sheer and the Party. Sheer is young and has lots of years left to serve the Party and our Country in Parliament. And he is not the type to pose a threat to whomever comes out victorious. Sort of like another Joe Clark but even better. And he'd make a great Party Statesman.
So say the Tories get a good Leader...how should he / she lead?
Well is it not obvious? With up to 70% of the voting public left of centre - of course you would want to move the Tories to the left as well ....indeed this is what past Tory Leaders have done consistently including, Stanfield, Clark, Mulroney, Harper and currently Sheer. The only trouble with this very sensible approach is that it does not work. More government intervention, more debt, issues of genuine import get ignored with the unelected courts only too glad to step in to fill the void.
We need a truly Conservative Government. Small Government, Balance Budgets, and Social Issues such as open season on Abortion get addressed. For instance, in the case of the latter, a reasonable term limit could, I believe, be negotiated such as 3 or 4 months. With modern birth control there is absolutely no reason a baby can be aborted right up until the time of birth and sadly despite the denial of left radicals, this does happen. In this atrocity we are right up there with the North Korea and Red China.
We also need a society consisting of more givers / more doers and less takers. That is what made the West Great and that is why billions around the world are so anxious to reach our shores. Sadly though and by example of our resident progressives, immigrants and refugees are now too often coming to receive rather than contribute. And who can blame them! Religion is under attack, Capitalism is discredited despite the fact that is has literally raised billions out of poverty. We have become morally bankrupt and the world economy is listless and heading down.
So how did we get here? Well in the case of Canada, The Right - Conservatives and Libertarians have failed to sell the need for values at the core of Conservatism, Rather they have adopted Liberalism over the course of the last 50 years so no wonder the electorate has been brainwashed wth liberal / progressive thinking.
The Right needs to finally enter the debate and I can assure each and every one of you that the task will not be an easy one. In fact, we will likely suffer more defeats along the way but at least - at long last - the voter will be given a real choice. Less Big Government, more Independence and we can do this with our heads held high in the knowledge that Socialism Simply Does Not Work !
The only country left where the battle between left and right continues is the United States of America but the division lines are split 50 / 50. Unless the world's democracies get their respective acts together the day is quickly coming when we will see American numbers reflect our own miserable figures.
Here in Canada we need to get started and the opportunity for that begins with the Tory Leadership Vote in April.
As I See It...
K.D. Bell
Sunday, December 1, 2019
TEACHERS
My most recent post was not about Teachers...this one though most certainly is.
I cannot recall any teacher I did not like...well maybe there was one - he liked to fire his male students across the class-room floor. Indeed in some cases I even love them - my daughter Natalie, my Sister Linda and he son...my nephew... Michael. With not a biased bone in my body I can say all three were (my Sister is retired) or are, great at their chosen profession and their students were / are lucky to be taught by them.
And all of us no doubt have our favourites from our school days. I have three -my grade 6 teacher - Robert 'Bob' Raymond, my grade 9 english teacher Miss Joanne Jones and my grade 11 geography teacher Nancy Stantial. In the case of the latter, at a parent-teacher evening she told my parents that I was most definitely "university material" and being that no one in my family had ever gone to university her statement had a greater impact on me than she could ever imagine.
Bob Raymond was nothing but a character ...from Toronto, fresh out of Teachers' College. For instance, he would hand out detentions like they were going out of style and then permit the offenders to work them off by picking pick weeds in the playground. Our Public School had the most weed-free lawns around. He also roamed quietly around the classroom with a pointer and would sneak up on the unsuspecting student who exhibited poor posture. A sharp stab in the victim's back was all it took. Can you imagine what would have happened to this novice teacher had he tried to do that in today's progressive environment?
And Miss Jones had the ability to read passages from varied literary offerings that would take the listener directly into those pages. What a gift. It was most certainly the beginning of this sport's minded boy's interest in the beauty of literature.
I have never asked my Daughter or my Nephew who their favourite teachers were but will be sure to do so when I see them next. I do though believe I know who was my Sister's or at least who one of them was ...Ms McAuley ... her kindergarten teacher. Am I right Linda?
And you know what - I don't even know my wife's favourite. Better get on that a.s.a.p.
