Turning Over a New Leaf

My recent health kick has got me out of the house and in to the gym – ironically just above the Superstore, which I chose to look at in a positive light, overlooking all those fruits and veggies as I struggle down the steps following my BodyPump class (a real killer! Beware!) In the past, I had always viewed the gym with hesitation and suspicion, knowing just how hard it will make you work and not always with the rewards hoped for. However, I’ve had a recent change of heart – I initially started going after a friend, day after day expressed how good it made her feel. Knowing my own struggle with the winter blah’s, her ranting and raving got me out of the house and in to the gym – and I think I might be a better person for it! Admittedly, I’m sore. Very sore. But I know it’s a good sore and I definitely can relate to my friend’s jubilation about the benefits of the gym. It’s also motivated me to look at food in a different light – do I really need that slice when I know it’ll take me an hour to burn it off? There’s so many great, colourful and tasty alternatives, why bother? I’m trying things too that I don’t think I ever would have, bored of the same old peas and carrots. Ever tried a celery root? okra? endives? Well, I have! yum yum and off I go hunting for a recipe that teaches me how to make them. Ta da! There’s one exhausting, satisfying and fun filled day all in one! Good bye winter blues and hello healthy, toned and happy me! The only thing that I tend to struggle with is the fact that fresh means no preservatives (not including the fertilizers and pesticides that seem to accompany most imported foods) and spoil far too quickly and I end up having a heap of xyz vegetable for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It absolutely kills me to throw out food, knowing very well how scarce it is in different parts of the world. Today, UNICEF is launching a  social media campaign aimed at raising awareness about food droughts in the Sahel region of Africa. It’s pretty awful and makes my daily gym-healthy routine sort of extravagant. At the same time, from my little town just north of Toronto, the most I can do is spread the word and donate my time and attention (sorry, funds are a little low although the right sentiments are there!) to spreading the word. I think sometimes  realizing what other’s don’t have motivates other’s to take advantage of the resources and opportunities that are right under our noses. With that said, I’m off for another gruelling workout, but I’m sure I’ll be better for it in the long run!

Importance of Relativity

Success! I’ve finally found employment!!! Wooooo0! I’m very excited and as a result, have rewarded myself with doing absolutely nothing! Well,  that’s not exactly true though either, because here I am blogging away – perhaps I’ll slow down later….anyways, what a great time to stop and let the heat of the sunshine drain out all your energy! Thankfully for me, 8 months in the tropics have adjusted my internal temperature so that this is wonderful Don’t get me wrong, I still feel how heavy the air is and yes, it’s hot, but I think I’m coping much better than others. I’ve always  loved the heat though. Remember a few years ago when Europe was suffering from heat waves and people died because of it? That was when I escaped the chill of Ireland to backpack around Spain – most Spaniards, however, had chosen the cool coasts of Barcelona, and there I was – the dumb tourist wandering around the deserted streets of  Madrid at 40 C degree heat at 7pm. Live and learn, or in my case, sweat! And at the end of my trip, back to my studies in Montreal, with arguably the coldest winters in Canada.

Point of the story? People adapt, everything is relative. The other day, we saw South Asians in full out cricket gear playing the under the afternoon sun. This heat must be nothing for South Asians, but for a place that is known for its snow fall, it is out of the ordinary. And so, hot topic of the day is, ironically the heat! And not just in Canada, but in the US as well.

The other day, the national news broadcasted a piece on the suffering of farmers who, with shortages of fresh water, were facing an ailing crop and having to sell cattle before their prime. While droughts are indeed awful, I reminded myself that 1) This is the US and 2) Farmers are not just farmers, but businessmen who control farms the size of small towns and who control the price of corn, much like the way that OPEC controls the price of oil. Silos are stocked to the brim full of supplies in order to control the price, instead of its former use to be dipped in to when supplies were low.  Knowing this, I was disgusted with the news piece to have neglected that point.

I’d like to think that people are good  people and  care about others when a crop dies or business is bad, especially in this economy. I suspect that’s why this news piece aired in the first place – to pull on the heart strings of the average Joe and to highlight the out of the ordinary heat waves.  But believing that Joe is inevitably good, he is not always educated to know that farming has joined the ranks with the rest of corporate America and so will pull up his socks, stop complaining and get back to work. What I find even more disheartening is that this made national news, but the droughts that the rest of the world experiences rarely makes the headlines.

