Today's News: Rainbows and Drag Queens and Saskatoon Catholic Schools

 

I'm pretty sure it was the reference to "Drag Queens Story Hour" that freaked out the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools administration this week. But they'll never admit now that they flipped out due to prejudice and ignorance. 

The documentary I posted above explains Drag Queen story hour at libraries and how much children and families enjoy and appreciate them. It also covers how some right-wingers feel hostile or threatened by drag queens and try to sexualize what is actually a performance art.

Unfortunately, I doubt anyone at the Saskatoon Catholic school administration ever watched this documentary before they started this week's controversy -- they just jumped to ignorant conclusions about drag queens, and uproar ensued. 

Some comments on the passing scene

Saw some good comments today on various things - here they are: 

 First, this is absolutely true:

🧵The thing I like about this Liberal government is that, amidst all the sound and fury signifying nothing, they keep plodding along, each foot in front of the other, doing the work, not getting distracted from, um, governmenting.
… https://t.co/Td3FAk5bXZ

— David Hamer 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@DavidHamer_1951) May 26, 2023

The Trudeau government may be the Rodney Dangerfield of governments - they don't get no respect! - but they keep on keeping on. And people appreciate it, too:

National Post Headline

"After eight years, Trudeau still proving stubbornly popular"

NP Must of had to grit their teeth to print a headline like that#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/x4xu7DRCnp

— G.T. Lem 林 家 聰 (@gtlem) May 25, 2023

The National Post writes:

Trudeau has a 40 per cent approval rating against 55 per cent who disapprove. The pollster noted in a recent analysis that this is slightly better than his predecessor Stephen Harper, who hit his own eight-year mark at an approval to disapproval rate of 36 to 58.

And it’s way better than Brian Mulroney, whose political career was on the edge of collapse after eight years; he had a near-universal disapproval rating of 83 per cent.

Trudeau is even polling better than his father. In 1976, on the eighth anniversary of Pierre Trudeau’s swearing-in, Angus Reid Institute numbers show that nearly twice as many Canadians disliked him as liked him; approval was 32 per cent against a disapproval rate of 57.

...In the winter of 2001, an incredible 54 per cent of Canadians approved of Chrétien’s job as prime minister, against 42 per cent who didn’t.

Hmmm....I wonder what was going on in the winter of 2001? Oh, yeah...Canada went to war, which is a time when people always rally round the flag. The Post grudginly reminds us:

At the time, Chrétien was overseeing the entry of Canadian troops into Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His government had also just finished bringing Canada back from the brink of sovereign debt collapse.

So, actually, that National Post story could have read: "Trudeau is the most popular prime minister for the last half=century, except for when the country went to war". Here are the net approval figures:

Prime Minister Net Approvals After Eight Years:

Chretien ('01): +12%

J. Trudeau ('23): -15%
Harper ('14): -22%
P. Trudeau ('76): -25%
Mulroney ('92): -71%

Angus Reid / May 10, 2023 / n=1603 / Online

— Polling Canada (@CanadianPolling) May 22, 2023

Quote of the Day

Just for fun, I have now added "quote of the day" to the right sidebar now. 

And thanks to Owen Gray's Northern Reflections, the excellent blog where I first saw this plug-in.

Cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth!

So David Johnston has released his initial report to say a "public inquiry" into China China China would be neither public nor informative:

My mandate for my first report is to determine whether any further public process is required. My short answer is yes. I plan to hold a series of public hearings with Canadians (particularly from affected communities), government officials (including retired officials), knowledgeable experts, and other interested parties to discuss foreign interference, its effects on diaspora communities, and policy and governance improvements that could be made to improve the government’s response to it. I hope and believe that these public hearings will continue to shine a spotlight on the problem of foreign interference, provide public education about the threat of foreign interference, and provide a better foundation of information which I can use to make policy and governance recommendations for improvement. I also hope these hearings will accelerate government policy development to address foreign interference, stressing both the importance and urgency of action.

