Category: Uncategorized

March 20: I have come to realize that I am fundamentally an optimist. I tend to default toward believing that things will work out for the better; if left to their own devices, people will do the right thing more often than not.

So it was with some hopefulness that I thought about the lifting of the rail blockades a few weeks back. After a protracted and wrenching stand-off, there appeared to be agreement between the First Nations, the Feds and the companies involved on a way to remove the blockades and move forward.

It seemed that the Feds were finally acknowledging the sovereignty of the First Nations and the need to have their agreement for any major works within their territories. This process seemed to be – and I hate to use the word – a significant step toward reconciliation. The First Nations seemed to accept that they needed to get their act together and come to a common position in negotiations with peers. It also seemed that there was the real possibility that they would come to the table as partners in resource development with major corporations, and finally secure access to sustainable income and a way to participate in the larger economy.

There remained issues at the Provincial level – this is Canada after all – but it seemed that the oil and gas market was shifting just enough that Alberta was being forced to confront the fact that their carbon-based economy couldn’t last forever.

Then COVID19 intervened. For the last few weeks, there has been news of nothing else. It has sucked all the air out of the room and become, as Cathal Kelly said in the Globe, a loud and constant buzzing in the back of your brain.  Almost simultaneously, Saudi Arabia and Russia started a price war over oil. This, along with the forced shut down of significant parts of the economy due to the virus, has hammered the global economy. We may be on the brink of a global recession. Oil prices have plummeted to their lowest level in decades. Alberta crude, already in trouble at $32 a barrel, is today trading near $9.

So where does this litany of woe leave an optimist like me ? As an optimist, I have to assume that the Feds and the First Nations are at least continuing to think about hammering out an agreement around resource development and sovereignty (among other critical issues) while they also grapple with the virus. I am hopeful that the First Nations respect for the land will imbue future resource development with a more sustainable perspective. I hope that, as partners, those communities can begin to participate more fully and more equally with the rest of the country.

I also hope that forcing the Federal and Provincial governments  to deal with the COVID19 virus and the plunging economy in a coordinated fashion will dispel some of the regional hostility that was apparent even a few weeks ago. There has to be an understanding that we are all in this together and that we are more alike than different. Perhaps taking some of the “politics” off the table will turn out to be a good thing.

As well, I am hopeful that the extremely low oil prices and the latest round of financial assistance this crisis has spawned will begin a transition away from oil extraction and toward a more sustainable future. The Feds are proposing to fund the clean-up of orphaned wells, of which there are many thousands across the country. Hopefully, Alberta will also find ways to provide employment for oil field workers in alternative energy environments.

Finally, on the global stage, perhaps the global viral epidemic has cost China enough “face” that they will be chastened for at least a while in their global ambitions. Given the interdependence of our economies and the battle against COVID 19, perhaps channels have now been opened that will allow us to see each other as residents of the world, rather than members of opposing camps.

There’s so much going on these days that it’s hard to keep track of the latest (correct) information. In the face of so much adversity, it’s often difficult to be optimistic and hopeful for our future, yet I try. If I squint at these problems just right, I begin to see opportunity. I can only hope that there are others out there who feel the same way, and that major beneficial change can come from our current struggle.

March 12: A small group of friends have been kidding each other over the years about our investing acumen. Many years ago, a couple of them found a small drug company that they felt certain to be on the verge of announcing a major breakthrough. With much anticipation they bought in and – of course – within days the company was bust. I contributed to the litany on woe by buying Nortel at the absolute apogee of it’s climb up the markets. I was told by everyone that I spoke to – including the brokers I used – that it was safe and would not lose money. Within weeks it was headed down and I was told to hang on to it: “It will recover in time.” We know how that ended. Obviously, the collapse of Nortel was entirely my fault.

So it was that last week I decided to invest a very small sum in and ETF that tracked the TSX 60. The market had wobbled a bit and had been down for a few days so I thought that it might be time to put some money in “near the bottom”. The very next day it dropped 30% so obviously I had not lost my touch with the markets. Like most people, I was not amused, but I was comforted by the thought that things will ultimately return “to normal” and markets should recover over time.

Then that moron in the White House went on national TV to reassure people. The markets fell off a cliff the moment he began speaking in the Oval Office and had their worst downturn in 80 years. I thought I was good at wrecking the market but perhaps he’s right: he is a genius. He takes destruction of value to another level entirely.

Anyway, it is what it is. I am not alone. Others have far more at stake, and are suffering much more dire consequences than me. In time, things will return to normal – whatever that turns out to be. In the meantime, stay healthy. Wash your hands. Be good to each other.