I typed in ‘Somalia Droughts Heat’ in to the google search bar and the first news source, behind research studies, weather reports and alarms was a piece posted by ABC 5 days ago title, “Somalia Drought ‘One of the Largest Humanitarian Crises in Decades.’  Further on down the page, I found the CBC had declared, ‘Somalia drought aid hindered by armed groups.’ This to me, was more a more news worthy subject than farmers in the US.

Admittedly, my knowledge of Somalia and its history is little and I’m very humbled by an Eritrean friend who attempted the topic in her PhD thesis because it’s incredibly complicated and starts dozens of years ago. What I do know is that Somalia hasn’t really had a formal government for 20-30 years and are divided by half that wants independence. More North Americans are more likely to recognize the ‘We are the World’ song in the 80′s that brought Bono, Boy George and many other artists together to raise money for the droughts Somalia was suffering from then. Oddly enough, a remake is in the works!

Mobilizing international food aid is not as easy as it looks – think the forms, red tape and bureaucracy that you have to suffer through when renewing your license and then multiply it by 1000 and throw in a few more countries and disgruntled farmers’ unions that don’t like to part with their stocks. Furthermore, with no formal government, getting food and supplies to people that need them becomes very dangerous and difficult. How to reach the most vulnerable? is likely what is on the minds of most international relief agencies.

As a result, people leave and leave en masse; traveling by (mostly) on foot to neighbouring Ethiopia or Kenya where refugee camps provide an alternative to the already cramped streets of Nairobi or Addis Ababa. Knowing how precarious living standards and conditions can be in a refugee camp, my sympathies are with them. During my grad studies, I was fascinated by environmental changes and what it meant for societies and had written a paper on Environmental Refugees, much like the ones escaping Somalia, only to discover that International Law had yet to include them; to be a refugee, according to the Refugee Convention, doesn’t include the escape of environmental degradation and therefore claimants cannot obtain asylum status or rights in their new country. As a Canadian, I’ll never have to experience this and few Canadians even think of it, but really, what do you do when there is no food or water in your homeland (and therefore no jobs) and  have to migrate to a land that won’t allow you to stay or give you any rights?

Knowing the reality of many Somalis and East Africans, makes me think how stupid we are to complain about the heat, when water is in abundance and air conditioners blazing. Agreed, the plight of farmers is an obstacle, but really it’s a small obstacle that will likely vanish in a couple weeks or when stocks are let out and the weather changes. Is it something that we really need to focus our energy on, complain about or generate sympathy? It’s all relative, I suppose.

 

Memoires de la Belle Province

There are no words to describe the wonders that a good holiday can do to the psyche! I’ve just come back from a few days away and could not be more refreshed! Sunshine and salt water air did a world of good and I’m ready for anything the world throws  at me – well, maybe. I didn’t go far, I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, but was surrounded by good friends, good laughs and good food! I went to Montreal (so many memories!), then on to Quebec City, and then further on to the Saguenay region along the St. Lawrence river.

I can’t believe I’d never experienced this region before – absolutely breathtaking! Just outside of Quebec City, the roads turn hilly – maybe more than hilly, more  like moutain-esque – and our tank of a rental car made for interesting driving! Nature was beautiful, nothing but the green of the trees and the glare of the water to keep our attention on the way. Then as the highway nears the river, little towns dot the sea banks, tourists emerge from the hiking trails and stalls with fresh produce taunt the hungry driver.

The lure of the area is for the sea, the boats, the fresh fruits de mer and …. les baleines! This part of the river is unique for its buffet of underwater treats, attracting underwater creatures of all types, including whales! So beautiful and amazing to see from the coast and even more breathtaking to kayak with the whales! Our first attempt was delayed because of wind and cold, but the following morning at 5am (it takes something special to get me out of bed at that time!) off we went to suit up and get in the water and within 10 minutes, a beluga came our way and swam in between us and  under us and gave us a  little wink Unbelievable and so relaxing to sit in the boat, watch the sunrise on the water with whales  swimming below.

Our trip focused on the outdoors and all it has to offer. What an Adventure! Not for the weak at heart or bad shoe-ed as hiking, bike riding, rock jumping, sand/stair climbing and kayaking were major staples of the trip, and then was proceeded by scrapes, bruises, cuts, heavy breathing and a trip to the doctor :s  Despite the setbacks, it was worth it and my muscles are thankful in the long-run. The wildlife we saw – the belugas, the birds, the beaver – and the views from just about everywhere are unforgettable.