Anyway the bottom-line here is that Teachers perform a very great service to society and even they I suspect, do not always realize what a positive lasting impact they have on the lives of their students.
A Sincere Thank You From The Bottom Of My Heart To You All !!!
Now for a humourous story ...or Not.
In my day, grades 7 thru and including grade 9 were the most eventful and dramatic. Blame it on hormones, if you will.
So here I am sitting in Mrs. Gibson's Grade 8 Class minding my own business when all of a sudden I was hit by a flying piece of chalk or an erasure.
I looked around and there with a big smirk on his face was the Class Troublemaker (C.T.). I won't name him to save the guilty but I suspect my childhood friend Johnny will quickly know who this culprit was.. Of even greater note, C.T. was the first in our class to refuse to stand for God Save The Queen, an essential part of the day's opening. I was shocked more with that than with the chalk...but I digress.
Anyway, I picked up the chalk and was just about ready to fire it back at him when Mrs. Gibson yelled "STOP"...and I did. This was the same woman who could not catch a cold in mid-January but she caught me that morning. C.T. was beside himself with guffaws and what should have been over in a matter of minutes...was not. It went on for months.
Permit me to explain:
Johnny and I grew up in a small town where everyone and I mean everyone, knew everyone else. As it happened then, Mrs. Gibson's son was married to my father's secretary and for the next several months the 'chalk throwing incident' was the prime talk at our table. Well you would have thought I had punched C.T. out ...which between you and me I could have easily done.
In closing, if you have any reminisces about how your teacher(s) positively affected you or any humourous stories from your day to day classroom life, please just let me know and I will try to cover them in one of my future blogs.
In the meantime,
As I See It,
K.D. Bell
I cannot recall any teacher I did not like...well maybe there was one - he liked to fire his male students across the class-room floor. Indeed in some cases I even love them - my daughter Natalie, my Sister Linda and he son...my nephew... Michael. With not a biased bone in my body I can say all three were (my Sister is retired) or are, great at their chosen profession and their students were / are lucky to be taught by them.
And all of us no doubt have our favourites from our school days. I have three -my grade 6 teacher - Robert 'Bob' Raymond, my grade 9 english teacher Miss Joanne Jones and my grade 11 geography teacher Nancy Stantial. In the case of the latter, at a parent-teacher evening she told my parents that I was most definitely "university material" and being that no one in my family had ever gone to university her statement had a greater impact on me than she could ever imagine.
Bob Raymond was nothing but a character ...from Toronto, fresh out of Teachers' College. For instance, he would hand out detentions like they were going out of style and then permit the offenders to work them off by picking pick weeds in the playground. Our Public School had the most weed-free lawns around. He also roamed quietly around the classroom with a pointer and would sneak up on the unsuspecting student who exhibited poor posture. A sharp stab in the victim's back was all it took. Can you imagine what would have happened to this novice teacher had he tried to do that in today's progressive environment?
And Miss Jones had the ability to read passages from varied literary offerings that would take the listener directly into those pages. What a gift. It was most certainly the beginning of this sport's minded boy's interest in the beauty of literature.
I have never asked my Daughter or my Nephew who their favourite teachers were but will be sure to do so when I see them next. I do though believe I know who was my Sister's or at least who one of them was ...Ms McAuley ... her kindergarten teacher. Am I right Linda?
And you know what - I don't even know my wife's favourite. Better get on that a.s.a.p.
Anyway the bottom-line here is that Teachers perform a very great service to society and even they I suspect, do not always realize what a positive lasting impact they have on the lives of their students.
A Sincere Thank You From The Bottom Of My Heart To You All !!!
Now for a humourous story ...or Not.
In my day, grades 7 thru and including grade 9 were the most eventful and dramatic. Blame it on hormones, if you will.
So here I am sitting in Mrs. Gibson's Grade 8 Class minding my own business when all of a sudden I was hit by a flying piece of chalk or an erasure.
I looked around and there with a big smirk on his face was the Class Troublemaker (C.T.). I won't name him to save the guilty but I suspect my childhood friend Johnny will quickly know who this culprit was.. Of even greater note, C.T. was the first in our class to refuse to stand for God Save The Queen, an essential part of the day's opening. I was shocked more with that than with the chalk...but I digress.
