"Me want skool!" is good enough for the Toronto District School Board

The Toronto District School Board (hereinafter "TDSB") is the wokest in the fairyland of Canuckistan. And in a country which includes such hotbeds of wokeism as the Waterloo Region District School Board which forbids any discussion of gender ideology, pronouns or sex change operations * [Isn't there a more PC name for that? Ed.], that's really saying something.

The TDSB is not only the wokest in the land, but the biggest. Its catchment area encompasses numerous "ethnic" neighbourhoods, including Little India, the notorious Jane-Finch `hood, and a part of Scarborough which, to look at it, is majority Chinese... and so it is.

The ultra-progressive TDSB is all in favour of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) of course. As Mr Socks sez, "Diversity is our strength!" (Cue guffaws from most Canadians. See "Shocking news: Majority of Canucks think diversity is causing problems!", WWW 25/11/23. To serve various diverse sections of the community, the Board has established several dozen Central Student Interest Programmes (CSIP), both at the secondary (opens in a new tab)and elementary (opens in a new tab)level, including those specializing in arts, athletics, science, math and many others. 

But it seems some groups need a little more equity than others. According to the TDSB website, 20% per cent of the spaces in CSIP are reserved for students who are Black, Indigenous, Latin American and Middle Eastern, while 50% cent of the spaces in math, science and technology programmes are for students self-identifying as female.

That doesn't sit well with the Chinese community (or the south Asians, for that matter), who, along with the "old stock Canadians" (read: palefaces), are regarded as "privileged", thus not deserving of extra help. Trustee Weidong Pei of Ward 12, Willowdale, told CTV News Toronto the policy doesn't address the socio-economic barriers standing in the way of enriched education, but instead creates more division in schools and waters down talent. 

What to do? The performance-based process of entry, which had been criticized for "favouring students from wealthier families" (read: racist!) had to go. So, in 2022, the Board trustees voted to move away from a model that only accepts those with demonstrated strength and/or ability, by removing all tests, exams, auditions and grade-entry requirements from CSIP applications.

In came the new, woker, "interest-based model", which is now "under review". Trustee James Li of Ward 13, Don Valley North,  told CTV, "When we implemented the program in 2023, we didn't ask the students to prove or demonstrate anything. We only asked the students to write their name down, which was disappointing." Now, he continued, "We expect them to demonstrate that they're interested in [an enriched programme] to the point where they want to go above and beyond the curriculum, and they're ready and willing to work towards it.”

Mr Pei calls the expression of interest requirement "meaningless". "The formal expression of interest is not being evaluated. An entry consisting of 'Me want skool' is given the same weight as a student filming themselves playing 'Flight of the Bumblebee' on the tuba!

"Everybody I know, including me, is concerned about socio-economic barriers, but the policies don’t adjust for socio-economics, they use self-identified race as a proxy for socio-economics. The average Asian family's income at TDSB is below the overall average of TDSB families, and South Asians' incomes are even lower. Yet Asian families are considered a privileged group."

Ah so... but Messrs Pei and Li should know that in Emperor Justin's Canada, affirmative action (read: reverse racism) is the New Equity. So let it be preached. So let it be done.

* See "Court victory for teacher silenced for transgender-book criticism", National Post, 25/11/23. 

Shocking news: Majority of Canucks think diversity is causing problems!

Here's something we were surprised to see in one of Canada's "legacy" (read" state-supported) newspapers. Still, at least the National Post's Tristin Hopper had the cojones to touch it. You wouldn't find it in the Toronto Red Star or the Groan and Wail.

[What IS it?! Ed.] OK, OK.... Blackie McBlackface, Prime Minister of All Canuckistan, has been repeating for over a decade the mantra that "Diversity is our strength!" Canadians are sick, sore and tired of being told that by Mr Socks and his lickspittle media. What's more, the majority of them don't believe it.

What's more, the Hamas-Israel war has fuelled a growing anti-immigrant backlash. Not all immigrants, you understand. Just those who bring with them the sectarian wars of the Middle East and Africa. According to a Leger-Postmedia poll, cited in this NatPo article, there has been a significant increase in the number who believe non-permanent residents who express hate towards minorities or support for terrorist groups should be deported from Canada

The poll finds that the majority of Canadians, both white and "other", call BS on "Diversity is our strength!", and believe that diversity can bring “problems” as well as benefits. Look at this.

The poll found a majority of respondents also endorsed the notion that newcomers should be encouraged to embrace Canada's values and traditions, and discard whatever cultural identity is incompatible with that.

51% of responders agreed with the statement that Canadian authorities "should do more to ensure newcomers accept Canadian values." An even higher proportion (55%) endorsed the notion that Canada's immigration policy should be premised on "encouraging newcomers to embrace broad mainstream values and traditions," and leaving behind any beliefs "that may be incompatible with that."

For starters, Walt recommends encouraging businesses and the media to stop using the phrase "Happy Holidays", and encouraging newcomers to exchange "Merry Christmas" wishes with old stock Canadians. I could go on. [Next time. Ed.] 

