Category World Affairs
The Celebration
I didn’t take pictures. I didn’t go anywhere near the window. I know what goes up must come down. I didn’t want to get in the way of that process, even though it seemed unlikely that any of the bullets were aimed in my direction. Earlier in the day I had visited a refugee camp […]
The Prophet
I don’t think he was trying to be prophetic. After all, he was writing about the past. I was reading a century-old short story by James Joyce this week. Yes, I know, I have eclectic tastes. There was one line that struck me from the piece, because it seemed to be describing the British monarchy, […]
Thoughts On The Refugee Crisis
As broken election promises go, this is probably a good one. Canada’s new government has realized that it was unrealistic to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees before the end of the year. The target remains the same, but now it will take a couple of extra months. It is still an ambitious goal. The United States, […]
Waiting For A Plane XIV – Early Morning In Erbil
It seems no two airport experiences are alike, even at the same airport. The last time I passed through Iraq’s Erbil International Airport my bottle of water breezed right through security. Not this time. I had to drink it before proceeding any further. The rules were posted, but last time they weren’t enforcing them. This […]
Unreal
In North America the ongoing struggle against ISIS in Iraq and Syria is something for the nightly news. It is far away and doesn’t impact us personally. Unless you travel there, in which case it becomes very real. I was given the opportunity to visit a refugee camp in northern Iraq, Yazidi people pushed out […]
Refugees – Cold Hard Facts
He speaks with the authority of someone who has been there. I didn’t think to ask if I could quote him, so I won’t give his name. He’s a relief worker in the middle east. We were having dinner, and the discussion turned to the refugee crisis in Iraq and Syria, not a […]
They Ate Their Horses
I published this post on Remembrance Day last year, but wanted to publish it again because for me it brings the First World War home personally. Today we remember. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 the guns fell silent. The bloodiest war in human history to […]
Remembrance Day
Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First Word War. It is a time for reflection on the nature of war and peace. I mentioned last year that I would be thinking today about my grandfather, who was a First World War veteran. There are ceremonies across Canada […]
Reflections
This post ran one year ago today in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Parliament Hill. The question raised, the striking of a balance between justice (which may at times be more vengeance) and love remains a difficult one. The natural response is to strike back at those who hurt you. The Christian imperative […]
One Year Later
It was one year ago today that a lone terrorist attacked the National War Memorial in Ottawa and then the Parliament Buildings. That day had a profound impact on not just this city but on our country. I wrote three posts on the subject immediately following the incident (including while locked down if you click […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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