To begin with, it is reassuring to see how thorough our province has been during the covid-19 pandemic from day 1. All in all, well done. Thank you!
Well, this evening, Bambi got a personal proof of our seriousness, as a province, when it comes to public health. Why is she saying so? Because a competent and kind RCMP police officer knocked on their door to check if her spouse was in quarantine. As Bambi told him: “Merci Monsieur le policier”/”Thank you Sir” for taking care of our public health and safety“.
Well, of course, her spouse has been at home since his return from a long trip abroad. Not only him actually. She has been quarantining with him to avoid introducing the virus (if any) to anyone in our town, province, and Maritime bubble.
One must also add here that usually her spouse gets from the airport in a minute or so (whist she waits for him in the car). This time, it took a MUCH longer time because of a screening interview. So, again, well-done.
Those who read this blog regularly may recall that Bambi has criticized Canada big time at the beginning of the pandemic for their delayed response at our airports and with many other issues, namely some bad decisions like getting rid of our emergency personal protective equipment (PPE), etc. This being said, our federal government managed to catch up over time (as mentioned in another post).
Today, according to Bambi, our federal government is doing a great job! The latter is the case, even with Canada’s choice of not performing mandatory testing to all travellers like in other countries, including New Zealand or… even tiny bankrupt, corrupt, and stateless Lebanon. Another proof of Canada’s great job is an email sent by the federal government to her spouse (in NB) and cousin (in Québec) to remind them to stay at home. Thanks for this follow-up.
To conclude this post, once again, bravo NB and well-done Canada. Despite our serious national issues, we remain a beautiful country/province to live in. Bambi is saying so, even without any comparison to other less fortunate places. So, imagine with a comparison :)! This being said, let’s always aim for the best.
Until the end of this pandemic (with a vaccine), we have all the reasons to be proud of our NB and of our good public health strategies. Bambi loves our province in both normal and in pandemic times (OK, she is saying so whilst being eager for our whole planet to get rid of covid-19 :)).
Bambi would like to thank Ms. Roula Douglas for sharing this inspiring and reassuring video from Beirut. Bravo to Basecamp for their incredible initiative (“the Real Government” indeed)!
In their own words…
” Not all heroes wear capes. A group of NGO’s and volunteers joined forces to achieve what the Lebanese government failed to do! “By the people, For the people”.
“Special thank you to the heroes: @minteshreen @muwatinlebnene @baytna_baytak @embrace_lebanon @toters_delivery (a leading Lebanese delivery app operating in the region) PS: The Real Government includes other NGO’s and groups who have done a fantastic job raising funds and helping after this disaster Location?Trainstation Mar Mkhael Honorable mentions @lebaneseredcross @shaabemasouleyati @offre.joie @sealforlebanon @impact.lebanon @caritas_lebanon @nationstation__ On Aug 4, a devastating explosion in Beirut killed more than 200 people, injured more than 7,000, and left 300,000 homeless. ❗Help us share and spread the words.#talkaboutlebanon ❗ #el3ama#beirut#prayforlebanon#prayforbeirut#basecamp#lebanon?? #lebanon @cnn @beckycnn @bbcnews @bbcarabic @aljazeeradocumentary @aljazeeraenglish @miakhalifa @cnnarabic”.
According to an article published in The 961, Lebanon’s tourism sector has been hit very hard, first by the economic collapse since October 17, 2019, the covid-19 pandemic since February 2020, and finally the nightmare of the Beirut Port explosion on August 4, 2020. The latter only made the industry lose an estimated US$1 billion, according to Mr. Tony Ramy, the President of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs, and Pastries (Carla, Bambi is thinking of you now… ). .
Mr. Ramy announced at a rally today that the tourism institutions decided to stop paying taxes to the government. They will not abide by the covid-19 current strict two-week lock down, as an act of civil disobedience.
As written in The 961 article above:
“One Lebanese company recently announced a similar act of defiance. Rather than paying taxes to the government, the Em Sherif restaurant, cafe, and sea café have been donating their tax money to NGOs helping Beirut.”
We also learn the following from this same article:
“The tourism sector is putting immense pressure on the county’s top civil servants to resign, echoing the demands of the October 17 Revolution.”
Upon Bambi’s return home from Beirut in early January, 2020, she watched an inspiring news documentary, featuring Mr. Tony Ramy speaking to the Lebanese Parliament. What a clever man. If those politicians had any conscience left then, he may have helped in awakening it, at least temporarily during his short speech. He shared with them the agony of this sector. Mr. Ramy was so clever. His words were straight to the point. They did not target anyone in particular yet they were directed at everyone. Bambi cannot recall his precise words but only the impact of his powerful message, especially that tourism is a key sector of the Lebanese economy.