How was YOUR Thanksgiving?

 No, this is not a photo of Walt. Ed.

UPDATED: Congrats to Geert Wilders on stunning election victory

The usual gang of One-Worlders, ComSymps and other loonie leftists are crying in their Heineken, Amstel and Oranjeboom (look it up) tonight as the final count in yesterday's parliamentary elections in the Netherlands confirms a hyuge victory for the "far-right", "anti-Islam", "neoNazi", yada yada yada Geert Wilders and his PPV (Party for Freedom).

In one of the biggest political upsets in Dutch politics since World War II, Dhr Wilders' Freedom Party beat all expectations, winning 37 seats out of 150. That's more than double the number the PVV in the last election. A joint Labour/Green (read: leftist) ticket got 25 seats, just one more than the conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. 

Dhr Wilders will now have to form a coalition, which is normal in Dutch politics with its multiplicity of competing parties. Talks on who will be included are expected to take months, since the sore losers on the left declared well in advance of the election that they would never co-operate in any way with the man they call "the Dutch Trump".

Dhr Wilders' win came as a shock warning to mainstream parties across Europe ahead of European Parliament elections due next June. The issues in at least the western part of Europe are the same as those which were fought out in the Dutch election: immigration, the high cost of living, the so-called "climate crisis" - "Kill all the cows to save the Earth from global warming" -- and did we mention immigration and what to do with all the Muslims.

The Dutch election result is another sign of the resurgence of the Right across the continent. Most recently there was the election of Giorgia Meloni as prime minister of Italy. Now Dhr Wilders is set to become the first-ever rightist prime minister of the Netherlands. Then we await 2027 and the inevitable election of Marine Le Pen as the first female président of France. Lifetime pct .980.

Further reading (posted 25/11/23): "Did Israel-Palestine protests propel Geert Wilders to victory?" by Freddy Gray, Deputy Editor of The Spectator, 24/11/23. Key takeaway: "...anti-immigration politics is the most potent force in twenty-first century western democracies."

Quote of the week: "The average person doesn’t want to close all doors to refugees and immigrants, but they also don’t want to divert large quantities of public resources to newcomers who disproportionately erode the safety and security of everyone else while soaking up undeserved social benefits." (Jamie Sarkonak, in "Fed up with climate zealotry and immigration, the Dutch lurch to the right", National Post, 26/11/23.)

Wut?

Let me get this straight. While Trudeau's minions on the pretty side of the Niagara River were operating under the assumption that yesterday's vehicle explosion (my emphasis) at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls was "terror-related", their counterparts in the Paranoid States of America, directed by NY Governor Kathy Hochul (D) are now saying there is "no indication of a terrorist attack" at this time.

In a statement released late yesterday, FBI Buffalo said, [it] "has concluded our investigation at the scene of the Rainbow Bridge incident. A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials, and no terrorism nexus was identified. The matter has been turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation."

Wur? A "traffic investigation"? Really?!

Walt's crack incident reconstruction team [meaning me. Ed.] has sifted through the multiplicity of eyewitness statements, police statements, CBP statements, FBI statements, yada yada yada, to compile this timeline.

A "Western New York man" -- so far unnamed -- and his wife cross the Rainbow Bridge yesterday morning to attend the KISS concert scheduled for Toronto in the evening. Apparently they were unaware that the Tuesday night concert in Ottawa had been cancelled, owing to the illness (from "flu") of singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, and the Toronto concert was also scrubbed.

So, the disgruntled American couple went back across the bridge in a huff [a minute and a huff? Ed.] or perhaps it was a Bentley, always a great concert-going car. Then, perhaps maddened by having to pay the toll for nothing, they drive home -- location so far unrevealed -- load up the Bentley with enough explosives to blow up... errr... something large*, and tear back through beautiful downtown Niagara Falls (NY) at speeds of 100 mph. Those who know the alleged city will tell you that, in itself, is a pretty good trick.

Then, instead of turning into the Rainbow Bridge entry lanes, where the only checkpoint or obstruction to entering Canada is the toll-booth, they aim the vehicle at the United States CBP facility on the southerly side of the plaza. 

The 13 or 14 booths referred to by Ms Hochul (see yesterday's post) are there to intercept travellers coming into the USA. Someone trying to get into Canada from that side would encounter a forest of "wrong way" signs, fences and other barriers. Of course if you were flying through the air, you'd miss them... or most of them.

The vehicle hit one of the booths and exploded in a rather large ball of flame -- much too large to have been caused by a malfunctioning EV battery, or even a tankful of cheap American gas. Initial reports said the car was "packed with explosives", but nothing has been said about that since the FBI took over the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Rainbow Bridge remains closed. (The other three bridges across the Niagara River have been reopened.) After all, it was only a traffic accident... right? Is there anythiing else about which your Democratic government can reassure you today?