These hearings will not focus on “who knew what and what did they do about it.” I have examined these issues, drawn conclusions, and provided as much information as possible to the public, as well as in a confidential annex to be viewed by the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet (as well as officials or Opposition Leaders with the requisite security clearance). I also recommend the Prime Minister refer my report, including the confidential annex, to the chairs of NSICOP and NSIRA so those bodies can review my conclusions and advise the Prime Minister, Parliament and the public if they disagree.

I carefully considered whether an inquiry under the Inquiries Act could help enhance public trust in our electoral process, over and above the work I have done. When I was first appointed, my preliminary view was that I was very likely to recommend a Public Inquiry. But my conclusion is that, in light of the material and information that would lie at the heart of any inquiry, it could not be done in public. Rather, a “public inquiry” would necessarily be done in private and largely replicate the process I have undergone, and not advance the goals of transparency or trust any further than I have taken them and raise expectations that will ultimately be disappointed.

A thoughtful set of findings by David Johnston. He proposes public hearings on the policy and governance issues and a separate review by two national security bodies on the classified aspects of foreign interference. #cdnpoli https://t.co/SXLPpfoDuS

— IReza (@IshatReza) May 23, 2023

Sounds pretty good, really. But cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth today as Ottawa reporters will be denied stories and commentary until Johnston's public hearings begin this fall.

Kind of fun to see our media mavens rolling on the floor, holding their breath, turning blue in paroxysms of rage when respected Canadians like the Hon. Paul Rouleau or the Right Honourable David Johnston, whose salaries don’t depend on clicks, tell them they’re all wet. 🤭

— David Hamer 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@DavidHamer_1951) May 24, 2023

Updating the Ukraine-Russia War: the F16s are coming

Over at Balloon Juice, national security expert Adam Silverman has written a piece about the war in Ukraine every single day since Russia started their unjust and illegal war.  

At Routine Proceedings, Dale Smith also writes a Ukraine Dispatch every single day. 

 Every weekend, Phillips O'Brien writes a Weekend Update on substack. 

These knowledgeable and experienced commentators are seeing a recent evolution in US thinking about this war -- that Ukraine is winning, that Russia is losing, and that the risk of Russia starting a nuclear war is getting smaller by the day. 

Today Silverman writes about how Russia was viewed when it invaded Ukraine 15 months ago, compared to how it is viewed today: 

My professional opinion is that the beltway consensus was that the Russian army was what we had assessed it to be: professional, properly resourced and equipped, and powerful. 

Another part of the beltway consensus was that despite Ukrainian resolve their was no way they would withstand having the bulk of that force thrown at them. 

These two beliefs, which we now know like much of the beltway’s deeply held convictions are just wrong, were exacerbated and enhanced by the fact that Russia won the information war around Ukraine back in 2014 and almost every policy discussion and almost all of the news reporting was being done within the informational shaping that Russia had successfully undertaken. 

This includes everything from views of Russia’s military to views of Ukraine and the Revolution of Dignity to taking Russia’s nuclear weapons and usage doctrine exactly as Russia wanted us to.

 Silverman then notes the change in tone as shown in these tweets yesterday:

Good for him. This is the correct response. https://t.co/i7euZINuUu

— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) May 21, 2023

Weekend funnies: From being cancelled, to being wrecked by an orca

There are too many people these days who get outraged when they say something awful in a national media and then get asked to defend their views or shut up about them. The right wing rails against so-called "cancel culture"  - even though, of course, it is the right wingers themselves who are busy cancelling liberalism wherever they can.

