Category: Sackville’s Memorial park

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).

For example, let’s start with Canadian cities like Toronto, Halifax, and Charlottetown (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-charlottetown-bill-21-opposition-resolution-1.6367430). Why would the taxes of residents of these places have to be unwisely used to challenge a bill that does not affect their own lives? Does this make any sense to you? It surely does not to Bambi.

Luckily, some Torontonians are now challenging this political absurdity (https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/city-of-toronto-being-taken-to-court-over-100k-pledge-of-support-for-bill-21-challenge).

After stories about the cities mentioned above, we hear that apparently respectable federal or municipal politicians are now vocal about Bill 21. Bambi will name Mr. Patrick Brown, Mr. Jean-Charest, Ms. Leslyn Lewis, and even Mr. Pierre Poillièvre (https://www.cp24.com/news/lewis-calls-bill-21-religious-discrimination-poilievre-hopes-quebec-repeals-law-1.5819225).

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 :)]!

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Ms. Talia Lahoud sings Fairuz!

Reuters’s article on the first anniversary of the “fading” Lebanese protests and “life that got worse” &… Ms. Talia Lahoud singing her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in English, French, and Arabic

Her name is Talia Lahoud: An angelic voice singing for Beirut, all homelands… and for peace

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.

Wow!!!!! Happy news of the day!!!

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!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/raif-badawi-freedom-1.6381576

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!

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 ❤️!

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”.

Thank you, Mr. Grand corps malade for your beautiful sensitivity and talent.

May respect, love, and justice prevail for all women across the world.

May love, peace, and harmony shine on everyone!

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“:

French:

https://www.lapresse.ca/societe/2022-03-07/les-vacances-en-avion-sont-elles-finies.php

English, thanks to Google Translate:

https://www-lapresse-ca.translate.goog/societe/2022-03-07/les-vacances-en-avion-sont-elles-finies.php?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

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.

To come back to the Ukraine-Russian tragedy, we learned today from the L’Actualité that Mr. Trudeau said that he is happy to «… defend democracy in the world» (https://lactualite.com/actualites/ukraine-justin-trudeau-discute-avec-les-dirigeants-britannique-et-neerlandais/).

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”.

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Ms. Sophie Durocher: “Is Trudeau making fun of us?” [“Est-ce que Trudeau se moque de nous?”]

Since when book burning is justified by ancestry or by any other trait?

To begin this post, Bambi would like to refresh your memory about her MANY posts on Armenia (i.e., the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict) and on Lebanon (under the total influence of Iran, mainly through the Hezbollah and its allies and with the complicity or cowardice of the world’s leaders). You can search this blog and find them yourself, if you wish.

She also has posted in the past about conflicts in other places like the Palestine (i.e., Hamas)-Israel and, most recently, the sad Ukrainian tragedy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

In all Bambi’s posts (some shown further below), there is a guiding line that can be musically summarized by a prayer-song for peace (e.g., Nicole’s German song in French on peace OR Remy Bandali’s song for peace in Arabic, French, and English).

More pragmatically, there is also the hope for neutrality for smaller countries, like Lebanon, to keep existing and to thrive.

There is also perhaps some lucidity, or less romance, with regard to world’s problems (e.g., Iran’s nuclear problem and its repercussions on Lebanon, etc.).

Most importantly, regardless of the place of conflict in the world, you can guess that Bambi is allergic to war-related suffering of innocent people whomever or wherever they are.

Of course, she has her own biases in life, namely toward Lebanon and also Armenia (to the point that her nickname with close ones is Bambineh or “I am Bambi” due to childhood-related memories with loved ones).

Perhaps all the above is easier for a non-expert deer of our world having fun writing and sharing personal thoughts on her blog?

Perhaps the choice of peace gets complicated when national (economic, strategic, cultural, etc.) interests of countries come into play?

Imagine when the personal, or even kin, interests of some world leaders collide with their countries’ national interests? We will get contradictions for sure.

Imagine when leaders lack the courage to stand up to lobbies or NGOs, including those with radical agendas. We get contradictions for sure.

Yes, double-standards seem to be increasingly common in our world, especially when we do NOT put people first. We can also see contrasts between domestic practices regarding cherished values (e.g., tolerance/democracy to all) and those expressed on the world’s stage, live or on social media, by world leaders…

To give a concrete example, in the Armenian-Azerbajian conflict, the Nagorno-Karabakh refugees did not have much chance of returning to their villages after the peace deal broken by Russia (https://www.politico.eu/article/nagorno-karabakh-refugees-see-little-chance-of-returning-home-after-peace-deal/). There were many refugees, but not as many as those fleeing Ukraine now OR those who fled Syria a few years ago (or Lebanon earlier or Palestine before, etc.) OR, sadly, those who will flee in the future.

