THE INCORRIGIBLE JUSTIN TRUDEAU
When it comes to abiding by rules, Justin Trudeau is completely unencumbered by principle.
Some weeks ago he announced a $900 million program to help students during this Covid-19 summer; there’s nothing wrong with that. What is egregious, though, is that rather than have the program administered by the federal government itself he outsourced its administration to WE Charity, a non-government organization. According to the National Post, WE would have been paid almost $20 million. The Post also revealed that over the last three years WE Charity has been given at least five other smaller contracts plus outright government grants of $5.2 million. But on Friday, because of the uproar over the deal’s stench, WE decided to withdraw from the arrangement.
The stench emanated from the fact that WE Charity is an organization with which Trudeau, his wife Sophie, and even his mother Margaret, have well-documented connections. Justin has spoken a number of times at WE events, Margaret has been very active supporting the charity, and Sophie has been described in the media as an “ambassador and high-ranking ally” of WE. She also hosts a podcast for the organization. (Sophie actually contracted her Covid-19 while she and Margaret attended a WE event in London.)
Trudeau’s outsourcing would have meant that this almost $1 billion program could not be monitored by the auditor general, meaning no accountability whatsoever to parliament and the taxpayers who are funding it. This was a flagrant breach of ethics. But even though he’s already been found guilty of breaching the rules of ethics at least four times, Trudeau obviously still believes that rules are for others, not him. WE’s withdrawal changes nothing, Trudeau’s incorrigibility still stinks.
BASEBALL IN TORONTO THIS SUMMER IS RISKY
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has announced that the Blue Jays can train and play at the Rogers Center. There’s no problem with them training here, but the same can’t be said about playing games.
Although it’s feasible for the Blue Jays to create a protective bubble for their players and staff while they’re in Toronto, it’s doubtful the members of visiting teams can be effectively isolated. Anyone who thinks that a bunch of rich young athletes are going to self-isolate after a game is badly mistaken. They’re going to go out on the town and potentially spread the virus that still has the US in its deadly grip.
A THEORY ABOUT WRITING
I’ve had sixteen books published and hundreds of columns in publications such as The Financial Times, The Financial Post, The Toronto Star, The Globe & Mail, and even an article in Reader’s Digest. Except for a few dozen humour columns I wrote for the Toronto Star back in the 70s, all my writing has been non-fiction. Although I’ve tried many times to write fictional short stories, and even took a couple of stabs at a novel, I’m convinced that I’m utterly incapable of writing intelligible fiction; and I have a theory about that. I think non-fiction writing is basically a skill, whereas fiction writing is primarily an art. Although it’s possible to enhance art by the application of acquired skills, fiction writers have to have been born with the art component. I clearly wasn’t.
WORDS I NEVER THOUGHT I’D UTTER
I’m ashamed of PEI.
Although I’ve spent most of my life in Toronto, I was born at St.Peter’s Bay, grew up in Morell, and have had a summer home at Lakeside since 1970, where we’ve spent many months every summer for the past fifty years. During that time we’ve contributed enormously to the economy, not just with our “tourist” dollars, but through decades of paying former Premier Joe Ghiz’s double property tax levy on non-resident property owners. However, this year may be only the third in my eighty-two years on this earth that I will not set foot on the Island. (The other two were 1956, when I couldn’t get enough time off work, and 1969 when Anne and I drove to the west coast and back on our honeymoon.)
The first impediment to our enjoying the wonderful Island summer life and spending precious time with relatives and friends this year is the two-week quarantine regulation. Given PEI’s enviable Covid-19 record, this requirement is perfectly understandable, and it’s optional; we can either comply with it or not go. However, what is not optional is the probability of my car being vandalized simply because it has Ontario license plates.
That’s what’s shameful.