Red Dress Day: Support Missing Indigenous Women

May 5, 2023May 6, 2023 ~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

Red Dress Day is May 5. Started in 2010, it is (finally) gaining traction, with more awareness than ever.

This original post was written in 2018 and updated today (2023):

Database to Record the Statistics

Information and knowledge about and support for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) database is spreading. If you are unaware (as I was) of what this is, please check it out and add your support. The number of indigenous or native women and girls that are missing and/or have been murdered is staggering. Help to spread the word and bring about justice for these women and their families.

This database, created by Annita Lucchesi, a doctoral student at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, includes data from both Canada and the USA from 1900 onward. I learned of the database from my sister, currently the Dean of Liberal Education at the same university. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women project does not (currently) receive any funding from any government or academic facilities. Hopefully, that will change, and soon. So far, 3148 cases have been documented, but many more (close to 25,000) are suspected.

National Crisis in Canada and USA

This issue should be treated as a national crisis in both countries! In fact, I remember an election promise by current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he would treat these missing women as a priority. What is the government waiting for? This MMIW database is a good start. Hopefully, it will generate more support (from the right people)than any previous research on the subject.

2023 Update

A feature on CTV news in Ottawa provides an update on how far Red Dress Day has come since its inception while also suggesting what still needs to be done to further support this crisis.

At least 28 Indigenous women in Manitoba have died due to violence since May 2020, said Sandra DeLaronde, team lead for the Manitoba MMIWG2S+ implementation team. The majority were in Winnipeg.

The House of Commons unanimously backed a motion Tuesday declaring the deaths and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls a Canada-wide emergency. It also called for funding a new system to alert the public when someone goes missing.

Most of the money announced to fulfil the inquiry’s 231 calls to justice became stuck in government bureaucracy, and it has not made it to the front lines and the Indigenous women and families who need it.
The Canadian Press

Photo Credit: CTV News

Imported Russian Oil Banned: Et Tu Trudeau?

March 8, 2022March 9, 2022 ~ Loreeebee ~ 2 Comments

U.S. President Joe Biden just announced a ban on imported Russian oil into his country. Is it the right thing to do? This latest sanction is to show support for Ukraine and disdain for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Will Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau follow suit?

Global Oil Reserves

Like it or not, crude oil is (currently) the main source of energy around the world. Until that changes (if it ever changes) oil reserves are a huge commodity. Which countries have the most oil reserves? This list from World Population Review shows the current (2022 data) facts…

These facts are deceiving, however. For example, Venezuela’s oil is predominantly offshore so fairly difficult to access. Saudi Arabia’s oil, on the other hand, is located inland and close to the land surface. Crude oil reserves are based not only on quantity but how readily accessible the reserves are with current technology. Regardless, you can see the general position of countries within this list of proven oil reserves. Canada is near the top, the USA is below number ten.

Oil Imports and Exports

So, from this I’m gathering Biden’s sanction banning imported Russian oil won’t have much of an impact on Russia. According to EIA the USA imports most of its oil from Canada:

Canada remained the largest exporter of total petroleum to the United States in December; exporting 4.8 million b/d. The second largest exporter of total petroleum was Mexico with 645,000 b/d.
EIA, December 2021

Canada also imports very little oil from Russia, so an imported oil sanction by Trudeau would be more symbolic (like Biden’s) than catastrophic for Putin and Russia. It might poke the bear though.

Canada sits at the top of the list of crude oil importers (predominantly from Saudi Arabia), according to the EIA:

While one of Canada’s biggest exports is, you guessed it, crude oil. This data is from Investopedia:

Are you confused yet? Canada is at the top of the list for its impressive oil reserves, something a cold-weather country should aim to be. We also sit at the top of the exporting of oil list, which economically is great. Isn’t it? But wait, we are also at the top of the imported oil list. How is that economical? Granted, I’m no economist, but I did excel in accounting 101. I am confused, not to mention annoyed and frustrated.

Using Canadian Oil Instead of Imported Oil?

This topic has come up before with Trudeau’s resistance to approving pipelines between the oil reserves in the west for use in the eastern provinces. (Most) Canadians would prefer to use the oil we have, rather than depend on foreign countries for their supply. The Russian invasion of Ukraine just emphasizes this opinion.

The National Post has a great but sad explanation:

So proud is the Trudeau government of its action on environmental stewardship and climate change that it essentially does the Saudis’ dirty work for them. By tightening the screws on domestic Canadian production while seeing an increase in Saudi-originating imports we are helping to accelerate the rate of our own energy-sector’s decline.
National Post

Canadian Pipelines: Do you Support Them?

February 17, 2022March 13, 2022 ~ Loreeebee ~ 3 Comments

The Canadian pipelines debate has been discussed from coast to coast for several years now. Rumours and speculation of who supports them and who is holding them back (and why) are rampant. Apparently, these pipelines that transport climate-changing fossil fuels are financially lucrative, job-producing investments elsewhere in the world, but not in Canada.

Pierre Poilievre takes Mark Carney to Task

I heard this exchange recently; I personally love how perseverant Poilievre is on the basic question regarding the pipelines. Do you support them or don’t you? The Canadian pipelines I mean, not the foreign ones. You could also interpret this as do you support improving the Canadian economy or is the economy of other countries more important?

Who is Mark Carney and What does he Think of Canadian Pipelines?

On his resume, Mark Carney has an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades. Governor of the Bank of Canada as well as the Bank of England, several international offices of Goldman Sachs, Canada’s department of finance, the financial stability board (FSB) of G20 countries, and most recently Brookfield Asset Management.

While Governor of the Bank of England, Carney was the chief opponent of Brexit. He tried to convince everyone that the UK economy would suffer a negative impact.

More recently (spring 2021) Carney scrambled to defend Brookfield Asset Management’s significant holdings of “carbon neutral” fossil fuels. In short, he manipulated his accounting to downplay (hide) a carbon footprint of 5,200 tons of carbon dioxide. What does carbon neutral mean to you? I admittedly don’t know that much, but I’m willing to bet that many tons of carbon dioxide are nowhere near neutral.

Hearing him dithering in this video, he (unflatteringly) sounds like his Liberal boss, our Prime Minister. Do as I say, not as I do comes to mind.

Who is Pierre Poilievre and What is his Stance?

Well, his opinion and support or loyalty are much more obvious. This video and other forms of social media display his stance on crucial issues. Considered the political opposition’s bulldog to many, Pierre Poilievre is a Conservative member of parliament (MP) representing the Carleton suburb of Ottawa. With a Bachelor of Arts and some commerce courses under his belt, his own modest description of himself says it all:

“a political junkie with a passion for public debating and a special interest in international relations”

Perhaps Poilievre is not as polished or successful (career-wise) as Mark Carney. Yet. He (Pierre) is definitely more articulate and fun to listen to. His debating skills are legendary within the house of commons. I, for one, love his doggedness. Is that a word? Maybe perseverent is better.

As Shadow Minister of Finance, it is, appropriately, his job to hold our Finance Minister (and Deputy Prime Minister) Chrystia Freeland accountable. Recently though, Poilievre announced a higher ambition, with intentions of running for the Conservative leadership, en route to the goal of becoming our next Prime Minister. If a drama teacher can do it, a self-acclaimed political junkie and well-spoken, if somewhat annoying, bulldog can too. The level of annoyance depends purely on which side of the debate you represent. He is one of those guys you want on your team instead of playing against him.

If you don’t yet know of Pierre Poilievre, you will soon.