Author: Alan

Obligations

Jim Elve has a very interesting post on the process of getting citizenship in Canada which includes the following passages from a booklet, A Look at Canada, which is the study guide for the citizenship test. Jim states: “I think that the Citizenship responsibilities defined and the ways of Getting involved in Canada suggested can serve as a partial guide to a set of shared Canadian values.” The responsibilities set out are these:

Citizenship responsibilities

All Canadian citizens have the responsibility to:

  • vote in elections;
  • help others in the community;
  • care for and protect our heritage and environment;
  • obey Canada’s laws;
  • express opinions freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others; and
  • eliminate discrimination and injustice.

Being a Canadian citizen is more than voting and obeying laws. Being a citizen also means getting involved in your community and your country. Everyone has something to give to make Canada a better place. Here are some ways to participate:

  • join a community group such as an environmental group;
  • volunteer to work on an election campaign for a candidate of your choice;
  • help your neighbours;
  • work with others to solve problems in your community; and
  • become a candidate in an election.

I suppose the oddest thing about this list is how utterly untrue it is – so while I respect the rights and freedoms of employed by Jim in making his quite honourable statment, I would myself express a different opinion freely.

Our democractic process has very little to do with joining the Boy Scouts, whose tenents this list bears some resemblance. I much prefer the list of Charter rights and freedoms as a description of our values. Amongst all the great and good freedoms and rights we enjoy both from and distanced from the state, it also confirms we have the right to be left alone, to argue, to make things uncomfortable for those who would require us to channel discontent into the political structure, to paint your house purple and lay around on the front law with your shirt off as passers-by tisk and the weeds deepen around you. We have ill-defined autonomy and are, honestly, more likely to enjoy beer and hockey on the TV than the company of many of our neighbours. Are not these our values?

Ontario Bank

The facade of the Ontario Bank on the corner of King and Clarence has been released from its scaffolding and is showing off a snazzy strip of copper. I have to get a better detail of the sign over the door as it is full of leaves and vines and fairly jazzy skewed lettering.

What Not To Say

This report at the BBC on the downside of “baby blogs” is interesting. I try to be discrete about the kids, images especially. I also keep away from work related topics and a few others that spark tedious threads. Some folks here, both known and not, use pen names, which is fine, while others give only a first name and no links. On the other hand, Ian tells all or at least much and others I know discuss the kids specifically. What ought not be discussed?

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Later: I view this web site at 1024 x 768 pixles. I like the space that gives. I also usually provide for 20 pixels of space on each side of a photo and am posting width at about 550 or 600 pixels. Whatdya think?

Listening to George

I am listening to George Bush right now during the live speech part of tonight’s presentation and I can’t shake how similar it is to listening to the English lyrics sung by Swedish pop bands like ABBA or Ace of Bass. It is not what he is saying (I don’t care much about debating that) but how he says it: slightly disjointed sentences one following another, within each sentence cliché and familiar word groupings. But no flow…so what comes across to me is grip rather than comfort. But when he starts answering questions his accent reappears, the cadance reappears.

Who was the best public speaker you have heard, the best speech written? What would Trudeau be saying – “just watch me”. Thatcher would be scary, Old Testament. Ronnie Ray Gun would say “weeeell” too often with that little head shake.