Category Leadership
Country on Fire
Canada is burning. There are hundreds of wildfires burning today, many of them out of control. There have been more than 5,000 so far this summer. Thousands have had to flee their homes. The smoke has drifted as far south as New York City. In this record fire season many people are concerned about climate […]
First Debate
Eight years ago he was the underdog, his candidacy somewhat of a joke. He’s still somewhat of a joke, but definitely not the underdog. As the first debate of the 2024 US presidential election gets underway tonight, Donald Trump is the frontrunner. So much so that he won’t bother to show up tonight to face […]
Trump On Trial
The indictments just keep on coming. As do the claims of political motivation. From outside the United States, the question has always been why Donald Trump hadn’t been asked to account for some of his actions that seemed to skirt the law. In a democracy, even the President (or the Prime Minister of Canada) has […]
Can’t Say It Now
Politicians today are subject to far more constraints than those of previous generations. People are quick to take offense, and God help you if you say something that doesn’t flow with the prevailing winds of society. It wasn’t always so though, as I was reminded on a visit to France in 2014. The words jumped […]
Today’s History Lesson
In elementary school and high school, my favorite subject was History. So it should come as no surprise that when I am on vacation I am on the lookout for things I learned about in school as well as new things. In this post from 2014 I saw firsthand something that I had learned about […]
The Shuffle
I waited a couple of days. I’ve heard all the metaphors. I promise not to use them. The Prime Minister has shuffled his cabinet. Probably for the last time before the election expected in 2025. Given his track record, this group is likely to underperform. I will admit I was surprised. Usually a cabinet shuffle […]
Broken Again
Almost four years after its launch, Ottawa residents have become used to the unreliability of the city’s light rapid transit system, the LRT. As I write this, there is no timeline for the train to return to service. Proponents of the train may feel I am overly harsh with my criticism. When the system works, […]
Does The Face Matter?
The Bank of Canada has announced that the portrait of Sir Wilfred Laurier will remain on the Canadian five dollar bill. You probably didn’t realize he was on it. The decision comes as a surprise in a way. The government had announced their intention to remove Sir Wilfred and had circulated a list of eight […]
Finding News Online
I’m watching with amusement, wondering who will blink first. The Government of Canada has pulled its advertising from Facebook and Google in protest of those companies decision to drop all Canadian news content. Other advertisers are following suit. The issue is recent legislation forcing tech companies to pay for links to news content. The tech […]
Nero on Canada Day
It’s Canada’s Birthday. One hundred and fifty-six years ago today we were granted independence by the United Kingdom. It’s a day of celebration, even as the wildfires burn out of control. As a patriotic Canadian this is where I am supposed to say I live in the best country in the world. Not many years […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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