Because it's the law

Nothing says "obey the language laws" like making sure a protest is bilingual.

Census consensus

Our statistics are officially entered into the Statistics Canada..or as they say in Quebec Statistique Canada. After getting several notices via mail and assuming we didn't need to fill out the forms, I decided to go ahead enter our numbers via the Internet to avoid getting arrested.  Besides, by waiting a bit, I was keeping the government employee responsible for "sending out reminder notices to the people every other week to justify my job" person. Not that it would matter, that person will always have a job. A good job with great benefits.

So, as I got into the online form I had look twice at the computer screen a few times. I mean, all I could do was imagine what Rush, Glenn Beck, Newt and the rest of the "family values" crazies would think if this census form ever saw the light of day in the U.S.A. 

After getting through the "relationship" status page, there were several pages dedicated only to language...

No, thank you Canada. 

Sober satisfaction

It's hard to not make a comment today about the killing of Osama Bin Laden. This is one of those times when it's strange not to be in your home country, even though Canada is so close.

Today Louis had the day off due to Canada's Federal elections and the public schools being used as polling places. We took the opportunity to drive to Ottawa to take in a museum (more in a later post). The two hour car ride, complete with Tim Horton's coffee and Timbits (we're so Canadian), was an ideal time to listen to the CBC and other talk radio to hear the Canadian perspective about what happened. Fortunately, Rush Limpballs is not in Canada so I didn't accidentally land on his show when scanning through AM radio in the boring part of Ontario. I hate it when that happens. When it does accidentally happen in the states, the kids usually know I will listen for a few minutes and follow that off with a 15 minute rant about what an assho ego-maniac, self-absorbed, bigoted, slob he is and they have to insist I change the station so I don't take off speeding and risk yet another traffic violation.

However, this quality listening time today came between arguments over the radio stations as Louis insisted on listening to his music which gives me a headache. You call this music? I'm sure my mom had the same reaction when I insisted we listen to David Bowie, the Go Go's, Billy Squire and AC/DC over and over again in the early 1980s. Kids today. Wow. I am turning into my mother.

Back to world issues. As Stephen Harper said in his statement below, the mood can best be described as sober satisfaction. More than one radio commentator and caller voiced concern about the outright celebrations taking place in the U.S. about the final killing of OBL. Most Canadians I encountered remain cautious. They are not feeling celebratory, per se.

Perhaps that's just the Canadian way. A bit cautious. A bit reserved. A bit humble. Except of course when it comes to hockey.

Below is Prime Minister Stephen Harper's statement. As I mentioned, today is the day of our Federal elections. It's assumed he will remain Prime Minister later tonight when the final numbers are in...but who knows. This has been one crazy election.

On Sept. 11, 2001, 24 Canadians were murdered in the Al Qaeda attack on the World Trade Centre. The death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, reported today by President Obama, secures a measure of justice for these Canadians and their families. 

Bin Laden's death does not end the threat of international terrorism. Sadly, others will take his place. 

But, this does remind us why Canadian Armed Forces personnel have been deployed to Afghanistan: to deny Al Qaeda and organizations like it, the use of Afghanistan, where the 9/11 attack was conceived and planned. 

Through their operations there to cut off terror at its root, our men and women in uniform have made an enormous contribution to Canadian security abroad.Here, dedicated security officials work tirelessly and with success, to prevent similar attacks in Canada. Protection of the public is the first and most important duty of government. 

Canada receives the news of the death of Osama bin Laden with sober satisfaction. We will continue to stand firm with our allies against the threat of global terrorism.

Politics as usual

I saw this spruced up political poster in downtown Montreal last night and it made me laugh for a number of reasons. They like to stir things up in Quebec too. I can't figure out the exact translation but I think it has something to do with this dude being a con. If I could vote I would do everything I could to make sure the Bloc is not well represented in Parliament.

Quebec politics....almost as interesting as the recent ridiculous, racially-driven birth certificate dilemma in the U.S. The Bloc Quebecois here is the political party that wants to separate from the rest of Canada and make the entire province exclusively French speaking (even at the risk of losing business and residents) and it's own country. They came very close in the mid 1990s and they are gearing up again.

So Monday is election day here in Canada. All we can do is sit back and watch what happens and where our tax dollars will go....even though we really have no say since we can't vote. We can only be entertained. See, Canada is not that different from the U.S.

Because it's Canada

Disclaimer: the rest of the family gets annoyed when I start getting too political so I need to mention that these opinions are those of the writer (me) and don't necessarily represent the opinions of the entire family. However, Duke the dog agrees with me on everything.


Because it's Canada, the Federal election debate in French was just rescheduled due to a hockey game. Yes, hockey. Sadly there are only two Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup playoff race, one of them being our home team, the Montreal Canadiens. This country also happens to be in the middle of a Federal election. When it was discovered the first playoff game for the Canadiens was scheduled on the same evening as a French televised debate, Gilles Duceppe, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois party, suggested they move the debate up a day so as not to interfere with the game. Unlike the conflict that put this country into another election cycle, everyone agreed. And so it was done. Everyone is happy. For now. Besides, it's hockey.