* Further reading: "Activist darling of the leftist media arrested for allegedly trying to ‘firebomb’ an Israeli company in New Jersey", American Thinker, 22/11/23 (same day as the Rainbow Bridge "traffic accident")

VIDEO: "Allahu akbar!" at Niagara Falls??? Questions arise

One of Walt's agents says that nothing ever happens in Niagara Falls NY. All the action, he claims, is on the pretty side of the river. Today was different. For those who missed it, we have some video from security cameras at the US side of The World's Longest Undefended Border (TM) crossing, timestamped about 1120 EST today.

What, dear reader, was your initial reaction to that video. Did you think it was probably just an accident? No biggie! Nothing here to see, folks!

That's the official party line [the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party. Ed.], which was rushed into print and onto the Web within a couple of hours of the "serious incident". The Powers That Be had to start the gaslighting PDQ because "right-wing" media had already starting using the T-word -- T as in Terrorism.

The T-word has been scrubbed from all the early reports in the lickspittle media, because in recent years people in Europe and North America have, for some strange reason, come to associate terrorism with the Religion of Peace (TM), Muslim jihadis, and, since last October 7th, Hamas. 

In Canada, the bought-and-paid-for media have been enjoined (by Bill M-106) from saying or writing anything that would stoke the fires of Islamophobia. See "If Canadians are Islamophobic, perhaps there's a reason", WWW 27/7/21. Most of the American media are no better.

But I digress. Here's what is known [admitted? Ed.] about what happened. The vehicle came from U.S. side of the border, travelled along Main Street at speeds estimated at 100 MPH, then became airborne and crashed into a US Customs and Border Patrol booth before bursting into flames. 

Two people in the vehicle that exploded were declared dead at the scene, and officials have said a third person believed to be a border employee was injured and taken to hospital, but has since been released. One of the occupants of the vehicle has been identified (but not named) as "a resident of western New York." 

Karen Kathy Hochul, the Democratic Governor of the Empire State, had this to say about that, "At this time there is no indication of a terrorist involved attack here at the Rainbow Bridge in Western New York." (My emphasis. Walt)

Later, Governor Hochul amplified her analysis. "If you can imagine this vehicle basically incinerated. Nothing is left but the engine. The pieces are scattered over 13, 14 booths. So it is a large scene, and it's going to take a lot of time… to be able to piece together the real story... It has not been determined to be an accident. You don't know whether the driver was intentional in how they drove… All I know is there was a horrific incident. A crash, an explosion, loss of life, but at this time, no known terrorist connection." 

I have some questions I'd like to ask.

* If the car wasn't "packed" with explosives" (as a law enforcement officer said before being silenced), what caused it to burst into flame? Even an EV wouldn't do that.

* How did police identify the "resident of western New York" whose body parts were "scattered over 13, 14 booths" by the force of the blast? And if his identity is known, why hasn't his name [not "Mohammed", surely! Ed.] and other information been released? 

* First reports said the vehicle was trying to get into the USA. It's clear from the videos that the opposite is true. So, if the occupants of the vehicle were trying to get out of the USA, why was that? 

* Were they on the run? From what? Or were they trying to get into Canada, to terrorize its famously Islamophile prime minister?

* Is it possible the deceased weren't Muslims, but Jews? (Just kidding.)

That's enough questions for today. Fortunately for Governor Hochul and all the other Authorities, whose ability to secure the World's Longest Etc border now seem even more suspect, the promised investigation will now have to wait until after the holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving, everone!

True Facts about the first American Thanksgiving

Today Walt can reveal that what you were taught about pilgrims, pumpkins and Plymouth was fake news! Historian Rodney Kite Powell of the Tampa Bay History Center gives the credit for the first Thanksgiving celebration to Spanish soldiers and missionaries who, along with Native Americans, thanked God for His mercies, especially safe travel and arrival. 

This was on 8 September 1565, in... wait for it... St. Augustine, Florida! Yes, we have a picture... well, a painting, actually.

Those involved were all part of the expedition to the New World of Dom Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. There were around 800 crew members. and a variety of people -- not just Spaniards, but people from from all over Europe -- who were trying to create a settlement in Florida, and whose efforts were ultimately crowned with success. To celebrate, a Roman Catholic Mass and Te Deum were celebrated on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Don Pedro came ashore amid the sounding of trumpets, artillery salutes, and the firing of cannons to claim the land for King Philip II and Spain. The ship's chaplain, Fr. Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales, chanted the Te Deum, the Church's great hymn of Thanksgiving, traditionally attributed to St. Ambrose of Milan, and presented a crucifix which Don Pedro ceremoniously kissed.

After that, 500 soldiers, 200 sailors and 100 families and artisans, along with the Timucuan Indians who inhabited the region, celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in gratitude to God, after which a thanksgiving feast was shared by the Indians and the Spaniards.

The second American Thanksgiving occurred on April 30, 1598, when Spanish explorer Don Juan de Onate requested the Franciscan friars to offer a Mass of Thanksgiving, after which he formally proclaimed "La Toma" (The Capture), claiming the land north of the Rio Grande for the King of Spain. The men feasted on duck, goose, and fish from the river. Some of the Spaniards dressed in costume and presented a play.

