PONDERABLES
Would anyone have believed we’d see the day when the NHL playoffs would start before the regular season ended?
THINGS I FIRMLY BELIEVE
Toronto Raptor super fan, Nav Bhatia, is probably a very nice man, and his dedication to his favourite sports team is beyond doubt, but his election to the NBA Hall of Fame is sheer idiocy that demeans and denigrates the honour.
If hitters would take the time to learn to bunt and hit to the opposite field, the odious shift would quickly disappear.
JULIE PAYETTE BACK IN THE NEWS
Two points arise from the announcement that the Durham District School Board in Ontario is considering renaming the Julie Payette Public school, presumably because of her ruinous term as Governor General of Canada. First, Justin Trudeau, by either ignoring or not doing due diligence prior to her appointment, has to wear her record as GG. Secondly, schools, or any other public building for that matter, should never be named after living people.
ANOTHER TRUDEAU PROMISE IN ASHES
I don’t recall his exact words back in 2015, but Justin Trudeau promised that his government would ensure that the main role of Liberal MPs would be to bring their constituents’ concerns to Ottawa, not Ottawa’s to their constituents. That went up in flames this week when loyal Hamilton Liberal MP Bob Bratina announced he would not be running in the soon-to-be-called federal election.
Bratina said his decision was based on his not even being consulted beforeTrudeau and the mouth-that-roared, Ottawa Central MP and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna, announced $3.4 billion of infrastructure funding for an LRT line in Hamilton.
Trudeau’s shunning of Bratina is clearly based on the latter’s well-known opposition to the proposed LRT. Bratina doesn’t like it because most Hamiltonians feel that it should run north/south rather than east/west as proposed. Bratina also pointed out that because only the capital cost is included in the $3.4 billion, Hamilton taxpayers will be on the hook for a permanent 5% property tax increase to cover operating costs. Considering that Bratina is a former councillor and mayor of Hamilton, it seems he’s exactly the kind of MP Trudeau was referring to back in 2015, but is now ignored.
THE NEVER-ENDING HARJIT SAJJAN SAGA
The Globe and Mail has revealed that the department of national defense waited nearly two months before removing Major-General Dany Fortin from his military duties and as head of Canada’s vaccination distribution team, apparently because it was “scrambling to deal with a series of allegations of sexual misconduct involving at least seven high-ranking officers.” This is another glaring example of the pathetic incompetence of defense minister Harjit Sajjan. But Trudeau continues to enable him.
MORE TRUDEAU ENABLING
Trudeau’s dangerous enabling doesn’t end with Sajjan. He’s also made it clear he’s willing to stand by and do nothing while Quebec Premier Francois Legault tramples on Anglophones’ rights by insisting he can unilaterally change the Canadian constitution. Legault’s political party is the Coalition Avenir Quebec, which means “coalition for Quebec’s future,” a future which obviously doesn’t include the English language in any way, shape or form.
NO-HITTERS ABOUND
When Yankee pitcher Corey Kluber threw his no-hitter on Wednesday night it was the sixth this season, and the season is only about one-quarter over. As the modern record (since 1900) for a season is seven, it seems to be in danger. An interesting aspect of the six 2021 no-hitters is that they were against only three teams; two each against Cleveland, Seattle, and Texas.
BUZZY COHEN STARS AGAIN ON JEOPARDY!
Buzzy Cohen is again starring on Jeopardy!; this time as the current guest host of the show. He won nine games in 2016, the Tournament of Champions in 2017, and was a team captain for the show’s All-Star game in 2019. Alex Trebek dubbed Buzzy “Mr. Personality,” and that personality has been shining brightly. Although not a professional broadcaster (he’s an LA music executive), his on-camera performance has been second to none, and he’s only going to get better. I pushed earlier for all-time Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings to get the job because of his historical connection to the game. Although Buzzy’s heritage is not as dominant as Ken’s, he’s a much better host. There are a lot of online rumours that the producers have already decided the job is his. It should be. In case you’re wondering, his real name is Austin David Cohen.