February 22: Over the last few days, daily temperatures have begun to reach mid- to high-single digit territory. Daylight is more intense and now extends well past 6 PM. If you can find a spot out of the wind, the sun is noticeably warmer. Near our home there is a row of tiny green shoots poking out of the soil; the buds on the Saucer Magnolia at the end of the street are engorged and covered with tender fuzz. Squirrels on the courtyard are scrambling around gathering mouthfuls of leaves as they prepare their nests for this years’ litter of pups which will be born in the next few weeks.

It was the familiar call of the Cardinals that alerted me to all this activity. I really should have expected to hear it because they started singing during the same week last year. Cardinals are very industrious and their call is well known; a long and descending phew followed by repeated whit, whit, whit notes. During the summer I often hear them before dawn – usually before sunrise and before those lazy Robins are half-awake. When I lived in the Lakeshore, this was also the time when Red-winged Blackbirds returned and began nesting for the season. Unlike Cardinals, they are migratory and among the first to return to face late blizzards and still-freezing temperatures.

While the birds are interesting to many including myself, all of the signs of Spring are quite predictable. Bulbs sprout, blossoms bloom and animals nest on a regular schedule if we are attuned enough to simply see them happening. Left to her own devices Mother Nature is very resilient and will continue to do what she does best in spite of our interference. So my advice, for what it’s worth, would be to get out there and enjoy the rebirth happening all around us. Keep your eyes and ears open to the changing seasons; a wonderous pageant is unfolding.

February 27: Then again …..

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/overview

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird

February 1: When I first saw this picture in the Globe and Mail this morning I thought it was of a militia somewhere in the middle east. I was wrong: It turned out to be a Second Amendment demonstration inside the capital building in Frankfort, Kentucky. Clearly, this is not a gathering of thoughtful and concerned citizens raising a philosophical argument about gun control. It’s about intimidation and the threat of possible consequences.

I’ve seen video of some gun ownership advocates arguing that this type of weapon is really only used for target practice or shooting deer. They must have some seriously aggressive deer in Kentucky if you need that sort of power to bring them down.  Whatever their intended use, advocates always seem to speak in a menacing and vaguely threatening tone, as if to say “I have a gun and I’m not afraid to use it ….”  Against you.

Until recently, I believed that Canada had a different frame of mind when it came to gun control. Now, I’m not so sure. I recently watched a TV report from western Canada which included interviews with several reps from the gun ownership lobby and the parallels in argument and language with their American counterparts was striking. I found it extremely worrisome because, unlike the United States, we have no “right to bear arms”. It’s a privilege.

At one time, long guns were registered. But, in what was clearly a move that pandered to rural voters, the long-gun registry was dismantled by our former Glorious Leader Harper, thereby removing one tool that Police might have used to track dangerous weapons. Roughly 7.5 million weapons were removed from government records. I suspect that, here in Canada, relatively few citizens are killed by rifles or shot guns. So arguably at least, perhaps there was not a lot to gain from registering these weapons. Farmers and hunters have a legitimate reason to arm themselves; life here in the city is different.

In Toronto last night, 3 people were shot to death at a house party. Little is known as I write this. The victims are all in their early 20’s. They were at a rented Airbnb when things went sideways. For whatever reason, someone felt sufficiently aggrieved to haul out a pistol(s) and try to settle the score. Clearly, the guns in question were not intended for hunting or target practice; I suspect they were “rented” from organized crime (like gangs) and smuggled into our country from the USA.

The Toronto Police Service reported 492 shootings last year resulting in 44 deaths and 246 people injured – that’s roughly 10 shootings a week with at least 5 people wounded or killed. The Police suggest that if we are not involved with gangs or crime, the chances of being a victim are slim, yet I am now seeing reports of “unintended victims” with greater frequency. Mayor Tory has been pushing for a handgun ban for some time, and the Federal parties have both been ragging the puck for far too long. The gun lobby would suggest that banning handguns would only penalize law-abiding owners, and to an extent, I understand that argument. That said, I think the time has come for us to do something about the spread of weapons in this country. I don’t ever want to see an armed militia on Parliament Hill. We are better than that.