For the most part, traveling was easy. Driver’s and speed limits weren’t nearly as dangerous as in Montreal or Ontario, and finding a place to stay took just a few phone calls – during the summer, many houses turn in to Gites (B&B’s) where traveler’s get a good taste of local culture and cozy atmospheres that only Grandma’s know how to provide. French is widely spoken and my skills were sharpened to the Quebecois accent, though like most foreign places, hand signals and smatterings of English will always helpful.

On our way back, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that our trip was coming to a close. I’m very nostalgic for the province which always has something new to offer and has captivated my heart for years and saying good bye to out-of-town friends is never easy. Every place I go that I’d like to return to, I always leave something behind that I haven’t done or seen for the next time, promising to return some day. Although I’ve been to Montreal and Quebec as a province more times than I can count, it never seems that I can get to the end of the list of new things to do and see. Can’t wait to starting planning the next one!

It’s a Sustainable Life

Sus-TAIN-able!! Whoa, I hear it everywhere – from Oprah to Obama, on the news, in the papers, around town, in the grocery stores and I’m sure it’s one of those words that will be on next year’s Spelling Bee List. So what the heck does it mean? Seriously, it’s only within the last months, maybe a year that it’s been rolling off the tongue of everyone and it’s been evolving into, sustainable development, sustainable living, sustainable business…just throw a sustainable in front of it and all of a sudden my sentence has drama!

I like it because it has speaks to continuity and maintaining that whatever we have right now will last into the future. Maybe that’s why it pairs so nicely with the Green Movement – ensuring that businesses are responsible to the environment where they work, that our household products are friendly to our ecosystem and that economic and international development projects consider conservation, health and environmental concerns.  It’s a great concept and I happily embrace it. But I also think sustainability can go beyond our concern for the earth and can also be applied to our relationships with each other and among communities.

If I’ve learned anything over the last few decades is that things change, priorities change, people change. That’s why circles of friends are always changing and why the value of old friends and family increases over time. I think if you were to ask anyone, family and friends would be at the top of the list of ‘Most Important Things in Life’. But, it’s not easy to keep such a close network of relationships and it takes work, much more than simply switching laundry detergents or getting a hybrid. Adaptation and prioritizing are key and we’ve clearly done it regarding the environment, but for ourselves and those closest to us, I think many of us have fallen short. Do you think that sustainable relationships and communities are giving way to sustainable growth, innovation and paychecks? If our relationships really are the most important aspects of our lives, then the same fervor, passion and energy that many of us felt for green products, living and  technology, should be – if not more – applied to maintaining our network of relationships. If we did, perhaps we’d have more cordial and sustainable communities – after all, it’s the people that build them, not the other way around.

A Penny a Day…

As tax season comes to a close and accountants climb back in to their hiding places, the mood is either exuberant (“Yay, I can go on vacation! ) or dismal (“oh no, where do I cut back?). Unfortunately for the most of us, it is the latter. Nobody likes to do taxes – it’s not pleasant – but it’s one of life’s small things that are sometimes necessary, like a trip to the dentist, which will hopefully lead to a better quality of life – better health care, better roads, efficient civil service – all those nice things that make Canadian spaces some of the nicest ones  in the world. If it’s for those reasons, then my disdain for the taxman lessens a little bit as it disappears out of sight for another year. However, it’s when money – my hard earned money – that gets spent on ridiculous things that could have been spotted at Wal-Mart of half the cost or done more efficiently by my 12 yr old neighbour.  I’m not in the marketing business or know the most efficient plans for production, but I know how to balance my budget and I don’t think I can say the same for our government.

We’re all going through rough times and cutting back is necessary – finding money that otherwise wasn’t there. That’s why I’m wondering why exactly Ontario and Alberta’s GST & PST will be combined in to the new HST? It costs a lot to change something like that – money, man power and, well, more money. It claims to be the same percentage, in a different package, but it smells more like a marketing a markup. Last night’s CTV news delicately put it that haircuts, alcohol and construction supplies will be marked up after June 1st.

And so, we must look elsewhere – and yes, it’s come to this – to our own Members of Parliament. Ironic isn’t it, that the government yields the ability to look at everyone else finances, but we rarely get to look at theirs? And it’s looking like we won’t get that chance as the MP’s are refusing to let the Attorney General take a peek. Why would they do that other than to hide the elaborate escapades and bloated bank accounts? If you were really working for the people you represent and want to share in their burden, you’d at least allow the pro’s to take a peek and make suggestions about where to cut back, wouldn’t you?

