Author: Bambi

In Canada, and elsewhere in the world, like in Germany, there seems to have been gaps in measles vaccination which have lead to repeated outbreaks of the disease (https://shorturl.at/0jOlI).

Measles in also called rubeola or “rougeole” in French. According to Mayo Clinic, this disease, which “was once a common childhood illness“, is “caused by a virus that spreads easily through the air and settles on surfaces. A vaccine can prevent measles infection” (https://shorturl.at/YveqP).

Bambi got curious about this outbreak currently observed in her province of New Brunswick, she googled information from the other Canadian provinces/territories. She started with Québec, of course in the French language. However, after reading the latter, she immediately searched the English translation. No, it was not because of medical information, but of rather the odd linguistics: in Québec, women do not exist at all on the government website when it comes to measles. Indeed, they are called “personnes enceintes”. Mmm, how did Québec bureaucrats translate this in English, she wondered. Yes, as you could guess, it is “pregnant people” (https://shorturl.at/lE3eK).

Well, for those who do not know it, Bambi had been pregnant—and miscarried—three times in her life. In all those short yet significant periods in her lifetime, she was a “pregnant woman”. Indeed, she was NOT a pregnant person or individual.

As Québec-based journalist Sophie Durocher argued well, the new language that excludes the word “women” is meant to erase the specificity of women from the public space. Indeed, Ms. Durocher denounced this trend in her book entitled “Où sont les femmes? L’effacement du féminin dans l’espace public” [in English, “Where Are the Women? The Erasure of the Feminine in Public Space“] (https://shorturl.at/STtt5).

The above being said, let Bambi share with you the rest of the results of her quick Google search. In summary, it seems that women still exist in some ministries of heath, but not others and in one of our official languages, but not the other.

Indeed, although the English chosen word is mainly “people” and at times “individuals”, the French translation sometimes still includes the word “women” like in PEI as well as in Nunavut where pregnancy is experienced by “women” in French and “individuals” in English (https://shorturl.at/B452a). Interestingly, it is experienced by the “mères enceintes” [meaning “pregnant mothers”] in Newfoundland and Labrador (https://shorturl.at/bxkBm).

Clearly for the Saskatchewan (https://shorturl.at/d39Zl), Ontario (in both English and French; https://shorturl.at/KB6FU), NB (in both official languages, https://shorturl.at/wl3Te), Yukon (in both English and French, https://tinyurl.com/z8xkcv7n), and the English only NS (https://tinyurl.com/bdzdnnej as well as BC (https://tinyurl.com/2xd78he7) governmental websites use the term “pregnant people”.

Of note, the Alberta government website, and not just the information about measles, is translated into 16 languages, including English and French. In English, although the term “individuals” is used, it seems to be accurate English grammar and also describes other categories of individuals at risk. In other terms, it does not seem to be meant as being “pregnant individuals” (https://shorturl.at/U7R3U). To confirm this, Bambi double-checked other governmental sources.

Last but not least, and thank Goodness, the woke jargon does not seem to have reached Manitoba (https://shorturl.at/Gc60z), in English as well as French, and the Northwest Territories yet. Indeed, there the English only government website still uses the term “pregnant women”. Thanks to these Canadian province and territory!

To conclude this post, perhaps you are a reader who happens to be a mother and/or a daughter, how do you feel about not being publicly called a woman anymore? Does it bother you or you do not care? Do you feel kinder or more welcoming/inclusive toward a very tiny minority of trans men (who kept their uterus!) and thus delivered? Bambi cannot help not to think of Mr. Rafi Daugherty, from Denver, USA. Proudly, in 2016, he expressed the following after the birth of his child: “I am a single transgender man having my first baby,” it read. “I use he/him/his pronouns and will be called ‘Abba’ (Hebrew for father) by the baby. Papa, Dad, Daddy, Father…are also ok.” Congrats/Mazel Tov to him again and to his now 9-year-old child (https://tinyurl.com/4craw4jv)! Although Bambi hopes they are leading a happy life, she still prefers to be called “woman” by her government!

Bambi does not understand what triggered the latest horror of sectarian violence in Syria (https://shorturl.at/oO0fb). She is not an expert of armed strife among groups or of airplane strikes by a third party to either protect a nearby territory and/or group. She just knows that she is sad to read about the volatile Middle East.

No one should be the target of violence. Everyone deserves to live peacefully while being treated with dignity and love, including the residents of Suwayda city. Same for all their fellow Syrians living elsewhere.

