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Merkel's and by extension Germany's position on the pact is quite interesting. According to Merkel's response to Hebner in the Bundestag, it appears all EU member states could be bound to recognize the pact's validity once a certain number of states have signed it. Germany has long fought for other EU states to shoulder a bigger share of the burden for accommodating migrants, so if it can work an end-around by means of promoting the Compact for Migration its position may in fact be less altruistic than might otherwise appear to be the case. Why Canada has signed the pact is less clear, other perhaps than for the fact that it largely reflects "progressive"-Lib ideology and, further, promotes the Trudeau government's rather radical (in comparison to most other Western countries) immigration/migration goals. The real concern should be that the main intent is to etch the prog-Lib immigration/migration agenda in stone, which if the case would render it even more problematic.

I hear you, but pipelines are more environmentally friendly than shipping by truck or rail. Also, we all benefit from the royalties and employment provided by the oil sands. I think we have to find a way to provide oil jobs but meet environmental goals. I know it's not an easy line to walk.

It makes life richer when we recognize the celebrations and festivals of the people in our community, whether Jewish, Christian, Muslim or any other faith. I know the Muslims in my community really appreciated when I wished them a joyful Eid after a long period of fasting. It's great to see the Menorahs out during Hanukah and the Christmas trees and mangers. These events are about family and bringing people together. It takes nothing away from me as a Christian to recognize important festivals in other people's lives. When I thought I was an atheist I felt the same way. It's great to show respect for events that are meaningful to people. It shows you care. It also creates a festive atmosphere having all of the lights and sounds around. Chinese New Year is another fun event.

I should start by stating that I was borne and raised as a WASP, but haven't done the religion thing for half a century. Our children and grandchildren all also raised as Christians, but as kids are all scientists, hardly religious dogmatism in our family. My side has only been in Canada for maybe 150 years, but my wife's side goes to Selkirk settlers (her Father) and also back unknown thousands of years on this continent (Mother). Even though we are barely-to-not-at-all religious, we celebrate and appreciate Christmas as a very Canadian public holiday. It wraps up the year with a very commercial habit of gift giving - and since our job is to spoil children and grandchildren, we dig in and do our part. My two most memorable Christmas eves/days were one in the '80s when I was travelling into a war zone with my handler in a Muslim part of West Africa. We had spent the day with our in-country partners but were out in the Sahara on our own that night. We pulled into a roadside inn, checked into our rooms and received a knock on the door. In very broken English, we were invited down to their restaurant/"bar" (yes, there are places in Muslim countries where alcohol - mostly locally brewed beers - are served). They explained that since we were the only Christians anywhere within hundreds of klicks, they wanted to make us welcome and recognize OUR cultural/religious event. We spent a delightful evening been educated in Saharoui customs and lore. Though neither of us were actually Christian, we were touched by the sincerity of our hosts to respect what they assumed to be our belief. It was also the only Christmas I ever missed with my kids. The second was a visit with my business partner when we first opened up an office in Guangzhou in the early '90s. Even though China was barely out of its isolation (few citizens were allowed to travel and VERY few outside of the country) the newly built retail "malls" (very veritcal development) featured a lot of Western goods that few could yet afford, but most notable was the proliferation of Christmas decorations in a city with precious few Christians of any stripe. Christmas is more than just a Christian/pagan religious celebration (and even that part is the lesser of the whole). It is a globally recognized celebration of people's good wishes for their fellow man. That is, anywhere but in downtown Hogtown it seems where anything that promotes goodwill towards men is gauche.

First of all this is a thread about Trump. Feel free to start one to discuss the deficiencies of Canada and Canadian politics if you wish. Second, it appears that the many Russian postings have completely taken you in. What you refer to as the lying liberal media is actually telling the truth and the sources you quote to support your views are little more than shills for Trump. You'll see the truth of this soon enough if you haven't figured it out already. Hardly a week goes by without some further revelation of Trump's misdeeds. This week it was the shutting down of his so-called charitable foundation, which it turns out was completely fraudulent. The details of Mueller's investigation are going to come out soon and it will almost certainly be devastating to the Trump cause. And you are still making the mistake of someone who has no argument, relying on name-calling and deflection in an attempt to make your point. I really do wish you would actually post something relevant and then we could have a proper discussion.

Wow, Der Speigel is a respected paper, but this is worth noting "Relotius, 33, resigned after admitting to the scam. He had written for the magazine for seven years and won numerous awards for his investigative journalism, including CNN Journalist of the Year in 2014". https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/19/top-der-spiegel-journalist-resigns-over-fake-interviews

First off Christmas is a pagan holiday. Secondly Christians and pagans should have full rights to celebrate any version of it and I think its a farse its become politically incorrect and I am a Jewish guy. The majority of Canadians are Christian and Christians let me have two days off and give me presents. They are its too strange people but what is the big deal? Why does everyone pick on them? O.k. they do have that wierd habit of serving ham with a hairnet. That is a tad kinky. Look Christians invented golf ware, , sunburns, golf, Oldsmobiles,, pet food (think about that one) ear-hair, bushy eyebrows, we should appreciate their contributions. p.s. not all of them are pink-grey-green-blue, some are yellow and brown.

No, its more like the right and left hands hate each other's guts. With a an ideological pendulum that swings back and forth across a political landscape more like a wrecking ball is it any wonder our government's policies swing wildly one way then another while getting nowhere?

We can stop diverting water to the USA.

LOL Poor criminal Trump Administration. Mueller is a Republican. He was appointed by a Republican. For the last two years, up until next month all branches of government is Republican. Trumps lawyer admitted that he was discussing a Trump Tower Moscow deal with Russia up until November 2016. Trump got the GOP's stance on Russia changed all while it's been proven that Russia had a cyber campaign to undermine the election and favour Trump. Smoke - Fire.

The most consistently fair commentary on this subject comes from non other than the liberal law professor Alan Dershowitz. I don't believe most of the nonsense coming from the Trump haters. This administration get's attacked like no other in the media. Sadly,I think this will become the norm in the future with any Republican administration.