Category: Sackville’s Memorial park

First, why is a $21,000-funded Calgary-based task force in Alberta pretending that Bill 21 in Québec “has impacted religious minorities across Canada since it came into law in 2019”?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bill21-alberta-calgary-anti-racism-task-force-1.5814987

Second, and perhaps more alarmingly, why is the CBC mischaracterizing Bill 21 once again?

The CBC article falsely informs us that “the secularism law bans religious symbols, like hijabs and turbans, prohibiting public teachers, lawyers, police officers and civil servants from wearing religious symbols at work, effectively preventing them from working in their chosen fields”.

Indeed, here is the truth about Bill 21 (this blog has many posts on the topic):

It is about the representatives of authority ONLY. Not all employees.

Bill 21 has a “grandfather” clause meant to allow existing public servants in position of authority to keep serving (protecting their jobs).

Whether we like this bill or not, it is made in Québec, by Québec, and for Québec. It came after 10 years of a public debate on reasonable and unreasonable accommodations.

When are we going to finally respect the specificity of Québec?

By the way, this CBC article is no longer about journalism. This is mere propaganda.

If we truly want to address racism in our country, let’s start by respecting Québec’s democratic choices, including this bill.

As for Mr. Legault’s government, Bambi applauds his courage in wisely refusing the political trap of endorsing an absurd label of “systemic racism” and bravo for continuing to work to address racism against first nations (https://ipolitics.ca/2020/11/27/quebec-promises-to-end-racism-against-first-nations-while-denying-its-systemic/).

To those who do not know Québec well, it is one of the most welcoming places in the world!

Québec is far from being perfect. Indeed, no place is perfect. Same for any system or society.

Like anywhere else, there is racism in Québec (e.g., Bambi keeps thinking of Ms. Joyce Echaquan’s widower and their children. She lost her life in a cruel way ironically at a hospital ☹).

However, to say that Québec makes its citizens suffer from systemic racism, just because it has a majority that still openly respects itself (in our collective insane times), would be unfair.

It would be even racist to once again (“systemically”?) refuse to accept others’ culture.

Residents of Québec who may be too triggered by Bill 21 are free to move to Calgary.

Who knows? They may wish to even become Dr. Zaidi’s patients, if they wish (he has a family practice: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/zaidi-shandro-safety-1.5515564).

Those who are vocal about Bill 21 whilst living miles away from Québec are respectfully invited to educate themselves about this bill and about Québec’s history.

By the way, the advice above is meant for both Dr. Zaidi and the Town Council of Calgary (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-quebec-bill-21-1.5303676).

First, as you can see, France derives about 75% of its electricity from its nuclear energy:

https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx

Second, NB Media Coop keeps publishing articles about”  “the hypocrisy of the Liberal nuclear policy”,  how we should “cease funding and support of the Small Modular Nuclear Reactors program”, and about the bad choices of “NB and the federal government” in “funding prototype nuclear reactors”?

https://nbmediacoop.org/2020/11/26/the-hypocrisy-of-the-liberals-nuclear-policy/

https://nbmediacoop.org/2020/11/18/throne-speech-promise-of-nuclear-reactor-revenue-does-not-add-up/

https://nbmediacoop.org/2020/11/11/why-are-the-federal-and-new-brunswick-governments-funding-prototype-nuclear-reactors/

https://nbmediacoop.org/2020/10/20/new-brunswick-and-national-groups-call-new-nuclear-reactors-a-dirty-dangerous-distraction-from-real-climate-action/

https://nbmediacoop.org/2020/11/11/are-new-brunswicks-prototype-nuclear-reactors-part-of-a-climate-action-plan/

Bambi is far from being an expert of nuclear energy. Yet she has enough lucidity to distinguish between the potentially good and evil use of this energy.

Examples of good use are electricity production, medical use, water desalination, agriculture purposes, and perhaps even space scientific explorations, etc. Of course, an evil use would be nuclear weapons/wars.

