Today's Just A Minute Thought

 

June 13

Happy Friday the 13th. My spidey senses are telling me the G7 meeting beginning this weekend in Alberta is going to be rather eventful. With Israel’s attack last night on Iran there will be plenty to discuss. Will see what also develops. Going to comment more next week on all these speed cameras that cities are deploying rather than employing traditional methods involving actual police officers. Get the sense this is more about raising money than safety. Garbage incineration and AI impact on the classroom are also on the agenda. Finally’ looking like my Jays playoff prediction is solidifying itself, but still a long way to go. Long way to go in the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton winning last night. You know a game or series is entertaining when you are drawn to watch even if you have no rooting interest in the outcome. The hockey has been fantastic.

June 12

Getting back to the immigration protests happening in LA and soon to be in major cities across the States. It is more than disappointing that the political pendulum can’t stay in the middle a little longer as it swings back to the extremes. As I said earlier in the week, there is broad political support in the United States supporting the removal of illegal aliens involved in criminal activity and gangs. But the indiscriminate, fire then aim approach being used to round up illegals is also grabbing sympathetic figures who fled persecution and have been productive non-citizens.  The moderate MAGAS, if there is such a thing, didn’t vote for that.  But it will take a disciplined response from Democrats to protest the methods of deportations and not the intent. 

Canadians getting caught up in this protest and throwing shame at Americans should remember that we didn’t have people flooding across our southern border. Trudeau did open up immigration irresponsibly, but we never had caravans coming from Central America.  The States is trying to fix that problem now, as is Canada with slowing our immigration levels.  But again, it is the way you go about fixing a problem.  People like me in the middle, still believe that the ends don’t justify the means. 

June 11th

The Auditor General’s report in Canada is something I hold in high regard. It’s a non-partisan accounting of the government’s track record of spending taxpayers money. The recent report is scathing. Poor results, lack of oversight and questionable priorities are summarized in discussions about the Arrive Canada app and fighter jet procurements. For this report to have some impact, I believe it should be given 30 days prior to the date of an election. Not sure it would have changed much, but voters should be as informed as possible.

Promised more on the L.A. protests, but would like to see and read more before further comment.

June 10th

Had to rise very early this morning and was pleased the sun was up to greet me before 6 am. The beauty of this time of day is the peace and tranquillity with so few fellow humans up and about yet. You really do feel like you’re getting a head start on everyone. Every-time I am up this early during this time of year, I wonder why I don’t do this all the time. Then I remember early morning hockey practices in the winter months and the cold, darkness at 7 am. Back to bed it is.

The protests going on L.A. really do encapsulate the divisions in America, but I don’t believe they represent any major turning point in Trump support. Seeing crowds waving Mexican flags and burning American ones is not going to cause a Trump voter to reflect on their choice last November. If anything it probably only emboldens them as Trump’s illegal immigrant crackdown is what they voted for.

As for the decision to call in the national guard, it is about the optics for each side. If the protests resonate and grow in size and locations, it would be a bad look for Trump and his party because there is no way to make rounding up people - illegals or not - look good. It is an ugly process that even supporters want done in the shadows. So Democrats will cry foul of any moves that tries to quell protests that they would prefer to hi-lite.

Discuss more tomorrow.

June 9th

Good to be out socializing more and listening to what people are talking about. The Trump - Musk fall out has seemed to capture the attention of many. Even though it involves two of the most powerful people on the planet, it still feels tabloid-esque to me. It is why I haven't bothered to weigh in on it or the latest in the Diddy Trial. What did strike me as quite alarming in their war of words was another example of Trump weaponizing the office of President. Trump threatened Musk if he decides to support Democratic candidates. Of course, Trump doesn't specify what the threat might be, but it sounded very much like something Putin would say or do to his political enemies. As I said last week, I await word on the American Supreme Court demonstrating that it can act as the final check on abusive power coming from the executive branch.

Closer to home I am hopeful that the Ontario and Canadian government's gesture to evacuate First Nations in northwestern Ontario from the forest fires can build some goodwill. It does underscore the point I tried to make last week, that when under attack from the U.S. or in this case the environment - we're all in this together.

June 6th

End the week like we started with a brief discussion of the trivial. It looks like the Jays will make the playoffs if the prediction I made to start this week comes true. Still going to have to play well against some other league contenders like the Twins this weekend. Forgot to comment yesterday on the start of the Canadian Football Season, which says something right there. If the league has trouble attracting eyeballs this season and can't take advantage of all the Pro-Canada sentiment out there it will never flourish. Here's hoping it can find its voice this season, because I am quite fond of that league and believe it in many ways it shares many of the same challenges Canada faces from being next to a dominant competitor.