This being said, and if she may, she will now offer Mr. Nicola Ciconne’s song “Nous serons six milliards” [We Will Be Six Billion] to the Syrian people and to all the populations of the troubled Middle East. The lyrics of this meaningful song, taken from one of her older posts, appear below following the song…

“They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To want love

Be the greatest of the gods

They say we are crazy

That we do blasphemy

But we stay standing

We never believe them

They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To see that all these wars

Only serve heinous acts

They say we are cowardly

That they will put chains on us

But despite all their rages

We choose peace

Of course there are days

Where we lose heart

Of course there are days

Where we shipwreck

But despite all these days

Despite all these outrages

We believe that one day

That one fine day

They are more than six billion

And we are only two

To believe that all men

Have the right to be happy

They say we are deaf

That hell is on earth

But despite their insults

We believe in tomorrow

Of course there are days

Where we lose heart

Of course there are days

Where we shipwreck

But despite all these days

Despite all these outrages

We believe that one day

That one fine day

We will be six billion

And they will be nothing

We will unite our dreams

Our joys and our paths

We will go without detours

Rediscover the light

We will be six billion

And they will be nothing

Nothing“.

While the Québec flag was at half-mast outside of the Québec National Assembly, Mr. Serge Fiori’s national funeral took place at the Place-des-Arts in Montreal in collaboration with his family.

The ceremony consisted of a very beautiful 1.5-hour-long musical tribute, prepared in nine days only, filled with LOVE, talent, and deeply moving moments. Bambi took the time to follow it live on YouTube. She had tears in her eyes at several key moments while listening to Mr. Fiori’s close friends who honoured him. A particularly moving moment was when family members placed his ashes in the middle of the stage, next to his guitar. They also placed seven candles on stage. Bambi enjoyed each performance of Mr. Fiori’s peers, especially at the end of the ceremony when the audience stood up and everyone sang together “On a mis quelqu’un au monde, on devrait peut-être l’écouter“. Of note, Ms. Céline Dion participated in this touching moment by video.

Interestingly, Mr. Fiori had a great sense of humour and he was generous. For instance, he used to play the guitar on his balcony for pedestrians who stopped on the street to greet him. Another cute moment took place in Chicoutimi where Mr. Michel Barrette happened to be the only person in the audience during the rehearsal of a night show with Fiori’s group Harmonium. Mr. Barrette, in his early twenties then, got excited after the first song ended. When he applauded, Mr. Fiori asked him about his name. He kindly invited him to the show and to the lodge to have a beer with his group after the show. Wow! Thirty years later, they bumped into each other. They recalled the incident with humour and later even became friends.

As Mr. François Legault phrased it, Mr. Serge Fiori was “a musical genius” who made Québeckers proud. Indeed, what a highly talented and patriotic artist. What a loving man, human being, mentor (father!), and friend to so many Québeckers across generations.

Of note, Canadian politicians at all levels of government—federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal (federalists and sovereignists)— came together to pay tribute to Québec beloved “musical genius”, including his close friend Mr. Régis LaBaume. A federal politician, Mr. Pablo Rodriguez, told a reporter that he used to play his songs on his guitar. Mr. Serge Fiori unified everyone with his great music and beautiful lyrics. May his soul rest in peace. May his memory in heaven be as eternal as his phenomenal legacy on earth.

Coincidentally on July 13— the 19th anniversary of the 2006 July war— Bambi read in the L’Orient Le Jour that Mr. Mahmoud Comati, Vice President of Hezbollah’s Political Council, stated the following: “If Hezbollah hands over its weapons, bye-bye to Lebanon’s sovereignty” (https://tinyurl.com/244w3uw4).

Keeping the above in mind, let’s put Hezbollah’s statement aside for now to examine the definition of the word “sovereignty”. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, “sovereignty is an abstract legal concept. It also has non-legal (political, social and economic) implications. In strictly legal terms, it describes the supreme power or authority of the state. It represents the highest source of the law” (https://tinyurl.com/4vvdty7s). Of note, this definition recognizes that “this strictly legal meaning is different from more popular usages (https://tinyurl.com/4vvdty7s).

Legal or popular, the fact is that Hezbollah’s weapons, and especially the decision to use them on the 8th of October, 2023 brought a foreign, hostile country back to Lebanon. This is making Bambi think of a sarcastic yet accurate comment made by Dr. Saleh El Machnouk where he stated that in Lebanon, where things are upside down compared to other countries, it is the resistance that brought the (latest) occupation, not vice versa. Whether we like Hezbollah or not, hate Israel or not, the last statement is sadly filled with truth. Of course, according to Hezbollah, the latter was supporting the Palestinian cause/innocent Gazans. In Bambi’s non-expert, humble, opinion it was to support Hamas rather, or indirectly Iran’s influence in Gaza.

