So, Donnie and Mikey have a genius idea: round up all eleven million illegal immigrants in the US, detain them in federal holding pens, process them, and deport them. Sounds like a simple way to solve the festering problem of all those illegals, right? Well, in the spirit of Ronnie Reagan, let’s play the role…
Immigration crisis? In Canada, there isn’t one. Yet. Truth be told, in most of our developed societies, we have an immigration opportunity. In fact, we have an immigration need. Canada and many other first world nations are facing down a dearth of talent and of new taxpayers to fill the gaps left by our declining…
When I was a little kid, the Second World War was still in the very recent past. My Dad and Mum and all of their friends were freshly returned veterans and for them and their parents, one of the pressing social issues of the day was what to do with “all the DPs.” “DPs” were…
On the St. Lawrence, on the south of the island of Montreal, lies the very old district of Lachine. The name itself in French simply means “China”, and therein is a funny and instructive tale. As is well known, by the end of the Middle Ages most Europeans were either ignorant of the American continents,…
My friend Lorne Kelton is a very special guy who has just finished a very special short movie with a very special message. Several very special messages, actually. The short movie tells of a homeless man who finds good homes for homeless dogs. I’d encourage you to watch it, but please ASAP. As it happens…
Yes, I would. Assuming, of course, that I were still practicing and he required my services in my jurisdiction, yes, I would take on Trump as a client. With conditions, of course. Let’s first get out of the way the matter of lawyers picking and choosing criminal defence clients or otherwise socially radioactive clients. Can…
Compared to our American cousins, Canadians don’t do a lot of violent insurrection. Think about our militia-leading rebels: Louis Riel, Louis-Joseph Papineau, and William Lyon Mackenzie. That’s the whole list. The Rebellions of 1837 were historically tame affairs. Just over three hundred deaths ensued and in some encounters both sides fled when the shooting started,…
My dear old Dad always said a table grace before every meal. Very solemnly, head bowed, eyes closed, and very, very King James English. Because in my Dad’s mind, when you talked to God, it had to be in King James English. Most of my Catholic friends have a version of “Bless us, O Lord,…
Harness the power of curiosity to multiply your communication effectiveness tenfold or more. Curious? Read on. Every fisherman who ever tied a fly or crafted a lure knows the power of curiosity. Want to catch a wild animal? Use something that dazzles and dances to lure them in. Next to sex and flattery, there’s nothing…
If there is a world-wide currency, it’s respect. Unfortunately, it’s in short supply. Respect is simple. It just means acknowledging the value of the other person. Their ideas, their values, their space, their tastes, their place. Perhaps it’s a variation on the Golden Rule, “Think of others as you would have them think of you.”…