Now we have another example - a bizarre "Thought Criminals" story in the New Yorker , complaining how problematic it is for a group of self-important right-wingers that nobody wants to listen to their BS anymore.  It is the comments that make this story worth noting, because they are truly hilarious:

once a month, this elite group of brave forbidden intellectuals gather to ask "why can't a white guy say it" https://t.co/Tk4yLREymC

— lauren (@NotABigJerk) May 17, 2023

The harsh cancel culture of a 3000 word puff piece

— Ryan Marino, MD (@RyanMarino) May 17, 2023

Today's News and Views: from Poilievre to Penguins

First, this is such a juvenile response from Poilievre, isn't it:

This is how important foreign interference is to Pierre Poilievre. pic.twitter.com/XBfCgOe8Gm

— Raoul Duke's Salt Shaker (@RodKahx) May 17, 2023

They do the same thing during election campaigns, when they are "too busy" to attend all-candidate meetings.
This will only change if the press calls out the cowardly "too busy" excuse, instead of just thinking its cute.

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 (@CathieCanada) May 17, 2023

It is just more proof that Pierre Poilievre is far out of his depth and that conservatives choosing him as a 'leader' was a huge mistake for them. It only causes us to remember why Poilievre should never be entrusted with anything more important than weekly trash collection.

— FranklyMyDear (@MrDash109) May 17, 2023

Now, of course, Poilievre's staff is desperately trying to walk back his juvenile response, blaming Johnson for whatever. 

Weekend funnies: From Amazon delivery drivers to Met Gala chickens

WELCOME
TO THE WEEKEND pic.twitter.com/6kbG3hFBWF

— Brittlestar (@brittlestar) May 12, 2023

First up, Amazon delivery drivers!

amazon: your driver just passed the 172 mile marker on 95 north

me: stop

— the hype (@TheHyyyype) May 12, 2023

Cops everywhere, tense standoff, and our hero - the unshakeable Amazon delivery driver - struts in like they're delivering a pizza to a Netflix marathon 🍕pic.twitter.com/LhyHjfYuMw

— LeGate🤠 (@williamlegate) May 1, 2023

The Stupid! It Burns!

First, the most serious story today in Canada was the Alberta wildfires -- and I'm not sure whether this newest development is stupid, or criminal, or maybe both, but tonight there were reports that even though the Alberta wildfires continue to burn, some municipalities will be allowing evacuated people to return to their homes in spite of the risk:

In Alberta, residents evacuated from wildfires are being told they must return home and "live with fires" in a clear parallel to covid messaging. Covid infection propaganda has opened the door, enabling dangers formerly considered intolerable to be recast as inescapable https://t.co/xhjnbYgcBW

— Nate Bear (@NateB_Panic) May 11, 2023

WATCH: The decision in one #AB county to send wildfire evacuees back home - and the calculated risks they must take. That is our story for @CBCTheNational: https://t.co/3u2DeFWjx8

— Julia Wong (@JuliaWongCBC) May 11, 2023

And in spite of the irrational anger from this rancher at this meeting in Grande Prairie, I did think he had a point about how he needs better communications from the municipality to show whether livestock is at risk, etc:

Meanwhile, in Grande Prairie…

“You can’t keep us out of the evacuation zone, this is just like COVID and we’re not going to listen, put your efforts into posting pictures (not fighting the fires) or we’re gonna go in, what are you gonna do?”#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/PseFKr4LWT

— The Breakdown (@TheBreakdownAB) May 9, 2023

Because if Covid has taught us anything, it is the importance of improving communications between government and people.

Coronation Highlights: Canada Indigenous Leadership in London

Just one additional note about the Coronation -- here are some of the highlights I gathered about significant moments for Indigenous delegation members in their visit to London.

In the Globe and Mail, Royal expert John Fraser posts an interesting comment about King Charles' coronation: 

Over at Canada House, there was a considerable gathering of Canadians to watch the coronation on large television monitors, a gathering which included many Indigenous visitors. A witness to the proceedings, verified by another person present, reported that the most striking thing to happen during the live broadcast of the service was when the King was crowned and later during the playing and singing of God Save the King, Indigenous members in the gathering all stood in respect. Most of the non-Indigenous viewers stayed glued to their seats.