Finding money is tough! Despite being reprimanded by the US, the UN and the EU, Canada is persevering and will find that money if it’s the last thing they do! Unfortunately it comes in the form of oil and in collaboration with China – I’m not so sure if this is the type of business that we want, from environmentally compromising to politically damaging, it doesn’t look good. Shouldn’t we learn from the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico?

In the meantime, it may be true that unemployment rates are slowly shrinking, but not in the way that most of us hope – favoring the low skilled and leaving the managers, executives and highly educated out in the cold. This is not wise, as they are the ones that might have been able to bring in more revenue and therefore more tax opportunities for the province and country. And attracting that type of business is daunting, though not as tough as you might think. Canada’s a great place to do business – close enough to the US border that trade with it is accessible; the dollar is nearly on par; the market has just as much spending power as what Americans do, if not more; and the quality of life and attractiveness of our cities would make any new exec be pleased. Of course, business varies from sector to sector, but in a nutshell – all we’d need to do is create tax incentives for development and support growth opportunities.

Canada is not the US and it never will  be, so finding money and cutting back will always be a challenge. Canadians aren’t dumb either, we know how great our country is and so we don’t let the cost our our taxes deter us from loving it. Our government, however, is a different story; unaccountable MP’s; investment to destroy the environment and lack of work for trained professionals. I love Canada, but the recent ways that we’ve been tackling our economic woes isn’t the way to make Canada better.

Healthy Confusion

Somewhere, mixed up in the mumbo jumbo of the good, bad and ugly of healthy eating, we’ve gotten our priorities mixed up. How else could you explain the mound of literature dedicated to both revealing the sickening trends in the food industry and de-coding the ingredients that dot nearly every package in the supermarket. Michael Pollan’s books In Defense of Food and Food Rules are prime examples, as are documentaries (Food Inc. was top of the list of Oscar nominees and Super Size Me was a box office hit!) and tv sitcoms (Law & Order: SVU just released an episode featuring the gruesomeness of the meat packaging industry).

All this makes me think that we’re not healthy – we just think we are! As consumer’s, I think most of us are blinded by marketing gimmicks, like KFC’s “Bucket for the Cure” campaign which has gone pink for the month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. The irony and shock as I read about this is astounding – do they actually think that buying fried chicken will put an end to breast cancer?

Traditional views of nutrition – the four food groups, portion control and weight loss myths – are also tough to beat and gets even more complicated when you throw in pesticides, fertilizers, GMO’s and substitutes. I’m convinced that buying local is the way to go – I’m over the moon that the weather is getting close enough to spring that the farmer’s markets will soon be opening up and I can peruse the aisles of fresh produce under the sun! My support of organic is also growing slowly – I really hate to admit it knowing that buying organic will put a dent in my wallet, but I think we just might be better off for it. Making wise decisions about our health is so important at all ages to ensure our quality of life well in to our retirement years that jeopardizing it now seems reckless.

Ideas, Perceptions and Realities

I found an interesting article in the BBC summarizing a study by the PEW Research Center in Washington, DC, which looked at common stereotypes often associated with many African nations.

The results are as follows…

“1. 75% of South Africans think polygamy is “morally wrong” – bad news for their president, as Jacob Zuma took his third wife earlier this year and is engaged to a fourth. However, the survey also revealed some possible double-standards. While only 7% of Rwandans approved of polygamy (although this did include women), a rather higher number – 17% – of men said they had more than one wife.”

Interesting. You would have thought that a President’s actions would be reflective of the people that elected him and his example is far from that. Makes me wonder what happened on election day?

2. An overwhelming majority of respondents disapproved of homosexual behaviour. In three countries – Zambia, Kenya and Cameroon – this was a massive 98%. Interestingly, one of the countries with the highest numbers of people – 11% – accepting homosexuals is Uganda, where an MP is trying to get legislation passed which would punish homosexual acts with life in prison and even death in some cases. The former Portuguese colonies of Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique were also relatively tolerant of homosexuality.

Ironic, no?