Anyhow, if this man and his syndicate got to this point of civil disobedience in the spirit of the October 17’s revolution, in the middle of a pandemic and with his moderate attitude, it tells you something. Yes, It tells us how much the Lebanese people (including the creative and hard-working entrepreneurs) have been impacted by the surrealistic explosion, on top of all the other tragedies hitting their country.
As one of Bambi’s friends in Beirut put it today: “Make no mistake. I may sound alive to you and I am grateful…. but I am dead inside. We are all dead alive“…. Bambi can only imagine… her own heart literally exploded with Beirut’s explosion.
According to Naharnet, the Lebanese Caretaker Interior Minister warned against defying the lockdown due to increased coranavirus cases. However, from the picture and video above and according to AFP (as reported by Naharnet): some demonstrators held signs that read “Tourism is the pulse of Lebanon” and “For us, the state vanished with the blast.”
On this dramatic note, to conclude this post with more joyful news from Beirut, an injured lady woke up from her coma today, three weeks post-explosion. Thank Goodness… and thanks to journalist Roula Douglas for sharing.
When is the turn of Lebanon’s “top public servants” to wake up from their 30-long political coma? Perhaps it would be more accurate to call them “Lebanon’s top public corrupt torturers” instead. Sadly, they have literally killed both their constitution and their own people (with their criminal negligence)… after having stolen their savings. Of course, in the middle of all this, there is the covid-19 pandemic… There is also famine around the corner (hyperinflation and now costs of reparation, etc.). Is there also the ghost of a border conflict (tonight, worrisome incidents occurred)? Regardless, once again, whether in a conflict or in the Beirut port catastrophe, one must look in his/her own accountability mirror first before rushing to blame others, even enemies. Justice for the victims must be served and lessons learned to prevent similar catastrophes.
OK, the Conservative party has a new leader, it seems, after a LONG messy voting night. His name is Mr. O’Toole. Congratulations to him:
Mr. Yannick Lemay (published in the Journal de Québec on August 24, 2020)
Bambi was curious to see the reaction of Mr. Maxime Bernier (PPC) who ran against Mr. O’Toole and Mr. Scheer in the past. Mr. Scheer “cheated” in the past by drinking too much milk from Québec. As for Mr. O’Toole, he arrived third. Well, without being an expert voter of the Conservative party, Bambi wondered if the two men may consider an alliance ?. Well, obviously, this is not happening. Here the reaction of Mr. Maxime Bernier:
What was striking to her was how much the four
candidates seemed to want to be perceived as being on the same page. They kept
saying how much they agree with each other ?.
Bambi’s reading of all this is that they, along with the Liberals (at least
under Mr. Trudeau) all have the same common denominator: Political
correctness, this insanity of our times. Another fancy term for lack of
courage simply. In the end, perhaps “Mad Max” is not that off, after all.
Perhaps his apparent craziness is simply courage that we no longer see in
neither our public servants nor around us.
Anyhow, from the article above, we learn that at least two, if not three of the candidates, including the winner and Dr. Lewis (and Mr. MacKay) use the term “equality of outcomes”. For example, Dr. Lewis said verbatim: “Conservatives are uniquely placed to be the party that champions equality of outcomes for all Canadians” (in a question on another widespread obsession, at least in the mainstream media, called “systemic racism”).
It is odd how so-called Conservative politicians and lawyers, specifically, use the term “outcomes” instead of “opportunities”. No one can, or should, control (or aim/pretend to aim) to control societal or familial or educational outcomes. We provide equal opportunities to our kids, students, society members. This is what we should aspire for fairness. However, out of fairness as well, we should leave individuals in families, societies, institutions free to live their own journey, learning curve, and make their own choices. Some will succeed (hopefully all, with hard work). Others may fail and re-try. It is called learning in life. It is a healthy competition.
