“The decision of Judge Ghada Aoun is illegal”. Me I say: “This is because of your own abusive decisions since 2019: Maintaining a stranglehold on our accounts, resorting to a systemic theft of our savings, blocking our credit cards… are all the latter legal measures?”
Regardless of any responsibility of the boards of these banks or not (before or following the financial crash of October 17, 2019), Bambi would like to offer the Lebanese people a beautiful song of hope that she discovered on Youtube. This artistic performance is entitled Au ciel du Liban [In the Skies of Lebanon] and it shows us some of this country’s landscape. Thanks to Mr. Roy Barbara for the music and orchestration. Thanks to the musicians and to performers, Ms. Olga Kadi and Mr. Ghady Harb.
Good luck Lebanon… you deserve better days. It is about time for a change!
In Canada, everyone seems to want to challenge Bill 21 on state secularism. They all forget that this bill is made by Québec, meant for Québec, and voted for in a majority government in Québec ONLY (whether we like this bill or not… this is not the issue).
Bambi has several posts on Bill 21. If you wish, you can search her blog, and easily find them all. Basically, it is a bill that is mild compared to practices in Europe. With this bill, luckily, no one will lose his or her job (contrary to what is portrayed in the media).
Isn’t it sad to see federal politicians trying to gain voters’ support in the rest of Canada by using Québec’s Bill 21? Didn’t they think about the support that they will lack from Québec? Why do they seem to forget about Québec’s different cultural approach to secularism despite their obsession with “multiculturalism” (the other approach)?
Of course, in addition to the above, there are also a few organizations that seem to be highly allergic to Bill 21, even if they do not operate in Québec. Some are social (e.g., with politically correct names). Others seem more religious (i.e., Islamic). Of note, almost all of these organizations receive federal funding.
Last but not least, we have English-speaking mainstream Canadian media (also dependent on federal funding), at times apparently hostile to Québec, who keep indulging in attacking Bill 21.
To all the above, Bambi will ask the following question in French: “De quoi je me mêle”? In other terms why are you interfering with Québec’s affairs, again and again?
Finally, to conclude this post on a much lighter musical note, here is the Respect song for kids in English. It is Bambi’s hope that it can perhaps inspire everyone to learn to respect Québeckers’ choices…
Bambi discovered Ms. Talia Lahoud on February 8, 2020 (as per one of the older posts below). Since then, she loves hearing this young Lebanese artist playing the guitar and singing, especially Fairuz songs. Well, talking about the latter, here is one of her beautiful songs interpreted by Ms. Lahoud and sub-titled in English. Bambi hopes you will enjoy it [especially you Evan :)]!
A picture of Lebanon taken from the internet and posted on this blog earlier
Thank you Ms. Carla Chamoun for your beautiful message to all those who left Lebanon after the surrealistic Beirut port explosions, including many of your own friend.
You said in Arabic before singing that Dalida’s famous Helwa ya baladi [My country is beautiful] song that the latter is “like your wish/prayer to them them. OK, it may sound like a bribery too, but basically, with this song you are saying the following: Please remember that our country is beautiful only with its people. Without its people, what would it be? Please either do not leave massively or if you left already, after working and building your future wherever you went, please think of coming back“.
Your voice is a delight to Bambi’s ears. Your words resonate with her. Indeed, even after over three decades and roots abroad, Lebanon cannot be taken out of her heart and mind (even if at times, we have like a feeling of love/hate relationship with the entire Middle East and its endless issues).
Ms. Chamoun is right. The tiny Mediterranean Lebanon is indeed beautiful with its people. Bambi misses its people’s hospitality, joie de vivre (perhaps now more challenging), and kindness. She misses especially her loved ones there. She sends them her love through this post.
Bambi has supported Mr. Badawi and his family in many posts on this blog! She is so happy for them!! May they be reunited ASAP!!!
Here is the Mabrouk [Congrats] song for them… and, by extension, for all those who like them believe in freedom of expression in our world. Thank you to all those who have made this happy outcome possible!
Bambi loves this song that has been famous in Québec maybe for the entire past fifteen years? Indeed, its melody is a pure pleasure to the ears while inviting you to dance. Its title is clever. Its lyrics are food for thought in French as well as in its sub-titled English translation below (thanks to the person who did the translation).
Further below, you can see the Mes Aïeux [my ancestors] musical group formed in 1996 singing with Ms. Céline Dion. This group is talented in both music and in raising meaningful societal, environmental, or even political questions.
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mes-aieux-my-ancestors), Mes Aïeux‘ “music, which they describe as folk-inspired pop, often evokes the traditional tales and legends of Quebec. The songs of Mes Aïeux, with their elaborate arrangements, have a very contemporary, theatrical feeling” .
“Merci pour cette belle chanson, Mes Aïeux”! Bambi wishes you [or us rather :)!] a beautiful continuation of your successes!