Similarly, we observe the same pattern back in 2006 when the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, along the border, dragged the country into a cruel war. So, how do Hezbollah’s weapons ensure Lebanon’s sovereignty then?

Related to the above, some may be tempted to wonder what came first, the chicken or the egg? Regardless of any order, there is no sovereignty when a force in a country has illegal weapons that are sponsored by a foreign country for its own interests. In other terms, if Hezbollah still wants to remain committed to acting as Iran’s proxy, “bye-bye” to Lebanon’s sovereignty and safety.

It is often said that we die as we lived. This can mean that we experience death in the same way we have experienced life. In other terms, how we chose to live (our decisions, actions, choices, etc.) can influence how we die (final stages of life or even last moments of life).

Of course, sayings offer some insights or wisdom, but one must avoid generalizations, clichés, and misguided or harsh judgment. To give a concrete example, perhaps someone who has lived with a large family (e.g. 12 kids!) can expect to have at least half of them being present and caring throughout life until the last breath. But, how about if those 12 ends up being all narcissistic (yes, a nightmare!). What if they literally ignore/silence their parents, disrespect them, or exploit them? OK the example is too extreme, thank Goodness, but it scores the point mentioned earlier. This being said, Bambi’s heart goes to any parent or any child going through something similar.

Let’s put death aside, and wonder now what about how we live and whom we deeply are? Are we living with authenticity with our way of being, style of living, actions, behaviours, how we treat others and expect to be treated are harmoniously aligned? In other terms, to what extent does our life match our personality?

As well explained by psychologist George Simon, in his book “Character Disturbances” (2011), the term “personality”—different from character—originates from the Latin word “persona”, which literally means “mask”. Indeed, as he reminds us well, classical psychology theories borrowed the term “persona” (from ancient theatre where male actors used masks to play all roles, including those of female characters. Those theories “conceptualize all individuals as struggling with fears of various kinds, especially fears of social rejection, condemnation, or abandonment” (Simon, 2011).

Bearing the above in mind, how do we manage our needs and emotions? What personality styles do we have and defences do we use, consciously or not, to deal with threats to our needs or to “hostility” in the world (Simon, 2011)? How can we learn to be, or remain, real or authentic, with all this? Perhaps elements of the answers to these questions reside in our capacity for self-reflection and in the courage to embrace our vulnerability (which is a strength in life)?

Perhaps related to the above, do we project inner chaos on others? Do we fear conflicts and escape accountability? Or are we courageous to set boundaries—invisible psychological lines meant to protect our integrity and well-being— to remain true to ourselves and especially to our self-respect? These boundaries are precious because they guide us in interacting with others and remind us of what behaviours to tolerate or not. Ideally, we want to treat others as we would like to be treated and vice versa.

To conclude this post and link it to its title, to what extent does your life currently look like you? Does it match your core values and psychological boundaries? Are the latter flexible or diplomatic and firm, as needed? Or are they too rigid because of much self-defence, even without a threat or hostility by others? Perhaps you find Bambi too philosophical today ahead a long drive :)? Regardless, she hopes you learned something from her questions. Enjoy your day, weekend, and/or vacations, if any. Protect your boundaries and have fun. Both summers and life in general are too short!

In life, there will always be troubles or toxic situations, and thus lessons to be learned, for those of us who want to gain more emotional maturity, grow, and keep moving forward.

Going through, ultimately overcoming, troubles helps us become wiser.

Becoming wiser improves our decision-making and thus our inner peace and happiness.

Of course, not all troubles are the same and people differ in how they respond to troubles or conflicts. In some troubles, we might at times feel stuck or discouraged. At other times, we gain more lucidity. To do so, we must first be willing to face the difficulties, challenge ourselves, and change our mindset (https://shorturl.at/WkQPw). It is precisely the cognitive process of thinking differently that helps us shift our perspective, ultimately reinforcing our decision making (https://shorturl.at/WkQPw).

Thankfully, wherever we may find ourselves in the coping process with troubles—denying, surviving, or thriving—music can support us in/after adversity or make us feel lighter.

What type of music or song makes your reflect on life? How does it make you feel?

Yesterday night before going to sleep, Bambi read in L’Orient Today that Mr. Naim Qassem said “”I declare, on behalf of Hezbollah, that we are ready for either of the two choices before us,” the group’s leader said during a speech on Sunday. “For peace, the building of a state and cooperation in favor of development and stability, as well as for confrontation and combat” (https://shorturl.at/4UFUn).

