From flanders field... - Memorial Day 2007

Today thousands of Canadians across the nation joined millions of others worldwide to pay their respects to those who served and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. At 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month we paused for a moment to honour our brave soldiers with the reaffirmation that we will never forget.

In Flanders Field - Lt Col John McRae, MD (1872-1918).

New large oil discovery in Brazil is further shifting the energy balance

Petrobras yesterday announced the discovery of up to 8 billion barrels of new oil and natural gas deposits in the Tupi field offshore Santos Basin. This new finds ranks Brazil as world number 8, moving ahead of Nigeria in the oil and natural gas producing nations. Brazil's latest find in the Tupi field ranks the country well against the recent find in Kazakhstan's Kashagan field. Let's see how the market reacts to this. More

The issue of police cameras

Privacy expectation has been a hot topic since the City of Toronto decided to go ahead with the installation and operation of surveillance cameras on the streets in a number of communities in the city. Public space can be defined in a number of ways with varying degrees of privacy expectations, however the streets and public thoroughfares where law enforcement members are hired to protect and keep members of the public safe while they are in use should not be seen as a violation given that these cameras are not reported to be producing x-ray vision nor are they mounted at ground level. Opposition to this latest crime prevention measure warrants serious research as I struggle with the issue of PRIVACY expectation in PUBLIC places. How ridiculously ironic.

We will never forget...

This week will see different cermonies to honor those who have served, are currently serving. Veteran's week will end on Memorial Day Sunday, November 11, 2007. Let's go out rain or shine and honour those brave hero's who have served us and those who continue to fight for our freedoms.

New Federal tax cuts

Federal Finance minister Jim Flaherty yesterday unveiled a range of tax cuts for Canadians starting in the new year. All this, amidst clamouring from provincial and municipal governments for funds to be released for infrastructure development. The federal and provincial governments continue to enjoy enormous budget surpluses which is grossly unethical. Toronto has for sometime given strong support to the Liberal party hence our help should come from Premier McGuinty who chides the Feds for not sharing with Toronto. He got the votes, what is he waiting for?

Living the sheltered life

"For those who fought for it, life has a flavour the sheltered will never know" - John S Mills.

Canadians have a lot to be thankful for these days however, if you ask around there will be a number of our constituents who would disagree for a variety of understandable reasons. In Canada poverty and needs are defined in Canadian terms, and they should be. Yesterday a few hundred demonstrators were out adding their voices to what was a global effort against troops in Afghanistan. I am never sure what these demonstrators are thinking as there are many ways of looking at the situation with Afghans in their country today.

In Afghanistan a power vacuum was created in late 2001 and the UN Security Council unanimously agreed that help must be provided to get the country up and running again. I can think of three groups of people in the case of the Afghan situation namely; the anti-American fraternity who opposes anything the USA is involved in, those from the middle-east and eastern regions (living in the west) who are anti-American and believe that Afghanistan is better off without soldiers from the west (this group seems to have few or no Afghan members) and then there are those who think all things should be accommodated in the name of peace and dialogue should prevail ad infinitum. The last group however well intentioned, are largely sheltered and unlike their parents have not been exposed to any of the horrific wars fought by the Europeans in the last century. This group could also included some of those who would like to prosecute our military leaders for allowing members of the Taliban resistance movement to be tortured. They are not necessarily naive, they just never had to fight or fend for anything in life as yet.

It is that time of year again and I proudly wear my poppy in remembrance and appreciation for those who gave that we might enjoy Canada today. I know that in life there are always things worth fighting for, dying for, depending where you are on the needs hierarchy.

VW facing takeover?

The European court of Justice today ruled that the German law protecting auto magnate Volkswagen AG from hostile takeover is illegal. For years Porsche invested in the auto company which carries a full suite of vehicles envied even by Porsche. From the popular VW brand to the upscale Audi and topped off by the Bugatti and Lamborghini, Volkswagen has been the target of a number of European auto manufacturer. Full article