Happy Birthday (“Akbel el Mieh”) to Bambi’s sister!
Bambi is blessed in life. She has two wonderful sisters, not just one. She misses them both so much… beyond words.
One of Bambi’s sisters, the eldest, is celebrating her birthday today.
Happy birthday, “ma grande” et… “mon amie, pas juste ma soeur” :). May you have a wonderful day!
Roula, your birthday comes two days after International Women’s Day. This is a beautiful coincidence for a talented woman who has excelled in her advocacy for women’s rights not just in Lebanon, but also in the Arab world (via the UN and other international leadership agencies where you have mentored talented men and women (like you, trying to make our world a better place). Thank you for all that you do. Please keep up the inspiring work!
To conclude this post on a musical note, here are a few songs for you from Bambi… with love ❤️!
Thanks to the generous person who made this personalized birthday wishes public on YouTube 🙂
A moving French song about sisters (Duo: Grand corps malade & Véronique Sanson)
This is a song of the Lebanese diva Sabah. Bambi had fun posting its translation into English on her blog in an older post about Mr. Mike Massy
The joyful yet deep lyrics of the song about the feast’s sun, shown above, can be summarized as follows: “Be happy today, not tomorrow (as it is far away)”. Thanks to Ms. Elissa for her nice version!
“Tomorrow the feast’s sun will rise
With the promise of a new day
Live today
Love today
Today is here… Tomorrow is far away
If life feels like all wounds
Your tears won’t do you any good
Let the sad song
Sing in your feast’s evening
Don’t let the days slip away
Slip away from your hands
Live today… Love today
Today is here… Tomorrow is far away
Don’t blame the garden’s flowers
It’s not their fault their thorns are big
And thank your God, human
For he has made you see those thorns
Flowers are picked up in April
Flowers don’t last a day
Like flowers live the day
Today is here… Tomorrow is far away”.
Mr. Julio Iglesias’ old and famous song meant for women
Mr. Hisham El Jajj’s “Yalla Nifrah” [Let’s rejoice] song is a must today :). May Roula have fun today!
Bambi does not know about you, but she is sick and tired of either fear- or guilt-inducing mainstream media articles on how bad it is to travel and how we should pay for it (perhaps mentally preparing us for increased taxes, etc.?).
Indeed, today in La Presse, Bambi read the following article title “how holiday flights are over” and then followed by this explanation: “now that the pandemic may be over, but not the climate crisis“:
If we try to apply the logic of the virtuous article above to our politicians, we immediately observe the irony of the double standards. Indeed, rules do not seem to apply to them. For instance, we saw such a phenomenon at the beginning of the pandemic with Mr. Trudeau himself and his car travels between Ontario and Québec (earlier post further below).
Again we are observing more contradictions now. For instance, our Prime Minister, and at least two Ministers, are/will be heading to Europe to deal with the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. Again, travels.
Remember also how, not a long time ago, the world’s elite/VIPs travelled to the Davos conference on the climate crisis in their private jets, as per CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/14/business/private-jets-davos-climate/index.html). Yes, they did that while lecturing us on the urgency of the climate crisis.
Well said. MANY thanks to Mr. Trudeau and his team for their efforts to support democracy abroad. The only question that begs itself is the following now: What about democracy at home, Mr. Trudeau, Ms. Freeland et al.? Doesn’t it deserve your support too?
Freedom of expression has never been as limited in Canada as nowadays. Since when do Canadians’ bank accounts get frozen for having participated in any demonstration?
Imagine if the latter happened to Bambi and her spouse when they walked for peace in the Middle East (no to war in Lebanon) in the streets of Toronto in 2006.
Imagine if this happened to those who walked for BLM in our town, province, country, the USA, and the world. Would this have been acceptable then? Of course not (despite the violence observed in some of these demonstrations in the States).
So, why is it acceptable now?
Why can’t we all come together and say no to state authoritarianism?
Yes to freedom of expression for ALL.
In addition to the above, and for years now, we have been observing increased censorship cases related to plays, songs, and books. Talking about books, some were burnt in Ontario schools, as per an older post, shown further below.
We have heard of… or we personally know of artists, school teachers, university professors, and even Gelato Café owners as well as truckers and farmers who have been punished or silenced in one way or another.
Is this the Canada that our leaders have envisioned for their children when they will grow up?
Our federal government tells us there is no place for hate speech in a society. It even came up with Bill C-36 in the name of fighting this so-called hate speech. We wonder how the government would define this concept and who would decide what and where is hate. For Bambi, the definition of hate speech is becoming clearer with every passing day: It seems to be any speech that our government hates.
To conclude this post, one thing is sure in Bambi’s mind, this is not the Canada she immigrated to. This is surely not what she wishes for her species (of deer) and her fellow Canadian humans for the next few years. In the meantime, to end on a musical lighter note, here is Fairouz’ song on kites entitled “Tiré ya tiyra”.
