August1991

Only Poilievre and Charest are potential federal Conservative leaders. Like our current PM. ===== Ambitious parents? Make sure that your children speak fluent French and English. Like people in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire learned German, you learn a skill and create a choice.

In Canada, at the federal level, we have a choice: a) politicians who speak French well b) politicians who don't speak French well ===== Western voters have to decide. Aside from various sex scandals, I'm thankful to Trudeau Snr for making the choice easier in Canada.

As long as they don't collude. The mere existence of choice keeps them honest. ===== In federal America, it is clear that they don't collude. But imagine a world - like Baltimore - where you can vote Democrat or Democrat! Welcome to the world of urban America.

Colgate, Palmolive? Coke, Pepsi? Some ask: What's the difference? I answer: the choice.

Poilievre and Charest could speak in comprehensible French. Only Charest said anything sensible to me. ------ If Canada is to survive as a country - get along, I've decided to vote for Charest.

I paid to attend but I didn't go. I listened online then I stopped. ==== It was a gong show. The candidates cannot speak French. Imagine your future: A debate where Hispanics try to speak English to get your vote. "I hat Anglish.... "

Brazil and Cuba have done this best. Who cares about your skin colour. The UK and Jamaica are worst. In the UK, everyone wants to know your accent. ==== I reckon that Brazil and Cuba have better futures - if the future is rational.

Think. Americans are proud of their republic. But we Canadians have a federal State - bilingual - without a civil war. And our first PM in Ontario was Catholic - elected by Protestants. Or, in 1896, we chose a federal Catholic French PM. ==== In the US, race? Skin colour? There have been only two Catholic presidents: JFK and Biden.

When Stephen Harper was our federal PM, we got along. Peace. With Trudeau Jnr, we seem to have arguments. Like when his father was PM. ==== I prefer a protestant federal PM from English-Canada - who speaks French reasonably well. Or a catholic federal PM from Nova Scotia - such as John Thompson. === IMHO, Canada is not about changing the world. It is about getting along. The federal Liberals have lost the narrative.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/why-ukraine-must-defeat-putin-russia/629940/ **** The Atlantlic, Anne Applebaum. ****** IMHO, American Jews - like many people who perceive themselves as minorities - are foolishly leftist. Woody Allen: The State will protect me against these crazy white Christians.

Vietnam was an important battle, like Dunkerque, in a larger war. America won this Cold War. For the good of us all. ==== American soldiers should not be in Iraq or Ukraine. Outside America, American politicians should not try regime change. (Their efforts within America are enough.)

Huh? Which side is the "clear imperialist aggrressor"? ==== I ask everyone to look at a map from 1900 or so. This country "Ukraine" did not exist. The western territory - Galicia - was part of a larger federal State - where people spoke Polish, Yiddish, German. ===== We in North America are wise to avoid these arguments. I generally vote federal Liberal on this point alone. I favour any politician who makes us get along.

To make my point more clear: When America and Australian sent guys to fight in Vietnam, it was correct. Vietnam was an important battle that we were fighting in a larger Cold War. The Berlin Wall fell. We won. ==== When Bush Jnr sent guys to fight in Iraq, it was wrong. As Obama said, radical Islam was the JV. Let the Saudis deal with it.

There was once a Kievan Rus. IMHO. this is a Civil War between slavic people. We in the West should not take sides.

I recently watched a documentary about Billy Wilder. Some Like it Hot? Seen it? Wilder was a German-speaking Jew born in Lemberg in 1909. Before August 1914, Lemburg was a city in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. And most people spoke Polish Now, it is known as Lvov - a so-called "Ukrainian" city - when in fact it was once part - before 1914 - of the Austrian Hungarian Empire. ===== Lvov? Most places nowadays that were part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, they/re tourist destinations. Krakow, yes. Lublin, no.