3. Africa is probably the world’s most religious continent, with more than 80% saying they believed in God in most countries. At least half of the Christians questioned expect Jesus Christ to return to earth during their lifetimes. In Ethiopia, 74% of Christians say they have experienced or witnessed the devil or evil spirits being driven out of a person and in Ghana, 40% of Christians say they have had a direct revelation from God. About half of all Muslims expect to see the reunification of the Islamic world under a single ruler, or caliph, in their lifetimes.

Think of all the effort Christian and foreign missionaries spent in trying to spread the word of God throughout Africa – it obviously worked!  Interestingly, it seems as though Muslims have just the same conviction to their faiths.

4. Zimbabwe, where the Lemba people say they are the lost tribe of Israel, was not one of the countries surveyed. But 26% of Nigerian Christians said they traced their origins back to Israel or Palestine.

5. Belief in witchcraft is also common – about 40%; a similar percentage also visit traditional healers to cure sickness. Belief in witchcraft is highest in Tanzania with 93% – this is the country where witchdoctors say that magic potions are more effective if they contain body parts of people with albinism. Ethiopia had the lowest levels of belief in witchcraft – at just 17%. Belief that juju or sacred objects can prevent bad things happening was generally lower – between 20 and 30%. In Senegal, however, 75% thought such things worked – far higher than in Tanzania (49%). It may come as a surprise to learn that South Africa had the highest number of people – 52% – saying they took part in ceremonies of traditional religions, or honoured or celebrated their ancestors.

I wonder if witchcraft is like a religion to the people polled? Can witchcraft and Christianity or Islam overlap? I had once written a paper on the Haitian use of witchcraft as a means to maintain their identities during the slave trade and how they disguised it by using the names of Catholic saints and terminology. Historically, it was fascinating; socially, it was remarkable and I’m really not all that surprised that it still exists.

6. Predictably, there was also a religious split concerning alcohol, banned by Islam. Surprisingly, however, more Muslims in Chad (23%) approved of booze, than Ethiopian Christians (5%). This comes as a huge surprise to Ethiopia experts, however, who point out that it is traditional to welcome Orthodox Christian clergy with traditional honey beer when they visit your house. Maybe “alcohol” was only taken to mean spirits by some of the respondents?

This was surprising – isn’t alcohol extremely strict for practicing Muslims?

7. Attitudes to divorce showed a strong divide along religious lines in Nigeria. A massive 79% of Christians thought it was “morally wrong”, while among Muslims, a narrow majority (46-41%) accepted divorce.

Really? I wonder why?

8. In recent years, Islamist hardliners in Somalia and Nigeria have introduced strict punishment based on Sharia law, such as amputating the hands of thieves and even stoning to death for adultery. The majority of people disapproved of such Sharia punishments. In Nigeria, they were backed by about 40% of Muslims and less than 10% of Christians. However, a majority did approve of whippings and amputations in Senegal and Mali. In nearby Guinea-Bissau, even 50% of Christians backed them. This was double the rate among Muslims in Ethiopia (25%) – maybe it feels like a more realistic prospect to them, as they share a border with Somalia and most Muslim Ethiopians are ethnic Somalis.

I wrote about this a few posts ago and I am strongly against the practice.  I think the fact that people, Christians and Muslims, support it, the closer they are in proximity to Somalia and its people is certainly characteristic of the lawlessness of the country. But I’d have to question just how closely the people polled were following their faiths  when they supported such a policy.

9. The survey also asked about material well-being in the world’s poorest continent. Not so long ago, Cameroon regularly topped surveys of champagne consumption per head. However, a shocking 71% of Cameroonians surveyed said there were times in the past year when they did not have enough money to buy food. In Ethiopia, which is commonly seen as a country struggling to feed itself, the rate was far lower – at 30% – the lowest of all countries surveyed.

Remember the famine in Ethiopia during the ’80′s. The media really had a field day with that one; the photo-journalists documenting starving children, Band-Aid released a song, raising funds and OECD countries suddenly woke up and delivered badly needed food aid. I don’t think the world ever forgot. It’s not surprising then to hear that Ethiopia‘s access to food being more than double that than Cameroon. It’s also shocking to hear that Cameroon‘s consumption of champagne!?!?! Is it a french legacy Is champagne more important than food or is there just a handful of Cameroonian’s who are buying up the lion’s share of its imports? Interesting indeed.