I'm still trying to understand Canadian politics. I'm sure there's a sixth grader out there who can correct my facts. However, that sixth grader would have to be outside of Quebec because in this Province they emphasize Quebec politics and history because, well, many people in Quebec still want to abolish English, separate and want nothing to do with Canada except when it comes to equalization payments and benefiting from the Alberta.

This is what I know about the current election. Back in March the Conservative government FELL. Doesn't that sound dramatic? Almost as bad as a government shutdown. Basically, the Conservatives lost a motion in the House of Commons that was brought forward by the Liberals. Unlike the U.S. which has two parties (yes, I know, those Tea Party people want to be a real party, but... ), Canada has a bunch of them. There are the Liberals and the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party the Green Party and here in Quebec, the Bloc Quebecois. There are several other candidates but they don't seem to matter much, sort of like Donald Trump. They use the election to make some noise, like the Marijuana party in Canada (yes, they are an official party).

So, last month the House of Commons passed a motion of non-confidence in the Conservative government because they affirmed the Conservative government did some not-so-legal things by not disclosing financial details and therefore obstructing government. As a result, the Liberals and all the other opposing Members of Parliament refused to pass a budget. Sound familiar? But instead, here in Canada this meant that Parliament is basically dissolved and within six weeks or so there has to be a Federal election.

So, this is where we are now...six weeks of campaigning for a reappointment of Stephen Harper as Prime Minister or a leader of one of the other parties. The main difference between the elections in Canada versus the U.S. is that in Canada everyone votes for the candidate/party they want in their "riding" which is like a district. This person will represent them as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons. The leader of the winning party then becomes Prime Minister. Currently we have Stephen Harper. Confused? There are 308 seats in Parliament and 158 are needed for a majority. Although Stephen Harper and the Conservatives have the most MPs, they don't have the full majority which makes things interesting.

Quebec makes things even more interesting, as usual. Outside of Montreal, most of the MPs are members of the Bloc Quebecois. Many of these supporters are the ones who would like to see Quebec break away from Canada and have a lot of other crazy ideas. Personally, I correlate the leader of the Bloc and his party to Sarah Palin and her followers. They make a lot of waves and get a lot of attention for the crazy things they say or do. Not that I can understand Gilles Duceppe from the Bloc because he doesn't like to speak English, nor does he care much about the anglophone vote. I feel the same about Sarah Palin, I can't comprehend what she's saying most of the time either.

Speaking of hockey. The Montreal Canadiens will play the first game on Thursday, April 14th and the Federal Election debate (in French) will be the day before. There will be an English debate as well, which I will watch so I can make sure I'm understanding these politics.

Not that it matters that much. Despite the fact that we pay hefty taxes here in Canada (more in Quebec), we can't vote.

You don't think the folks in this country eat, sleep and breathe hockey? Stephen Harper plays a game of ball hockey with a staffer while waiting for his plane on the tarmac as it's prepared for another campaign stop.

Welcome to your world, Canada

"That will be $5.50 (U.S.) please."

That's what Canadians will be charged in the way of a travel fee President Obama has proposed for the 2012 budget. I don't think it's much of a news story in the U.S. from what I can tell. But in Canada? Wow! People are pissed. I've been entertained by reading the comments following news stories in the Globe and Mail and National Post. I have not been this entertained since watching ten minutes of Glenn Beck's show the other day. There's some serious misinformation going on. I know, I know. This is a family blog. I talk about stuff in our family. But, every once in a while there comes a subject -- a subject relating to the U.S. and Canada and I have to speak out. This is probably a good time to say that the political opinions expressed in this blog are expressed by the writer of this blog (Kish) and not always the entire family. There. I said it. 

I'm amused at the irony.

I mean, I feel like once a day I get a tax bill of some sort. I'm truly Canadian when I say to Paul as a lawyer invoice comes in the mail..."Holy crap, did you know lawyers have to charge sales tax?" It's true, they do. It's called a goods and services tax and we are taxed on everything. They guy who mows the lawn in the summer? Yup, goods and services tax on top of all that. We are used to it by now.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made comments about it being a bad idea. Sort of funny when you think about the fees and taxes he institutes in Canada.

Yes, I know, we have "free" health care in Canada. If you're a regular reader of this blog you know that I love Canada. I've come to accept Canada and the taxes. I'm cool with it really. I actually don't mind the health care situation in Canada. I've embraced life here...and the water tax bill, the welcome to Quebec tax (true), the yearly driver's licence renewal fee (which is more if you accidentally went through a stop sign have any traffic violations, $700/month plus tax to heat the house, the new, annual "car" tax, double digit sales tax, and more. Did I mention $24 for a case of beer? Canadian beer? As Tony Soprano says, "it is what it is." We just deal with it. We have health care and affordable secondary education compared to the U.S. It all comes out in the laundry, so to speak.