Anyway, I picked up the chalk and was just about ready to fire it back at him when Mrs. Gibson yelled "STOP"...and I did. This was the same woman who could not catch a cold in mid-January but she caught me that morning. C.T. was beside himself with guffaws and what should have been over in a matter of minutes...was not. It went on for months.
Permit me to explain:
Johnny and I grew up in a small town where everyone and I mean everyone, knew everyone else. As it happened then, Mrs. Gibson's son was married to my father's secretary and for the next several months the 'chalk throwing incident' was the prime talk at our table. Well you would have thought I had punched C.T. out ...which between you and me I could have easily done.
In closing, if you have any reminisces about how your teacher(s) positively affected you or any humourous stories from your day to day classroom life, please just let me know and I will try to cover them in one of my future blogs.
In the meantime,
As I See It,
K.D. Bell
Monday, November 25, 2019
Ontario Teachers and Their Unions
"We're Doing It For The Children"
At least that's what the Teachers' Unions continue to peddle to us, however this Blog is neither about the Unions nor the Teachers, as you are about to see shortly.
For the life of me though it is most difficult to understand why their Unions seem always to be be on Strike or Threatening To Do So and it makes no never-mind which Party is running the Shop at Queen's Park.
Lately all 4 Major Teachers' Unions fall into either the above categories and in every case, their Teacher Members have voted in the high 90%s to go on Strike. Their major Unions include the following: i) The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation; ii) Ontario Elementary Teachers' Union; iii) the Ontario English-Catholic Teachers' Union and finally iv) the Ontario French-language Teachers' Union). Would you not think that one Union or two at the most would suffice? No wonder then at least one of them seems to be on strike at any given time.
Anyway, things must be very bleak in Mudville for Ontario Teachers to support Strike Action in those high numbers.
But you have to wonder why: Ontario Teachers' Salaries are most generous, so are their Benefits and their Pensions ...so what is fostering such discontent.
Well my guess is that this labour unrest is causd by the Unions themselves. And, if I was Premier, I would outlaw them ...not only on the basis that Teaching is an Essential Service but more importantly, in these Strikes and Threatened Strikes, no one has the interest of the Taxpayer at heart. So we have the Unions never satisfied and the Politicians willing to spend any amount of taxpayer money just for labour peace. Do you ever stop and think what a politician might do if he or she had their own salary at stake in these labour negotiations?
But again and despite the Title of this Blog, my effort here is not about Teachers' Unions nor is it even about Teachers' Benefits; it is about a much more important issue.
The Elephant in the Room aka the Major Problem Facing Education Today is with respect to the make-up of the classes...and not class sizes, as the above Unions would have you to believe.
The Unions call it Inclusion as do many so-called experts in education but I call it bogus Progressive Thinking gone mad. (note: those self same persons would likely refer to me as Right Wing Thinking gone mad and I am okay with that). So it is up to you the Reader to decide who has the better handle on this.
And just to be clear, I am not talking about disabled students per se, rather I am referring to those children who have Marked Learning Disabilities or are Prone To Causing Disruption. Such 'inclusion' in my opinion makes it impossible for the majority of students to effectively learn their studies. It does no good for the minority as well. Although my search on the internet finds many who agree with the Progressive Thinkers, there is an equal number out there who agree with me.
Let's look at the rising number of physical attacks on teachers by their students ...beginning as young as kindergarten. Below is a passage I found on line authored by the Gates Foundation substantiating this:
Behavior issues that interfere with teaching and learning have notably worsened, according to an astonishing 62 percent of teachers who have been teaching in the same school for five or more years. The results were reported in Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on the Teaching Profession. The report, recently released by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shows that the increased level of behavior problems has been seen across grade levels: 68 percent of elementary teachers, 64 percent of middle school teachers, and 53 percent of high school teachers say the same.
No wonder our schools are falling behind when it comes to trying to teach basic subjects like math and science.
So what is causing the problem ?...One of the major reasons is that the Teachers' Unions and their Progressive Supporters are deliberately failing to flag this obvious fault. And our children - all of our children, are suffering accordingly.
