Questioning the Bain verdict

No one will ever convince me that Richard Henry Bain did not intend to kill. No one will ever convince me that he did not want to, in his words, kill as many separatists as possible.

So it is hard to understand why a jury would decide that his terrible act on that night in 2012 was not premeditated. He loaded up his truck with weapons. He drove to the Metropolis, lurked in the back and waited. If his rifle had not jammed we could have been faced with a tragedy of immeasurable proportions. It was, as some had rightly called it, “an act of political terror.” In my view, Bain murdered Denis Blanchette in the first degree. It was his intention to kill, and he did.    One wonders why a jury of his peers was not convinced. Were the jurors looking for a compromise based on Bain’s mental challenges? It just seems so obvious. 

An environment of entitlement

Canadians don’t like entitlements for their politicians, and when it’s a question of vanity or putting their personal comfort above that of the average person, it doesn’t sit well.

So, when our environment minister Catherine McKenna finds it necessary to spend $6,000 of your money to get her picture taken in Paris, people shrug and say “They are all the same.”   Heck, everyone carries a camera with them these days. The shots I take on my iPhone look pretty good to me. It’s pretty pathetic from a member of a government pledging to do things differently. 

Or, when the health minister bills Canadians for a luxury car, or the executive lounge at the airport for free peanuts, then it’s something of an outrage as well. Now, the amounts we are talking about are indeed peanuts, but they show a lack of judgment and a sense of entitlement.     

Things will get tough enough for the Liberals in the coming year as they learn to say no and make unpopular decisions. Errors in personal judgement from those who should know better are unforgivable. We do expect more from this government and not the same old wine in a brand new bottle.

Quebec Olympic team not a podium-worthy idea

Congratulations and welcome home to all of our wonderful athletes who participated in Rio 2016.

Representing their country at the highest level of competition is a rare accomplishment that will stay with them forever. A job well done.

And as certain as Monday follows Sunday, there were calls again for a Team Quebec to participate in the Olympics. 

PQ leadership hopeful and uber-separatist Martine Ouellet says she is convinced a Quebec team would receive better coaching and support. Sigh.

Then the rump that is now the Bloc Quebecois breathlessly jumped into the fray with a cheesy video it posted on YouTube.

It’s ethnocentric nationalism at its finest but the good thing is that nobody is paying much attention, especially our Olympic champions. Canada is just fine, thank you. More than fine.   Just ask Jean Luc Brassard, Alexandre Bilodeau, Alexandre Despatie, Charles Hamelin, Gataen Boucher and the list goes on and on.

So, to Madame Ouellet and to those who still prefer division over unity, you are once again out of sync and off the podium.

And, as this Pequiste leadership race of mostly no-names stakes out various positions on sovereignty and Team Quebec and counting angels dancing on the head of a pin, support for the option has now dropped to 32 per cent. Nobody is listening.