PONDERABLES
Why do so many speakers begin with “I would like to thank …” instead of just saying “Thank you (whoever)?”
Will Justin Trudeau ever learn that he doesn’t have to make a platitudinous speech every time he’s asked a question, or is it pathological?
How long is “breaking” news still “breaking?”
THINGS I FIRMLY BELIEVE
I’ll never again complain about having too much to do.
“That’s a good question” is just a euphemism for “I haven’t an earthly clue.”
When politicians say “let me be clear,” you know that they’re about to fudge something.
No fans in the stands will have little or no effect on the players’ performances.
THIS IS JUST WRONG
That the federal Liberal, Conservative, and NDP parties have applied for Covid-19 financial help on the basis that their “revenue” is down over 30% (the threshold required for qualification under the particular program) is ridiculous. Political parties don’t earn revenue, they receive donations. And not only that, political donations provide an income tax credit of 75% of the first $400; 50% of the amount between $400 and $750; and one-third of the amount between $650 and $1,275 (the maximum yearly amount). So taxpayers foot more of the bill than the donors. What’s worse is that the parties didn’t admit it until they got caught. To their credit, both Erin O’Toole and Peter MacKay have said the Conservative party will pay back amounts received under the program.
LONG-TERM CARE HOMES HORROR
The details in the armed forces report on a number of long-term care homes in the Toronto area are beyond horrific. Based on what’s already known, heads should roll on both the government side and the companies that own the homes, as well some criminal charges should be laid against some of the homes’ management. And the boards of directors need to be called to account in some meaningful way. My cynical guess is that a few scapegoats will pay some kind of price, but not nearly as many as should, nor will the price be steep enough.
JAGMEET SINGH GETS SUCKERED
Jagmeet Singh’s judgement has been in question ever since he became federal NDP leader, but he hit an all-time low this week when he got completely suckered by our power-hungry prime minister. In return for allowing the prime minister to turn our country into a virtual dictatorship for the next three months, Trudeau promised to support a law requiring paid sick leave for all employees. The problem for Singh is that Trudeau can’t deliver on the deal without the consent of all the provinces, and there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening.
It’s worth remembering that when Justin Trudeau went on record as being an admirer of the Chinese dictatorship, the reason he gave was that under that type of regime it was easy to get things done. Given his already proven disdain for parliament (like his father before him), democracy in Canada is on shaky ground right now.
NHL’S PLAYOFF PLAN
Although I’ve never been a fan of either NHL commissioner Gary Bettman or NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr, I commend them and their staffs for deciding to cancel the balance of the 2019-20 season and coming up with an interesting structure for holding playoffs in the fall. Bettman wasn’t even his usual smug, smarmy, arrogant, condescending self when making the announcement.
No one knows exactly how this will play out (pun intended). But one thing is certain. If Canada still has a quarantine requirement in place there will be no games played north of the border. If there’s no quarantine, I’d rank the cities’ chances: 1) Edmonton; 2) Toronto; and 3) Vancouver.
IRONIC TRUMP INSULTS
About Barrack Obama: He was an incompetent president …grossly incompetent.
About Democratic senator Adam Schiff:
I think (he) is a deranged man.
I think he grew up with a complex
I think he’s a very sick man.
He lies.
The irony, of course, is that all these insults clearly apply to Trump himself.
BRUCE ARTHUR
The Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur has long been my favourite sports writer. Since Covid-19 halted all sporting events he’s been writing an opinion column, one of which inspired the above item on Trump. In it Arthur pointed out that in the 90s Trump’s own law firm would always send two lawyers to any meeting with him because, as one of them testified under oath, “Donald says certain things and then has a lack of memory.” Still does.