Sadly, we are observing a scary trend in our actual society where radical views are pushing us all toward more authoritarianism. Because this trend is a socialist trendy wave, no one questions it (we only obsess with the USA’s Mr. Trump). Those who do question excesses are dismissed or… “cancelled”, meaning censored. This is odd, in Bambi’s mind, because Canada is already a socialist country (under Mr. Trudeau, it is so in both an excessive and corrupt way). Why push for more authoritarianism than a flexible (thus, smart) socialism. A successful example may be New Zealand and its clever socialism. It could also be an example of smart capitalism, tailored to a country’s needs. Of course, too much abuses or interventions in either a capitalist or a socialist direction can backfire on a society. Bambi may be biased but between too much socialism (without critical sense) or some capitalism (i.e., free market, not wild, not corrupt, with genuine green concerns, neither virtue signalling nor suicide), she prefers a healthy capitalism. In her mind, the latter is based on merit. The latter is supposed to be free and thus fair for anyone/all.
In Bambi’s non-expert citizen opinion, an economy
moving forward is what is badly needed in recovering from a traumatizing
pandemic, not a so-called “green economy” as Trudeau/Freeland et al.
keep telling us. We just need our economy… and with it our country back.
Not in the sense that some scholars or rather
activists mean it. It is a whole functional country that is needed, not one part
against the other, not one group or tribe over the other (despite historic
abuses), not one community against the other… Unlike the Middle East or the USA
nowadays, please let’s unite and strengthen our beloved Canada.
Who cares who will be the next Prime Minister!? Let’s keep loving or let’s learn to re-love Canada, with or without Mr. Trudeau or Mr. O’Toole or whomever. This is what matters the most, more than heads of governments that will eventually come and go, even when we feel that they have lasted for too long.
« For years, Lebanon’s ruling political factions have divvied up positions at the port and handed them out to supporters — as they have ministries, public companies and other facilities nationwide».
February 21, 2014: This is the date of the first warning… That was six years ago! The apocalyptic explosion could have been prevented then. It could have been prevented later as well.
After reading this shocking yet not that surprising article, Bambi checked again on her loved ones (relatives and friends). Some had their stitches changed or removed. Others underwent their first or even second surgeries. A childhood friend walked her first few steps for the first time (just straight, no stairs yet, no shower yet). Yet others sadly lost their lives. She keeps thanking God because her immediate and extended family survived, despite their injuries, their hidden scars, and all the sad destruction of their homes, workplaces, and much needed hospitals.
Thankfully, generous people from within the country and from all over the world rushed to support Beirut citizens.
Thanks to everyone in Canada for their KIND thoughts, prayers, and/or donations.
Many thanks also to Minister François-Philippe Champagne who will be travelling soon all the way to Lebanon.
To end this post on a healing note, here is a beautiful message from Mika, the British singer who has Lebanese roots (see the short video at the end). He is raising funds for Lebanon through his “I love Beirut Concert“, https://www.gofundme.com/f/ilovebeirut).
Here is his earlier moving open letter to the “Lebanese People ‘Devastated by the Apocalypse‘” (as published in the Billboard two weeks ago):
It’s still early in the morning on the other side of the
Mediterranean and I feel so close and yet so far away from you. So close
to you, as you lie devastated by the apocalypse, I can’t stop staring,
transfixed, at the battered expressions of my brothers and sisters. In
their eyes, I sense their fright, their tears. I shudder as I see a
wounded person carried out through the rear window of an old car, a
young girl covered in blood in her father’s arms, shell-shocked
inhabitants running through streets littered with rubble, broken glass
and shattered buildings… So far away from you, haunted by the
desolation, I hear in my head the deafening noise of the two explosions
that haunted the residents of Beirut. The screams of the grieving
families and stunned victims merge in the middle of the night with the
screeching sirens of ambulances. I’ve also been told of the silence in
the early hours of this morning, of the smell of the smoking ruins.
Faced with this chaos, I recall a line from the Lebanese poet
Kahlil Gibran: “one can only reach dawn by taking the path of night.”
For some months now, you have once again been sinking into the path of
night. There are divisions, echoes of conflicts at your borders,
corruption, the powerlessness of your leaders, the monetary crisis which
has plunged your families into misery and then the surge of the
coronavirus epidemic. The carefree Lebanese nature, the answer to dramas
in the past, was replaced by anger and fear. I became more anxious each
passing day, as if my wounds, the roots which I’d left behind at the
age of only one and a half were finally catching up with me.
And then, suddenly, at 6:10pm on Tuesday, a tragic grey cloud rose up from your port, mowing down your exhausted people. The thick orange smoke drowned the skies of Beirut and replaced the distant memory, so often recounted by my mother, of the yellow light which bathed our fourth-floor, sea-facing apartment on the Corniche. I cannot but think of these two explosions as a symbol of a system which is shattering. The crash of bombs, wreaking death in streets still marked by the scars of war, cannot be unheard. The Lebanese Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, promises that the persons responsible will “be held accountable.” But those responsible for whom? For what? Those responsible for 30 years of agony which have turned the land of cedars into the land of ashes. It’s said that a catastrophe is a tragic outcome, the end of a series of misfortunes.
