The video in the link above shows the words of Mr. Don Cherry. Because of his direct yet factual words (his usual style of speech!), he was fired by Sportsnet, which is owned by Rogers Telecommunication.
Is this a joke or what?
Are Torontonians born abroad that easily triggered? Bambi highly doubts it.
She knows what she is talking about since she is an immigrant herself who happens to have lived in Toronto for several years.
Her friends from all sorts of immigrant backgrounds also do not feel triggered by such comments.
On the contrary, the more they hear stories like that the more turned off they become by our collective insanity (or stupidity?) called political correctness.
Mr. Don Cherry has said similar, or maybe worse, matters about French-Canadians or about Québec athletes representing Canada. No one felt triggered to the point of asking for his resignation. Although some may have not been amused by his comments back then, everyone understood that this was his style of speech.
So what? Why should we wear kid gloves when talking to each other? Why should we put this or that group on a pedestal? This can backfire on us, despite any (apparently) noble intention.
Another possibility may be that Sportsnet may have wished to see him retire. Thus, this incident was the ideal excuse to push him towards this stage of his life.
Bambi feels sorry for him for the public disrespect.
Sackville Memorial Park, a picture taken by Bambi on November 11, 2019
Lest
we forget
“In
Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between
the crosses, row on row…”
They will not be forgotten. May their memory be eternal.
Regardless of their mission or era, these men and women may have been our grand-parents, parents, children, or even grand-children. They may also be unknown soldiers yet with a story that hits home.
These soldiers may have helped or could help in future conflicts, in ice storms, or in severe flooding.
Bambi remembers our Armed Forces’ supportive missions in Québec in both 1990 (Oka crisis) and 1998 (Montréal ice storm).
More recently, she has also watched in the news how our army has helped during floods; closer to home and, once again, in Montréal.
Often, when Bambi takes a cab, she finds herself saying thank you to this or that driver from the Maritimes who has served in his youth not too far from where she was born and raised (e.g., Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, etc.).
These may be the lucky veterans who came back alive. Good
for them and their families.
Veterans in our society
Sadly, some veterans come back from war with sad memories
and/or awful injuries, both physically and morally.
Our society has been losing its reference points lately.
However today, Sackville proved this wrong.
As a community, Sackville demonstrated its wisdom, once again. Bambi is referring to the Sackville Memorial Park saga.
Our town took the time to pause and reflect, to be thankful, and to aspire for a more peaceful world.
Thank you to all those who made today possible.
The silent majority in Sackville was massively present at today’s sober ceremony. It was everything but silent today. Its presence spoke volumes not only about its values but also about its generational gratitude.
Speakers knew how to pay tribute whilst being spiritual.
Words and silent moments served as educational reminders to those who may have forgotten the meaning of Remembrance Day, all about the end of war. In other terms, this day is about death/life… and peace (“war is a last resort”, as it was well said today).
A special thanks to our Canadian Armed Forces (i.e., 8th Canadian Hussars) who showed up despite the saga mentioned above.
A moving song from the first part of the ceremony of Remembrance Day, 2019
Bambi’s personal reflections
During the first part of the ceremony, Bambi couldn’t help
not to have a thought (and a prayer in her heart) for Lebanon/the Lebanese Army
as well. She also appreciates their sacrifices and peacekeeping efforts, especially
during tough times there.
Clearly in Bambi’s mind, without the sacrifices of our veterans, neither us Canadians nor other populations around the world (e.g., Lebanon) would be able to freely express their thoughts and frustrations.
As well said today by the speaker/moderator in the Sackville Memorial Park, “Remembrance Day is not about glorifying war. It is about thanking our veterans who chose to serve. Their sacrifices stopped the tyranny so we can enjoy democracy today”.
We honour our veterans because we do not take our peace, our democracy, and even our civilization for granted.
When war has been part of the first 15 years of our life, we sadly know the absurd meaning of civil armed conflicts. We also know how to cherish peace.
For this, Bambi says: Thank you Canada (not just today but every day)!
Beyond Sackville
Bambi hopes that we will know how to remain proud
Canadians in a world (global or inner) that, slowly but surely, seems to be
pushing us toward less common sense, less respect for ourselves, for our heritage
and history, as well as for less humanity (ironically in the name of humanity
and morality).
May peace and democracy always prevail in our hearts, minds, and in our society… not just in Sackville but across our beautiful Canada and in the world.