This suggests interesting days to come in the story of Canada, especially when the King and Queen make their next visit.

Ambassador Goodale also told a reporter they are working on setting up a Royal Visit to Canada now.

Another day for thoughts and prayers

Another day of Republican thoughts and prayers.

Its also distressing to note that cartoonist Michael de Adder at the Washington Post posted this cartoon a week ago (following the Cleveland Texas massacre) not yesterday (following the Allen Texas massacre). Unfortunately, there are just too many mass shootings to count.

Don't lose sight of this. After Uvalde, Texas cops at every level, including and especially DPS, are aware their state is mass shooter central and now mostly see the aftermath as a PR problem. A news cycle to be managed. https://t.co/ObAkQWGqPY

— zeddy (@Zeddary) May 7, 2023

Here's a comment from Brittlestar:

WE'RE TOO STUPID TO HAVE GUNS https://t.co/caiS1ssoYk

— Brittlestar (@brittlestar) April 29, 2023

And from Chris Rock:

It’s time to seriously consider Chris Rock’s gun control plan since they’ll never do anything about the guns pic.twitter.com/4eI3CHcHio

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) May 7, 2023

"...the moment is struck, a pact is sworn"

Here is the Coronation photo where Charles and Camilla really looked happy -- they're on the balcony, it's over, they made it, and nobody stumbled, collapsed, or dropped the Crown Jewels. 

Phew!

My post title tonight is from the poem written by British Poet Laureate Simon Armitage "An Unexpected Guest" in honour of King Charles' coronation. 

The poem follows the story of a woman invited to attend a coronation and uses lines from Samuel Pepys diary, which described his encounter with the coronation of King Charles II, pointing to the historical significance of the occasion.

Here is the last stanza: 

She’ll watch it again on the ten o’clock news 

from the armchair throne in her living room: 

did the cameras notice her coral pink hat 

or her best coat pinned with the hero’s medal she got 

for being herself? The invitation is propped 

on the mantelpiece by the carriage clock. 

She adorned the day with ordinariness; 

she is blessed to have brought the extraordinary home. 

And now she’ll remember the house sparrow 

she thought she’d seen in the abbey roof 

arcing from eave to eave, beyond and above. 

Some tweets:

What. A. Day.

Thank you to everyone who made it happen #Coronation pic.twitter.com/qaYFXSjjli

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 6, 2023

Today's News: The Story Behind The Story?

Trudeau's brother Sacha testified today to the Ethics Committee and for a non-politician he did very well -- he didn't "spin a story", he didn't punch up a headline or two, he didn't trade insults with the insulting Con MPs who were trying to goad him. 

He just talked about the history about the Chinese donation - noting in passing his own expertise about China society, and his respect for the Chinese people = and also told the committee that the PET Foundation management had been disfunctional.

Alexandre Trudeau: I hoped this could be a forum for the truth to come out.
A House of Commons committee? A forum for truth? Oh, heavens no. It hasn’t been for a loooooooong time. #ETHI

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) May 3, 2023

When WE Charity tried to clear itself by hiring a former senior judge and a top forensic accountant to go over its governance and finances, the media and politicians said the experts were conflicted and compromised. So I understand Mr. Trudeau’s frustration.

— Mark Bourrie (@MarkBourrie) May 3, 2023

Evan Scrimshaw (Scrimshaw Unscripted) notes the real issue isn't the Trudeau family at all, its Canada's intelligence agencies: CSIS' Leaking Ship A National, not Political Crisis:

...why is nobody else able to see what has been obvious for the last two months, which is that the real story here is a RCMP-CSIS war?

...I don’t have national security sources who can clue me in on this shit, but what I do have is a bullshit detector and a functioning brain, and this is the only theory of this story that adds up. CSIS, or elements within it, are mad at the lack of action that’s been taken on foreign interference and they’d like it to change. The RCMP has not listened to them, for reasons unclear. And now there’s a turf war.