10. Ethiopia did, however, have the lowest numbers of people – 7% – who said they regularly used the internet. Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame is striving to turn his country into Africa’s answer to Silicon Valley and is being helped by the arrival of several new fibre optic cables off the east coast of Africa. He will be encouraged by the finding that 30% of his countrymen – the highest number – regularly browsed the web. Mobile phones, were far more common – with 81% of respondents in Botswana owning one. Many countries reported more than 50% having phones but here, Rwanda lagged behind at just 35%.

Wait a minute…Rwanda – the one that suffered from a genocide a while back? I’ve been told that since then, Kigali has become a major international hotspot for non-profit’s, international organizations and the like, who obviously necessitate a need for broadband! I’m shocked that Ethiopia isn’t taking advantage of those fibre optic cables – they could definitely assist in wider communication tools. Mobile phones, on the other hand, signify developing economies and perhaps micro-finance schemes that provide small scale funding for communities to fuel entrepreneurship. I’d want to know those figures, comparing Botswana and Rwanda.

I know it’s geeky to find stats interesting, but they are! How else would we know what is working, what isn’t, what needs work and how the media has manipulated perceptions? I just read a fellow blogger, who was doing just that – using blogosphere to debate North American perceptions of development and through its interaction with theory and reality. Granted it is a bit academic, though good for some brain aerobics.

I’m surprisingly enlightened by this study and appreciate its publishing. I guess it’s more frustrating to realize that stereotypes still exist and its refreshing to get a little dose of reality every now and again.

Blurring the Line

It’s been on everyone’s mind for the last several weeks, but no one has dared whisper it for fear that we’ll be jinxed and it’ll fade into the distance like a dream. It’s been hinted at and even overjoyed when we got a snippet of it a few days ago…the sun! Winters are everlasting in Canada and Mother Nature simply can not make up her mind, flip-flopping back and forth between sunny rays and dreary days that I simply just want to hid until it makes up its mind! I marvel at it though, thinking that the sun is such a life-source for every person, animal, or plant on the earth and we never get tired of it. Won’t ever be replaced by Apple’s newest ap or NASA’s expanding technology. Instead, we imitate it , thank God for it and trade stories about what it was like when we didn’t have it.

In general, I love natural landscapes or environments and all things that are a part of it. In fact, most of my ‘to-do-before-I-die’ List is based on natural landscapes / scenery.  So, it should be no big surprise that when I saw Disney’s ‘Earth’, I really enjoyed it.  It shadows four animals and the struggles that they go through to survive, most of which meant migrating with the sun to warmer climates at different times of the year. It really was fascinating and showcased exactly how these animals were having to deal with global warming. It also highlighted the importance of forests, fauna and ecosystems as vital for human development and sustainability.

I don’t want to complain about my government…again – then I’d really turn into a broken record! What I do want to do is more or less to highlight how many people have turned their profession in to a cause in support of conservation, sustainability and advocacy. Journalists, social scientists, film-makers.  There clearly are scores of people out there who have made the environment,conservation and spreading awareness about it a priority, but I’ve noticed that the line between environmental advocacy and reinforcing social norms is getting to be a bit blurry.

The documentaries nominated at last week’s Oscar ceremony were phenomenal and most of them to shed light on hidden atrocities.  The film that won, The Cove, documented a particular Cove in Japan where dolphins were lured and then killed for their meat. In light of the typical Western view that dolphins are the beloved Savior of the Seas, it’s an awful reality, but one that may also be a Japanese food source, like cattle would be in middle America. It is Difficult to enforce  social norms on other nations, isn’t it? Just as I’m sure that dogs in China, guinea pigs in Peru, tarantulas in Cambodia or crickets and scorpions in Thailand are not exactly the delicacies of the North American palate, as long as it is safe to eat and they are not endangered of extinction, then I find it difficult to condemn a practice that may be to the locals as what salmon is to us. If the documentary highlighted how the dolphins were endangered or were vital to other ecosystems in the area, then I might feel more inclined to appreciate this type of cinematography. And although I don’t like to see murdered dolphins, I can accept it as synonymous to a poultry farm or other meat breeding establishments.

By blurring the line between environmental conservation and social advocacy, we’re not really getting anywhere – just a lot of hot air.

What do Polls Really Say?

