Thank you to Sally Field for standing up for Canada

On Monday night, two-time Oscar winner Sally Field added another award to her collection.  She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie for Remarkably Bright Creatures.  At 79, Sally was the oldest actor in her category.  In her acceptance speech, she thanked Canada, saying "Blessed Canada.  Our neighbours, our friends."  The audience cheered this great actor as she expressed her support for Canada.  "Our voices matter, our diversity, our unique storytelling matters.  We can't let those voices be silenced or compromised or merged," she continued, taking a swipe at the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger.

It must be noted that Remarkably Bright Creatures was filmed in British Columbia.  Thank you, Sally, for standing up for Canada.  I know that many Americans are disgusted with the way Donald Trump has been treating Canada.  They are repulsed by his bullying.  Therefore, I urge Americans to let your voices be heard in broad support of your northern neighbour.  Unfortunately, Trump has severely damaged the relationship between the two countries,  He is a one-man wrecking crew.  Do not allow  him to completely destroy a wonderful and mutually beneficial friendship. That would be a terrible tragedy.

Thank you, Sally Field!

- Joanne

  

A message to Americans

Jean Chretien, former prime minister of Canada, spoke in Gander, Newfoundland yesterday during an emotional tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  The 92-year-old brought the house down in a fiery speech interrupted by standing ovations.

Chretien was prime minister when the attacks occurred 25 years ago on September 11, 2001.  The ex-PM talked about how Canada showed solidarity and kindness to Americans in their time of need.  He recounted the hospitality that the people of Gander showed to stranded air travellers, most of them American.  He also spoke with pride about the Canadian government's sponsorship of the motion to invoke the NATO alliance's mutual defence clause. "Our closest friend was attacked.  We said that was an attack on us too, and we fought back side by side."

The 20th prime minister of Canada was blunt and honest.  He pulled no punches.  "I am just a former prime minister, 92 years old, and a very proud Canadian, but I have seen a few things in my lifetime, and I know this country and the people from coast to coast to coast.  I have a message for our American friends.

Yes, Canada is a generous, open country, and Canadians are tolerant and kind.  But never mistake our generosity for weakness..  Never, never mistake our tolerance for lack of determination, and never, never mistake our kindness for softness.

We know who we are, and we are  proud of it.  Building a country like this, with this climate and this geography, is a sign of toughness, not of weakness.

Welcoming people from all over the world, caring for each other, including the weakest in society, is a sign of strength.

We embrace our friends and we help them in their moment of need, but we bow to no one.  The more we are threatened and abused, the more we will stand up for ourselves, and stand united.  

Friends need to be honest with each other, just as the people of Gander, and anywhere else in Newfoundland and Labrador, they will give you the shirt off their backs, like they did 25 years ago.  But they will always show you the respect of telling you the truth.  So, my friends, here is to truth, to respect, to friendship, and to good neighbours.

Long live the United States and long live Canada!" he declared, ending his speech in French.

I ask you, have you ever heard Donald Trump speak about kindness and welcoming people from all over the world?

- Joanne

Latest con from the world's greatest con artist

Donald Trump has promised to issue $5,000 dividends to every adult American if the Republicans maintain control of Congress in November.  If you believe that, then maybe someone will sell you some swamp land in Florida.  Based on Trump's track record, it isn't going to happen.  Remember how he vowed  to push for $2,000 tariff dividend payments.  Do you know anyone who received such a payment?  No, because it never happened.  

Trump announced his latest con in Dallas, Texas, while while addressing the Republican Party's first-ever midterm gathering.  It's simply a bribe to voters, nothing more. Not only that, but it is illegal.  It violates a federal statute which makes it a crime to offer money to any person to vote or withhold a vote  According to Cornell Law School, an intentional violation of this statute results in two years in prison and a fine.  But Trump doesn't have to worry about that.  He considers himself above the law.