Even at Plymouth Rock in the Massachusetts Colony, where the Pilgrims later landed in 1620, Squanto, the Indian who organized their first Thanksgiving, was a Catholic. He had been enslaved by the English, but was freed by Spanish Franciscans and subsequently received the Catholic Sacrament of Baptism.

Catholics and all Americans should remember that the word "Thanksgiving" is also Catholic, from the Greek "Eucharistia", referring not to turkey with all the trimmings, but to the Heavenly Bread, the Catholic Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Any experts on iconography or symbolism out there?

Ed. here. Walt is making me crazy! We need some help identifying this symbol.

The design consists of two crossed scythes (?) surrounded by a laurel wreath. The small circle at top might represent the sun.

It appears to be a political symbol, a simplified coat of arms, or a government logo of some kind, and was seen in a repeated pattern on a cement wall, painted in blue on a lighter blue background. But where? Walt's guess is somewhere, possibly a Communist or formerly Communist country, in eastern Europe or central Asia.

A thorough search on Google and even Bing turns up a couple of remotely similar images, but nothing exact. If anyone can shed more light on it, please do so using the comment window which appears when you click on the headline.

By the way, before I forget: The answer to the trivia question in our previous post is: Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood. 

"Pull the strings! Pull the strings!"

Trivia quiz: Who uttered the headline in a movie about a famous film-maker? Answer later... if I remember.

VIDEO: Latest news and views from Michael Matt at Remnant TV

It's been a while since we reposted a video featuring Michael Matt, the editor of The Remnant newspaper. The recently concluded Synod on Synodality (which we thought would be the Synod of Sin) turned out to be something of a damp squib, just a continuation of the "church of accompaniment" nonsense dreamed up by Jorge Bergoglio, the man who calls himself "Pope Francis". 

There wasn't a whole lot there to talk about, so in this week's video Mr Matt talks about a potpourri of other things, notably Francis' dismissal from office of Most Rev. Joseph Strickland, now the former Bishop of Tyler TX.

But there's much more. Listen as Dr Jordan Peterson (!) talks about the power of the Rosary. As Mr Matt says, "Looks like God’s coming back, and he’s bringing hell with him." Here's the video.

Even if you're not Catholic, you need to be concerned about the crisis in the Church. Ever since the "progressives" started their campaign to weaken and ultimately destroy Holy Mother of Church, the entire Western world has fallen into a state of decay. 

The war on the Church is a war on our entire society! We must resist Francis and all the enemies of Holy Mother Church, both without and within! Join us in this prayer: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

As I was saying...

...in "Who's really behind the Great Replacement" (WWW, 15/11/23)...

Dear readers, the Great Replacement is all part of the Soros/WEF/Schwab plan to usher in the New World Order. It began long ago, but this latest phase is far from the end. Who's going to stop it before it's too late?! The only person the conspirators are afraid of is... wait for it... President Donald J. Trump!

A taxpayer responds to the Canada Revenue Agency*

* the Canadian version of the rapacious and totally unacceptable IRS. Ed.

The CRA sent a Canadian taxpayer's return back to him because of his answer to one of the questions.

In response to the question "Do you have anyone dependent on you?" the impoverished Canuck wrote, "2.1 million illegal immigrants, 1.1 million crack heads who get their drugs from a government "safe supply" depot, 4.4 million unemployable scroungers -- many of whom "work" at the CRA -- and 80,000 convicted criminals in over 85,000 prisons.

"But wait, there's more -- 450 idiots in Parliament, an entire group that call themselves "senators", plus thousands of "politicians at four or five levels of government, and tens of thousands of "consultants" and "administrators".

The CRA replied that the taxpayer's response was "unacceptable", to which he replied, "Who did I leave out?"

Thanks and a tip o' the toque to Agent 9. Lang may yer lum reek!

Scene at the APEC summit

I saw the clip on the toob yesterday of Brandon and Winnie Ille Pu (that's Latin, folks) staring at each other (sort of) across a Very Big Table. Senile Joe wasn't actually look at Xi, since he (Joe) was reading  his little speech from a laptop. Xi didn't look impressed.

Who's really behind the Great Replacement

While you go out and about today, take a look around you. No matter where in North America you live, even in more remote areas like Greater Ford Mudge, you will see more and more people who are not like you. Go ahead. See for yourself. Try your local foodbanks and homeless shelters. Yes, dear reader, the Great Replacement is not a theory. It's a fact!

The latest phase of the WEF/Soros/Schwab plan to fill Europe and America with Arabs, Africans and other unassimilable minorities, misfits and leftist revolutionaries is the propaganda campaign to shame the West into taking in millions of refugees from the Hamas-Israel war. They are not wanted in Israel (obviously) or Egypt (the only country with a land border with Gaza) or Saudi Arabia or any of the other Islamic statelets in the region. So where should they go? Why, to the West, of course!

