Pretty Good Grief

When reading the daily news of late it has occurred to me that maybe I really do have things dialled as Crossley once pointed out. Commodity prices are tumbling, extractivist industry is yesterday's activity, the nation's economy is at risk for padding all the wrong baskets. It makes me very grateful to have gone long on Duke Playmates, long on Bracebridge United Church, community choirs, one certain woman and family. After all, there's a roof over my head, vegetables ready, meat thawing, a fire roaring and work awaiting in the shop which sustains it all. Who could ask for anything more? I think I'll go short on the daily news and the perspective that focuses on Palin and Trump. I must get on to the invitations for dinner and future gatherings. I must reach out to the friend recovering from surgery, and go visit my mother whether she's aware of my presence or not. I must search out that swedish folk song she loved so much in the hope that it sparks some connection in her mind that hasn't left yet. My dad had it dialled when he talked of the Privilege Of Living.

boats in snow

Back and forth from Toronto towing a 1941 DisPro- Greavette- St. Lawrence eng. with electronic ignition. I'm glad the boat had some city exposure as it's for sale. Among all the ones on the market today this one fits the bill for anyone wanting a tight hull, user friendly motor and realistic price.

Old Ice and New Seasons Metaphor

Bravo to my Nephew Will on his new E Bike, an electric scooter that whisks down the country roads silently. This is the future, slower, lighter, cleaner and cheaper. It runs on a few pennies a day and requires no license or insurance.

Like the old ice starting to melt on the lake, our carbon age is showing signs of deterioration. We are heading into a new spring, and vehicles like this one are signs of a new era.

How hard will it be to turn around the big issues like the Tar Sands and Nuclear energy? The only way to start will be by taking little steps like Will has done with this bike. He'll use this tool to commute to and from his job near Owen Sound, and will be greeted by smiles and waves as people see him ride silently by. An ambassador for the new age.......thanks Will.

Convention Resolutions- a wonky Process

What of the policy resolutions if that is mostly what the national convention was supposed to be about?

The GPC has a little ongoing work to do in this department. In the rush of time and the need to address all the resolutions, we threw out a lot of babies with the bath water. For example, the motions dealing with child care/parental support and strategic voting were both voted down not because of their intent, but for spurious reasons that could have been resolved with a little more discussion.

Quite a few resolutions would have been very restrictive for the leadership had they been passed and Elizabeth May more than once got up to explain how one motion or another would have made her life a lot more difficult. The resolutions varied in format, length, and purpose making it very difficult to deal with them one after another.

Frank de Jong commented that the national party will have to come around more to the provincial way of operating. He conceded that the GPO has four years to fine tune its policy before the next election. This allows for a much smoother adoption process. In any case the national party will have to clean up the format for these resolutions, their delivery and discussion, so that a national conference will a time to deal with these issues a lot more efficiently.

For my part I'm not too concerned as the party has a lot of other good things going for it, growing pains can be dealt with, the people promoting some of these policies have in no way given up and the debate will continue. The future is green...

Cruising the Rails

Monika Schaefer was the candidate in Yellowknife, she lives in Jasper Alberta . I’m not sure what the cost of a train ticket would be from there to Nova Scotia but being resourceful Monika came up with a solution many wouldn’t have thought possible. She is a violinist and somehow sold the management of Via Rail on the idea of letting her travel for free in exchange for providing music daily in the lounge car. For two hours a day passengers are treated the sounds of her blend of classical and fiddle music in a win win that speaks well of her and Via Rail.

Speaking with Karl Dias Manager, Customer Experience Eastern Services I learned that Via is becoming quite adventurous with innovative ways to enhance rail travel. The Exchange of Services Agreement program has resulted in a variety of pleasant surprises of rail service. There have been wine producers offering wine and cheese tastings, an oyster entrepreneur shucking his product, musicians and other forms of entertainment. People have even held their wedding on the train.

Monika has given out a variety of spoons and clackers to the other passengers and while she’s playing a reel two have locked arms and are dancing in the aisle. Outside the window New Brunswick is passing by, there is a view of the highway here and there barely visible through the ice storm. This is a very civilized way to travel.

Elizabeth May

Elizabeth May has enjoyed a warm endorsement of her leadership throughout this convention. She has admitted that there were mistakes made in the election, she has explained how the media had twisted her comments beyond spin, they wrote the opposite of what she had meant. During the resolution approval process her input into the debates was welcomed, headed and applauded. Her speech at the closing of the meeting left us cheering, tearful and enthused. She seemed strong,we were pumped. It was great to travel with her to Montreal where she changed trains for Ottawa. I think her wait for the next train was longer than ours.

It’s 33 hours since we left Nova Scotia. We are waiting to board the #1, the train that leaves Toronto for Vancouver. First stop is mine at Washago. We are spent. I can’t read another newspaper, have tired of reading the book I’m enjoying, have talked the other greens and strangers until my mind is numb. I just want to get some rest. We look up, and who just got off another train and is walking across the station but Elizabeth May. After the wow’s and greetings she explains how she had two good hours in Ottawa, is here in Toronto to catch the next train to Kitchener, back to Toronto the next day, off to North Bay, then back to Toronto, over to Kingston, then has a day off next Saturday in Toronto. Her energy has me completely dumbfounded. That’s leadership I guess.

Eastern People Rock

Peter Ormond, Susan Turcek, Dea Clark and Barbara Maccaroni still have food from home that they are generously sharing on the return trip back. Peter ran in the riding of Ancaster Dundas Flamboro Westdale (Hamilton On). They ventured out a little bit after the convention and spent a night in Truro N.S. Finding a large B&B wasn’t hard, getting directions to a thrift shop was a little harder, the stranger on the street from whom they were asking directions simply said ‘you know what, just take my car. I don’t need it for another hour.’ The host of the B&B picked them up at the restaurant they were in and shuttled their baggage back to the train station the next day, but not without leaving them some muffins for the trip.

The people of Pictou were all smiles and friendly. National conventions should be held in small places like this. It sets up a rhythm like breathing. The group met as a whole, spread out for rest and replenishment, then condensed again several times over the three days like inhaling and exhaling. Many of the best meetings and contacts are made walking to and fro or sharing time in a local restaurant/pub.

This also speaks to why the convention simply could not work virtually-digitally.