According to Naharnet (November 11, 2019), the FedSLEB statement goes as follows:
“Last
week, the banking sector witnessed unstable situation that led to unacceptable
working conditions. Colleagues were subjected to insults and even assaults by
depositors, whom we fully understand their concerns. In addition, chaos in a
number of bank branches led to a state of confusion, anxiety and fear among colleagues
who continued to carry out their professional duties despite these stressful
conditions psychologically and even physically.
The
Federation received many requests from colleagues demanding its intervention to
carry out its duties to defend the safety of bankers.
The
Federation announces a general strike and calls on colleagues to stop work from
Tuesday morning on November 12, 2019 until calm returns to the general
conditions needed by the banking sector to resume normal business”.
Thanks to the World Lebanese Cultural Union-Toronto Chapter, Torontonians of Lebanese origins walked today under the rain to support the Lebanese population rising up against a corrupt political system.
Below are some pictures taken from the public Facebook of the association:
Bambi will translate from
French to English as follows:
“They are in
their early twenties, studying political science, engineering or physiology,
and have been living in Montreal for three or four years.
However, in
recent weeks, Albert Mouawad, Hala Zeidan and Joe Abu Malhab have their hearts
and their heads turned to their homeland: Lebanon.
A country that, they hope, is freeing itself from its denominational straightjackets.
As the world celebrates the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the three Montrealers are rolling their sleeves to destroy the walls that have divided the Lebanese for three decades. These are not physical walls made of concrete or brick, but well-established barriers in the political system inherited from the civil war that tore Lebanon from 1975 to 1990. Well established, too, in the minds.
“When the Berlin Wall was shot down, it was the symbol of the union between the two Germanies. We, our generation, are tired of the walls and problems of the previous generation, the one that made the civil war in Lebanon and divided us, “said Albert Mouawad.
These young adults are also tired of a corrupt political caste that siphon Lebanon’s resources without worrying about driving the country out of business.
Ivory tower
We met these three students yesterday in a café in Old Montreal, along with Lamia Charlebois, a public relations consultant, and Aref Salem, councilor in Saint-Laurent, two Lebanese living in Quebec for decades. These three students are part of a nucleus of young Libano-Quebecers who, from a distance, try to lend a helping hand to the revolt of their compatriots.
By demonstrating, of course, but also by spreading information on the protest movement that has shaken Lebanon since October 17th.
The tax increase on the WhatsApp application decreed that day was only the last straw that has spilled over the anger of the Lebanese, they say. A symbolically heavy drop of water: telephone calls cost a fortune in Lebanon. WhatsApp is the only way to escape these fees. By raising this tariff, while the Lebanese are pulling their hair to be able pay the bills for the deficient infrastructure, the leaders showed how isolated they were in their ivory tower. How much they were cut off from people’s daily concerns.
And when all three students talk about their leaders, they have in mind all the political parties, which they also consider inadequate and corrupt.
Sharing the cake
“In appearance, political parties hate each other, but they get along well to share the cake,” denounces Hala Zeidan.
It should be noted that since the end of the civil war, Lebanese democracy has been following the lines of religious divides with ministerial seats and portfolios granted to each of the major denominations – Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims – who have been torn apart for 15 years. years.
As a result, there is no real political opposition in Lebanon, no counter-powers either, deplored Joe Abu Malhab.
Hala is a Shiite Muslim, Joe and Albert are Maronite Christians, but all three want to liberate their country from the straitjacket of religious cleavages.
“I have long believed that since I am Maronite, I could only vote for a Christian party, but why could I not vote for a Muslim?”, said Joe Abu Malhab.
Furthermore, he lamented that the political parties competing for Christian voters “all come from the civil war”.
All Lebanese political parties have “blood on their hands,” said Hala Zeidan and Albert Mouawad. “We have to take the denominational system out of people’s heads,” he pleaded. Before adding that those who now lead Lebanon “are the icons of civil war, or their sons, or their sons-in-law”.
“Political parties all have blood on their hands; I do not want any parties associated with the war, these parties do not represent me, “adds Hala Zeidan.
The specter of civil war still hangs over Lebanon, but the youngest, those born many years after the end of the civil conflict, escape fear.
“Politicians always remind us of the war to threaten us, but we have not known that time and, for the first time, the Lebanese are united, they are not afraid”.
And now what?
It took just 13 days of protests to force the country’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, to leave his post on October 30. This is just the beginning, say the protesters, who want the departure of all their political system.
But where to go from there? Is there not a danger of skidding out of control? Is this popular revolt movement without a leader at risk of being diverted from its momentum?
