I haven't felt much like blogging recently. The greyness of these Covid times, and worrying about my friends risking their lives on the front lines of the pandemic, has practically paralyzed me.
When the bug first struck I thought about keeping a Plague Journal, like Daniel Defoe did during the Black Death.
But that didn't last long. In the internet age the story is just too big. Self isolation drained the energy out of me. So soon all I wanted to do in my spare time was watch TV, and sleep. And eat, did I mention eat?
But now I am energized again...
The railway blockades have been a real test of Canada's character, a measure of its Canadian values.
With most favouring compromise and negotiation over the use of force.
While others screamed for native blood.
Includiing our monstrous Cons, who tried to use the crisis for crass political purposes.
I must admit that for a while the situation looked bleak. The country was in an uproar, convulsing in a spasm of late winter madness.
Mohawk protesters were trying to set fire to trains, Andrew Scheer and other racists were having a field day.
And all over Canada angry old Cons were screaming at Justin Trudeau.
"Arrest them, send in the army, shoot them!!!!"
And looking like maniacs.
It couldn't be a more disgusting spectacle, Jason Kenney and Scott Moe laying siege to Ottawa, trying to blackmail the federal government into giving them more money.
And threatening that if the government doesn't pay up, Alberta and Saskatchewan might separate.
It's an ugly argument from two very ugly Cons.
So I'm glad that Justin Trudeau is finally putting the Western separatists in their place.
It's been an amazing summer so far in the place where I live. And now that I'm on holiday I've been trying to enjoy every minute.
The blue sky days, the warm breezes, the childhood memories of the days I learned to sail in a far off land.
The lazy afternoons at the island beach where I can lie in the sun, and have the luxury of time to really think about where this country is going.
It was a neighbourhood party that began in a subdued manner, with Raptor's fans lining up for hours in the pouring rain to get into Jurassic Park.
But it ended with me needing a full day to recover.
For when the final buzzer sounded, and the Raptors were the new reigning champions, a massive roar rocked the neighbourhood.
And the place exploded.
It's not always easy to love our country at this time of the year.
Not when it has been so cold recently the ducks where I live have been reduced to splashing around in this small hole in the ice, in a bay frozen solid.
And we are forced to listen to the annoying sound of the Canada haters who quack and wail about how they wish they lived somewhere else.
And of course, nobody hates this country more all year round, than do our ugly Cons.
I was hoping for a quiet end to 2018 in Canada, because quite frankly I'm beat. The ugly year took so much out of me, I might need to be pushed across the finishing line in a wheelbarrow.
And I'm not sure I should be wildly celebrating the arrival of 2019, because it could and probably will be worse.
But one thing is for sure, for me this year ended with a bang.
When I woke up and discovered there was a rumour flying around Twitter that I had died of cancer.
It's been almost two days since the perfumed prince of the barbarous kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launched an insane assault on Canada for having had the nerve to stand up for human rights.
But strangely enough Con leader Andrew Scheer has yet to stand up for Canada, or say a word about the Saudi offensive.
Or maybe not so strangely, since he's not exactly a human rights champion himself.
But it does raise the disturbing question, whose side is he on?
I must admit I'm in a mood to party, I've got so many reasons to celebrate.
The regatta season has begun. I've just graduated from more than two months of rehab to fully recover from my motorcycle accident. So I can finally join them out there this weekend.
I'm off to Europe next week, and I'm taking you with me.
And of course the best reason of all to party is that today is Canada's 150th birthday.
So you can imagine how shocked I was to see this recent story in the New York Times.
I'm really looking forward to this weekend. It's going to be warm and sunny, and perfect for biking, or sailing.
And on Sunday, in this park in my neighbourhood, there is going to be a big book fair with lots of authors and artists. So it couldn't be better, or more lovely Canada.
But I can't forget what's happening to so many people in this nightmare place.
And ever since I found out that Chris Alexander and Kellie Leitch will be reuniting.
I can't help wondering what might have happened to some of the Syrian refugees now living in this peaceful country if the Cons had been re-elected?
It's hard to believe that it's been a year since since the body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach.
For it seems so much longer.
But although the passage of time has dulled the impact of that horrible tragedy.
What we must never forget is how that poor little toddler awakened the conscience of Canada, and helped bring down the Con regime.
It took me a few years to fall in love with the Tragically Hip. I always loved their name, I thought it was so cool or...um...so hip.
And when I heard that their lead singer was a poet I was even more impressed.
But it wasn't until my big brother took me to one of their shows, that I realized what a great band they were.
And their final performance last night was the best and most moving show I have ever seen.
A year ago I wrote a post about Canada Day and called it Canada Day in Harperland: Between Hope and Despair.
Because although I never lost hope that we would defeat him, the monster was still in power...
And I couldn't help wondering how long it would be before we got our Canada back.
So I knew yesterday's Canada Day was going to be really special.
And I wasn't disappointed.
It's been barely two days since the Brexit referendum, and no doubt some LEAVE supporters are still celebrating their big victory.
But not all of them. Some of them it seems are now having sober second thoughts.
And what with the pound having fallen to a thirty-year low, the stock markets shuddering, and the country split down the middle, and in danger of falling apart.
Now some of them are saying they're sorry.
It's hard to believe, but it looks as if we can safely sew those little Canadian flags on the back of our backpacks again.
After having to remove them during the Harper years.
And travel around the world dressed like this...
Because thanks to Justin Trudeau, and the way he welcomed the Syrian refugees in our name.
We're suddenly cool again.
It was an interesting idea. Test the tolerance of Canadians at a bus stop in Hamilton, Ontario.
By having the guy on the left pose as an anti-Muslim bigot, and insult the guy on the guy on the right while the cameras rolled.
And although it was a little crude, and it did end bloodily, the results were encouraging...
I've been seeing a lot of stories in the Canadian and British media, comparing the Scottish independence referendum campaign to the one in Quebec in 1995.
And I've resigned myself to seeing a lot more of them after this latest development.
Because it is so familiar.
But here's the thing eh? I've seen the Scottish referendum campaign up close and in the flesh this summer, in this quiet northern place where my family lives...
I lived through the Quebec one in Montreal, in the crucible of the clash between the YES and the NO.
And I can tell you that while the campaigns may be superficially similar, they are at their core radically different.
Well I hope he's satisfied. I hope his wild cheerleading for the savage assault on Gaza earns him a tin medal from the Netanyahu regime.
Or a wet kiss from his good buddy Benny.
For Godzilla knows he deserves it. No other leader of any other government in the civilized world cheered as loud as he did.
And he must be sooooo pleased. All that senseless destruction.
All those dead children.
In his well known song Mon Pays, the Quebec poet and singer Gilles Vigneault famously sings: "My country is not a country, it's the winter."
And in this seemingly never ending one, this Winter from Hell, I think we can all relate to that.
But since just a few weeks ago during the Olympics we were all happily chirping or tweeting #wearewinter we can't complain too much eh?
Even if it seems to be driving a lot of Canadians crazy.
For what else can explain the hysteria over national unity?