...the matter at hand when it comes to CSIS is not why is the Prime Minister sitting on all of this incredibly important intelligence but why isn’t CSIS acting on this information if it’s as valuable and credible as the way it’s reported out suggests? Why can’t CSIS persuade the RCMP to do something about any of this if it is credible, and if it’s not credible enough for the RCMP to do anything why is it being given to Bob Fife?

...Trudeau said today that the reason Chong wasn’t told, and implicitly why he wasn’t told, was that CSIS made the determination that it did not rise to a sufficient level for it to be disseminated broadly. Maybe that call was right, maybe it wasn’t, argue with a rock for all I care. But what matters in that is that CSIS doesn’t get to have their cake and eat it too. Either these leaks are justified by the truly important nature of the information disclosed, or the information disclosed wasn’t important enough to disclose to the PMO or to Chong.

...We have an unserious spy agency at war with either our political government, our national police force, or both. We have a spy agency willing to leak things to the press they deemed insufficiently important to brief the PMO about. We have a pundit class eager to make the Prime Minister to blame for things he did not know about. And we have an opposition accusing the Prime Minister of knowingly holding back information when the PM never had it.

"So I'd best be on my way In the early morning rain"

 

Sad news today -- Gordon Lightfoot has passed. 

I included some tweets and songs of his in a post from September, when he was at the CNE. 

The CBC has this outstanding compilation of his best songs.  Here is another compilation from Billboard magazine. 

Here are some of tonight's best tweets:

Gordon Lightfoot has died at the age of 84.
Calling him a Canadian icon or legend is an understatement.
He was one of our greatest singer-songwriters.
Born in Orillia, Ontario on Nov. 17, 1938, he had several #1 albums & songs.
He won 16 Junos.
RIP to a legend. pic.twitter.com/2VBKMZvo0o

— Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx (@CraigBaird) May 2, 2023

The 3 Gords are now reunited ❤️🇨🇦

RIP Gordon Lightfoot pic.twitter.com/B6ujxmheUS

— 🍁Canadian Fletchy☘️ 🌻🇺🇦 (@Darth_Pingu) May 2, 2023

Weekend funnies: Nostalgia and Dark Brandon and Orcas

A little nostalgia:

The reason you think things were better when you were younger is that you were too stupid to know how bad things were then.

— Dennis Detwiller (@drgonzo123) April 28, 2023

As I contemplate our problems in 2023, I have to keep remembering: 

• when I was 8, we were practicing hiding from a nuclear war by scurrying under our school desks when our civil defense air raid siren sounded.
• when I was 13, JFK was assassinated. 
• by the time I was 15, tens of thousands of American boys were fighting in Vietnam. 
• when I was 17, RFK and MLK were assassinated, and there were riots in Chicago and Detroit and Los Angeles, and Nixon was elected. 
• when I was 19, the Ohio National Guard killed four students at Kent State; the FLQ kidnapped James Cross and Pierre LaPorte, and Trudeau pere declared the War Measures Act 

So yes, sometimes things were bad when I was younger. 

I didn't have any solutions then, either, except to #AlwaysVoteLeft.

 

Moving on - Andrew Coyne isn't impressed with Pierre Poilievre anymore (if he ever was):

It will just be more stupid little Harperian wedge issues, only with more conspiracy theories and culture wars.

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦 (@acoyne) April 28, 2023

That's what they said about Doug Ford. Ontario is now going backwards on climate issues, dismantling the healthcare system, underfunding education and social services and turning the province into a cesspool of corruption. Don't worry, they said. Ford will be fine.

— suebaker37 #WomenAgainstPoilievre (@suebaker07) April 28, 2023

I absolutely loved this:

My president.pic.twitter.com/yVkloHzJsj

— Richard Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) April 30, 2023