To begin with, Bambi is neither a political nor a military expert. Additionally, morally and psychologically speaking, it is hard for any militia to take a hard hit like Hezbollah did. Bambi gets it. However, can’t Mr. Qassem make up his mind in a clearer way? His fellow Lebanese citizens deserve clarity when it comes to the overdue need to disarm. So they can all live in safety, maintain what is left of their sanity, and give Lebanon a chance for both sovereignty and peace.

Bearing the above in mind, one of the titles of the Times of Israel that Bambi read this morning was the following: “Netanyahu: Israel wants ceasefire deal, but will still ‘finish the job in Gaza’” (https://shorturl.at/edV4v). From this statement, and the text of the article, she can guess, between the lines, that Mr. Netanyahu’s inner wish is to get rid of Hamas, but why the hypocrisy? And when will this destructive, absurd cycle of violence finally end?

All this being said, Bambi does not know with which words to end this post. She wishes the entire world, including the troubled Middle East (especially her birth country), peace. As for you dear readers, her wish for you is peace of mind. May your children (if any) and “children from all countries” “sow love and give life“, as per Mr. Enrico Macias’ eternal song.

Great summer songs instantly make us want to sing and dance while feeling light. They may be ideal at the beach or when celebrating love during a wedding. They could make us dance at parties or by ourselves when cleaning houses. Songs evoking the summer could help us enjoy vacation or dream of sunshine while driving in the rain. Regardless of the context, bravo to Mr. Kendji Girac for his uplifting version of an older famous hit, “Maria” by Mr. Ricky Martin (https://shorturl.at/KcsQz)!

First, what happened in Ottawa? A solicitor for the City of Ottawa vandalized Canada’s National Holocaust Monument (https://shorturl.at/CeOmw) in June, 2025. His act of vandalism was supposedly in reference to Gaza because it included the words “FEED ME”, which were red painted, alongside huge paint splashes.

To begin with and to be clear, it is highly disturbing that a lawyer would resort to such unacceptable act of vandalism to a place of remembrance in Canada. The latter is highly significant, not just for the Jewish Canadian community, but for each one of us directly or indirectly for humanitarian reasons.

Regardless of the motivation, why would a lawyer resort to vandalism? Is is worth it to be “accused of mischief to a war memorial, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct” (https://shorturl.at/WzpUU)? And, in the grand scheme of things, how does this act serve the cause of the Gazans or ease their suffering?

Thankfully, our country has very old human rights organizations like B’nai Brith Canada with “roots stretching back to 1875“. Indeed, the latter is “Canadian Jewry’s most senior charitable service organization and is the national independent voice speaking out on behalf of grassroots Jewish Canadians” (https://shorturl.at/cHriZ). Bambi likes its stated values of “non-religious organization governed by the traditional Jewish precepts of: Justice, Compassion, Benevolence” (https://shorturl.at/cHriZ).

Given the above, it is the least for B’nai Brith Canada to decry this unacceptable act of vandalism. Bravo and thanks for doing so. However, why is it also urging “lawmakers to mandate antisemitism training for civil servants at all levels” (https://shorturl.at/0rZOG)?

Mandatory antisemitism training, or any other training like the ones on diversity, equity, and inclusion, can contribute to create an increasingly authoritarian bureaucracy. Indeed, human beings, including government employees, tend to reluctantly attend mandatory sessions, especially when the sessions go into a space of infantilization or of guilt, as well argued by Dr. Joseph Facal in the Journal de Montréal two years ago (https://shorturl.at/3v00x).

As an alternative, wouldn’t it be more productive to hold optional roundtable discussions where participants can exchange ideas on the rising antisemitsm? And how about related topics like the promotion of a culture of peace? People usually like it when they feel engaged in a solution-finding process. They will be more empowered and perhaps more likely to embrace, instead of resist, change.

In addition to the above, those responsible for the hiring process must be strategic, and wise, when it comes to selecting, or later managing, public servants who may be too blinded by their own sense of righteousness. Nurturing a continuous sense of professionalism in the workplace may be a good place to focus on to try to counter any excesses of righteousness. Who knows? At least in the workplace, maybe this can contribute to prevent “antisemitism, racism, or any other hatred in all its forms“, to use the words in the mission of B’nai Brith Canada ( (https://shorturl.at/cHriZ).

Yes, it is this time of the year again.

Happy US Independence Day dear relatives, friends, and readers.

May you all be safe and have lots of fun.