Who says so?! None other than Israeli Finance Minister (((Bezalel Smotrich))), who yesterday called on Palestinians to "voluntarily emigrate" to Western countries. Mr Smotrich was responding to an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal written by Likud MKs (Members of the Israeli Knesset) (((Danny Danon))) and (((Yesh Atid))) callin on Western countries to accept Gazan refugees.

In "Israeli minister calls for widespread Palestinian emigration to West" (Jerusalem Post, 14/11/23), Mr Smotrich is quoted thus:

"I welcome the initiative of voluntary relocation of Gazan Arabs to countries worldwide. This is the right humanitarian solution for the residents of Gaza and the whole area after 75 years of being poor refugees. 

"The majority of Gaza is fourth and fifth generations to 1948 refugees who, instead of being rehabilitated long ago like hundreds of millions of refugees around the world, were held hostage in Gaza in poverty and overcrowding and were a symbol of the desire to destroy the State of Israel and of the refugees' return to Jaffa, Haifa, Acre, and Tiberias." 

He went on to say this has bred the hatred for Israel and Jews "upon which the population in Gaza is raised and educated" and led them to believe that the only solution is the destruction of Israel. 

"The small area of the Gaza Strip, which doesn't have any natural resources or independent sources of income, has no chance of independent, economic, and diplomatic existence in such high density long-term. Therefore, the only solution to end the suffering and the pain of Jews and Arabs alike is for countries around the world who truly want what's good for the refugees to accept them along with support and economic aid from the international community, including the State of Israel."

Readers who are slapping their foreheads and exclaiming, "By Yahweh, he's right!" are invited to share their views with their representatives in Congress/Parliament/whatever. Don't just write or email. Get your traditional keffiyeh headscarf (available on Etsy for 30 pieces of silver) and join your comrades in the streets as they chant "From the river to the sea, you're welcome to our country!"

Less than a year away from disaster, what will the Democrats do?

I guess by now you've all seen the video of President Brandon appearing to get lost while laying a wreath at a Veterans Day ceremony on Friday. If not, you can see it, along with some comment from Sky News Australia's "The Sunday Showdown", here.

The Democrats have a problem -- an incumbent President who is eligible for a second term, potentially even worse than the first.

Still, Senile Joe insists that's he's going to seek re-election, notwithstanding that every poll and virtually every pundit predicts that he'll get thrashed.

The Democrats who are not Dumbocrats know this. Behind close doors, even those who are in thrall to the Deep State, expressing their confidence in Senile Joe's ability (and sanity), are wracking their alleged brains to find a way to dump him, while there's still time to nominate someone with a chance, however slim, of pulling their nuts out of the fire... so to speak.

Further reading: "Lefties beg Brandon 'Don't run, Joe!'", WWW 13/7/22. And yes, they've been casting about for alternatives since before the could've-been-worse results of  the mid-terms. The pleas to leave are much louder now, for it's certain that when Brandon drowns in the Trump tsunami, he'll take others -- Denocratic governors, Democratic senators, and Democratic Congresspersons -- with him. Walt predicts that the 2024 elections could result in a Republican double majority which would last for at least eight years. (Lifetime pct .988.)

What to do, then? How about if Brandon retires now "to spend more time with his family" (possibly in a federal facility of the barred kind)? 

That would give the lovely and fragrant Kamala Harris -- America's first almost-black female vice-president -- almost a year to climb out of the deep hole in the approval ratings into which she's dug herself. If you don't recall how she managed it, check out the VIDEO in "If Brandon dies, this woman would become President", WWW 2/5/23.

Maybe not such a good idea when it comes to electability. Some people still feel sorry for Poor Old Joe, and believe the mess he's in was made by the Boy. But when it comes to Ms Harris, people just laugh.

But hang on! Walt thought of a solution, the latest in a long line of brilliant but under-appreciated ideas. See "How Brandon can get rid of the Three Witches", WWW 18/8/23. In a nutshell [? Ed.], Senator Dianne Feinstein (the eldest witch) would retire, then Camela would resign and Gavin Newsom would appoint her to serve out the rest of Not-so-Feinstein's term.

Are you still with me? Ms Harris's resignation would leave the Veep position open, so Crooked Joe could appoint Crooked Hellery Clinton to the position, which would be a springboard to a third try for the presidensity after Brandon steps down at the end of this year, as predicted by my goodself last January. 

It was a fine plan, IMHO, which Gavin Newsom screwed up by appointing Laphonza Butler as the new senator from California after Ms Feinstein obligingly died. The Fonz's only qualifications for office seem to be that she is (a) black, (b) a woman, (c) a Democrat and (d) President of EMILY's List, a fundraising juggernaut that works to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights. How California is that!

Why would Governor Newsom make an appointment which offers no support whatever to the Democrats' 2024 campaign? Surely it has nothing to do with Mr Newsom's own presidential ambitions. His name was mentioned when the Dumbocrats were beating the bullrushes for a candidate in 2020, but he chickened out. My guess is he intends to sit idly by while the Dems implode, in order to present himself after a decent interval as the right man to lead the Party as it "builds back better". Dream on, Gavin, dream  on.

The greatest...show on earth

VIDEO: Remembrance Day 2023 - Please, no more!