“What the people want is very clear,” says Albert Mouawad before listing the major demands of the protesters. The resignation of the entire government, the appointment of a government of experts, the adoption of a new electoral law that sets aside the confessional lines, new elections.
There are three walls to cut down, says Lamia Charlebois: the wall of confessions, the wall of political parties, and the wall of corruption.
Faced with this triple challenge, Lebanese students are not completely protected from their own fears. For instance, they are a bit afraid of the weapons of Hezbollah, the party and armed Shiite movement that militarily controls part of Lebanon.
However, first and foremost, they are filled with optimism. They also feel that the wind of history is blowing on their side. Furthermore, they feel that the walls that have marked all their life could disappear soon”.
Lebanon’s revolt is as “green” as it can get in the circumstances
Above is a documentary by AFP 24 on Beirut protestors’ environmental concerns.
Bambi thinks that Ms. Elizabeth May and our local MLA Megan Mitton would be proud of them.
Sadly, things are getting tougher and tougher on the population. Banks are restricting daily withdrawal of funds. Hospitals are threatening to refuse patients on Friday over a dollar shortage impeding medical imports.
An estimated number of 600 students walked out of the high school of Bambi’s niece in Beirut. Add to this number (from just one high school) all the other students from across the country, yesterday and again today.
Indeed, according to Naharnet Newsdesk (3 hours ago): “Waving Lebanese flags, students and high school pupils massed in front of the education ministry in Beirut to voice their grievances against a political class seen as corrupt and incompetent.
“I challenge any politician or official to send their children to state schools,” one pupil told a local television channel”.
“The economy is in trouble, there is no work, how will we survive in the future?.”
End of the quote from Naharnet.
Let’s also add to the student numbers above, all the continuous daily demonstrations over three weeks now, including a massive women-led protest in Beirut yesterday night, candles in their hands (see the video below, AFP news).
Let’s also not forget the 1-2 (maybe more now?) millions of people who have walked (and re-waked!)/danced (and re-danced) on the streets, since Day 1 of this revolution.
Some blocked roads. Some slept on streets to block them. Some used plants and flowers to block them :). Yet others got more upset and burned tires, especially at the beginning of the uprising.
In addition to all this, there is of course the support from the Lebanese diaspora in their adoptive countries, across the world.
The other day, The Moncton Lebanese Association showed its support (in addition to all the supportive walks in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, etc.).
This coming Saturday, Toronto will walk in solidarity with the Lebanese people who are rising up against corruption. A big thanks to the “World Lebanese Cultural Union- Toronto Chapter“. Peacefully. United under the Lebanese and Canadian flags only.
To come back to Beirut, “is there anything more peaceful and hopeful than a burning candle”, as one protester said in the video below (sub-titled in French)?
So why are the Lebanese political leaders not listening to the population’s demands and aspirations? Why are they so disconnected from their people to that ridiculous extent?
Yesterday night, protesters sat in circles on the streets with candles. Some chanted “revolution”, some prayed for Lebanon. All sang the Lebanese anthem (with its new feminist version— men AND women all for you Lebanon!).
The people of Lebanon simply want a shift in governance: From corruption to accountability, from the “logic” of endless regional conflicts to a mindset of a real rule of law.
No one wants wars or fights. People want both economy and peace, which usually go hand in hand.
Ironically today, both peace and the economy are in danger of collapsing whilst having a historic chance of a “real” change, thanks to the inspiring winds of hope from Lebanon’s uprising against corruption.
To echo words from France 24 (earlier post/video), this is “a moment of truth” for all, including the most powerful of the Lebanese political elite (Bambi did not name them but France 24 did, yes it is the Hezbollah).
Best wishes to Lebanon and… Happy Birthday to Bambi’s mom today (Bambi loves her so much :))!
According to Lebanese students, Lebanon’s “sectarian system has entrenched the country”.
Today, students from across the country walked out of their schools and campuses for sit-ins and marches denouncing corruption.
Journalists as well. A couple even resigned from their positions.
There was also a massive women-led demonstration in Beirut, in addition to sit-ins in front of governmental institutions and the two largest cell phone companies.
It seems that lawyers also demonstrated today asking for a fully independent judicial system.
For those who remember Lebanon’s recent history (i.e., 14-15 years ago), they may be interested, or perhaps also moved like Bambi, to read about her professional journey from New York to Lebanon when the “United Nations set up an investigation into terrorist attacks that killed the country’s Prime Minister and other democratic leaders including the editor of this newspaper”.
