While Trump is preparing the world for war in his quest for Greenland, Europe moved troops to Greenland, a US attack will only provoke a response from Denmark and all other NATO countries and Canada. The last hope is that the US military will stop the madman, we cannot wait for possible mid-term elections, they may not happen. Again with new tariffs on European goods, Trump is socking it to American consumers who will pay for even more expensive products. Tariffs imposed on Canada by the USA do not seem as bad now that China has removed its tariffs on Canadian goods and our Asian markets have re-opened. The news of Chinese EV in Canada is a very positive development for many with a price tag of $35,000.CDN. This is very bad news for Tesla in Canada.

Prime Minister Carney is continuing with his world trip, being today in Qatar and he was met with enthusiasm by the Emir and investors. It is confirmed that Qatar will finance important projects in Manitoba with the Port of Churchill and the rail to the Hudson Bay. This would allow Canada to bypass completely the USA in goods being exported to other parts of the world. There is already a port in Churchill and a railroad track since 1920, it all needs major infrastructure upgrades. This is only one of the many projects and investments. PM Carney now moves to DAVOS for the World Economic Forum and of course Trump will probably say more nonsense but other world leaders are prepared and he will probably be treated as at buffoon that he is. The latest polls show that PM Carney has a 50% approval rate amongst Canadians and a 90% as leader of the government. Despite the fact that the media talk non stop about the danger of China’s influence in Canada, only 3% of Canadians mention this topic. The big concern is affordability, followed by Trump’s hate of Canada. Despite immigration being a big to do in the USA, in Canada it does not figure as a great concern, the government reduced the annual intake number and changed the student visa numbers downward and solved the problem.

Since Friday we have had lots of high winds and snow. More is on the way on Sunday night into Monday with a North Eastern storm, which are usually pretty bad for the Island. This may mean a snow day for schools tomorrow, kids will be happy. The radar shows yellow colour which is heavy to strong, we may get more rain with a mix of snow, a mess in other words.

A quote from the Prime Minister Mark Carney given to the media in China; ‘‘We take the world as it is, not as we wish it to be.” This is the philosophy of the PM, a pragmatic one dealing with today’s reality. Such a departure from the philosophy of Justin Trudeau who believe teaching lesson, virtue signalling and wishful thinking would solve all problems.

This weekend is the 211th anniversary of the formal internment of Queen Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI by her brother in law, the restored to the throne of France, King Louis XVIII in Paris. Every year a mass is said at the Chapelle expiatoire in Paris for their souls. They are reburied in January 1815 in the Royal mausoleum in the Basilica of St-Denis. Both were executed in 1793. She was a young woman 34 yrs old and had 2 young children. It is known now that she was dying of a uterine cancer and Robespierre for political reasons wanted to have her executed quickly, her trial was a farce, no real charges and it was all politics.

Another anniversary this year is the 300 birthday of Prince Heinrich of Prussia, brother of King Frederich II the Great of Prussia. His palace in Berlin is today the seat of the Humboldt University on Unter den Linden. He was a great general never lost a battle and diplomat, but he often disagreed with his brother the King on military strategy. He was like his brother Frederick, despite being married, a homosexual. In 1786, the President of the Continental Congress, in the USA and Von Steuben, the Prussian general who served in the American Continental army, suggested to Alexander Hamilton that Prince Heinrich should become monarch of the United States, but the prince declined the offer. 

I also learned today that my family parish church on Fullum street in Montreal is to be demolished. This is were I was baptized in 1956. The church was built in 1913 and like many churches in Montreal, due to economic cost, it was closed many years ago and then victim of a fire which destroyed the interior, it is now derelict and demolition is the only solution. It would be replaced by housing for low income families. Many church buildings in Montreal have become concert halls, condominiums, community centres or simply destroyed. All these buildings were built on a monumental scale of stone with copper roofs, lavish decorations inside. Several priests would serve the parish, today you are lucky to find one to say mass. People have a nostalgic attachment to such buildings but this is where it stops. The same story repeats itself in every Canadian city. In Toronto, many churches have been sold, developers keep the facade and usually a huge condo tower is built behind or on top. Times have changed and in Canada we demolish heritage buildings, we do not keep them, unless there’s a significant touristic element to them. It has to be said that the congregations in churches has dwindled to a handful of people and bingo nights still attract the over 70 crowd. For me it is just another vanishing site like so many of my life and family memories.

Saint-Eusebe de Verceil, Montreal.