As you know I have been urging Justin Trudeau to demolish Stephen Harper's legacy as soon as possible.
Bulldoze it into a smoking heap of rubble.
And because patience is not one of my
But I have to say, that in that regard, yesterday was a very good day.
Because this needed to be said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used his moment on the main stage of the World Economic Forum today in Davos, Switzerland to present Canada as uniquely suited for the transforming global economy.
"My predecessor wanted you to know Canada for its resources," he said. "I want you to know Canadians for our resourcefulness."
We are more than the slaves of Big Oil Stephen Harper tried to make us.
More than the same old Canadians...
The same old hewers of wood and drawers of water.
And this also needed to be said: it's about time the Canada Revenue Agency was brought under control.
The Liberal government says it is winding down a controversial Conservative program of political-activity audits on charities. Some 24 ongoing audits will continue in an effort to address any “serious deficiencies” that are found, Federal Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier said Wednesday in a news release.
But six other charities previously targeted for examination won’t get audited, and five organizations that previously had their charitable status revoked are being invited to appeal.
So it can't be used as Stephen Harper used it, to go after his government's political enemies...
Like birdwatchers and environmental groups.
Which only made the third legacy destroying move that happened yesterday, only more satisfying.
The official scrapping of Harper's monstrous memorial to himself.
The commission that deals with federal land use for Canada’s Capital Region is going along with the Heritage minister in moving the controversial Victims of Communism memorial away from the Supreme Court.
The National Capital Commission revoked its original approval, issued several years ago, for the contentious location at a public meeting today. That plot of land will now be used as a park.
Which hopefully will not just be moved, but also reduced to the size it deserves...
Because that would be a huge slap in the face for our former Great Leader.
And as he continues his paranoia tour of the U.S. it must be driving him crazy...
Or crazier...
But the best thing that I saw yesterday, the one that reassured me that Justin Trudeau is indeed destroying Harper's legacy, was a simple video.
A video of some Syrian refugee children in Peterborough, Ontario, enjoying their first toboggan ride...
Because Trudeau did encourage us to welcome them with open arms, we did do the right thing, and that's our reward.
And to me it is a sign that slowly but surely we are taking our country back from the monster who almost destroyed it...
Along with its precious Canadian values.
You know, if Justin Trudeau ever lets me down, I will let him and his party know it.
And no, I won't be wearing this sweater...
It's just not...um...me.
But I am willing to give Justin credit for what he has done so far, and the time to show us what he can do.
I'm not willing to surrender my hopes for a better country so soon or so easily.
I believe we are heading in the right direction.
And that Stephen Harper's legacy is heading for the right place...
Just show him no mercy.
And the sooner the better...
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22 comments:
That sweater is positively Putinesque.
It is true that there can be legitimate reasons to audit charities, but we know Harper was simply targeting his "enemies".
Of course that area should be a park, with some nice trees. Is it beside the Ottawa/Outaouais river? (How the English and the French misheard Odawe)...
Beautiful video! Thank you for sharing. Good Canadian government, good citizens, a snow suit on former lost souls, and a snowy hill. All the ingredients for a good future!
But, as you stress Simon, we need to keep the pressure on to get rid of those weeds and poison plants in our midst. Our beautiful country is worth it!
Came across this article that you and others may enjoy. It's on this theme I think.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-emotional-footprint/201601/the-sounds-rudeness
Cheers Simon et al!
TS
i dont know, maybe i didnt get the memo regarding the horrible things that victims of communism did to people...
i come from a country that was occupied by communists for over forty years. i watched my neighbours (and their children, my friends, disappear), i watched people come back after long time and not be the same. my prospects on entering a university were null because my parentage belonged among the educated. we were not allowed to listen to world music, read books that contained ideas or keep contact with families abroad.
there are many monuments that remind us of historical events. but victims of communism are, somehow, dirty. no one wants to touch them. hm.
the flip side is the scale, the location and the architecture of this monument. the first two are rightly and intelligently addressed here (thank you simon for giving me a belly laugh, again). i havent heard very much discourse regarding the third point, however. communist era architecture should stay in architecture history books. it is cold, hard, depressing, disconnected and abandoned.
shouldnt victims of anything be brought together in a beautiful place that inspires love and humanity?
cheers, lucie
Great post Simon, brings some warmth on a chilly January day! There is a classic on the MSM news feed today. Sarah Palin's son, a veteran,has anger issues which has resulted in fire arm related criminal charges being laid. She is blaming Obama for not providing enough medical support for veterans suffering from PTSD. No thought that the Repubic-Con gun culture and warmongering rhetoric that has sent countless numbers of their youth on disastrous military campaigns might have contributed to his problems. Nope its all Obama's fault ... he is just plain weak and doesn't defend our VALUES. Where have we heard that before?