None of the articles published in NB Media Coop explains to us why such energy would be bad for Canada, for our province, or at least present a list of the pros and cons.

What about job creation that would benefit all communities, including Indigenous ones?

What about possibly lower costs of energy?

What about self-reliance on a more efficient energy sector?

Of course, we need to have the most optimal conditions to ensure public health safety.

Bambi knows what she is talking about when it comes to safety. She was a teenager when the Ukraine’s Chernobyl’s tragic accident happened (she recalls the “cloud” that reached the part of the world where she grew up).

She also recalls barrels of nuclear waste that arrived to Beirut, from Italy through the port of Beirut in the middle of a destructive civil war (1975-1990), five of which were located or stored not far from where she used to live. Perhaps someone received money or weapons in exchange of such dangerous materials ((https://www.wrmea.org/1995-june/waste-dumping-during-civil-war-ignites-debate-in-lebanon.html)? Perhaps those, and/or other, unethical persons told themselves that tiny Lebanon was already burning anyways? How can we minimize awful gesture with such money-oriented logic (assuming they had any consciousness)? What about the population’s heath?

Who knows? Perhaps related to the latter saga or not, Bambi happens to have a personal interest in one’s protection from extra radioactivity. Those who know her closely know why she is saying so.

Yet, despite all this, she is pro-nuclear Canadian energy. How could she not be so when she is pro-economic development and scientific advancement.

She just wishes our anti-nuclear activists can explain to her the whys of their position, not just repeating clichés. Perhaps they can help her see their perspective(s) in a clearer way?

Sadly, without clarity, she is left to wonder whether they may be anti-economic progress (and anti-civilizational growth?), instead of being true environmentalists. Could it be?

Bambi would like to thank her spouse for finding this funny video online and for sharing it.

There are many dramatic issues in our world.

There is also of course the increasing collective insanity.

Instead of a serious post, here is the video:

To borrow the words of Dr. Mathieu Bock-Côté, “the world ahead of us is charming, isn’t it? It is not about appreciating or not the ideas of Jordan Peterson. It is rather about watching how censorship functions nowadays“.

What else could be said about our sad times of collective insanity?

You do not like an author’s work, do not read it or criticize it in a smart way. Do not burn it or cancel it, regardless of the book (which, if it is like his earlier book, will be a pleasure to discover, by the way :)).

Regardless of Dr. Peterson’s ideas or perspective in life, why are we doing this to him and to ourselves? Why are we turning our beautiful Canada into “Fascistland”?

Enough is more than enough!

As Dr. Saad said in the video above well, the price of living in a democracy is to have everyone’s voices in a society. Those whom we agree with as well as those who challenge our ideas.

As Bambi wrote on this blog once, even radicals like Islamists (who recently chopped the head of Professor Samuel Patty in France) have the right to exist in a free society and express their opinions. The problem is of course when they call for violence or act on it like in this barbaric tragedy. The problem is also when they resort to defamation.

In Bambi’s non-expert citizen opinion, all this saga is a defamation of Dr. Peterson’s character and intelligence. You may disagree with him, fine (Bambi does not agree all the time, but she has the utmost respect for him). However, he has the right to be published, as much as other so-called scholars are. We have the right to read them or not, to find them inspiring or not, etc.

First, our Prime Minister delivered a virtual address to the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2020. In it, he dared to criticize Iran (as per an earlier post by Bambi, video by CTV News). He even mentioned the people of Beirut. Thanks again Mr. Justin Trudeau.

Even when targeted by two Russian pranksters (thinking he was talking to Ms. Greta Thunberg :)), Mr. Trudeau answered all the questions well. Actually, he did not make any faux-pas. He even answered questions better than he usually does with domestic journalists.

Of note, as per BBC, this phone call was recorded a few days after the “Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 had been shot down after taking off from the Iranian capital of Tehran, amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US. All passengers and crew on board the flight were killed, including 57 Canadian citizens” (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55062943).