So, as I mentioned, this new proposed $5.50 U.S. travel fee has Canadians really upset. They think they are bailing out the US economy, and they should not have to bail out the neighbors to the south. Because after all we are friends. Think of it like a cover charge for a party. Canada thinks it would be like your brother making you pay a cover charge to go to a party in your own neighborhood. You just don't treat family like that. Well, in my family we did, but that's another story.

Here are some details of this travel fee...

Since 1997, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean have been exempt from paying a document inspection fee to fly or arrive by ship to the U.S. Other travelers to the US do pay a fee and will continue to do so. We all know the U.S. economy is in the toilet is trying to rebound. So, Obama proposes this $5.50 fee for people traveling from Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada. Seriously, $5.50. That's like a cup of coffee and a small box of Timbits at Tim Horton's (with tax). It's estimated that in 2009 16 million Canadians flew into the U.S. Yes, I know, that's a nice number. They also spend a lot of money in the U.S. and we love Canadians. The U.S. government estimates this new fee will generate $90 million from Canadians alone. Many Canadians have the impression though that they are "bailing" out the U.S. Frankly, this is chump change compared to the deficit in the U.S. I mean, some professional sports contracts out there worth more than $90 million when all is said and done.

But here's the irony...have Canadians taken a look at what it costs to fly in and out of Canada and for the privilege of using a Canadian airport? We pay $25 each and every time we use Montreal's airport. You want to talk taxes? Holy crap.  It's not uncommon for the taxes and fees in Canada to be 25 percent or more of a fare. And you want to use miles? You pay the taxes and fees anyway. And, the news of this $5.50 fee came the same week CTV ran a story about the number of Canadians choosing to drive across the border to take flights out of U.S. airports because they can save thousands -- thousands of dollars in airfare and fees for a family. Yes, U.S. carriers charge baggage fees. That does kind of suck. But, have you tried carry-on? Or better yet, try and ship the contents of a suitcase from Canada to the U.S. via Canada Post. Have fun with that...baggage fees are a bargain in comparison.

Just for the heck of it...I went on United Airlines and checked a flight from Chicago to Montreal...leaving March 11 and returning March 18. To fly in and out of Montreal the fare is $717.03 with $68.20 in taxes and fees. (all dollars are American). To fly in and out of Burlington, Vermont (less than a 2 hour drive) it's $448 and $21.20 in taxes and fees. If you are a family of five...do the math.

And this is before the $5.50 fee Obama has proposed for the 2012 budget, which still has to pass.

My point?

Welcome to your world, Canada. A $5.50 fee is not a big deal and will help the U.S. Department of Homeland inSecurity. Will it bail out the U.S. deficit? It won't make a dent. But it is something. Is it a slap in the face as some have said? Perhaps. But, we're talking $5.50! (A slap in the face was receiving a "Welcome to Quebec" bill weeks after we bought this house -- essentially it's a sales tax on the price of your home).

Besides, you'll spent more to buy a beer at the airport in Montreal. Just think what you'll save being in the U.S., you can easily get a beer in Milwaukee for less than $5.50. And if you don't like that, fly over Florida and go to Cuba. But wait, there's a $25 departure tax there.

Just for fun...here's some bullshit explanation from the Air Canada website on what the fees mean.....

What are the additional charges in my Fare?


Fuel NAV Canada Insurance ATSC Airport Fees International Destinations
Note: This information is intended as a guideline only. Actual fees and surcharges are subject to change and some exceptions apply.


Your fare may include NAV CANADA surcharges, fuel surcharges and insurance surcharges where applicable. Ticketable Airport Improvement Fees and the Air Travellers Security Charge (ATSC) are included in taxes component of your fare.




Canadian and US Destinations


Fuel Surcharges: For travel within Canada and between Canada and the United-States, fuel surcharges are now included in the ticket price. For International travel, fuel surcharges vary according to destination.


NAV Canada Surcharge: NAV surcharges within Canada are either 9 / 15 / or 20 CAD based on distance. For transborder itineraries, 7.50 CAD / 7.50 USD each way. This surcharge is collected to cover the fees that Air Canada pays to NAV Canada to operate Canada's Air Navigation systems.


Insurance Surcharge: In order to account for the rising costs of aviation insurance, Air Canada along with other North American carriers have implemented an insurance surcharge. This insurance surcharge is 3 CAD, each way for travel wholly within Canada. (Some exceptions apply).


ATSC: The Canadian Parliament has enacted the Air Travellers Security Charge Act to fund security personnel and security equipment in response to the events of September 11. For domestic itineraries, the ATSC is 7.12 CAD one-way to a maximum charge of 14.25 CAD. For transborder itineraries, the ATSC is 8 CAD / 7 USD one-way to a maximum charge of 16 CAD / 14 USD.