I say that because if classes were to be homogenized with children of comparable intellect and mental well-being, all would learn more effectively and at a faster rate. This is simply common sense.
But please do not think that I am suggesting for a minute that those with intellectual or mental health issues be thrown under the bus. Hardly!! My motto in life is leave no one behind, since to do otherwise would not only be wrong for economic reasons, it would simply be inhumane. We need everyone on board, happy and contributing to ensure our Society is Just and Works for All.
Resources need to be made available to students to ensure that they learn at their own speed and where appropriate, receive the mental health that is otherwise not available to them.
Call or write to your School Boards and to your Politicians to right this obvious wrong.
At least that's what the Teachers' Unions continue to peddle to us, however this Blog is neither about the Unions nor the Teachers, as you are about to see shortly.
For the life of me though it is most difficult to understand why their Unions seem always to be be on Strike or Threatening To Do So and it makes no never-mind which Party is running the Shop at Queen's Park.
Lately all 4 Major Teachers' Unions fall into either the above categories and in every case, their Teacher Members have voted in the high 90%s to go on Strike. Their major Unions include the following: i) The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation; ii) Ontario Elementary Teachers' Union; iii) the Ontario English-Catholic Teachers' Union and finally iv) the Ontario French-language Teachers' Union). Would you not think that one Union or two at the most would suffice? No wonder then at least one of them seems to be on strike at any given time.
Anyway, things must be very bleak in Mudville for Ontario Teachers to support Strike Action in those high numbers.
But you have to wonder why: Ontario Teachers' Salaries are most generous, so are their Benefits and their Pensions ...so what is fostering such discontent.
Well my guess is that this labour unrest is causd by the Unions themselves. And, if I was Premier, I would outlaw them ...not only on the basis that Teaching is an Essential Service but more importantly, in these Strikes and Threatened Strikes, no one has the interest of the Taxpayer at heart. So we have the Unions never satisfied and the Politicians willing to spend any amount of taxpayer money just for labour peace. Do you ever stop and think what a politician might do if he or she had their own salary at stake in these labour negotiations?
But again and despite the Title of this Blog, my effort here is not about Teachers' Unions nor is it even about Teachers' Benefits; it is about a much more important issue.
The Elephant in the Room aka the Major Problem Facing Education Today is with respect to the make-up of the classes...and not class sizes, as the above Unions would have you to believe.
The Unions call it Inclusion as do many so-called experts in education but I call it bogus Progressive Thinking gone mad. (note: those self same persons would likely refer to me as Right Wing Thinking gone mad and I am okay with that). So it is up to you the Reader to decide who has the better handle on this.
And just to be clear, I am not talking about disabled students per se, rather I am referring to those children who have Marked Learning Disabilities or are Prone To Causing Disruption. Such 'inclusion' in my opinion makes it impossible for the majority of students to effectively learn their studies. It does no good for the minority as well. Although my search on the internet finds many who agree with the Progressive Thinkers, there is an equal number out there who agree with me.
Let's look at the rising number of physical attacks on teachers by their students ...beginning as young as kindergarten. Below is a passage I found on line authored by the Gates Foundation substantiating this:
Behavior issues that interfere with teaching and learning have notably worsened, according to an astonishing 62 percent of teachers who have been teaching in the same school for five or more years. The results were reported in Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on the Teaching Profession. The report, recently released by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shows that the increased level of behavior problems has been seen across grade levels: 68 percent of elementary teachers, 64 percent of middle school teachers, and 53 percent of high school teachers say the same.
No wonder our schools are falling behind when it comes to trying to teach basic subjects like math and science.
So what is causing the problem ?...One of the major reasons is that the Teachers' Unions and their Progressive Supporters are deliberately failing to flag this obvious fault. And our children - all of our children, are suffering accordingly.
I say that because if classes were to be homogenized with children of comparable intellect and mental well-being, all would learn more effectively and at a faster rate. This is simply common sense.
But please do not think that I am suggesting for a minute that those with intellectual or mental health issues be thrown under the bus. Hardly!! My motto in life is leave no one behind, since to do otherwise would not only be wrong for economic reasons, it would simply be inhumane. We need everyone on board, happy and contributing to ensure our Society is Just and Works for All.