Keeping this in mind, it is not a secret to anyone that Mr. Biden wants to revive the Iran nuclear deal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Comprehensive_Plan_of_Action.

Well, below is a France 24 interview with Mr. Anthony Blinken, USA President-Elect Biden’s pick for Secretary of State (Blinken is a loyal colleague from his own party’s establishment). This interview is old, from May, 2019. Bambi just discovered it.

You can watch Mr. Blinken sounding very convinced of Iran’s good faith with regard to the nuclear deal to the point where he seems to trust the Iranian regime more than his own fellow American government, if that makes any sense :).

Bambi wrote the above sarcastic comment, even is she loves diplomacy (she prefers it to aggressive methods, which should be a last resort, when everything else fails).

She also understands someone’s attachment to an agreement, which may be perceived as own little “baby”.

Mr. Trump may have taken the USA out of that deal because of evidence showing that Iran was still building its nuclear weapon (even if it signed the deal)? Could it be? Not just because he wanted to undo the legacy of Mr. Obama et al., although the latter is highly possible with all leaders, especially narcissistic ones who find it hard to recognize any good achievement by others they do not agree with?

At least, Mr. Blinken admitted in the interview in question that Mr. Trump was consistent with himself in achieving his electoral promises, including this one.

And now, Mr. Biden will likely do the same. He will undo the more aggressive policy against Iran to a return to a softer one he will call multilateral, collegial, etc.

All the good words of the world could be said about diplomacy and good collaborations. Bambi is usually the first to applaud such efforts (especially being raised in a chaotic civil war). However, the sad reality is that nothing will stop Iran, not even the good diplomatic words/deals of our good world leaders.

Indeed, Bambi toured the news sites from this country (in English) and those by the Hezbollah. You can notice the happier tone to have Mr. Biden, as President-Elect. We could also read the words of Mr. Nasrallah making fun of Mr. Trump’s defeat (even, if the legal fight of the latter is not over yet). In an earlier post, Bambi mentioned how Iran was too fast to inform Mr. Biden of its intentions to come back to the deal. This means that the latter was too good for Iran, no?

Bambi also heard about supporters of the Hezbollah dancing on the streets of Beirut when they read the news about Mr. Biden being the President-Elect (not Mr. Trump). What does this tell us?

In all honesty, Bambi is writing this post and she does not care about neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Biden. She cares about people more than politicians, especially when the latter lack courage, wisdom, or humility to recognize sterile political outcomes.

Instead, she cares more about the Lebanese people who will live with the consequences of the decisions of the Bidens, the Trumps, the Blinkens, and the Nasrallah’s of this world.

She cares about the innocent Iranian people who would sadly be the first to pay the price, whether under sanctions or under a future nuclear bomb that will threaten the whole region (including Beirut).

She cares about our neighbours, the USA people whom she respects and likes.

A soft, diplomatic approach is usually the wisest method with the majority of people or nations in life. However, soft methods can be taken advantage of by more vicious entities or toxic personalities.

Iran is scientifically clever (it could develop the nuclear bomb) and is determined (you can move mountains when you have faith in your will). In contrast, despite its power, the USA may be too naïve or too taken by its globalist (and idealistic) agenda, with all due respect to both Mr. Biden and Mr. Blinken (who speaks great French, plays the guitar, is a great servant of his country, and knows Lebanon well).

To conclude this post, Bambi thanks them and wishes them the best, even if she has her doubts. Whilst doing so, she prays that their decisions will keep her loved ones safe(r)!

In what world do we live, when in the middle of a pandemic with devastating public health and economic issues, an article in our state media about “offensive language” of (male) politicians?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/mla-language-legislature-colleagues-nb-1.5812896

With all due respect to Ms. Megan Mitton, who called her like this? Can she tell us ??

Bambi thought that by a second term, she would have developed a thicker skin.