Airport Improvement Fees: Many airports in Canada and around the world have implemented Airport Improvement Fees (AIFs). Some airports collect these fees at the airport at time of departure, others are collected at the time of ticketing and are reflected in the additional charges portion in your fare. Canadian airports that include the AIF on your ticket are as follows: (All amounts in CAD)


Bagotville, Que. (YBG) $20
Baie-Comeau, Que. (YBC) $10
Bathurst, N.B. (ZBF) $40
Calgary, Alta (YYC) $22
Castlegar, B.C. (YCG) $7
Charlottetown, P.E.I. (YYG) $15
Comox, B.C. (YQQ) $5
Cranbrook, B.C. (YXC) $10
Deer Lake, N.L. (YDF) $15
Edmonton, Alta (YEG) $20
Fort McMurray, Alta (YMM) $20
Fort St. John, B.C. (YXJ) $12
Fredericton, N.B. (YFC) $20
Gander, N.L. (YQX) $20
Goose Bay, N.L. (YYR) $20
Grande Prairie, Alta (YQU) $12
Halifax, N.S. (YHZ) $15
Hamilton, Ont. (YHM) $20
Kamloops, B.C. (YKA) $10
Kelowna, B.C. (YLW) $10
Lethbridge, Alta (YQL) $12
London, Ont. (YXU) $15
Moncton, N.B. (YQM) $15
Montreal, Que. (YUL) $25
Mont-Joli, Que. (YYY) $5
Mont Tremblant, Que. (YTM) $20
Moosonee, Ont. (YMO) $7
Nanaimo, B.C. (YCD) $10
Ottawa, Ont. (YOW) $15
Prince George, B.C. (YXS) $18
Quebec City, Que. (YQB) $25
Regina, Sask. (YQR) $15
Rouyn-Noranda, Que. (YUY) $10
Saint John, N.B. (YSJ) $20
Sarnia, Ont. (YZR) $20
Saskatoon, Sask (YXE) $5 Travel within Saskatchewan
(YXE) $15 Travel outside Saskatchewan
Sault Ste Marie, Ont. (YAM) $15
Smithers, B.C. (YYD) $15
Stephenville, N.L. (YJT) $20
St. John's, N.L. (YYT) $15
Sydney, N.S. (YQY) $25
Thompson, Man. (YTH) $15
Timmins, Ont. (YTS) $10
Toronto, Ont. (YYZ) $25 Originating passengers
(YYZ) $8 Connecting passengers
Val d'Or, Que. (YVO) $10
Vancouver, B.C. (YVR) $5 Travel within B.C./Yukon
(YVR) $15 Travel outside B.C./Yukon
Victoria, B.C. (YYJ) $10
Waterloo, Ont. (YKF) $15
Windsor, Ont. (YQG) $10
Winnipeg, Man. (YWG) $20


International Destinations


ATSC: The Canadian Parliament has enacted the Air Travellers Security Charge Act to fund security personnel and security equipment in response to the events of September 11. For international itineraries, the Air Travellers Security charge is 17 CAD for each return or one-way trip with a departure from Canada.


Airport Improvement Fees: Many airports in Canada and around the world have implemented Airport Improvement Fees (AIFs). Some airports collect these fees at the airport at time of departure; others are collected at the time of ticketing and are reflected in the additional charges portion in your fare.


NAV Canada Surcharge: NAV surcharge for International travel to and from select countries is CAD 15 per direction. This surcharge is collected to cover the fees that Air Canada pays to NAV Canada to operate Canada's Air Navigation systems.


Peak Travel Premium: For travel to/from certain international destinations on peak travel dates, a Peak Travel Premium may be added to the 'Taxes, fees, charges and surcharges' component of your fare. The actual premium charged and the applicable peak travel dates are subject to change.

They look good together, eh?

The meeting that took place between Stephen Harper and Barack Obama has been news in Canada all week. I'm guessing it seems to not be such a big deal in the U.S. as I've looked through the regular news sources to try and get an American perspective. I suppose it's because it's all about Egypt this week, as it was during this press conference where they were supposed to be talking about border relations between the two countries on the 49th parallel. The American media didn't seem too interested in what Harper had to say as they actually cut away from his comments in French and English in order to analyze what Obama stated about Egypt. Again.

All they did today in meetings was really talk about the border, a future agreement and how the two countries could work even better together to help out the economies, streamline the border and yet remain sovereign. Many politicians in Canada want more discussion here. We are each other's largest trading partners, so it is sort of a big deal. And the U.S. could certainly take advantage of some of the natural resources in Canada, like fossil fuels and such and other resources that would lessen its dependence on foreign energy sources. But I digress. (Stephen Harper had, what I interpreted as a bit of a smirk on his face when he talked about this and how it would be better to accept energy from a secure, stable and friendly country like Canada).

On a side note...I'm stunned at how many Americans do not even know who Stephen Harper is. I'm also amazed at how many Americans have no idea about important the business and cultural relationship is between our two countries. There's more to Canada than hockey and that Justin Bieber kid. Oh, and Celine Dion. She can stay in the U.S. Sorry, that's not nice.