RT
My understanding is that it is right beside/in-front-of the Supreme Court building. So yes it should be on a bluff looking north or north west towards the Gatineau hills. It is probably about .5 km or less west of the Parliament Buildings on the same street, Wellington St.
What's sad is that Track Palin's anti-social behavior (burning school buses) is what got him in the US army (ole sentence- jail or the Army) in the first place.
The Army or war itself didn't make him into a rageaholic. They didn't help, but his behavior is his own.
Sarah's just trying to move the blame to somewhere else instead of squarely onto the shoulders of her idiot son.
Personal responsibility in action, no?
Perhaps a joint monument to the victims of communism and capitalism?
A lot of men, women and children died because of unbridled capitalism as well. Let's see, perhaps a million in 3 years in Ireland during the Famine?
She would have made a great minister in Harper's cabinet.
My mother's ancestors once owned that land, where the Supreme Court now stands. They were descendants of Irish refugees, even though Aunt Kiki wouldn't like me to say so.
Could we get an artist to design a monument to the victims of injustice and wars? Perhaps the body of a small boy being retrieved from a beach?
P2p
I don't think there is any need for a monument specifically for victims of "communism". I think there were victims in countries that practices communism as well as in countries that practiced capitalism. There were victims of repressive regimes in Chile, Brazil, and most South American countries. Columbia murders trade union leaders all to frequently.Africa is not faring well. There are right wing death squads in many countries and what about the governments on the Middle East. If we need a monument to remind us of what happens when freedom of association and democracy are forcibly taken, count me in. But to say it was only because of communism count me out. In no way to I mean to make light of the repression referred to in one of the previous replies, but I have seen what is happening in Palestine, and worked with people from Chile as well as people from the Eastern Europe bloc. Repression was felt in all these countries.
And what about the Mother Canada statue?
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/6204129-ottawa-should-veto-mother-canada-statue/
Rex Murphy says no one wants the Liberals to keep two of their campaign promises. Huh?
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/The%2BNational/Rex%2BMurphy/ID/2682366880/
Rex Murphy | Justin Trudeau's Promises (Jan 21, 2016)
Point of View: Rex is in awe of how Justin Trudeau's Liberals stand to gain credit if they break key pledges of the platform they ran and won on.
hi lagatta....yes that sweater is a bit over the top. Justin and the Moose are OK, but the geese are too much. ;) As for the site which has been liberated, it's right in front of the Supreme Court building and has long been reserved for another court building which is supposed be named after Pierre Trudeau. So as you can see Harper had many reasons to try to build the monument there....
hi TS...I'm glad you liked the video I did too. It was just too cute. And tobogganing was my first introduction to winter sports in Canada, sliding down the side of Mount Royal on my little wooden sled. And yes we must pluck those Con weeds out of our new garden...
hi Luce...I don't want to make light of the suffering of those who were oppressed by a communist regime, for I know there are quite a few of them in Canada. But what I objected to was placing such an ugly and massive memorial on a piece of land that has been reserved for one hundred years for a new federal court building. One which is supposed to bear the name of Pierre Trudeau. And the only reason Stephen Harper wanted it built there, was to give the finger to the court and the Trudeau legacy. Apart from that I wonder why we would build a memorial to the victims of communism, and not one to the many victims of fascism. Or for that matter why we wouldn't first build a memorial to the suffering and survival of our indigenous people. Now that's a monument I could really support...
hi RT...I'm glad you liked the post. As I said, I am not prepared to give up my new found hope and optimism, after ten years of Harper they will have to pry them from between my cold dead fingers. But as for Palin, I'm reserving a whole post for her...
hi Dan...I see veterans in the U.S. are furious with Palin for trying to blame Track's criminality on his very short service. And completely ignoring the fact that he was in trouble long before he joined the army...
hi P2P...that's fascinating. Was it once an Irish neighbourhood? I'm afraid I don't know much about the history of Ottawa. I try to avoid that village, and have a horror of being caught there after the sun sets, lest I am bored to death... ;)
hi John...I completely agree with you. If we are going to build a monument to the oppressed let's make it more generic because the oppressors come in all shapes and colours. My preference for a memorial would be one to our indigenous people, for they have suffered greatly in their own country....
hi David...I haven't heard anything about the Mother Canada statue, but I understand it's in a national park so blocking it shouldn't be hard, But the sooner the better...
I really like your idea P2p of a monument for victims of injustice and war. The small boy retrieved on foreign beach on his way to our country is an image we should never forget.
TS
Simon, as an ex-Montrealer who now lives in the Ottawa area, I urge you not to judge hastily. No, Ottawa's not Montreal -- but then, no other city in Canada is. Ottawa has a burgeoning restaurant and arts scene, and gets all the touring concerts etc. that the Big Cities enjoy. As well, there's the National Arts Centre, which has a range of performances that would suit almost anyone's taste.
Yes, the bars close at 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. -- but the bars close at 2 a.m. in most North American cities, anyway.
Thank you. Continue your good work.
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