 

The Globe and Mail weighs in:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-on-gangs-and-guns-politicians-are-missing-the-point/

 

January 20:  The National on the CBC showed the following item by Mark Critch discussing the recent blizzard in Newfoundland. Perhaps I am a sentimental old goof, but I found it humorous and moving. Maybe we all need to be a bit more like our friends in Newfoundland.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/an-ode-to-the-newfoundland-storm-mark-critch-1.5434216

January 8: This morning I ran 5.4 km. It’s the fourth time I’ve run since Christmas and it’s not a lot when I consider that I was running 20 km a crack last year. But it’s a start back toward some level of fitness, and certainly better for me than an equal amount of time in front of the idiot box ( TV or computer – take your pick ). I ran through the cemetery as I frequently do. I find it quiet, safe and it provides a contemplative, if slightly melancholy place to reflect on things as I run. Mostly, though, it was just nice to have some time to myself to reflect on the chaos of the last few months.

Frequent reader(s) will know that I returned from Europe at the end of September. I had 4 days to pack the place up and get that moved to our new home just down the walk from my apartment. Kate was in a somewhat worse position because she had 20 years or so of accumulated possessions to sort through and decide whether to move them, store them, or recycle them. In the midst of that exercise, her time with the Ivey Foundation ended – something that we did not expect but which has worked out to be quite beneficial for both of us.

After she moved, there were many days spent “setting up house”. As anyone who has done this recently will tell you, it’s not as easy as it should be. Each of us is used to having certain things in certain places, and deviating from that means compromises or choices which need to be worked through. We spent a good long time doing this, and then realized that we still had to get ready for Christmas.

Kate is a shopper. I say that with some admiration because I am not. She enjoys thinking about what gift would be appropriate for each person on her list, and it can be a long list with sisters and in-laws and nieces and nephews and children. Then there is the process of tracking down the gift, getting it wrapped (also with great care and attention), and delivering it to the recipient. My aimless wandering through Winners and the LCBO, and stuffing the selected items in  bags, are clearly not going to cut the mustard next year.

Our expanded circle of friends generated what was – to me at least – a lengthy list of social commitments in December which included a gala concert, three group get-togethers, four dinners at home and two at others’ homes, two full-on Christmas dinners (on the same day, of course), two brunches, one celebration of life out of town, and thankfully, one quiet New Year’s dinner at home. If there is an element of the holiday season that I enjoy more than any other it is the opportunity to get together with people to begin or reinforce friendship, and to share good-will and happiness. These events didn’t disappoint. That said, it was a bit daunting for me – a natural recluse – to be in so many social situations in such a short time.

And now things have begun to feel more “normal” – whatever that might be. Given everything that has happened over the last couple of months, it honestly feels like Kate and I have not really had a routine time since we moved. It feels like now is the right time to pay attention to our lives together and get back in the groove on enjoying each others’ company. Maybe even do some running in the cemetery….

January 2: As set out in the previous post, I had my credit cards and identity stolen in late November. In mid-December I received a letter from TD saying that they had received my “claim of disputed transactions” and that they had concluded their investigation. Regrettably, my claim had been denied….

I found this to be interesting for many reasons: Beyond speaking to their representative when the cards had been stolen, I’d not made any claim or disputed any transactions with them. Their rep said that the charges that had been processed would not be charged to me. They were obviously fraudulent. I did go to the Police of my own volition, but that report, to the best of my knowledge, had not been sent to TD, so I have no idea what their “investigation” included.

The TD letter invited me to call their customer service number if I was upset that my claim had been denied ( it did, seriously… ) or if I had further information that “you think we should be aware of….”. I called on 4 successive days and waited a total of 2 hours and 35 minutes without speaking to an actual human being. ( Cursing out the recorded voice saying that “your call is important to us”, doesn’t count…. ) I now see why their corporate identity includes a large green chair. You need one so you can wait comfortably for someone to pick up the phone. I finally resorted to writing a letter to the VP in charge and had the local branch FAX it to her office.

In reply, Stephanie from TD called me and we had a pleasant chat. She finally got the sort of detail I might have expected from an actual “investigation”: things like “Where were you when this happened…?” The jury is still out on what I will have to cover from the expenses racked up by the thieves. But the one thing she did say that I found truly surprising is that all of the purchases were made with my PIN. Whoever had the cards also had the ability to read them to extract the PIN and make purchases within minutes of having stolen them. The PIN was entered perfectly the first time….

Technology marches on, nowhere more so than in crime, I suspect. I was naïve to much of this sort of thing, so the whole process has been an education for me. I mention all of this not for sympathy (of course), but in the hope that you may avoid a similar fate in the new year.

November 21: Have you ever noticed that the quality of background music is worse when you are forced to stay in one place and listen to it ? This thought occurred to me as I stood in line waiting at the Service Ontario kiosk in the basement of the Canadian Tire store listening to a batch of treacly, repetitious and moronic songs playing over a crackling and scratchy PA system. There was no escape, and the only saving grace was the fact the they were not yet playing an endless loop of even more treacly, repetitious and moronic Christmas music.