Back to the border...it sounds good and you can tell by the editorial below from the National Post, that it is a welcome idea for man. Unless, Joe Lieberman pushes the idea of wanting Canadians to get visas each time they cross the border. I can tell you that would NOT be good and it would not do anything but complicate border crossings more than they already are. Dumb idea Mr. Lieberman...not to mention the fact that all the Canadian "Snow Birds" who contribute a significant amount to the U.S. economy in the winter months, might consider taking their golf clubs and flip flops elsewhere, which means their loonies and toonies too.

All I really want to know is if they share "intelligence" will the Canadian border people be able to really tell how long I've been out of the country when I return to Canada from the U.S. So, in other words, when I say I've been gone a day, give or take three, they would be able to tell?

Harper and Obama only took a couple of questions from the press. When the Canadian reporter asked President Obama a question and told him that he did not have to answer it in French, the President looked relieved and said something about his French not being that great. Dude, that's how I feel every day...I too get relieved when I call the cable company and reach someone who actually speaks English. Welcome to my world, north of your border.

National Post editorial board: Yes to the North American perimeter

National Post editorial board  February 4, 2011 – 9:30 am

At 6,400 kilometres in length, the non-militarized border shared by Canada and the United States is the longest in the world. Until Sept. 11, 2001, moving across it in some places was as simple as crossing the street. In the adjacent towns of Derby Line, Vt., and Stanstead, Que., for instance, you could pass back and forth within the confines of the local library, which was deliberately built on the border itself.

This all changed nine years ago. Border agents properly became more vigilant about potential security threats: Suddenly, contraband cigarette runners and outlet shopaholics were no longer their primary interest. In this post-9/11 world, mandatory passports, NEXUS terminals and FAST cards all became part of the ad hoc security apparatus cobbled together in the campaign to fight terror without hampering legitimate business and tourist travellers.

Now, there is a movement to create a more comprehensive bilateral-security framework. Indeed, the subject is expected to dominate today’s meeting between Barack Obama and Stephen Harper.

Since 9/11, America has gone through several cycles of overheated fretting in regard to the security threat from the north. This week brought a typical instance: U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security committee, commented on a report indicating that U.S. security forces provide an “adequate level of security” on only 1% of the Canada-U.S. border. Mr. Lieberman said security challenges were complicated by the fact that “most Canadians do not need a visa to enter the United States.” While not directly advocating visas, Mr. Lieberman added: “I think it is something that we should be talking about with our Canadian neighbours.”

In response, the Obama administration quickly quashed speculation on the issue, while the Canadian federal government flatly rejected any calls even for a discussion about a visa requirement — which of course would cripple Canada’s export-dependent economy overnight. As Immigration Minister Jason Kenney pointed out, “It would be massively problematic from an economic perspective.”

Apart from flying in the face of free trade, a visa requirement also would undercut the close relationship between our two countries. Requiring a visa is an unfortunate necessity in some bilateral contexts — but it is not conducive to international trust and goodwill. Witness the hostility generated by the United Arab Emirates’ recent requirement that Canadian visitors to that country purchase an expensive visa before their travels, or the negative reaction when Canada recently imposed visa requirements on visitors from Mexico and the Czech Republic, as a means to block bogus refugee claimants.

Senator Lieberman was correct, however, when he said that Canada has “more lenient asylum laws and immigration laws than we do here [in the United States]. And that potentially has an effect on us.” Numerous experts, such as former Canadian Immigration Service head James Bissett, have argued on these pages that our bleeding-heart policies in this area constitute a major security threat not only to the United States, but also to our own country.

Thus, instead of making it more difficult for law-abiding Canadian citizens to cross the border into the United States, Canada should make it more difficult for foreign security threats from ending up in our country in the first place. And the best way of doing so is through a co-ordinated security perimeter that protects both countries on the basis of agreed-to standards regarding the entry of personnel and cargo.

This is an issue that extends beyond terrorism. A related complaint heard on Capitol Hill concerns the prevalence of cross-border drug smuggling, particularly of methamphetamines, in part because of more lenient Canadian laws governing the chemicals used in manufacturing the drug. The issue could be addressed by reviewing Canadian laws in this area, and by cracking down on the criminal elements who produce and distribute these substances.

Stephen Harper and Barack Obama will meet today to discuss these issues. And the scuttlebutt is that they will sign an agreement, and strike a committee of bureaucrats, with the aim of putting in place some form of perimeter. This is a good time to be embarking on such a project. Due to recent events, Canada is entering these negotiations from a position of strength: With the crisis in Egypt threatening the security of the world’s oil supply, Americans will be looking north for a secure supply of oil and natural gas.

Detractors claim that a security perimeter would represent a step toward abrogation of our sovereignty. But critics made the same claims about free trade, which enriched us without making us any less sovereign.

A North American security perimeter would be beneficial to the law-abiding citizens of both countries — and bad news for those who would threaten our common safety.

