Winston Churchill

Thursday March 3, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday March 3, 2022

Conservative leadership contender Poilievre calls Europe’s response to Putin’s aggression ‘weak’

January 12, 2022

Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre — the only declared candidate for the party’s leadership — is slamming Europe’s response to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, saying in a social media post that the continent’s leaders have been “weak” in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression.

Poilievre, who announced his candidacy only days after former leader Erin O’Toole was ousted by his caucus colleagues, said Europe has “cowered” to a “thug” like Putin because its countries are concerned about the flow of crucial energy supplies like oil and gas. He added that Europe’s response in the lead-up to this “tyrant’s invasion” of a sovereign country has been “shocking.”

“While some countries have stepped up to the plate, major European players are sitting on the sidelines asking Russia nicely to stop the war,” Poilievre said in a video posted late Monday.

“The countries that have been weakest on Russia’s aggression are the ones that rely on Russian energy to heat their homes, drive their cars and power their economies.”

Poilievre said unnamed European powers could have done more to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine by imposing the sanctions that are now in place well before Putin’s troops charged for the border.

Friday May 8, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 8, 2020

VE-Day 75th: Pandemic forces move to online commemoration

After a year of bitter fighting through Sicily and up through Italy, Canadians moved to Europe where thousands stormed ashore on D-Day eventually ending the war in Europe 75 years ago today

June 6, 2019

Major public celebrations to note the several landmark events leading up to the final victory in Europe (VE-DaY)  have been forced to cancel due to the pandemic. In their place a series of alternative and informative activities have been created online by many related institutions. This includes the Juno Beach Centre, Canada’s main interpretive centre and museum of the war effort located at the invasion beach in Normandy France

Marie Eve Vaillancourt is exhibitions and development manager for the centre. She says the long planning that went into the expectation of public events in and with the centre for surrounding cities and Holland, all had to be quickly turned around and online content created.  She says they’re very proud of the online content which is itself informative and at times emotional. She says it’s important to inform and remember these events and people no matter by what method.

July 13, 2018

Seventy-five years ago through equally bitter and deadly fighting, Canadians pushed through Normandy and northern France and into the Netherlands, liberating along the way to the grateful joy of citizens. Other Canadians moved towards and into Germany itself, to eventual total victory.

Major public celebrations had been planned for this landmark anniversary as Canadians liberated town after town in April and into May. A huge celebration has been planned to mark Operation Faust when the Canadian army negotiated a unique ‘truce’ to truck food supplies to starving Dutch through still armed German lines.  The German forces there surrendered  to the Canadians a few days later, and  of course the final surrender of all German forces on May 7, to take effect May 8 ending the war in Europe, or Victory in Europe Day (VE-Day).

Ms. Vaillancourt notes that while there is very much an important human aspect to the crowds and speeches and interpersonal contacts, the online stories and information will give another aspect to this time. It will allow for greater individual learning experience, and perhaps prompt discussion within families.

Lest We Forget. (Radio Canada International) 

Friday July 13, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday July 13, 2018

Trump is Already Making Theresa May’s Life a Living Hell

June 9, 2018

Accompanied by a sprawling entourage that has reportedly booked 750 hotel rooms, and will be shuttled around the country by 30 vehicles, 6 helicopters, and 2 planes, Donald Trump has officially arrived in the U.K. “His planes are massive,” an awestruck former Downing Street aide remarked to The Times of London. “Ours look like Playmobil by comparison.” Team Trump will certainly be well-traveled by the time they depart to meet Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Monday. As he visits Theresa May’s countryside retreat, Chequers; attends a black-tie dinner at the birthplace of Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace; and has tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle before heading to Scotland to play golf at Trump International Golf Links Scotland, the only mode of transport the president won’t get to enjoy is his long-sought-after ride down the Mall in a gold-plated carriage, which was apparently shelved due to the poor optics of mass protests.

April 13, 2018

Despite the fact that Trump’s schedule purposefully removes him from liberal London, and that protests—topped by a 20-foot-tall balloon depicting Trump as a smartphone-wielding baby—have reportedly been planned across the city, the president seems unconcerned about his ratings in Brexit Britain. “I think they like me a lot in the U.K., I think they agree with me on immigration,” he said at this week’s NATO summit, explaining that he had been reading up on Brexit, and surmised that May was not delivering the divorce deal the public had voted for. “The people voted to break it up, so I would imagine that’s what they’ll do,” he said. “But maybe they’re taking a little bit of a different route. So I don’t know if that’s what they voted for. I just want the people to be happy. They’re great people.”

June 27, 2016

For May, Trump’s metaphorical vote of no confidence could not come at a worse time. Just as the U.S. president touched down in England, bringing controversial connotations of nationalism and insularity to a divided U.K., freshly inaugurated Brexit secretary Dominic Raab presented the government’s long-awaited White Paper on Brexit, which expanded upon the “soft” Chequers compromise that pushed both Boris Johnson and Brexit secretary David Davis to depart May’s Cabinet. The response from Brexiteers was widely negative, and they were notably skeptical of a proposal they argued would keep the U.K. under the authority of the European court of justice. “It is a pale imitation of the paper prepared by David Davis, a bad deal for Britain. It is not something I would vote for, nor is it what the British people voted for,” complained backbench Brexit-monger Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has previously written about the inspiration Trump offers. (Continued: Vanity Fair) 

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave