20:17 - 11.05.05
Issues
I spent last night with my lungs in spasm trying to get whatever is still in the bottom of the right lung coughed out. It started out when I woke up at about 3 am because I felt someone crying. I knew it wasn't me but I felt the tears flowing and the pain. Couldn't think of who it might be. Tried to send love and comfort to whoever it was, but then the spasms started and I was otherwise occupied. Felt like someone took a baseball bat to my ribs. The upshot was that I didn't go to work this morning - at least not the downtown version.
By noon I had fielded several calls from Elections Canada staff in Ottawa. Nothing to do with the election. More information please was the theme. E-talks with the lawyer and the landlord of the building I hope will have space for my office. More questions from the finance people about some of the work done a month ago. At least tax payers dollars are being respected in this department.
Still the jockeying in parliament with an $800 million price tag if another minority government takes office because of a premature election. I need aspirin. There is a non-confidence vote likely for the provinical government in Newfoundland on Monday. That would mean a Provincial election in process again covering the next month. On Tuesday there is the voting in the American style Provincial election that has been running for the past month in British Columbia. Then there is the arrival of Queen Elizabeth and the royal tour of the provinces celebrating their 100th year as past of the Canadian Confederation that same day.
In the meantime there are any number of pressing life issues that Canadians must deal with that are being ignored or swept under the carpet "because of lack of funds". Start with the systemic abuse of seniors in long term care facilities. There was a report about this nearly a decade ago. It didn't support the provincial government's assertion that the Alberta Advantage was a boon to the people who built this province and are the reason for its affluence, so the numbered copies distributed to the elected members of the ruling party were all recalled and the documents shredded. Then is there is the continuing abuse of children placed in care of the state to protect them from the abuse they were receiving at the hands of their families. More reports shredded and advocates driven out of the province so that no resources were called for. Why look after seniors and children, when you can have questionable elections instead. Then there is the issue of industrial development and it's impact on communities. The cancelling of the inquiry into voter fraud in the Calgary municipal election last October sparked major outrage but lack of funds was cited as one of the reasons for silencing of the community. Uh huh.
Then there are the more global issues such as the exposure of Canadians and American soldiers to radio-active toxins in one province while there is no acknowledgement of the dumping of said nuclear waste in uncharted sink holes in the Canadian shield. That only affects the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba so I guess it doesn't matter. The other issue is the leak of toxic substances in to the water supply. Then there is the theft of intellectual property and the damage done by cyber-gangs and the grinding poverty of workers whose wages don't even allow them to meet basic human needs like food and shelter.
More interesting is some of the history preserved by an American scientist when he was the first civilian to travel the Alaska Highway. Then there is mother nature showing whose boss whether through mice, bears or fires. Just a few more important things I think.
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