Trump just keeps on lying, but the majority of American people know the truth.  They face the consequences of his economic polies and his tariffs every time they go to the grocery store  It's right in front of them..  Every time they fill up at the gas pump, they pay the cost of his illegal, disastrous and never-ending war with Iran. This is not, as Trump claims, a golden age for America.  It's an unmitigated disaster.  People are suffering because the cost of living is so high.  But does Trump care?  No!  He's more concerned about his golfing and his vanity projects, such as the ballroom that most Americans don't care about.  They are more concerned with putting food on the table and paying for health care. Meanwhile, Trump's cronies, mostly big oil and big tech billionaires, enrich themselves with tax breaks.

The Republicans must be really concerned about how they will fare in the midterm elections in November.  That's why Trump is resorting to bribery and chicanery.  However, the midterms should be a referendum on his disastrous leadership.  America should send the Trump regime an unequivocal message.  Thumbs down!  You can't fool us any longer.

- Joanne  

Why does Trump gets along well with Putin's Russia, but not Canada?

Vladimir Putin served in the KGB for 15 years as a foreign intelligence and security officer.  He is a murderous dictator and a war criminal.  His invasion of Ukraine has caused much death and destruction.  In sum, he is not a nice man. He is cruel and ruthless, exactly the qualities expected in a former KGB man.  Yet, Donald Trump gets along better with this war criminal than with Canadian leaders.  Trump makes no secret of his contempt for benign, democratic Canada.  He and his cronies constantly belittle and bully America's northern neighbour.  He tries to punish Canada economically with tariffs that are a tax on consumers in the United States.  He continually attempts to undermine Canada's sovereignty.  

Trump treats Putin much differently.  He rarely criticizes the Russian leader and treats him like a good friend.  He wants his pal Vladdy to attend the 2026 G20 leaders' summit scheduled to take place December 14-15 in Doral Florida, at the Trump National Doral Miami resort.  Where else?  Of course, Trump has said he'd like Putin to attend. this gathering of heads of states and governments.  Russia is still a member of the G20.  However, Putin has not been welcomed at a G-20 leaders' summit since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022  

On August 31, 2026, Russia representatives participated in a G20 summit in North Carolina.  Russia's finance minister, Anton Siluanov, as well as representatives of the Russian Central Bank, attended at the invitation of Donald Trump.  According to The New York Times, Siluanov's invitation and attendance were not announced prior to the meeting. German vice-chancellor and finance minister Lars Klingbeil demanded that Russia end the war in Ukraine. "I find the signal sent by receiving the Russian finance minister here quite troubling,  In a statement to reporters, Klingbeil said, "I would have wanted greater clarity from the American side that he should not be received here as a normal guest."

Donald Trump defends Putin at every opportunity.  The two men are cut from the same cloth.  They are both heartless and they both consider themselves to be alpha males.  Furthermore, Trump admires dictators such as Putin and Kim Jong Il of North Korea.  It is also highly probable that Russia is holding something over Trump's head, that Putin is aware of some deep, dark secret that the American commander-in-sleaze is desperate to keep hidden.  In addition, the Putin-influenced Deutcshe Bank lent Trump an enormous amount of money after his casinos went bankrupt.  

Back in January of 2017, Buzz Feed News, revealed the existence of the Steele dossier, also known ad the Trump-Russia dossier, which alleges a connection between Trump cohorts and Russia.  Trump lied, of course, and denied that he had any financial connections to Russia.

It is not surprising that Trump has said the Putin is "not looking to attack NATO territory," even though there was a drone strike attempt at an airport for which allies, such as the UK, claimed Russian responsibility.  He is indebted to Russia.

I am delighted that Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is prepared to tell Vladimir Putin "to get our of Ukraine" if Putin decides to accept Trump's invitation to the Florida G20 summit.  "He only understands strength and directness, Carney stated when asked about Putin at a press conference in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  I really hope that the PM follows through with that.  It is reminiscent of when Ronald Reagan told Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.  I would be greatly pleased to read a headline that read "Canadian prime minister tells Putin to get out of Ukraine."

- Joanne