What’s wrong with lady? Isn’t this a noble title? What’s wrong with being young ?? Did she prefer “old lady” instead?

For over a decade and perhaps 15 years, Bambi thought “Ma petite Madame” was said to her in public places (e.g., by cashier in supermakets, etc.) because she is small. It turned out that no, it could be said to any woman, even tall ones. She was happy to know that, even if she did not mind it if it wasn’t the case (she is indeed smaller than average French-Canadian “ladies”).

As for her Green MLA colleague, Mr. Kevin Arsenau, since when “our Indigenous people” is disrespectful and with a colonial attitude? Bambi may have used that term in front of immigrants (and she is an old one… yes old not “young” as in “young lady” ?!). She thinks she may have even used it before “First Nations” once even, and her ancestors are surely not settlers in this country. They are “Indigenous” maybe (as Phenicians?).

Seriously now, there is something tender with the word “our” and something “inclusive”, on the contrary. At least, this is how Bambi perceives it because she does not spontaneously attribute bad intentions to people she communicates with or people who talk about her or about a facet of her complex identities.

Are those Green politicians now playing on words to create a sort of discomfort in not only their peers, but also in their society? We also now become even more politically correct that way? For Bambi, this is a form of combined control and superficiality. This is even dangerous, if pushed to the extreme in a society. It can eventually create strife.

There is no country in the world that doesn’t have its own tensions between groups. We are blessed in NB to be as harmonious as we can be, despite our issues. Some countries have issues between Shia or Sunni Muslims. Other countries have issues between people of African descent and others of European origins, etc. Yet other between more secular majority/ies and the most religious minorities (e.g., Israel, Lebanon, and perhaps now France, etc.). This is why a concept like “systemic racism” is a catch-all term that can be used as weapon in any country, not just the USA or ours.

All this being said, can we please focus on the more pressing issues in life?

For instance, Ms. Megan has at heart issues like housing. This is concrete. This is highly important in people’s daily lives, more than a word said here or written there. Please Ms. Megan keep your good work and let go the superficial issues that distract us from what matters the most for us: Actions to improve our lives.  

In other terms, can you please, as Opposition, hold Mr. Higgs’ government accountable to us, the taxpayers?

Thank you!

First of all, if you are francophone or francophile with a good memory, chances are you can still know how to sing the famous “Au Claire de la lune” lullaby you learned from your loved ones or from school.

Bambi has fond memories of her now 26-year-old nephew Michael who was born in Montreal. At the time of this story, he was a toddler. His mom (hi Roula :)) checked on him after putting him to sleep. Well, when she did so, she caught him waving to the moon, through the window, whilst telling it: “Au revoir Lune” (or good-bye Moon, in English :)), before closing his eyes to sleep. Cute, isn’t it?!

Well, first, here is the lullaby (in case you forgot it or do not know the French version of “Under the Moonlight“):

Finally, just to make you smile (and perhaps sing like Bambi did?), here is the Lebanese amusing version of “Au Claire de la Lune“! Bambi discovered it whilst working, thanks to her preferred Lebanese-American internet radio.

Who knows? Just like Michael, perhaps those funny singers enjoyed chatting with the moon when they were young boys :)?

Enjoy!

Everyday, we (and Québeckers in particular!) are bombarded with messages of being bad, of being racist, of being discriminators.

What a POWERFUL article by Mr. Martineau. Merci/Thank you.

Like this journalist, Bambi is fed up.

Enough is more than enough!

Below is a quick translation of Mr. Martineau’s article published yesterday in the Journal de Montréal:

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/11/22/plus-capable

“A message to all those who take advantage of the forums offered to them to say that Québeckers are racist, intolerant, narrow-minded, chauvinist, sectarian, cautious, and closed to others.

If you find life so hard in Québec.

If you think Québec is such a terrible place.

If you are in so much pain.

Go, what the hell!

Jump on a plane and go to milder skies!