Resources need to be made available to students to ensure that they learn at their own speed and where appropriate, receive the mental health that is otherwise not available to them.
Call or write to your School Boards and to your Politicians to right this obvious wrong.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Reduced To Minority Status & The Young Woman At The Back Of The Room
Okay, let's take a look at how the Trudeau Liberals went from Majority Status to Minority Status in last month's Canadian Federal Election and what this means for him in the days and months ahead.
Let's begin by noting that the Election Results were not the least bit surprising since the Liberal policies and stumbles over his 4 year term of Majority Government were disastrous as evidenced by the following: he reneged on his promise to reform the Electoral Process; he introduced the very unpopular Carbon Tax; and related to that, was anti-oil- pipeline, he interfered with Canada's Judicial System when, behind close doors, he came to the aid of a company by the name of Lavelin...based in Quebec and successfully charged in the past with illicit business practices including bribery; he dumped two his most popular female Members of Parliament both of whom had been shining stars in his Cabinet; he was the hapless subject of the Kokanee Grope (for you non-Canadians who do not have a clue what that all entails I urge you to look it up on-line); and of course he admitted during the recent campaign that he has worn 'black-face' at least 3 times in the past.
There is more I could include but the ones mentioned are, I believe, sufficient to show why the Canadian Electorate punished Trudeau by taking away his Majority.
I see a hand up at the back - yes, the Young Lady in the Mauve Shirt has a question.
Not a question per se but rather a comment....What you have said is simply not true, Trudeau was brought down by the Province of Quebec voting in 37 Separatists to the BLOC Quebec Party.
You make an excellent point, indeed when I think about it, the Bloc won only 10 seats in the previous election so in this past election they won 27 more and if Trudeau had secured those seats, as many thought he would, he would have easily maintained his Majority Government. (There are 338 seats or members in Canada's new Parliament, the Liberals took 157 Liberal, and if they had won another 27 in Quebec, it would have given him 184 seats whereas he only needed 170 for a Majority.)
But permit me to ask the young lady in the back if any of the failures I noted had a negative influence on the Quebec Voters who voted for the Bloc rather than traditionally voting Liberal?
Not at all, what was at issue was Quebec's notorious Bill 21 which discriminates against the public wearing of any religious symbols such as a cross, yarmulke or hijab including while working in government jobs. Polling shows that up to 70% of Quebecois' support this most discriminatory law and quite correctly although none of the federal parties came out in support of the Bill, save for the Bloc. Sadly none came out strongly or vocally enough against it either.
Good Point.
Okay so let's now get back to the subject at hand namely, what does this new Minority Status have in store for the Governing Liberals.
Well first and foremost it means, as in the past, that the Trudeau Government is not likely to survive more than 18 months...2 years at the most, before the other parties gang up and bring it down with their superior numbers. Remember , the numbers we are dealing with - 338 seats in the House, less 157 held by the Liberals, leaves 181 outstanding against them. That 181 can come together any time they want to force the Trudeau Liberal's out of Office but they will likely hold off a year or two before they do, as is per convention (i.e it takes any Party time to gear up for another Election).
Oh, Oh, I see the Young Woman's hand up again. You have another point you wish to raise?
Yes I do, but I don't think you are going to like it. I say that because what you have just said is also wrong. I agree with you that usually minority governments last but a short time but this time Trudeau can count on his mandate lasting at least 3 years and even up to 4 years... the latter being the expiry of his term. I say that because the Progressives Parties in the House, which include the Liberals, are not about to bring a fellow Progressive Party down. The Progressive majority is but a reflection of Canadian Society itself which is 65 to 70 per cent of that persuasion.
Well thank you again for that; I must admit that you once again make good sense. So given what you have just said, we can safely assume that Canada will not be plunged into another General Election for the next several years.
Hardly, since just because the Liberals will not be forced into an early Election does not for a minute mean that there will not be one. In the best traditions of the former Liberal Prime Minister Chretien, Trudeau himself will be looking hard for an opportunity to pull the plug...and by that I mean, if the Polls show him that he can likely win back a Majority he will be on it like fleas on a dog, so to speak regardless of the timing.