I was at Service Ontario to replace my Driver’s License, Health Card and vehicle registration documents. The originals were stolen, along with my wallet, while I was in a Starbucks on Yonge Street at Davisville, listening to a somewhat better selection of background music with Kate and our friend Michel. I had draped my bag, containing my phone, my wallet, house and car keys and a note pad over the back of the chair. When we got home later in the afternoon, there was a text from TD VISA saying that a “potentially fraudulent” purchase ( $3999 ) had been made at the Apple store in Yorkdale. When I called them back, I discovered that my wallet was gone along with my identity documents and all of my credit and debit cards.

I spent the next hour or so, calling each of the card companies to have the cards locked and get replacements. They had used the VISA card for 3 purchases of roughly $60 each at Shoppers, a $590 buy at Harry Rosen, and then the big ticket buy at Apple. Similarly, they rang up another $200 at Shoppers on a Master Card and then a couple of other big buys at other stores. When I asked the Master Card rep how they managed to get around the PIN security, he said that someone had called and changed the PIN number using my personal data.

It’s brilliant really: someone steals the wallet with both the charge cards and the personal data which allows them to circumvent the bank “security questions”. Having just called them to block the cards, I knew that the banks asked really tough questions like your home address and birth date – information obviously available right on a Driver’s License. It’s like locking the door and handing a thief the key.

When I went to the Police this morning, the officer said that this sort of thing happens “dozens of times every day”. The thieves go to a restaurant, steal cards from a purse or wallet and then go to a store ( like Shoppers ) to buy Apple gift cards. These can be redeemed at Apple for merchandise. If, as in my case, they find personal information as well, they can unlock the cards and use them to make a big ticket buy. Whatever they buy is then sold on Kijiji, or through an accomplice  in a store for cash.

There are a couple of bright spots in all of this. Firstly, they are apparently uninterested in my personal information. The cop said that in the hundreds of cases he had handled, there had never been a theft of identity. “Your stuff is in a dumpster at Yorkdale.” The other bright spot is that Kate and I were able to end this horrible day on a high note. Specifically, a high G sung by David Clayton-Thomas at Koerner Hall. He was doing a benefit concert for Peacebuilders – a charity which provides restorative programs and services to young people and works towards effecting change in the justice and education systems. It was a really special night ( our seats were upgraded to front row …). The music buoyed my spirits and I realized that, unlike the Muzak at Canadian Tire, this is actual music that I could enjoy for a very long time.

http://peacebuilders.ca/

November 5: Just as the Saucer Magnolia at the end of the street is a harbinger of Spring (see May 9), this Maple in the north courtyard is clearly telling us that Winter is just around the corner. For reasons I don’t understand, it is the first of the large trees to get buds in the Spring, and the first to go scarlet and begin to drop leaves in the Fall. Today it is completely devoid of leaves.

Perhaps because I was a summer baby born in July, I am not a huge fan of the colder seasons. As a Canadian, I understand that Winter is a fact of life. But I view it as something to be tolerated and complained about, rather than celebrated and enjoyed more fully. So it is that Autumn feels like the “end of the year” to me.

Spring and Summer are full of promise and vitality. We become more active and spend more time outdoors recreating or enjoying meals on the patio with food made from produce straight out of the ground. The world is alive. People travel more, enjoy vacations and time with friends. Days are warm, nights are fresh. Autumn is clearly the threshold between these warm and sunny days of summer and the colder, grey days of Winter. There is a finality to it – the falling leaves are as inevitable as the falling temperatures. There is no escape.

This time of year feels like it should be celebrated in some way that marks it as a special moment of transition between the heat of summer and the cold of Winter yet to come – the end of one year and the beginning of another. I think the Pilgrims were on the right track when they decided that they needed to celebrate their survival for another year and created Thanksgiving.

On the other hand, we celebrate our “year end” on New Year’s Day which falls smack in the middle of Winter when poorer weather is fully entrenched. There’s little hope that the date will mark a change to better weather (although it frequently gets worse …).  New Year’s feels like an artificial holiday that was manufactured to keep greeting card companies and liquor stores in business after the cash-register season around Christmas. ( In fact, the same could be said for many of our holidays: I’m looking at you Halloween and Valentine’s Day. )

So perhaps we should enjoy and celebrate the good weather and colourful trees while we have them. They mark a passage to a much darker ( literally and figuratively ) time of year.

November 11: And, as if on cue: