Will Life Imitate Art?

Sometimes, when I look at the rapid devolution of democracy in the United States, I wonder if perhaps I am lying in a coma somewhere, and this is just some elaborate fever dream. A related thought is that if all of this were a movie treatment, it would likely never be produced, given the absurdity of the plot.

In the land of so-called make-believe, both novels and cinema have warned us of dystopian futures, sparked by the rise of a 'man of the people.'  There was a 1957 film called A Face in The Crowd, about the meteoric rise of Larry Rhodes, featuring the against-type casting of Andy Griffiths as a demagogue. His character is ultimately brought back down to earth by a "hot-mic." 

In a similar vein, but even more menacing, was Stephen King's The Dead Zone, later made into a movie starring Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen.

One cannot watch either of these films without thinking of Donald Trump.

My friend Gary sent me this last evening. 

Both of these movies have what might be described as happy endings. While the signs are not good, it remains to be seen whether life will ultimately imitate art in contemporary Amerika.

A Calm Voice Of Reason

If you don't know of him, allow me a moment to introduce you to Flavio Volpe. President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, he was appointed in 2023 as a Member of The Order of Canada. 

Volpe received the honour for advancing Canada’s automotive and technology industries on an international scale as a leading policy expert in national trade and industry competition. Created in 1967, the Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizing people across all sectors who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada.

Even more importantly, Volpe has emerged as a calm, incisive and wise voice for all Canadians as he offers his views and advice on how to deal with the U.S., a country apparently intent on waging a massive trade war against our country. 

Here is a short clip from a CBC interview which will offer you a measure of the man:

At a time when shrill voices seem to dominate the media, sane perspectives offered by people like Volpe and his analyses of the threats posed to our country by Trump and his henchpeople are much-needed. 

One hopes that the federal government recognizes what he brings to both the negotiating and the policy-formulation table.

Thin Skin

For people who think critically rather than merely listen to the echo chamber of their choice, it should be obvious that having a thin skin is not an attribute. While this affliction can be found in both political polarities, it seems especially endemic in the far right. Those of that ilk, as discussed in a previous post,  tend to be perpetually aggrieved. Consider, for example, the vehemence with which they cite 'restrictions' on freedom of speech, the great cross they must bear throughout their tortured lives. Names like Jordan Peterson, Don Trump, and Pierre Poilievre come readily to mind. (The latter, in an article by David Moscrop, is described as Trump-adjacent, a lovely description, in my view.)

The problem with such people is their arrant hypocrisy. These particular free-speech warriors seem interested only in liberty for their own points of view. Indeed, those of the so-called woke, progressive and pro-Palestinian factions, in fact anyone with contrary perspectives are, to the unbalanced reactionaries, threats to the very fabric of society. 

I don't like perpetual whiners. They lack the fiber to deal with real life, and are manifestly unfit for public office. In the following, former Global News reporter Rachel Gilmore takes them to task for their feckless character. Young PP comes in for particular scrutiny:

A federal election is not far off. Going into it, I can only conclude that angry 'man' Pierre Poilievre is not up to the high office he so hungrily and shrilly aspires to, the reports of faux news sites notwithstanding.

In Ontario, We Are Not A Happy Family

Here in Ontario, it is Family Day, but all is not well. We have an unnecessary election pending, the premier has cloaked himself in his Captain Canada regalia, and he has done everything he can to buy votes, plunging the province into even deeper debt while education, housing and healthcare, to name but three deep, go vastly unnourished.

Yet according to polls, despite his malfeasance, Mr. Ford will be romping to another electoral victory, thanks both to the current crisis with the Amerikans and the fact that the march to the ballot box is in the dead of winter. Apparently, despite all the talk about rising patriotism and supporting our country, voting is not part of the calculus, with pundits predicting a very low turnout.

Come February 27, heedless Ontarians will undoubtedly and, unfortunately, get the government they deserve.

The only bright spot in this morass of indifference is the knowledge that not all are fooled, as evidenced by these letters to the editor:

Well, it seems clear from election polls Premier Doug Ford will be re-elected in a landslide even though most Ontarians were not happy with the early election. He’s done a masterful job. The hat slogan “Canada is not for sale,” $200 cheques before an election and mentioning possibly 500,000 lost jobs likely all contribute to his strong poll numbers. He has rushed to Washington to plead Ontario’s case regarding tariffs with seemingly little success as the U.S. has just announced a 25 per cent tariff on our steel and aluminum. He’s promised billions for infrastructures and a tunnel under Hwy. 401 but has completely forgotten to support our health-care system, end the long wait times in ERs. A four-year mandate to fight tariffs seems to be in the cards. Voters are forgetting his health care and housing failures, feeling he’ll fight for them even though it’s the federal government that has the power to counter the U.S.A.‘s tariff attack.

Peter J. Middlemore Sr., Windsor

I have just seen Premier Doug Ford’s latest campaign ad, and I am livid. The Premier’s Washington, D.C. visit was supposed to be about defending Canada’s interests, but instead it appears Ford’s main focus was creating sparkling footage for a campaign ad. It’s bad enough that the Premiers emerged empty-handed from their meeting with mid-level White House staffers, but Ford’s new campaign ad rubs salt in our collective wounds. In the voice-over for the ad, Ford repeatedly puts America first — “made in the USA” before “made in Canada,” pride in the work of American workers before the work of Canadians, and the push for his Fortress Am-Can. That’s right, even the name of Ford’s economic plan puts America first. Where’s your hat, Doug? Did it blow off while you were busy bending the knee to Trump?

Carol Kroeger, Ottawa

The Cult Of Victimhood

H/t Moudakis

It probably hasn't escaped your notice that extreme right-wingers are never happy. They see enemies everywhere; subversion abounds. The white race is under attack, trans people are on an ungodly mission to upend 'normal' sexual identity, drag queens want your children, sanctuary cities in the U.S. are allowing killers and rapists to sap the Union, Black people want to end the police, etc., etc., ad nauseam.

This cult of victimhood has never been more apparent than under the Don Trump regime. To believe him and his abettors, the American justice system under Biden was weaponized, Canada is screwing the U.S. when it comes to trade - no, wait - make that the entire world that has been exploiting U.S. benevolence, whether through NATO, Ukrainian-Russian wars, digital service taxes, unfair tariffs - you get the picture. The elephant in the room has been kicked around enough, and won't take it anymore.

So much for American mythology.

Closer to home, PP, the leader of the Conservative Party, has, until very recently, preached the same message about Canada. It is broken, we have been told, thanks to the ineptitude of Liberal rule these past 10 years. Only PP and his party can rectify things, so the message has gone, at least until very recently.

Now that the Liberals seem to be gaining polling traction thanks to Don Trump's attacks on our sovereignty,  the Conservatives have altered their message slightly, adopting a Canada First slogan that seems but an anemic echo of the bellicosity coming from the U.S. Indeed, to prove his bona fides as a strong leader, PP has even said we must immediately send troops, helicopters and surveillance to the border, a placatory move that will find no real favour with the southern behemoth. One wonders if PP has ever heard of Neville Chamberlain. 

Additionally, as Craig Wallace writes, the would-be PM 

has promised to build a large military base in the Arctic, funded by cutting foreign aid (sounding like Trump and his MAGA base here) and threatening to jail fentanyl dealers for life (a violation of the Charter of Rights). He still cannot or will not describe in detail how he will “axe the tax,” “build the homes,” “fix the budget” and “stop the crime.” He, in fact, has no answers.

Like his schoolyard taunts ("carbon-tax Carney, carbon tax Freeland"), all of his bromides are simplistic, and, if directed solely to his base, likely satisfying. However, for those of us who choose not to farm out our thinking to a career politician, all that PP says, as the saying goes, is thin gruel indeed. As we move into the next federal election sooner rather than later, all of us need to be engaged and critical in our thinking.

I know that's a tall order, but when the future of Canada is at stake, it is surely not too much to demand.

Standing Resolute

Amidst the talk of annexing Canada, the premiers marched to Washington to meet with White House officials. Afterwards,. James Blair, Trump's deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs, had this to say:

Blair posted on social media that his meeting with the premiers was "pleasant" but also said he "never agreed that Canada would not be the 51st state."

"We only agreed to share Premier Eby's comments," Blair wrote.

How about either or both of these as an answer to Mr. Trump and his acolytes? 

H/t Moudakis

Or, put another way:

Guerrilla Warfare, Anyone?

Although I am now a senior, there is no doubt in my mind that should the Americans ever invade Canada (a notion unthinkable just a short time ago), I would do my best to resist. That resistance would likely involve violence. That may seem laughable coming from someone like me, but before I made my grand exit from the world, I would want my presence here to account for something. And what could be nobler than fighting for the country I love?

An article by Aisha Ahmad, an associate political science professor at the University of Toronto, suggests that we could make life a real hell for an invading force:

If Trump ever decides to use military force to annex Canada, the result would not be determined by a conventional military confrontation between the Canadian and American armies. Rather, a military invasion of Canada would trigger a decades-long violent resistance, which would ultimately destroy the United States.

As someone who has studies insurgencies around the world for the past two decades, Ahmad knows of what she speaks: 

The research on guerrilla wars clearly shows that weaker parties can use unconventional methods to cripple a more powerful enemy over many years. This approach treats waging war as a secret, part-time job that an ordinary person can do.

Guerrillas use ambushes, raids and surprise attacks to slowly bleed an invading army, and local communities support these fighters by giving them safe havens and material support. These supporting citizens can also engage in forms of “everyday resistance,” using millions of passive-aggressive episodes of sabotage to frustrate and drain the enemy.

Trump is delusional if he believes that 40 million Canadians will passively accept conquest without resistance. There is no political party or leader willing to relinquish Canadian sovereignty over “economic coercion,” and so if the U.S. wanted to annex Canada, it would have to invade. [In that regard youi might want to read Stephen Harper's reflections on what he would do to stop U.S. economic warfare.]

Resistance, says Ahmad, would take various forms:

 When your child is dying in your arms, you become capable of violence. Once you lose what you love, resistance becomes as natural as breathing.

Except for a few collaborators and kapos, my research suggests many Canadians would likely engage in various forms of everyday resistance against invading forces that could involve steal, lying, cutting wires and diverting funds.

Meanwhile, the insurgents would unleash physical devastation on American targets. Even if one per cent of all resisting Canadians engaged in armed insurrection, that would constitute a 400,000-person insurgency, nearly 10 times the size of Taliban at the start of the Afghan war. If a fraction of that number engaged in violent attacks, it would set fire to the entire continent. 

Canada’s geography would make this insurgency difficult to defeat. With deep forests and rugged mountains, Canada’s northern terrain could not be conquered or controlled. That means loyalists from the Canadian Armed Forces could mobilize civilian recruits into decentralized fighting units that could strike, retreat into the wilderness and blend back into the local communities that support them.

Please take a moment to read Ahmad's full article. It provides much food for thought, as well as a roadmap to navigate the perilous times we are now entering. 

 

UPDATED: A Repository Of Wisdom

I read a letter to the editor the other day to the effect that policy-makers would be wise to consult the op-ed pages for inspiration. Good journals offer repositories of wisdom, and we could do far worse than consider their perspectives and advice.

Here are three letters from today's Star that amply illustrate the above:

America has always preached from the bully pulpit

Canada won’t back down, will scale up retaliation against Trump’s tariffs as needed, government says, Feb. 2

It truly boggles my mind to now see politicians of all stripes, decision makers, businesses and many Canadians are belatedly stepping on the Canada First bandwagon, now that Donald Trump coughed, metaphorically.

Where were you when it was downright evident for decades past that America was and is a selfish and self-centred bully that does everything and anything to suit herself and her interests only, the world be damned?

You were all sleepwalking, singing the praises about our southern neighbour, visiting the country on a regular basis, patronizing their businesses, rather than shopping locally, to save a few pennies. A little jolt by a bully has now awakened you all.

All our interests, economically and otherwise, were put into the giant’s basket for sheer laziness on the part of politicians and businesses instead of large-scale diversifying to other countries years ago. Not a single automobile is made of 100 per cent Canadian parts. Why? Relying too much on our “friends” to the south?

I told you so, I can now say. I am not being a hypocrite, as I have not visited the United States since 2000, do not own property there, do not buy a return trip by air to another country via America, do not cross the border to shop.

I have consciously been patronizing local businesses and Canadian goods exclusively, as best I can.

Aquil Ali, Toronto

Canada must stand its ground in the face of aggression

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must choose whether he should follow the course of Neville Chamberlain or Winston Churchill.

For the survival of Canadians, and of people throughout the world, I hope he chooses the latter.

Canadians can lead the world to show the American would-be dictator that no matter the economic hardship or individual sacrifice, Canadians will stand together, stand strong and wield their sword to protect their homes and rights.

Millions of Americans are with you.

Jeff C. Tavares, Greenwood, Indiana

Hit Trump where it hurts: the wallet

Well, Ding Dong Don got his desired result and has everyone running around in a tizzy.

It’s obvious diplomacy doesn’t work with him but firmness, discomfort, fear of strong negotiators like Chrystia Freeland, pushback from his base, other oligarchs and organized, unrelenting vocal protest groups do.

Canadians haven’t been this united in a long time and seem to be embracing the boycott principle.

This is an excellent strategy, as long as we don’t weaken.

I am 85 and have travelled all 50 states, many times, since the age of nine and have always found the citizens to be kind and generous. I will not travel across the border until sanity is restored in Washington.

My plan is to contact newspaper editors, chambers of commerce, travel associations, politicians and any other organization with a vested interest in restoring sanity and let them know what non-American car, machine or product I purchased. I would also supply the cost of my latest travel to a non-U.S. country.

Sad to say, but the only thing worthy of respect in Trump’s world is money. So if the bottom line deteriorates, he will respond.

He’s a coward. Stand up to him.

John Russell, Fonthill, Ont.

Given the outpouring of patriotic fervour and new consumer boycotts of American goods and travel, we can only hope the momentum continues to build and unites all of us in the face of a common foe.

UPDATE: Now a word from Charlie Angus:

My Thought For The Day

Theocracy - The U.S. Version

For those who like to get their religion from the wholly deranged, there's Paula White, Trump's 'spiritual' adviser:

‪Republicans Against Trumpism‬ ‪@rpsagainsttrump.bsky.social‬

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8h

“To say no to President Trump would be to say no to God.” Meet televangelist Paula White, who Donald Trump just appointed to lead the White House ‘Faith Office.’ This is not normal.

Then there is Trump's Make God Great Again efforts:

Where is the smiting Yahweh when we need Him?

Two Things Proud Canadians Can Do

As I wrote in my previous post, there are very heartening signs of a deep resurgence in Canadian national pride. Consumer boycotts of American products, the purchasing of Canadian products and the booing of American national anthems are burt three signs of this growing fervour.

But in some ways, those actions are merely the low-hanging fruit. To be truly and deeply patriot, we need more than loud and flagrant gestures. We need both knowledge and democratic participation.

Americans are great at the superficial - mouthing nonsensical and reflexive statements like, "My country, right or wrong," comes easily to those who would rather react that participate meaningfully in their society. Talk, as the saying goes, is cheap. but in the American example we see the high price to be paid for substituting loud braying for quiet contemplation: the likes of Donald Trump and his marauders who are systematically dismantling the laws, customs and traditions of American government. Consider the following, especially how easily the always glib Speaker of the House Mike Johnson turns legislative authority into a Trump rubber stamp and a virtue:

I won't waste my time or yours in analysing his discourse, but one can imagine that the timbre of his voice and the 'conviction' with which he speaks would convince the majority of his listeners that an American takeover of Gaza would find favour with the entire world.

So if we are truly patriotic Canadians, how do we inoculate ourselves against a plague of pervasive, low-level thinking while at the same time bolstering Canadian products? I would suggest a subscription to a reputable Canadian newspaper. While I know many are rightfully dubious of the MSM, they still offer our best hope for informative reporting, reporting that is crucial to a healthy, functioning democracy. We have national papers like The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail, both of which have some excellent columnists. Both papers have digital editions that are reasonably priced, and both, ahem, are Canadian products.  For an international perspective, I highly recommend The Guardian which, I believe, still requires no subscription.

The knowledge gained by reading widely cannot be underestimated, and the power conferred can be immense. Which brings me to my next and final point. If we indeed want to be proud and powerful Canadians, we need to vote. While our voices may not carry the day, a strong presence at the ballot box sends a strong message to our would-be leaders: we are present and engaged, and we are watching. 

There are two pending elections. In Ontario, voters will go to the polls to elect a provincial government on February 27. Only apathy and ignorance will allow the majority return of the grossly incompetent Doug Ford regime. And federally, it is likely we will be voting in early Spring. Will we allow ourselves to be bamboozled by the aphoristic and shallow PP, or will be we demand something more?

An uncertain future awaits us. As proud Canadians, we have a number of roads ahead of us. The routes we choose will have an immediate and lasting impact on all of us.

More Heartening Signs

One of the best and most heartening things emerging from our current conflict with the United States is a very powerful resurgence of national pride. The realization of how precious our national heritage is is spurring increasing numbers of Canadians to buy Canadian, forgo travel to the U.S. and rediscover the beauty and pleasures of our own country.

My sense is that the deep wound by the Americans that we collectively feel will not be easily assuaged or massaged. Our resentment and feelings of betrayal, I think, will be long lasting. Here are some comments from readers of The Globe and Mail.

“My partner and I have decided to stop all travel to the U.S. (even for layovers) and avoid all American products. This includes Amazon, Netflix, and American clothing brands. We will support Mexican and European products and treat it as a new opportunity to explore Canadian options that we might otherwise have not discovered. We will treat this as an opportunity to grow our pride in what it means to be Canadian. I hope trade barriers will be removed between provinces so we can explore Canadian products from other fellow Canadians (i.e., Manitoban or B.C. beer in Quebec please)!” – Matthew Parent

“Bought some books and did not go through Amazon but rather got them in Canada. We are getting new windows and are definitely not buying the American option but Canadian instead. I certainly won’t be vacationing or visiting the U.S. either. As for groceries, I am lucky to have a wonderful local grocery called Marilu’s Market here in Burlington which I shop at and they sell a lot of Canadian products also. I will actively look to reject American goods.” – Lynn Crosby

This whole fiasco has broken my relationship with the U.S. in a permanent fashion. I will buy Canadian for everything possible. Where it isn’t possible, I will chose any other nation over U.S.-made goods. I would like to see more Made in Canada signs in the grocery stores. Toilet paper and paper products will come from Canada, cosmetics will come from Canada or Europe. Shampoo will come from Canada, as will hand soap. My children’s clothes and shoes will be harder but I am determined to make as big of an impact as I possibly can. A 30-day reprieve of the tariffs will do nothing to change my resolve.” – Andrea Cochrane

“No more - ever: Jack Daniels, California Zinfandel, Buicks, John Deere, Arizona trips, American produce. And that’s just the start. Americans are no longer our friends – they’re barely even our allies.” – Dave Jorgensen

Our tourist dollars represent 11% of the U.S. market. Canadians spent over $20 billion there last year. Many are changing their travel plans, and let there be no doubt, forgoing travel patronage of the U.S. is going to cost the Americans.

“This morning we cancelled our May 8-17 trip to Palm Springs. Will visit the Canadian Rockies in Kananaskis and Banff instead.” – Tom Becker

“Cancelled a much anticipated trip to Arizona and rerouted it to Toronto (in March!). Not super keen on funding the U.S. in the short- or the long-term.” – Jay Jackson

“My shoes will never touch American soil again no matter how this resolves. Our American friends are appalled at how Trump has denegraded Canada and said they agree with our anger. They will be coming up here for visits, instead. He has permanently burned the friendship tie we had.” – Tony Flynn

“For more than 25 years, every spring, this motley crew of Kirkland Lakers (and a few others before us) have come together at Byrncliff, a modest golf resort near Buffalo. There, we traded jokes, drank a few bevvies, played poker and made every attempt to break 100 on the links (most of us being unsuccessful). Yesterday we informed the course that we were canceling our reservations slated for May. We just couldn’t stomach the thought of spending our money in TrumpLandia. We are Canadians first and always.We estimate it will cost the resort at least US$10,000.” – Rick Doyon

“I’d rather eat turnips and kale rather than put up with this bullying. Even now that they’ve paused it for 30 days, the fact that they think they can threaten us like this is intolerable. Forget oranges unless they come from Spain. Same with garlic. Or we do without things, fine! I’ve always tried to make sure my personal care products are made in Canada (thank you Green Beaver!). Our cars have always been made in Europe (where are the Canadian cars!?). We toyed with the idea of a Tesla. But never now. They want an economic war? Forget fentanyl, that’s just a red herring; they want our water, our oil and wheat, our minerals, they want Arctic drilling. They’re not stopping. Neither am I. Neither are most people I know. It feels like we’re moving into a wartime economy, that’s fine. We can manage and we will. It’s our fault for allowing ourselves to become so intertwined. It’s going to be very painful to disengage but we can.” – Linda Gustafson

In the days, weeks and years to come, it is incumbent upon all of us to reconsider both our relationship with the U.S. and what we can do to bolster the land that we love.

Before You Vote

 If you live in Ontario, you will know that on February 27 we have the opportunity to participate in a wholly unnecessary election. It was called by Premier Doug Ford to exploit his Captain Canada persona, insistent that he can only deal with Trump's threats with a strong, new mandate. (We are to ignore the fact, of course, that Trump does not deal in subnational jurisdictions, and that Ford has a strong majority government already.)

As well, he knows that a mid-winter election almost guarantees a low, perhaps record low, turnout, and opposition parties that have not even nominated candidates in all ridings.

Of the contempt he is showing to the citizens of Ontario I will not even speak. However, an informed vote means having as much information as possible. Hopefully, the following sheds light on both the duplicity and the character of Ford:

Common Cause

It has been said that were aliens to declare war on us, we would put aside all of our petty differences and unite. Not sure about the rest of the world, but that certainly appears to be the case in Canada.

Those who read this blog on a regular basis will know that I am no Pollyanna. We should all be very worried about the tariff war that Trump is now waging against our country. Yet despite my deeply cynical outlook about most things, I am feeling heartened in these early days by our initial responses to the grave threat the tyrant poses. And I am seeing and feeling something that has been largely absent for a long time: real Canadian pride.

Part of that pride is being reflected in the purchases we make. There is a growing appetite for buying Canadian over American goods. Consider this report from Vancouver Island:

Although I am not able to reproduce it, check out this response from the other end of the country. Here are a few of the comments made by shoppers in Nova Scotia:

Mike MacDonald said he intended to read labels at the grocery store so he knew where everything came from.

"I think that like everybody in Canada, we're probably gonna look at buying Canadian, try to shop more local and do what you can that way," he said. 

 "I love it!," said Heidi Rast. "I think it's great. I like my local breweries. So, support your local pubs, your local breweries. I'm game for that. I think a strong response is the right response."  

"Bring it on, slap even more tariffs!" said Anne Leydon. "We got to play tough. We can't back down to somebody trying to push us around. And I'm hoping that … we all stick together as Canadians."

I am certainly prepared to make the necessary adjustments. This morning, for example, I found that my two favourite cereals are products of the U.S. When my supply runs out, I will be buying Canadian alternatives. But where do we find the alternatives? I am finding this site to be very useful. You can search both by category and location, a process that can empower all of us to do our part in the battle we are all called upon to participate in. If you live in Ontario, you might want to check out this site.

I'll close out this post with an excerpt from today's bracing Star editorial, one that reminds all of us of both the role and the responsibilities we have in this war:

[Trump's] trying to bully us — and how we and other like-minded, similarly threatened countries respond will shape the direction of the world in the years to come.

Power has always mattered. But Trump represents power unconstrained by legal or moral guardrails. He believes there is no place for a country such as ours, a middle power that has often been a leader and beneficiary of the rules-based liberal international order, wielding our soft power to change the world, or at least nudge it in a better direction. He sees no value in the peace and order our constitution guarantees. Now the question is whether our commitment to these values and to our shared citizenship eclipses the differences we have become so focused on.

In the days since Trump confirmed his tariffs, we have seen glimmers of hope, an outpouring of something like patriotism, a decidedly un-Canadian sentiment. We have seen leaders from across the political spectrum — Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper alike — call for unity. We have seen businesses support retaliatory measures and call on governments to support furloughed workers, knowing these will come at a cost. Many citizens have been quick to take matters into their own hands, signing petitions, vowing to boycott American goods and to change travel plans. Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford have both projected resolve and strength, taking strategic and targeted countermeasures, as they should.

These Canadians understand what all of us must now grasp: No one has ever won by appeasing a bully. No one has ever won by negotiating with a knife to their throat. But again and again, battles have been won by those who were counted out, who had no right to survive, never mind thrive, but did because they found strength in each other and a shared commitment to ideals and together did the hard work necessary to overcome. It has never been harder to band together despite our differences, and never more important.

Well, just one more thing to add here.

Well, maybe one one more:

‪Cheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁‬ ‪@minibubbly.bsky.social‬

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1hDon't pokle the bear.

Don’t poke the bear 🍁🇨🇦