Now back to the discussion from yesterday. Duty consult is an important feature to improve relations between the governments and First Nation communities, but it may turn out that it only works when each side's end goals are aligned in mutual benefit. In many cases respecting treaty rights and providing adequate compensation for resource development on treaty lands is a workable process. The issue that can arise is what to do if a "gold mine" of resources are on a First Nations land and that band does not want to extract them at all or in the manner that outside companies would want it done. In either case the speed of any consulting or persuading can take years. This is time Canada doesn't have right now with the threat of a hostile takeover hanging over us.

The other concern I have is the lack of any regard for Canada that a few First Nations leaders express. Don't get me wrong, I get why any First Nations person would have a difficult time embracing Canada based on our history, but if a band believes the relationship is irreconcilable, then a self - governing nation should be established. Otherwise we're in this quasi Canadian status that is quite messy. It is this reason, why getting things done in this country takes an inordinate amount of time. If we continue down this path, the ones running out the clock on both Canadians and First Nations could be the Americans.

June 5th

Seems Canada's new PM believes a deal is in the works between ourselves and the U.S. that it is not worth risking by retaliating with tariffs of our own against the States. Should find out soon if Trump is serious about a trade compromise or is just toying with us the same way Putin is with Trump.

While we wait for that to play out, another recurring issue is starting to simmer once again. With both the feds and provincial governments trying to fast track development projects, First Nations are objecting that the government's duty to consult with them is being neglected.

Amidst a serious trade war raging with our number one trade partner, it will be interesting to see how long we honour this duty or shelve it like we did with the Carbon tax and our climate change fight. By Ontario passing Bill 5 yesterday there is now concern that a summer of blockades and protests will ensue. Nobody enjoys conflict, but it does feel like this issue is going to come to a head if calmer ones don't prevail.

Will end the week discussing this more tomorrow and see which way the Jays playoffs chances are leaning.

June 4th

With wildfire smoke has now blown in from out west, thought I would revisit the cause of one export Trump can't tariff. Last summer the fire season was rather tame compared to the previous and current years battles. Glad to hear Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urging that fire fighting and management has to become a national priority. Said the same the last time I could see the air. Here is a summary from that post.

Which brings us to the source of all the wildfire smoke and political mirrors - Canada. Unlike States, Canada, a country covered in forests - doesn’t have a federal agency to fight fires and protect them.

That job is left primarily to the provinces and territories to administer with the federal government providing some funding. This had led to a system that has to lean heavily generous foreign support to fill in the gaps of our own limited capabilities.  Combine this with the growing threat of more fires and the federal government is finally adding more cash. But as Mark Ramzy of Torstar points out Trudeau has made it clear the federal government would rather support than lead.

This inaction from a liberal party that believes a bigger federal government solves all problems. They have had no problem sticking their nose in other provincial matters - like dental care and the high level issue of school lunches. You would think they would be all over creating a National Fire Fighting Force. Most of the forests cross provincial borders and the ill equipped military is often called in once they have already started burning.

So will see if this becomes a national priority. Still seems strange that it hasn't to this point. 

June 3rd

The pro build talk coming out of the First ministers conference is more than frustrating after we spent ten plus years sitting on our hands for the good of the planet. Still much doubt if anything fossil fuel related will ever get built, but the idea that we all governments are discussing fast tracking projects now does show a country that obviously was never that committed to fighting climate change.  It looks like we were only in for the T-shirt. 

While people seem to be happy that there is much more unity and cooperation between the feds and the provinces right now in response to Trump, a lot of it is still talk. It has been over six months since the 51st "joke" started. We spent half of that time switching leaders and now we're still talking about creating lists of projects to begin. Meanwhile companies around the world are choosing to invest in the States rather than here due to the tariffs. I am glad we're now all in the same boat, but that boat is sinking.

In the distraction we call sports, the Blue Jays have won five in a row and might be generating enough interest to justify the following prediction. Part of the reason I enjoy writing is to make some public prognostications, so here is one to revisit later in the season. If the Blue Jays sweep the top drawer Phillies this week at home they are making the playoffs. Get swept, then no. Win or loss of the series will push the playoff chances from probable to doubtful. 

Had a record for site visits last month, so thank-you for reading! Publish a weekly summary on Substack if you would like to sign up for that. 

Till tomorrow… 

June 2nd

With June now upon us it has to get warm soon - right?  Looks like more rain this week, well at least the farmers and my grass will be happy. Must be a sign of getting older, I know I didn’t give a damn about the weather when I was younger - unless it was a rainy summer. 😶

As predicted, Trump is back playing spin the tariff wheel and Canada’s number came up again. Now exports of steel and aluminum are going to be hit with an increased tariff of 50%. Our response should consume most of the oxygen in the Canadian news this week unless the wildfires out west get out of hand. 

One thing I am looking forward to this month is the U.S. The Supreme court has the final say in a number of rulings related to executive power and authority of the President.  That country does need to establish a better rulebook for what a President can and can’t do.  There are too many unwritten laws or obscure clauses that Trump and his team exploit to their advantage. Too many times when you ask if it is against the law - the experts reply with “it depends” or “this in unchartered territory”. Here’s hoping SCOTUS lays down the law.