CANADA - THE YEAR THAT WAS
When we look back on major events in Canada 2013, one of the saddest is the demise of the once proud Blackberry or Research in Motion RIM]. Not so long ago everyone around the world wanted a Blackberry - those addicted to the device were called Crackberries or Crack Heads. How quickly things change - the stock price is in the gutter, and the future of the company is in serious doubt. The decline of Blackberry has been a death by a thousand cuts. For a time, this Canadian tech company had the world in its hands, but alas no longer. RIM’s success led to the area around Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario becoming home to dozens of start-up tech companies. Few would be in existence had it not been for Blackberry. Furthermore Mike Lazaridis one of the founders has donated a lot of his wealth to the founding of the Perimeter Institute which has rapidly become one of the leading global centres of research in theoretical physics - check it out at http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca
One of the high points for Canadians was the selection of Alice Munro for the Nobel prize in literature. Most of her writing takes place in small town Ontario, but there is a connection with Victoria, BC - she and her former husband opened Munro’s Books here in town. It is a book store that every town or city should have - it is family owned with knowledgeable staff and a great ambiance. Everyone who comes to visit is taken to Munro’s Books which now occupies what was once a bank. Add photo here. Canadians basked in reflected glory in Alice Munro’s elevation to be a Nobel Laureate.
With our current federal government in Ottawa, Canada has been in the news for all the wrong reasons - whether it is the government’s unwavering support of the tar sands in northern Alberta, the failure to address the issue of excessive carbon emissions or pipelines to the USA and through BC to the coast for the export of bitumen to Asia, the government’s thinking and actions have been out of sync with the majority Canadian view.
The National Energy Board - an “independent” body is scheduled to release a report on the proposed pipelines to take bitumen from Alberta to the BC coast and thence to Asia. It is expected to give the green light to the pipeline - it has universal support from Alberta, but there is strong opposition in BC - there are fears about pipeline ruptures and then the possible ocean pollution resulting from tanker problems at sea - the waters along the northern BC coast are very challenging.
There was a tragic train derailment at Lac Megantic in Quebec. The accident resulted in the death of 47 people and the destruction of much of the downtown area as the rail cars which were carrying volatile petroleum exploded. The federal government has been on the defensive over its lack of oversight, allowing the railways to self monitor and self report incidents. It exposed poor monitoring and self reporting.
Closer to home, there was serious flooding which caused some serious damage in Calgary and some other places along the Bow River.
The Canadian Senate is not an elected body - similar to the UK, rather than Australia where it is elected. Three senators appointed by the PM have been fudging their expenses. It has been a long drawn out saga and is not over yet. The PM has tried to distance himself from the situation but can’t because he is a control freak and no one believes that he was not aware of what was going on. The PM even threw his senior aide “under the bus” rather than should any blame or responsibility.
Canadians are beginning to get excited about the Winter Olympics. I’m not sure that we will do as well as 2010 when we were on home turf in Vancouver. However, we will not be happy campers if we don’t take home gold in hockey and curling and a couple in skating. Canada doesn’t pay much attention to the luge or biathalon!
Canada’s Pacific fleet is based here in VIctoria, or more accurately Esquimalt. To call it a naval fleet is a bit of an exaggeration - Canadians make jokes about the size and might of its navy. To make matters worse this year, there was a mid ocean collision between the only destroyer and only supply vessel based in the Pacific - let’s hope the Russians and Chinese don’t come when all our naval prowess is in the repair yards!
The submarines that the Brits sold us in 2004 have never been in service since one caught fire when being moved from the UK to Canada. We have spent millions on making the subs sea worthy - just the other week, we saw one of the subs going back in the water for some testing!!
At the provincial level, we had an election where the government was perceived not have a chance of being re-elected, but it was unfortunately. Now we discovering what they wouldn’t tell us before the elections - raises to electricity rates, health premiums, ferry fares, as well as a reduction in ferry services etc.