Tag Archives: Canada

Korean Reflections

They play ice hockey in South Korea. They became interested in it during the Korean War, watching Canadian troops in action. That was one of the pieces of trivia I picked up last month when I was invited to dinner at the Korean Embassy, a meal coupled with a briefing on Canada-Korea relations. Strictly speaking, […]

Assisted Dying II

The Canadian Parliament has started debating legislation legalizing what they are calling “Doctor Assisted Dying” – which to me is a euphemism for euthanasia. I have touched on the subject before, the first time a year ago, and it is safe to say I am not enthused about the prospect. Neither are many Parliamentarians. The […]

Assisted Dying I

The Canadian Parliament has started debating legislation legalizing what they are calling “Doctor Assisted Dying” – which to me is a euphemism for euthanasia. I have touched on the subject before, the first time a year ago, and it is safe to say I am not enthused about the prospect. Neither are many Parliamentarians. The […]

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 […]