August1991

In Canada, provinces decide how children are taught. Should the federal government get involved?

IMHO, Europeans kill each other after a few generations. The period of 1914-1945 was typical. Like 1789-1815. Thirty Years War: 1618-1648.

We in Canada have a structure of peace. Catholics, Protestants. We have avoided civil war. ==== We get along.

Misses point. ==== We Canadians get along. We are like Europe in 1910 or so.

The Nixon/Kissinger world-view was like Trudeau Snr: counterweights. The Reagan world-view was: "We win, you lose." Prior to 1989, we in the West confronted an ideological enemy. Reagan was correct. He won. ==== Now, we in the West confront a multi-polar world. For peace, we must think like Kissinger/Nixon/Trudeau.

And yet, French Canadians get along with English Canadians - Catholics with Protestants. Albertans get along with Quebecers. ===== I reckon that Poilievre will get elected on this point alone: he makes us get along.

We Canadians get along. Unlike Americans, we have never had a civil war. Unlike the Swedes, we get involved. Unlike the Austrian-Hungarians, we have a functioning bilingual federal state. Unlike the Chinese and Japanese, we welcome foreigners. Unlike the Russians/Bulgarians, we have never been occupied. Huh? French Canada has survived.

I want to add this key point: Bill Clinton and George Bush Jnr travel with a diplomatic red passport. Elon Musk and Bill Gates travel with a standard blue passport. ==== Macron and Putin have no passport. Like King George III. Sign my own passport?

Justin Trudeau does not go to the dentist the same way you do. Heck, Sophie and Hadrien don't either. ==== Years ago, I once lived in this crazy Ottawa world. I can only imagine what it is now. Washington DC is a universe beyond my thinking.

When I go public, it occurs to me that the practioner is forced to provide a service. When I pay private, the people are happy to provide the service. === Of course, they always ask if I have private insurance. Ordinary Canadians are clueless of the health care system for people in Ottawa.

IMHO, every discussion of State Health Care becomes a discussion of Life, existence. ==== For old people, we are discussing why they exist.

I live in Quebec. I have a choice (sometimes costly). For some health care, I choose to go private - short waiting time. But the public hospital offers better after-care.

This federal dental plan has hurt Trudeau Jnr. Most Canadians know that PEI is not like Alberta.

IME, Male Newfoundlanders are no different from Icelanders. Crazy risk-takers. Female Quebecers are the wise of the bunch. ==== All three: Island people.

John Sewell, David Crombie. Denis Coderre, Gerald Tremblay. I have many thoughts about local, urban politics.

Jake Sullivan born 1978, in Vermont, Catholic Henry Kissinger born 1923, in Germany, Jewish. America is a remarkable country.

You Americans are now so self-centred that you don't know what your Constitution is.

Dentures? Dental care? Should a federal government - federal bureaucrats - decide dental care? ==== Canada is a federal State for good reason.

Of course, there's Vonnegut - a guy who lived through the Dresden bombing: “That's one thing Earthlings might learn to do, if they tried hard enough: Ignore the awful times and concentrate on the good ones.” Slaughter House Five

We are some 8 billion on this planet. Everyone has a story. Move on. === Years ago, I read China To Me. A woman, Emily Hahn, wrote about rape in Hong Kong.

Men often lose head hair with age. A woman's breast size does not change.

Whatever. I wonder about something else: How to go from fame/celebrity/15 minutes - to zero.

Once upon a time, there was the CCF: I recall David Lewis' slogan: "Corporate Welfare Bums".

The NDP under Broadbent/Layton had a broader view of Canada. Heck. Rae defeated Clark.