I get the feeling young lady that you and I should trade places since it appears to me that you have this all figured out and for the life of me, I cannot see where you are wrong.
As I See It,
K.D. Bell
Q
#s of seats before and after....??
Let's begin by noting that the Election Results were not the least bit surprising since the Liberal policies and stumbles over his 4 year term of Majority Government were disastrous as evidenced by the following: he reneged on his promise to reform the Electoral Process; he introduced the very unpopular Carbon Tax; and related to that, was anti-oil- pipeline, he interfered with Canada's Judicial System when, behind close doors, he came to the aid of a company by the name of Lavelin...based in Quebec and successfully charged in the past with illicit business practices including bribery; he dumped two his most popular female Members of Parliament both of whom had been shining stars in his Cabinet; he was the hapless subject of the Kokanee Grope (for you non-Canadians who do not have a clue what that all entails I urge you to look it up on-line); and of course he admitted during the recent campaign that he has worn 'black-face' at least 3 times in the past.
There is more I could include but the ones mentioned are, I believe, sufficient to show why the Canadian Electorate punished Trudeau by taking away his Majority.
I see a hand up at the back - yes, the Young Lady in the Mauve Shirt has a question.
Not a question per se but rather a comment....What you have said is simply not true, Trudeau was brought down by the Province of Quebec voting in 37 Separatists to the BLOC Quebec Party.
You make an excellent point, indeed when I think about it, the Bloc won only 10 seats in the previous election so in this past election they won 27 more and if Trudeau had secured those seats, as many thought he would, he would have easily maintained his Majority Government. (There are 338 seats or members in Canada's new Parliament, the Liberals took 157 Liberal, and if they had won another 27 in Quebec, it would have given him 184 seats whereas he only needed 170 for a Majority.)
But permit me to ask the young lady in the back if any of the failures I noted had a negative influence on the Quebec Voters who voted for the Bloc rather than traditionally voting Liberal?
Not at all, what was at issue was Quebec's notorious Bill 21 which discriminates against the public wearing of any religious symbols such as a cross, yarmulke or hijab including while working in government jobs. Polling shows that up to 70% of Quebecois' support this most discriminatory law and quite correctly although none of the federal parties came out in support of the Bill, save for the Bloc. Sadly none came out strongly or vocally enough against it either.
Good Point.
Okay so let's now get back to the subject at hand namely, what does this new Minority Status have in store for the Governing Liberals.
Well first and foremost it means, as in the past, that the Trudeau Government is not likely to survive more than 18 months...2 years at the most, before the other parties gang up and bring it down with their superior numbers. Remember , the numbers we are dealing with - 338 seats in the House, less 157 held by the Liberals, leaves 181 outstanding against them. That 181 can come together any time they want to force the Trudeau Liberal's out of Office but they will likely hold off a year or two before they do, as is per convention (i.e it takes any Party time to gear up for another Election).
Oh, Oh, I see the Young Woman's hand up again. You have another point you wish to raise?
Yes I do, but I don't think you are going to like it. I say that because what you have just said is also wrong. I agree with you that usually minority governments last but a short time but this time Trudeau can count on his mandate lasting at least 3 years and even up to 4 years... the latter being the expiry of his term. I say that because the Progressives Parties in the House, which include the Liberals, are not about to bring a fellow Progressive Party down. The Progressive majority is but a reflection of Canadian Society itself which is 65 to 70 per cent of that persuasion.
Well thank you again for that; I must admit that you once again make good sense. So given what you have just said, we can safely assume that Canada will not be plunged into another General Election for the next several years.
Hardly, since just because the Liberals will not be forced into an early Election does not for a minute mean that there will not be one. In the best traditions of the former Liberal Prime Minister Chretien, Trudeau himself will be looking hard for an opportunity to pull the plug...and by that I mean, if the Polls show him that he can likely win back a Majority he will be on it like fleas on a dog, so to speak regardless of the timing.
I get the feeling young lady that you and I should trade places since it appears to me that you have this all figured out and for the life of me, I cannot see where you are wrong.
As I See It,
K.D. Bell
Q
#s of seats before and after....??
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