After darkness comes the dawn. I know your resilience, your strength and your solidarity, nurtured by your mix of cultures, by this special place you occupy, halfway between the Arab world and Europe. Tomorrow, you will rise up as you have always done before. Music will pour once again from your windows. People will dance on your terraces and perfumes will waft from your kitchens. I will be there.
“Sorry, but
“spectacle de merde” is the only way to translate “shit show”.
This is the adjective used by Michelle Kovacevic, Assistant Deputy Minister of Finance in Ottawa, to qualify WE Charity, in emails which show that the version of events told by Trudeau is a fabrication.
Suppose, dear reader, that you are among those who voted for Justin in 2015.
Anyone can be fooled.
You found him cute, refreshing, and you thought those who said bad things were nasty “separatists” or nasty conservatives.
Did you vote for him again in 2019? It’s already harder to defend.
Open bar
Now let’s bring the movie to this day.
Trudeau has been blamed twice for serious ethical faults: family vacations paid for by a friend of the regime and interference in a legal process.
His justice minister foolishly felt that criminal charges should be laid against SNC-Lavalin.
It was too much for Justin.
WE Charity will certainly earn him a third blame.
Worse, the RCMP are examining the contract he wanted to give the Kielburgers to keep paying his mother, brother, etc.
Not a good sign at all.
WE Charity, by the way, has finally just entered the Lobbyists Registry after 18 of its representatives contacted 19 federal agencies 65 times in 2019 and 2020.
Obviously, a scapegoat was needed.
Morneau could not be fired for ethical reasons: how could Justin pose as an example of probity?
So we make it up that Morneau was not spending enough to Justin’s taste!
Have you ever felt the slightest budgetary restraint at Morneau, which put us in debt even when the economy was doing well?
If that wasn’t enough to Justin’s taste yet, what does that tell us about his future intentions, do you think?
Its economic plan will be unveiled on September 23. As he has promised not to raise taxes, the new spending orgy will be made with borrowed money.
Justin, you see, thinks he hasn’t owed us enough debt yet.
And to avoid facing the grape-shot of the opposition parties, he is shutting down Parliament like a banana republic potentate.
The vote of confidence in Parliament will take place at the end of September. Each party does its calculations.
Broken like a beggar, the NDP could save Justin by letting themselves be bought for cheap.
Justin could throw [“garrocher” in French] a few billion in an NDP fad [“lubie” in French], like a pan-Canadian dental insurance program (oops, a provincial jurisdiction).
Principles
So, I come back to you, dear reader who voted for Justin in the past.
Between us, admit he had you good, eh?
But if you told me that you would vote for him again, then you have to explain.
Do you really, really want four more years of this shit show?
What do you have left as an argument? That you don’t like other people? Seriously…
What if we voted on principles? Justin doesn’t. You do.”
First, please let Bambi begin this post by stating the following: Journalist and author Roula Douglas is known for measuring each word she writes, whether on social media or in her published articles or novels. Regardless of the project, the end result is always an elegantly written and thoughtful message.
Bambi can only read Ms. Douglas’ tweets, as they are public. She is not on Facebook herself (yes, “voluntary dinosaurs” did not go extinct). Thus, she cannot enjoy Ms. Douglas’ Facebook posts. However, over the years, she keeps hearing positive feedback about her reflections from faithful readers in Canada, Lebanon, France, African countries, and beyond…). She hears this feedback from both strangers and close friends. Indeed, to many of us, Ms. Roula Douglas is a role model at many levels.
Today, Bambi would like to thank the journalist in her sister (and thank Twitter too) for allowing her to have access to the most recent information about Beirut and our world. She will translate to you her French tweets from the best of her capacity. Regardless of the language, the news are not only shocking but also deeply worrisome, as you can see for yourself…
First, you will see the tweets, than their translation or any additional comment.
Ms. Douglas wrote: “In Baabda (where I reside), members of the Municipality alerted the authorities to the risk of having a dangerous storage of explosives. Following these accusations of the Municipality President, the authorities interrogated her for 7 hours!”.