Some call it by its old name: Armistice Day. Others call it Remembrance Day. Still others know it only as November 11th. No matter what you call it, November 11th is, or should be more than just a date. It's a day to remember those who gave their lives for our countries in a number of wars.

The exact number of wars is debatable. Depends which country you're talking about, and who's counting. But they were all "good wars"... "just wars"... right? They all needed to be fought, right? To preserve freedom and democracy and equality and all those other Good Things. Right? Maybe it's all debatable.

The "Armistice" in Armistice Day refers to the truce proclaimed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 -- the armistice that ended the Great War, the war that would end all wars. But, as "The Ballad of Willie McBride" (aka "The Green Fields of France") says, it all happened again... And again... And again.

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, that greatest of all American generals, surveying the carnage, said to General James Longstreet, "It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it."

But it seems we have grown too fond of it. Perhaps it's because advances in technology have reduced the body counts. On "our side", at least. Or maybe it's the advances in medicine and hygiene which means that, nowadays, more soldiers and sailors and airmen die of wounds than of disease and starvation.

Whatever it is, we seem to scarcely finish one war before starting another. Sometimes we don't even wait for the first war to end, so we can fight two or three or four wars all at the same time. All for freedom, democracy, equality, human rights, and generally to make the world a better place. For "our side", at least.

Not all of the thousands upon thousands who died fighting our "good wars" did so for the sake of freedom and all that. Some of them did, sure, but some of them died because they obeyed orders and went unflinchingly to the death to which they were sent. It is those men and women -- the ones who didn't want to be there and shouldn't have been there in the first place -- whom Walt and Poor Len [and Ed.] remember today.

This year, with pressure mounting from liberals, progressives and fellow travellers to send human "resources" -- makes them sound like pieces of meat -- to the Mid-East to make perpetual enemies lay down their arms, we pray that there be no more... no more American and Canadian men and women to die bloody in the deseert sands... for nothing.

VIDEO: Drunk driver plays diversity, victim cards, gets arrested anyway

Bodycam footage seen recently on X illustrates the social justice/police brutality/yada yada bullshit that cops (especially white male cops) have to put up with in Woke America.

If you didn't catch all of it, here's a list of excuses this... errr... lady?... Karen?... libtard?... wokester came up with in just three minutes.

* I have bad social anxiety

* I don't wanna step out of the car because there's a lot of stuff going around

* I'm an indigenous person

* I'm non-binary

* Don't call me "ma'am"

* I have mental health problems [I believe that one. Ed.]

* You're trying to intimidate me

* I have PTSD

* This is triggering

* I have generational trauma

* I don't like being around white people and cops

* You're scaring me

* You're hurting me!!!

To think that in Biden's woke America, people like this are allowed to not only drive cars (even when drunk), but to vote!

Sitting on the fence in the Hamas-Israeli war

If President 0 has spoken out on the latest Mid-East war, I haven't heard him. But this is the sort of mugwumpism I'd expect him to utter. Does it matter? Not if you believe that President Brandon formulates his own thoughts and policies. But if you think Barack Hussein just might be pulling Brandon's strings, it matters. The Democrats can't affored to alienate anybody, one short year before Judgment Day.

Getting back to the war between the Jews and the Muslims, which the Jews seem to be winning handily -- hence the pro-Muslim calls for an immediate ceasefire -- Mrs Walt asked me a good question as we watched video of the latest carnage: When Hamas decided to attack Israel, which has one of the strongest militaries in the Mid-East, if not the world, what did they think would happen?!

The Feast of the Archangels

Today, the 8th day of November is the Feast Day of Saint Michael the Archangel, Commander of the Heavenly Host, and of the Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel, together with the Angels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, Six-winged Seraphim, Many-eyed Cherubim and the other Bodiless Powers. 

 • Archangels (I Thessalonians 4:16) are messengers of great and wondrous tidings. They reveal prophecies and the mysteries of the Faith. They enlighten people to know and understand the will of God, they spread faith in God among the people, illuminating their minds with the light of the Holy Gospel. 

 • Angels (I Peter 3:22) are in the lowest rank of the heavenly hierarchy, and closest to people. They reveal the lesser mysteries of God and His intentions, guiding people to virtuous and holy life. They support those who remain steadfast, and they raise up the fallen. They never abandon us and they are always prepared to help us, if we desire it. 

All the Ranks of the Heavenly Powers are called angels, although each has its own name and position by virtue of their service. The Lord reveals His will to the highest ranks of the angels, and they in turn inform the others. 

Over all the Nine Ranks, the Lord appointed the Holy Archangel Michael (his name means "who is like unto God"), the faithful servitor of God, as Chief Commander.

From the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Archangels, let us pray: 

We magnify you, O archangels and angels, and all the hosts, cherubim and seraphim, which glorify the Lord.

Supreme Commanders of the heavenly hosts, we who are unworthy beseech you, by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory, and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you, "Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Leaders of the Powers on high!"

And less us conclude with the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel: 

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who roam through the world seeking the ruin of souls.

The next time you feel dumb...

"The Bolt Adventure" - a true tale from the world of EVs

For those who are considering getting an EV (electric vehicle), we presents a report from one of Walt's assiduous readers north of the World's longest undefended border, who recounts his experiences driving a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt from (about) Toronto to Ottawa. Warning: The details may be disturbing to anyone on the green bandwagon. 

Notes from Ed.: We've deleted the name of the dealers and other information as to specific locations. For our US readers, "K" = kilometer. 100 km = about 62 miles. 

Picked up the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV from [a Toronto dealer], Tuesday afternoon October 31, 2023, at 3:15pm. Odometer showing 4 K’s, the indicated range was 413 K’s. Here's what the dashboard looks like. 

The picture on the right shows the actual size of the humungous battery that powers this little car.

Google indicates the distance to our destination in downtown Ottawa, as being 464K’s. On the road at 6:00am, November 1. Invited my buddy Bruce to accompany me. He has a curiosity about electric vehicles, and I thought he might be an asset if the vehicle needed to be pushed!

On Hwy 401 eastbound by 6:30am. Kept the speed at 100 K’s to conserve power. The Bolt is the only EV I've driven with a "power consumption gauge", measured in kilowatts. (And this is the third Bolt EV!)  

At 120 K’s consumption is around/over 24 kilowatts; at 100 K’s power drops down to 14 kilowatts; but at 60 K’s power is only 8 kilowatts. Anyway, the speed was kept at 100K’s on cruise control. 

The cabin area was kept at a comfortable 23 degrees C [73.4 F]. Was a strange sensation having everyone pass us, including trucks. The Bolt was very comfortable to drive, holds the road very well, and is extremely quiet! 

Had a ten-minute stop from 7:50am to 8:00am,at the first On-Route eastbound at Port Hope for washrooms, and grabbed a couple of Starbucks. (The line was too long at Tim’s!)  Arrived Trenton On-Route by 9:00am. Vehicle’s remaining range has dropped to 130K’s, from the initial range of 413 K’s even though we have travelled only 212 K’s. 

Connected to “IVY-0184 Charger,” the only one of four chargers that was working. Went through the hookup procedure using the IVY app on my phone. Unfortunately, the sole remaining IVY-0184 charger was also not working very well as it shut off after only eight minutes. Went through the hookup process again. This time it turned off, after only three minutes. 

Called the 800 number on the IVY machine to ask why? The young man answered promptly, but had no explanation. Blamed it possibly on the vehicle. Made one more connection which lasted seven minutes, and finally a fourth connection which lasted two minutes. The charge did give an additional 50K’s, for $7.22, bringing the vehicle’s range up to 187 K’s. 

In desperation phoned [a GM dealer] in Kingston to ask about charging a Bolt. They said no problem, bring it in and get it charged. Arrived there at 11:24am with 58 K’s remaining, having logged 318 K’s. Was expecting to charge for free at [the dealer], and could have, except the free charger was only a trickle charger…..would have taken hours. 

The fast charger turned out to be a “Flo Charger, AAL-00545.” This required another App to be installed on my phone. After downloading the App, phoned the 800 number on the FLO charger to find out what to do. A young lady with a soft voice, and a pretty French-Canadian accent walked me through the process! The gist of it was: “must transfer $25.00 from my Mastercard to the FLO account which was just created with the App.” These folks don’t take any chances regarding their payment. 

After this process, charging started at 12:25pm. The App on the phone controls everything. A button to start charging, and a big red bar to stop charging, located at the base of the program on the phone. Out of fear of accidentally turning the charger off, let the phone remain on the dash of the Bolt while we went for lunch at Tim Horton’s. Of course, this is the time everyone starts calling, wondering where I am. Since I didn’t answer, their assumption “missing in action!” 

Returned from lunch, charger still charging. However, it automatically shuts off within a few minutes when the charge reached 80% of capacity. This brought the vehicle’s range up to 289 K’s This charge cost $15.93, leaving a credit balance in my FLO account of $9.07, which will likely remain until another FLO charger is used. 

Google calculates the distance to our destination in Ottawa as being 201K’s. Back on Hwy 401 eastbound by 1:45pm; again, speed limited to 100 K’s. Change to Hwy 416 north. Around MP-57 started having remaining range reservations. Consequently, reduce the speed to 80k’s. Range immediately starts decreasing at a noticeably slower rate. Probably some formula where power consumption increases with the square of the speed. 

Arrive [at the dealership in Ottawa] at 3:55pm, having travelled 512 K’s, with 63 K’s remaining. By 4:30pm, started our return trip in a tired dog, a 2004 Toyota Yaris with 104,787 K’s. The Yaris had obvious battle scars; still, a calming tranquillity came over us being back in comfortable familiarity. Cruise control worked, the power mirrors worked, and the heater produced lots of heat. Range anxiety disappeared! 

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! ... And this is Walt's comment.

The hidden numbers and true cost of mass immigration

Agent 3 tells me that if you ask Johnny Canuck, the average Canajan, hanging out at Tim's, how many immigrants Canuckistan should accept next year, he'll tell you, "None is too many!"

The Honourable Marc Miller, the Liberal Minister of Immigration and Refugees and Citizenship and Refugees (etc etc, but did we mention Refugees), got up on his hind feet in Ottawa this week to tell Johnny Canuck that he's wrong! And/or that Prime Minister Blackie McBlackface doesn't care what his subjects think.

Instead, Mr Miller revealed that the misgovernment's "new" immigration targets for the next three years were... wait for it... pretty much the same as last year's historic high level. Canadians are expected to "welcome" 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, 500,000 in 2025 and another 500,000 in 2026.

So, in the next three years, Canada will (officially) welcome another 1,5 MILLION "permanent residents". But that's only half the story! A report by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce shows that equally large or even greater numbers of aliens are getting into the Great No-longer-white North through the back door.

In 2022, the permanent resident figure was 435,000, but the CIBC claims the actual number of "newcomers" was more than 955,000. Statistics Canaada goes even farther, pegging the number at more than one million. No final total for 2022 has been provided by the Liberal government. 

To understand Trudeau's full plans for immigration -- aka the Great Replacement -- look at the numbers of "temporary residents" -- those who were provided visas for education (e.g. at the Singh School of Trucking) and work (as drivers of killer 18-wheelers). Temporary visa holders accounted for 58% (!) of the 2022 intake of newcomers (58 per cent) in 2022. 

That's based on the government's numbers, which may be off by as many as a million. Yet the Liberals plan to increase the pace of temporary immigration in the coming years. More than 900,000 international students are expected in 2024. 

But wait, as Vince Offer used to say, there's more. To add to the "front door" permanent residents and the "back door" temporary residents”, there are all those self-styled refugees and migrants who make it to Canadian soil to seek asylum. 

In 2022, the feds stated that nearly 40,000 people crossed through the notoriously open border at Roxham Road. However, reports from NGOs and the Québec government claimed that nearly 93,000 asylum-seekers had their bags carried for them by the Mounties. As well, there were 145,000 real refugees from Ukraine, and another 20,000 from Afghanistan.

Welcoming all these migrants -- the bad along with the good -- costs a shed-load of money. Supporting them puts increased pressure placed on social services, housing, and health care, all to be paid out of Canuck taxpayers' deep pockets.

In the federal budget for this year alone, there was a $1 BILLION ($700,000,000 in real money) for short-term accommodation and temporary health-care coverage for asylum-seekers and refugees -- $530 million for accommodations (in luxury hotels and the like) and $469 million for health benefits, some of which, like free dental care, are not available to Johnny Canuck. 

The Honourable Mr Miller says Canada needs more immigrants to fill labour gaps, that we cannot build the homes we need without them. That would be fine if all the newcomers were working, but many working-age immigrants arrive with dependent children and spouses (who do not work) and are often joined later by retired (and often sickly) parents, grandparents, and family members. (It's called chain migration.) So, for every worker Canada gains it also gains at least one dependent.

Here are some more interesting numbers, which presented without (much) comment.

* According to the Canadian census, prior to 2015, 28% of immigrants came from the UK and Europe. That number is 2% today.

* Nearly 98% per cent of immigrants now come from India, China, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, and African countries, well known for their civilization and democracy.

* In recent years there has been a record spike in the numbers of immigrants who have left Canada (onward migration) because of high cost of living, housing issues, underemployment (because of Canada's systemic racism, of course), and the cold.

* Concomitantly [How long have you waited to use that word? Ed.], US border authorities have seen an alarming 47% increase in north-to-south illegal border crossings. One Republican presidential wannabe has called for a wall to be built on the World's Longest Undefended Border to keep them out!

As Canadians have known for years, but the Liberals refuse to admit (M-106 in force!) some immigrants bring their own toxic beliefs with them. Need proof? Watch the daily anti-Semitic demonstrations in almost every North American city. Given the never-ending flood of migrants from the Middle East and Africa, and lack of enforcement of deportation orders (HA-ha!), not just Jews but all citizens are left in a compromised and vulnerable position. 

Remember this billboard from a not-so-long-ago election? It was deplored by the CBC and all other Forces for Good in Canuckistan. Max Bernier and the People's Party of Canada are still in search of their first seat in the House of Commons. However...

This week, Environics Research released survey results that showed 44% of Canadians feel that "overall, there's too much immigration to Canada."

Last month, an Ipsos poll showed 73%believe the government's "immigration targets should be reduced until the housing shortage eases," and 68% said there should be a cap on international students while the housing crisis is addressed. 

Keith Neuman, the author of the Environics report, observed, "The main thing we're seeing is that people are more concerned about the capacity of the country to absorb a lot of newcomers when things aren't working as well as they were before." 

No kidding?! You mean Johnny Canuck finally got it? Too bad for him, eh, because he's stuck with Junior and his gang of sycophantic elitists for the foreseeable future... or until the Liberal Party takes Junior out for a long walk in the snow... just like his dad.