We’re not holding you back…

Shame on Amnesty International

I think I am correct when I say that I am not the only one who is fed up with these insults.

For some time now, it seems like the one who will hit the hardest on the head of Québeckers.

Until Amnesty International gets down to it, claiming in an odious ad that Québeckers discriminate against all those who are not called Tremblay or Roy!

Don’t you have dictatorships to condemn, dear friends of Amnesty? Political prisoners to be released? Torturers to denounce?

The people of Québec are among the most welcoming ones in the world.

Talk to the Haitians we have welcomed with open arms. To Vietnamese boat people. To the Chileans who fled the Pinochet dictatorship.

To the Algerians who chose to move here because they were fed up with the Islamists.

And to the Iraqis, yes, Adib, the Iraqis who came here so that they could finally live in peace and see their children thrive, be successful, shine – and, who knows? maybe even fill halls and be applauded at Sunday High Mass by French-speaking white Catholics who will treat them as friends, compatriots and equals” [Bambi will allow herself to add the following: Mr. Adib Alkhalideh, a famous artist, told viewers of Radio-Canada, the French CBC, that he feels “humiliated” in “Ville Saint-Laurent” where he resides and “on TV”. Funny as Bambi lived there for 15 years. She has cousins and friends who happily still reside there. The last time she checked, no one was “oppressed” or “microaggressed”, regardless of his/her mother tongue, religion, or other parts of their complex identities). Mind you, this part of Montreal has been tenderly called “Saint-Liban” (Saint Lebanon), as it is filled with all sorts of old and recent immigrants from all over the world, mostly from this tiny Mediterranean Arab country].

“Fed up with seeing people who have taken full advantage of the generosity and openness of Québeckers to, once settled in, spit in our face.

The bare minimum

All you are being asked is to speak our language and not to wave your religion like a flag when you work for the state and you are an authority figure.

Is it so appalling?

Do you know any regions of the world where it is as good to live as here?

I imagine if your home country was so beautiful, so egalitarian, so generous, if it defended the rights of its citizens so well and if it treated its minorities so well, you would not have decided to leave everything to settle here, thousands of kilometres from your native land, from your parents, from your friends.

Would it be too much to ask you to take advantage of your forums to praise our generosity, sometimes? Our benevolence? Our clemency? Our charity? Our openness?

We are not asking for much. Just stop dragging us through the mud.

We are a minority.

And a minority is fragile.

It is quite normal that we want to protect our culture, our language, our ways and customs.

Do you know all the struggles, all the fights that our parents, our grandparents and our great-grandparents had to lead so we can still be here?

Integration is a two-lane highway. We have duties to you.

But you have them toward us too.”

If you think Bambi is exaggerating, please take the time to watch the CBC video within this article?

It is entitled “University students, faculty push for anti-bias training“.

The faculty member interviewed, called Dr. Nadia Abu Zahra, even uses the term “anti-oppression“. Wow :)!

Does her language make any sense to you, in all honesty?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/carleton-university-diversity-training-1.5801201

In all her non-politically correct honesty, Bambi is no longer surprised to see the deepening level of our collective insanity in our Canada and world. She is just sad about it.

When will all this stop?

Perhaps it would be more constructive to society to consider defunding the CBC, instead of our police?

Today is the Lebanese Independence Day.

A day filled with mixed emotions. From patriotic love to pride, from sadness to hope… and back to love of a country that is struggling to exist, even if it is there to stay, rise, and shine again!

Independence from whom? From what?

How can we be truly independent of regional forces some have aligned Lebanon with to a suffocating extent?

How can we be truly independent when we have so many crises to deal with?

How can we really be independent when we have a government morally and financially corrupt… and bankrupt?

How can we be independent when our loyalty is more to an ideology than to our country?

Ironically, Independence Day # 77 seems to be about the independence of the Lebanese population from its disconnected mafia-like government…. whilst awaiting the true independence from the internal militia forces controlling it?