Bambi went to check the Facebook source above, which is an interview of this Municipal politician in Arabic. She was shocked to hear her say that two other dangerous sites exit in a Golf Club in the Southern suburb of Beirut, in addition to the Seaport (part # 12 that exploded). The Lebanese authorities, who spent 7 hours interrogating her, also tried to intimidate her by accusing her of serving the interests of the “Zionists”. Can you imagine? Just by raising the concerns of her citizens! Instead, they should do something about this and stop taking Lebanese people for idiots. They are the corrupt AND criminal idiots rather, not the population.
Ms. Roula Douglas wrote: “The authorities stopped the search every day at 6 PM—90 days before sunset”.
This lady broke Bambi’s heart ☹. She also feels angry to hear her story, in a courageous interview she gave to Al Jadid TV station. As she said, her son Ibrahim, was happy. He found a job at the port, paying him the equivalent of CAD$4.37 per hour. He went missing after the appocalyptic explosion. The Lebanese authorities stopped the search at 6 PM, each day (90 minutes before sunset). Not only that. It took them 4 days to find him. He may have been still alive. She added: The foreign medical rescuers found his body. Not even the Lebanese authorities. This did not prevent the latter from proceeding with his burial without his mother’s presence. Can you imagine more cruelty than that!?
Mr. Riad Salame is Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor. Check the message above in English about his overseas assets.
Ms. Roula Douglas wrote: “Just imagine Lebanon, for one second, a brief second only… Imagine if its officials and party leaders defended the interests of the people withthe same tenacity used by some supporters to defend the small interests of their leaders”.
Ms. Douglas wrote: “3 men were coldly killed yesterday, in their village of Kaftoun, by armed men riding a car without a license plate. Will we ever know the identity of those who assassinated them? Will they pay for their crime? Or, as usual, we sweep under the carpet”. After reading this shocking story, Bambi learned that two of the three victims are brothers. She knows their cousins ☹.
Ms. Douglas wrote: “This morning, whilst contemplating the Red Cross volunteers roaming the streets of Achrafieh [in Beirut], I realized that the Lebanese state pays a number of persons to do nothing whilst making many others work without paying them” .
L’Orient le Jour: “I will not renounce repeating it: It is the Lebanese and Syrian regimes that assassinated my father [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samir_Kassir]. It is them who used to follow him, for all to see, for years, who threatened him, even in our naive ears”.
Ms. Roula Douglas wrote: “With the acquittal of 3 of the 4 suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, and the absence of a “direct link” established between the attack and Syria or Hezbollah, the STL [Special Tribunal for Lebanon]’s verdict is far from being up to the expectations of the victims”.
Ms. Roula Douglas wrote: “Courage is to keep fighting when there is no more hope”, Chomsky. Courage is a decision. For those who have been torn from us, for us, for our children, let’s make the conscious choice, with determination but without naiveté, to be courageous”.
There is nothing more beautiful and moving than the words above. This will conclude this post. Be safe Roula et al… Et al. = not just your/our family but also the whole Lebanon that you care for deeply.
Like the Bloc Québécois , and unlike all the other federal parties, “the PPCdid not participate in the wage subsidy program“. Whether you agree with their respective ideas (platforms) or not, it tells you that these parties seem to be principled.
The article also talks about how this party manages its finances and salaries. Again, this seems quite reasonable to Bambi. If you see something she is missing in this article, please feel free to comment.
As far as Bambi is concerned, she had wished Lebanon had more financially reasonable political parties and politicians like Mr. Maxime Bernier… and, thankfully, like many of our decent public servants who exist across parties and at all levels of governance. Sadly, this is not the case in Beirut. Despite all the talents and skills in the population, the mafia-like political leaders (from the era of civil war) do not seem to show signs of reforms, even after the surrealistic tragedy of Beirut seaport!
After reading the above Die Welt article, Bambi watched a Lebanese MTV News documentary online (https://www.mtv.com.lb/en/#). It seems that more explosive chemicals were found on the site of the seaport explosion by both Lebanese and foreign experts: Ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphate in addition to tires, fireworks, car and bike engines, a lot of vegetable oil, and a LARGE amount of coffee. In addition to the latter, some items were not declared in official paperwork such as: Methanol, more ammonium nitrate (of another source than the above) and a large quantity of vegetable oil.
Some of these simple ingredients are suspected to be bomb-making material (e.g., the coffee, etc.), according to an expert guest on MTV.
Who is to blame for all this, besides Hezbollah? Who knew about the dangerous chemicals and shut their eyes to public danger? These individuals, whomever they are, are all partners in the crime.
Who should resign… AND walk straight to jail, after this criminal negligence?
Will Lebanon finally reform itself after the surrealistic
tragedy?!