Read more: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/02/04/national-post-editorial-board-2/#ixzz1D1ctxUOw

the Daily Duke 2.1

Duke is exhausted from watching the Weather Channel all day long. He's borrowing a phrase from the Sarah Palin word salad, playbook and is having his own "WTF moment." He's all...WTF -- What's the Fuss? It's winter. It snows. He is a Canadian Field Labrador after all.

"It" happens in Canada too

Just two days ago I wrote about gun violence. I wrote about how what's foremost on the minds of Canadians is why people in the United States have and use guns. Little did I know two days ago. Just this morning I got word that a fellow American Women's Club board member lost her 22-year-old son last night. He was murdered outside of his duplex apartment. He was shot. With a gun. This was the first homicide for Montreal in 2011.

The area of town he lived is Westmount, the same area where Danielle's school is located. Having someone murdered at gun point in Westmount would be like the same thing happening in downtown Naperville, for those Illinois friends. Other than petty crime, it's just not a crime-ridden area. While they don't know the circumstances just yet, it's devastating for this city and of course my fellow board member.

How are the guns getting into this country where the laws are so strict? Likely from our neighbors down south and via the borders somehow. Come to think of it, I've never been asked if I'm bringing firearms across the border; not that anyone carrying them would say anything. It always seems to me that the Customs agents are more concerned with whether or not I'm bringing a new iPad across, or God forbid, a bottle of tequila. And then of course collecting duties and taxes.

Certainly there is crime all over the world. It's just that this doesn't happen all that often here, and when you know the mother of the victim, it's a different story.

Oh Arizona

This editorial cartoon is from Canada's Globe and Mail. I sincerely hope I'm not violating any copyright laws. 
If I am, like a Canadian, I say "I'm sorry."

Arizona is in the news here in Canada. What happened in my home town of Tucson, at the Safeway we have frequented, is on the minds of Canadians today. It's hard to get away from it. I would say that the debate on whether or not political rhetoric influenced the shooter has been surprisingly equal. I've heard talk show hosts go on and on about how the guy was just crazy. I've heard (and read) others go on about how the nasty political climate had to affect this deranged "kid." However, what's on the mind of most Canadians? Guns. They don't get why on earth people to the south need to carry weapons. If someone has a gun around here, it's for hunting or because they live in the far north woods and need when they go chop firewood for protection against a bear...not a neighbor or an immigrant.

We own guns. I inherited a .357 magnum (think Dirty Harry) from my dad. Paul has hunting guns. But, we left them in the States. We have no use for them here in Canada, nor did we want to deal with the paperwork. (We were more interested in having the movers pack and hide a year's worth of Bombay Sapphire and Patron Tequila. That's more important).

The gun thing...that's a bit foreign to Canadians. After watching the horrible news from my home state over and over again, I'm starting to think more like a Canadian.

It's beginning to look a lot like winter

The weather today was certainly not winter-like, but the signs of winter are here. Literally. These driveway markers are multiplying like Republican house seats. Different snow plow companies get permits for driveway plowing and once you have paid the bill, up front, they put these markers at the bottom of the driveway so employess know which driveways to plow after a storm....up to several times a day.  It seems like a luxury for us as we tend to be more "do-it-yourselfers" but, with the amount of snow we can get, it's worth every Canadian penny.

Speaking of "do-it-yourselfers"....Paul insists on cleaning the gutters himself, along with help from the kids. Me? I look up and thank God we have good healthcare coverage.

Is it over?

We do get U.S. television stations. Sometimes I wish we didn't, especially the last month with these elections. A click of the remote can have the American living in Canada just trying to find Modern Family, land on a U.S. station and say, "WTF?" When you're not subject to 24/7 political ads in Canada and suddenly catch U.S. coverage, it's hard to distinguish fact from fiction, comedy from tragedy or satire from news. (With our cable television package we do get stations from the Boston area, as well as Seattle /Vancouver).

Lately, we prefer to watch Canadian T.V. And this N.P.R. hoopla? Canada spends A LOT more on public broadcasting, per capita. CBC provides amazing programming...from news to entertainment and of course Hockey Night in Canada. Wow, how socialist forward-thinking of Canada to spend that much in tax dollars to fund public broadcasting. It's not likely Canadians would be too happy if Hockey Night was interrupted for fundraising events. "Become a member today and get a George Forman Grill"....no, wouldn't work.

Heck we get some of our best information about Canadian politics from Rick Mercer and 22 Minutes. (go to www.cbc.ca) Imagine....government supported programming where these satirists/comedians/pundits are allowed to make fun of the government? It would be like if a mellow version of SNL aired on PBS. Rick Mercer had perhaps the the funniest skit on his show several years ago. He had a "sleep over" at Stephen Harper's house (the Prime Minister). Imagine Jon Stewart having a sleep over at the Bush White House.

