Editor’s Notes

When I moved back to Ottawa after an absence of decades I was struck by how ignorant Ottawans are about what is happening in the rest of the country. Now, I’m not using ignorant as a synonym for stupid. Simply for what the word means: uninformed, unaware, and badly informed. As the capital of our country, it’s natural that the media here reports heavily on our biggest newsmaker. But one would think that our elected representatives would be more in tune with what’s happening beyond the horizon seen from the top of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. That’s why we’re running Marion Endicott’s refutation of John McCallum’s silly statement that Canadians are overtaxed. Sure there may be some argument that taxes are too high but let’s fulfill promises with money collected before we empty the piggybank. Marion Endicott for years has been on the frontline of helping disabled workers salvage their lives. She knows what it’s like on the street. McCallum should come down for air to clear his head.

Quebec is taking the hydrocarbon problem seriously by making a major move toward the development of renewable fuel with a focus on hydrogen power. It is spending tens of millions of dollars in research and development.

We introduced him last week as Doctor of Hintology but Mike Garvin, who is to mechanics what Mozart was to music, is clearly not the hinting kind. Don’t miss this entry and stay tuned for many more.

Washington’s morality wavers from high trade and bond sales with Communist China and a severe economic blockade of Communist Cuba (I use the word Communist loosely because neither country qualify as Communist). Now we have a Texas Congresswoman trying to shake some cells awake in George W.’s head. She’s calling for a good neighbour policy with Venezuela that would put a shot in the economic arm of her constituents whose livelihood depend on making parts for F-16 fighter jets. George W. banned the sale of these parts to Venezuela. Looks like there’s more backfire ahead for the little spoiled brat who would be king.

Speaking of armaments, the big spenders in the Gulf are buying up like it’s going out of style. Negotiating and arming. More money than they’ve got brains.

And speaking of brains. The final piece of this edition is about an amazing statement by the general who was head of Special Forces, the outfit that was supposed to nail Osama bin Laden. He’s about to retire. Now he says of catching bin Laden, "I don't know that it's all that important, frankly." Not important? It was so important that Canada followed the U.S. into Afghanistan just to catch bin Laden. Our boys and girls are dying there to satisfy this fantasy. It was the false excuse to invade Iraq and tens of thousands of people have been killed and wounded and an economic infrastructure destroyed. Now this genius would shrug it all off as not “all that important.” The general seems as insane as his president.

Ahem, on that high note, I urge you to

Take it easy, but take it.

Looking forward

Carl Dow
Editor and Publisher.