Bambi cannot recall having observed much media attention to the suffering of those Armenian residents, as much as we are now hearing about concerning the current tragedy in Ukraine.

Same for Lebanon (of course, minus the Beirut port blast when it took place). No one seems to care about the fate of the people in this tiny and now bankrupt country (to a great extent related to Iran’s nuclear issue)… at least not in the official Canada.

In Bambi’s mind, the sad recurrent realities of armed conflicts, with their resulting refugee crises, are bound to occur repeatedly when we do not solve, or help other nations, solve their problems in their own home, that is where they take place.

These conflicts may also get worsened when we sell or send weapons to fuel one conflict, in the name of justice of course. Make no mistake please: Bambi is not saying that there is no genuine justice aspirations in fighting or helping others fight their injustice.

Think of it, though, the same countries sending weapons now (us or Israel in the Armenian-Azerbajian conflict, as shown below) will be the same ones sitting at the negotiation table and helping to broker peace deals. Didn’t this happen in the 15-year-long Lebanese civil war too?

To conclude this post, Bambi will raise the following questions: Double-standards again and again… or could they be avoided? Are we observing more double-standards, especially in a world obsessed with political correctness? By the latter, Bambi means our collectively insane times where words do not necessarily match actions or they sound like empty, yet apparently powerful, slogans? Who knows? Perhaps double-standards seem more frequent to Bambi because our world’s political leaders are rather mediocre… in other terms, they are far from being statesmen, despite their grip on power?

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To the Russia-Ukraine conflict and to all wars, one song remains timely: “La paix sur terre, c’est ma prière” [Peace is my prayer OR ein bißchen Frieden]

A song from Bambi’s childhood to all the children caught in the middle of war

Bravo Canada for urging Turkey (+ others) to stop interfering in the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict

Why is Israel selling weapons to Azerbajian and fuelling war with Armenia?!

“Lipanan Im Yergir”: Mr. Elie Berberyan’s moving song for Lebanon in Armenian

When will Ms. Céline Dion’s dove (“colombe”) finally deliver its “message of peace, love, and friendship” to the people of Palestine & Israel?

Lebanon: Isn’t it sad to see it, once again, in the crossfire between Iran and Saudi Arabia?

What does the 25-year strategic partnership China-Iran mean for Lebanon?

“Saudi Arabia vs. Iran, the rivalry explained” (Wion) & “We and the moon are neighbours” (Fairouz’ song)

Mr. Trump may have a narcissistic personality, but this does not mean he is an idiot when it comes to Iran

Like a fawn, the middle-aged Bambi is too excited to know how to wait until tomorrow morning, which is the actual birthday of Ms. Mona Korban Smeira!

In her mind, she is cheating now, pretending to be in Lebanon, the country of origin of her friend Mona. Yes, there, it is already past midnight :)!

There lives one of Mona’s children with his family! Mona and the rest of her beloved family live in Québec, Canada. Whether there, miles away, or here at home [also miles away from Bambi :)], all the relatives, friends, generations of former students of history and geography, everyone loves Mona and wishes her a Happy Birthday today!

Indeed, for those who do not know her, Bambi will simply say that she is a great woman, a devoted mother/spouse/grand-mother, a retired school teacher, a family friend, and… Bambi’s friend!

As a high school teacher, Ms. Mona Korban Smeira taught Bambi how to create a model of the maps of Africa and Turkey, using wood pulp. Bambi’s peers and herself exposed their work at an exhibition, open to the general public, at their school in Beirut. Ms. Smeira also taught Bambi all what she knows about the history of Islam and about the history of the world (again with much creativity in addition to the usual learning process)!

As a family friend and a neighbour, Bambi can maybe write a whole book on our beautiful as well as war-related dramatic memories!

Bambi is blessed to have you in her life, Mona. She is inspired by your faith, inner strength, dignity, love of life, and devotion to your loved ones. Even busy with life challenges and grief, you recently found the time to surprise Bambi with a sweet message of care… Plus, every year, you kindly remember Bambi’s birthday. Wow!

Bambi is eager to see you again (luckily she did so just before the pandemic). She loves you so much, beyond words, you and your wonderful family. Thank you for our wonderful memories together in both Beirut and Montreal!

To conclude this brief post meant as a surprise, here are three songs for you today :). The first is, of course, your birthday song. The second is a celebration of friendship in French as well! The third is meant to make you smile :). It is Ms. Nancy Ajram’s Lebanese-Arabic song entitled “shater shater” [for young school kids :)] and sub-titled in English! It means “clever, clever” [or “good kid, good kid“].