There's a movement in Canada of a group that wants to bring a Canadian version of Faux Fox news up north. It's not being well received at all. Most Canadians don't want that sort of nastiness (their words, not mine for a change) on the Canadian airwaves. They don't like all the yelling. They yell in Parliament but it's not hateful. (we do get U.S. Fox news on our cable programming)

“The absolutely last thing this country needs,” fumed long-time CBC reporter and commentator Don Newman for CBC. “In the U.S., “ Newman wrote, “Fox News has been hugely polarizing. It specializes in drive-by attacks and misrepresentations, and is positively Orwellian at times, claiming to be “fair and balanced” while implying that its competitors aren’t…”Newman says that when Tenecyke told him in 2003 that Canada “needed a Fox News Channel of its own,” he wouldn’t speak to the conservative Teneycke again for four years. (Teneycke is the person trying to bring Fox News North to Canada).

All this being said, there are people who want "Fox News North," or it wouldn't be so controversial. Not so much in Quebec, but in other parts of Canada that tend to be more conservative. The issue will be whether it's funded by the government like they fund CBC.

This past weekend a group of random Americans gathered at a bar in Montreal to watch the Jon Stewart rally. We went, although Paul and Louis had to leave for basketball and Danielle was in a life guarding class so Kish stayed behind and enjoyed some beverages and watched the three hour program. Montreal TV stations were there interviewing people about why they where there and it was most interesting to hear some of the responses. Some of these people looked as if they came to Canada in 1968 and well, just decided not to leave. Sort of like what Randy Quaid is doing now. Please take him back.

Back to the elections...

Canadians are interested for many reasons in the U.S. elections. Some people are even having actual gatherings to watch the returns. We often think Canadians are more interested in U.S. politics than their own. And yet, from our perspective, Canadian politics can be oh so entertaining, and without as much mudslinging. And for that we are thankful. It doesn't really matter that much anyway....we pay the taxes but we can't vote in Canada.

From our local English language paper....

Democracy: Going, going, gone
THE GAZETTE 

OCTOBER 30, 2010

Our American friends will find themselves, Wednesday morning, with the most expensive Congress money can buy. The last-minute tsunami of campaign spending gives Canadians still another reason to feel smug -we really do handle this better here. But the orgy of spending in Congressional races can have negative consequences for us.

U.S. candidates are burning through a record sum this year, over $2 billion. That's 10 per cent more than in 2008, and there's not even a presidential election this year.

Many representatives elected Tuesday will start Wednesday to raise money for their 2012 races. And far too often, "raising money" is a euphemism for "selling your vote." Literally taking bribes is still fairly rare, as far as anyone knows, but legislators do sell their votes, in a sense, to raise campaign funds: They decide to vote for the positions advocated by special-interest lobbyists; those interests then make donations.

Worse, much of the money goes for poisonous negative ads, which will be unavoidable on Plattsburgh and Burlington TV this weekend. These are almost always shameful over-or mis-statements, tailored to create the impression that the other candidate is a bigot, a dupe, a fanatic, a near-criminal, a class enemy, and/or a moron. Then people wonder why respect for politicians is so low.

Part of the problem is that members of Congress are free of party constraint. Where Canadian MPs risk losing various perks or even official party renomination if they buck their leaders, Congress is in a sense 535 independents, each one taking his own position on each issue -and often raising more or less money depending on what those positions are.

Sometimes the special interests want protection against Canadian competition, or more pressure put on Canada to comply with this or that U.S. policy. There's an obvious danger there for us. But there's another risk, too: Sharp left-right polarization, and the resulting big swings in control of the House or Senate or both, make it very hard for Canadian governments and companies to predict U.S. policy. A boisterous and unpredictable neighbour can make you awfully nervous.

As if Congressional politics weren't already dysfunctional, Supreme Court and regulatory rulings this year permit almost unlimited "outside money" -from outside a district, from outside the scope of laws governing party finance, and in practice even from outside the country -in campaigns since this is considered legitimate free speech.

This has resulted in parachute drops of over $250 million of such money. Some candidates have been amazed to see their opponents suddenly sharply attacked in ads from nationwide industry groups or unions or, worse, by mysterious spenders disguised behind some shapeless label like "Citizens United." The House has already passed legislation requiring disclosure of the sources of such money; the Senate has not. Usefully, sunlightfoundation.com tracks what it can of such spending.

It's a mess. You know your system needs work when your Congress can be bought by anonymous bidders, like old master paintings at an art auction.
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Two years

It's hard to believe it was exactly two years ago today when we boarded a plane to move to Montreal. At the last minute, Paul had to stay behind since we found on the day we were leaving that Duke could not fit on the small Air Canada plane. So Paul followed up the next day, without the dog, who arrived ten days later. Long Story.

We left on a Sunday afternoon and the kids started their schools the next day. They didn't have much time to think about the transition. It was good that we were sort of naive and not knowing what we were getting into when it came to education. Overall, we are happy with it...there are a few things we wish we didn't have to deal with, but that's expected just about anywhere.