So many questions… BUT, once again, no answers without an international (transparent and independent) investigation!
Until then, here are the latest SAD news from Beirut in pictures…
His name is Elias. He died at age 15 after having struggled to survive in the intensive care for two weeks. Bambi’s parents know his family/him. They are heart-broken, as you can imagine (they go to the same nearby church). What a beautiful picture taken from: https://www.imlebanon.org/2020/08/20/elias-khoury1/ .
There is nothing more heart-breaking than this picture ☹ (also taken from: https://www.imlebanon.org/2020/08/20/elias-khoury1/). Bambi’s heart goes to Elias’ family and friends. She is also sending her positive vibes/prayer to Father Justinianos whose own spouse is recovering from a second surgery (arm badly injured).
Another sad picture taken from: https://www.imlebanon.org/2020/08/20/elias-khoury1/. People are wearing white, not black, in order to honour Elias (as a youth or a young groom, so to speak), not as a dead young body, no (hence the white coffin)!
Elias’ classmates carrying his coffin. As his Jesus & Mary High School principal said it: “He graduated too soon”.
Mr. Alaa El Mohammad (31-year-old) escaped war in Syria. He thought he was safe in Beirut but he sadly lost his spouse (28-year-old). He drove her coffin to the border and returned to the hospital. Two of his three daughters are critically injured, if Bambi recalls this family’s story well. In this picture, he seems to be reading El Fatiha (a beautiful prayer). How will he find the strength to tell his daughters that they lost their mom, asks journalist Roula Douglas?
Good-bye day to Mr. Ghassan Hasrouty as well… May they both rest in peace!
Bambi posted the story of Ralph earlier (a son, a brother, a soccer fan, sadly one of Beirut’s first victims… and heroes!). Good-bye to him too.
Lebanon’s youth deserve a country that is better governed!
Indeed, this picture killed Bambi… “Bon courage” Karlen!
That was a beautiful gesture indeed!
Good bye Joe… and thank you!
Here is Ralph again… good-bye and many thanks!
This is Sahar with her fiancé. Sadly, we can also see him getting close to her coffin (perhaps trying to touch her for the last time). He is being carried on the shoulders of his loved ones, just like in a wedding (they were supposed to get married next year). As a reminder, Sahar was the courageous paramedic with the team of Beirut firefighters. Thanks to her too!
This last picture speaks for itself…
What a sad chapter of Lebanon’s history. May healing and hope prevail, day after day!
As for Mr. Pierre Poilievre, he keeps on impressing Bambi (interesting to listen to in both languages). Who knows? He may be one of our best Canadian politicians…
Once again, and obviously, Mr. Trudeau should resign. Actually, what is he still waiting for?
Mmm, after reading the above tweet, Bambi came to the following sarcastic conclusion, which was also made as a joke by a loved one: “It is not the police that should be defunded, it is rather the CBC” :). Seriously, Mr. Bernier is right on this one (other sarcastic words):
In all honesty, as a citizen, Bambi does not care if Ms. Freeland is a woman or not (mind you, she does not know about you, but she recalls well how/why our PM lost two highly competent women in his cabinet…). In Bambi’s mind, what matters the most is the qualities of integrity and competency, instead of sex or gender per se (or ethnolinguistic background, religion like in other countries, etc.). Competency could be refined on the job. As for integrity, you have to develop it by a certain age. In Bambi’s non-expert citizen’s opinion, independence of mind is perhaps the key quality here, as it is related to both integrity and competency.
As a reminder, Mr. Bernier was not re-elected. When you are authentic, you remain principled whether in power or not. Interestingly too, Mr. Poilievre is not running for the leadership of his party (too bad his own party leader drinks too much milk :)). Seriously, this may make them both more lucid in their own ways.
More seriously, as a classical liberal and as a former Liberal voter for most of her life, Bambi is very disappointed yet not surprised. After all, it is Mr. Trudeau’s third ethical conflict of interest, neither the first nor the second.
The current saga reminds Bambi of the old bad taste of a Liberal scandal that made her vote for the NDP, perhaps 16 years ago (i.e., the sponsorship scandal). All this is disgusting and it harms the reputation of other excellent Liberal Ministers, MPs, and their staff. Too bad!
Thankfully, as shared in another post, Bambi did not vote for Mr. Trudeau the second time. For her, once was more than enough. Thus, if our PM survives the WE charity scandal saga, she can comfort herself with her own lucidity. The latter can be even more comforting… in case of a fourth Trudeau’s conflict of interest :).
