Tag Archives: Canada
The Verdict – II
I was right. In a decision that took 4 ½ hours for the judge to summarize (it is 308 pages after all), Mike Duffy was found not guilty on all counts. No misuse of funds, no accepting a bribe, no breach of trust. Thirty-one charges, 31 charges dismissed. As I said yesterday, I fully expected […]
The Verdict
Today is the day Senator Mike Duffy learns his fate. I have avoided commenting on his criminal proceedings for the past year, but want to get my prediction on the record. The case has held Canadians’ attention since the trial started more than a year ago. Even before that, when the scandal broke surrounding Duffy’s […]
Two Thoughts For A Wednesday
We start with the wrongful dismissal case, where a fired employee was successful on his suit against his employer. He worked for the RCMP, a clerk for Canada’s national police force. At a social event at a superior’s house he consumed large quantities of alcohol and smoke marijuana. This led to his termination. He sued. […]
Bric A Brac IV – Sir John
On my desk and shelves, in my home office and in my office on Parliament Hill are some objects that have a certain amount of significance in my life but which are otherwise useless. It is not like I need more ornamentation or decorations after all. Each one though has a story attached to it, […]
Light in the Election Tunnel
I was pondering what to say about the U.S. Presidential race now that the votes had been counted on Super Tuesday and there had been some time for the results to sink in. Then a friend sent me a link to a video of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II endorsing one of the candidates. I […]
More Than Culture Shock!
Today’s predicted high temperature in Damascus, according to the BBC is 18 degrees Celsius. Today’s predicted high in Ottawa is -22 degrees Celsius. With the wind chill it will feel like -36. We have hundreds of newcomers in Ottawa, refugees escaping the fighting in Syria. Everything here is new to them, the language, the food, […]
Refugee Resettlement
It’s the big question that no-one has the courage to ask. What happens in the second year? Canada is becoming home to 25,000 Syrian refugees before the end of February, people leaving behind civil war and ISIS terror for hope in a new land. To say life here will be a difficult adjustment is probably […]
The Oath
What does it mean to be a Canadian? Apparently whatever you like. Earlier this week, within seconds of being sworn in at a citizenship ceremony, a newly minted citizen handed the citizenship judge a letter recanting the oath of allegiance he had just sworn to the Queen, but indicating his loyalty was to Canada. It […]
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, […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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