Danielle was not too thrilled about her new uniform on her first day of the new school. Today, she's loving it. "I can get out of bed and ten minutes later I'm out the door." Louis does not have to wear a uniform. For him, it's probably a good thing. He has enough Bears, Bulls, Sox, Blackhawks, etc. shirts to last a lifetime. 

Within days of moving to Montreal, Paul and Louis were at their first CFL game.

Here's a list of some observations/comments about where we are today....and how our lives are different from two years ago and life in suburban Chicago.

• We couldn't make it with the two ice trays. Paul received a cool ice maker for Father's Day which sits on the floor in our kitchen.  Ice trays, or lack of ice in the trays, became more of a hot issue than politics, homework or taxes in the Pisani home.
• We're so pleased to have gotten involved in Special Olympics Quebec. Danielle and Paul plan on taking courses to become Level 1 ski instructors this winter.
• We won't ever complain about taxes in the U.S. Ever. 
• The northeast is beautiful. We're enjoying being able to take road trips to a part of the country we had not experienced.
• Our kids will enjoy looking back at their passports some day.
• We're getting accustomed to customs. We know the drill now.
• Danielle knows the Montreal public transportation system so well -- and she doesn't need an app for that, although there is one.
• We've watched a rugby game a the Plains of Abraham. Danielle has traveled to New Brunswick twice for rugby. 
• We love Canadian beer. And wine. And cheese. And bread. 
• Duke responds to bon chien. Only when he's being good though.
• Danielle and Paul enjoy talking in French assuming the rest of the family does not know what they are saying. Sometimes we surprise them with our limited knowledge.
• Canadian politics -- entertaining!
• The price of gas can easily fluctuate 10 cents/LITRE from one day to the next. No biggie.
• Maple syrup is more expensive here than in the US. 
• Offering vaccines in schools is a good thing. Remember the 1970s? 
• We continue to be pleased with the health care in Canada. Are there issues? Of course. But, so far, so good for us.
• It's easier (and less expensive) to see the Chicago Bears on the road rather than in Soldier's Field.
• We still want to go to Cuba.
• Danielle has met friends from all over the world. Literally. We love her school. 
• If we travel out of town these days, when we fly/drive back to Montreal we feel like we are coming home.
• We did have to switch banks from the one that was only open from 10-4 to one that is open later and on Saturdays. We tried, but we couldn't fit in with those banker's hours. I supposed we truly are impatient Americans. Still no drive through windows though. As a result, we know the people in the bank. That's a good thing. 
• Quebecers have a lot of holidays. When in Quebec...
• Duke remains happy. He is a Canadian Field Labrador after all.
• We're happy about the Saints winning the Super Bowl. Funny how the fleur-de-lis remains a part of our lives.
• We've met some really, really nice people in Montreal and throughout Canada.
• US labor strikes are nothing compared to Canadian, and in particular Quebec, labor strikes.
• We'll never take freedom of education lightly again. 
• On that note...we know all about the Parti Quebecois...something we had no idea about two years ago.

As a perfect example of how different or life is these days...Paul left this morning for a meeting in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. What the?

Going Rogue in Canada

From the Rick Mercer Report on Canadian television...

Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided to prorogue* Parliament in Canada just prior to the New Year and basically shut down the operations of the House of Commons until after the Olympics. (From our history classes in the U.S., of course we know that Parliament is like the Legislative branch of the U.S. government).  Imagine if a U.S. president told the House of Representatives to take a two month vacation because the country was too busy thinking about the Olympics. Or telling everyone to take the week off because the Saints are in the Super Bowl.


In case you have not heard -- Canada is hosting the Winter Olympics in 13 days. We know this because we've had a countdown to the Olympics since we moved here some 500-something days ago. We've heard commercials (narrated by Donald Sutherland) and a viewer can't get through an episode of any show without hearing at least a dozen promos. As it should be. It's a big deal and after all. And Canada is a winter sport nation, although the weather would indicate otherwise. The news now is that there's little snow in British Columbia (much to the dismay of the U.S. pundits and dudes like Sean Insanity Hannity who doubt global warming exists) and snow is being imported by truck and helicopter from higher elevations. 


Every bit of news in Canada goes back to the Olympics these days. Even the weather. And Politics. That said, residents here are not too happy about Harper shutting Parliament down, even if it is so we can spend more time concentrating on curling and the luge. Some say it's because he didn't like the direction of how things were (not) going for his Conservative party. Some Canadians like the guy and his politics. Others think he's a dork not connecting with the Canadian people. But to use the Olympics as an excuse?


In the meantime, the Canadian Pisani family is anxious for the Olympics to start...we may even get inspired to take up curling.


*prorogue |p(r)əˈrōg|
verb ( -rogues, -rogued, -roguing) [ trans. ]discontinue a session of (a parliament or other legislative assembly) without dissolving it : James prorogued Parliament in 1685 and ruled without it.• [ intrans. ] (of such an assembly) be discontinued in this way : the House was all set to prorogue