I went for a job interview once at a polling company that constructed polls and analysed the data. I thought it could be interesting, especially when the content was dealing with something interesting. Turned out, it wasn’t. But it did highlight the significance of polls in today’s world; be it for the leading marketer of canned soups, the political party in the lead or or the quality of living of global cities – this one was interesting to read in the 2009 Mercer’s Report, released last April and it really made me wonder what the criteria is to be ranked on the list because apparently Vienna came 1st in quality of living! After living there for about 3 years, I can certainly see why it should be on the report, but first? I’m not so sure. Looking closer, in the Americas I see the top 5 being all Canadian cities?!  Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary – Wow! Again, wondering what the criteria is and how each were judged?

It is entirely different to be an insider, living in a city than those looking in, juding it by the statistics and polls. Vienna is beautiful and clean and safe, with efficient transportation systems, bountious leisure activities, close proximity to travel destinations, good social security – tough to find a fault, really. But looking closer, you’ll find a history that continues to affect every-day life, stereotypes bordering on racial behaviour and hidden truths that never seem to surface. I enjoyed my time there, but it was very difficult to get to know locals (language barrier aside)  and even if I did, they were the ones who either were foreigners themselves or had an international character – one in a million. I would definately go back to see my friends or for vacation, but only to visit.

On the other hand, my own country. Wow – still amazed that 5 Canadian cities topped the North American listings! Seems like all we do is criticize one or another government without really taking stock of our situation in comparison to other nations…Clean cities – (sometimes) check! Good social security – (meh) ok, check! Health Care – (ok) check! Multi-culturalism – (depends where you go) check! If all that adds up to excellent quality of life, then the better we are for it! I guess I just have problems seeing it that way also.

In the last months, we have a Parliament that is closed for the season, we’ve earned a negligible human rights record abroad, we’ve degraded the environment for an oil source and we’ve a government that is out of control, all at a time when the biggest sporting event in the world is taking place in Vacouver. It’s a wonder why the PM was replaced by the Governor General at the Opening Ceremonies?

I am a proud Canadian, especially when Canadians are on that podium, but I haven’t been lately in regards to our own government and conduct abroad. I’m also very much a liberal, which perhaps is where my views with the present government’s view collide. I’m wondering though if Canadian cities were amongst the top cities last year, where they’ll stand this year? A lot has happened. But if we’re at the top of the list for ‘quality of life,’ what does that say about people around the world and how they treat each other and how well we’re taking care of our environment?

It’s sad. We have summit after summit, all highlighting a global issue; environment, security, health, economies, all claiming to be working together to reach a common goal. But really, is this what we’re doing or are leaders just using these meetings to critisize and place blame on each other for not adhering to given rules. It seems childish and one that is further complicated by political struggles or troubled economies. But if each of our countries can’t face facts and promote openly their global initiatives, it’s a fat chance that any other country would follow suit. This is what is going through my mind as the G8 approaches.

Chinese Fortune Cookies

China, China, China. What can I say, it’s a walking contradiction. How can a society, in some ways, have developed thousands of years in advance of the Western World but fall behind in others – way behind? After all, it was the Chinese who avoided the Plague by implementing hygenic measures; and it was the Chinese who invented gun powder. They should be more economically advanced with the best insitutions and scientific discovery. I guess that’s what a Civil war, a World war and dabbling in Maoist socialism gives you.

I think now though, they’ve finally gotten a hold of capitalism and is taking it for a ride. It’s been reported that China is leading the world in investments in alternative energies – but arent’ they the one of the world’s greatest emitters? Something that the US is aiming for and Canada has feebly given up. It’s ironic too that China would invest so heavily in wind and solar energies, knowing the long history that it’s had in striking up oil deals with auspicious leaders around the globe, notably Sudan , which others wouldn’t touch with a stick.

Democracy however isn’t important to China, money is. Loosening its grip on Tibetans or Taiwanese is unlikely to come any time soon, despite the support that the US may lend to them. At the same time, the tides of democracy are hard to quell in a growing and globalized world. Why else would Google have reported a major cyber attack and “also said hackers had infiltrated the private Gmail accounts of human rights activists, suggesting the effort might have been more than just mischief“. Using the internet to squash opposition, what kind of government does that? Kudos to Google for not packing up shop and leaving, but rather creating Goojje - Google’s little sister.

China has entered the 21st century with a bang, and to the bank I might add, but it hasn’t gone far enough. Coming to terms with the past would be a first step in identifying exactly who they, what their goals are and how they will go about in achieving it. No more claiming to be one thing and doing another. Next, identifying niche markets has worked fantastically and is likely to continue, along with the further development of the provinces, which is sure to reduce the number of poverty stricken families – imagine what a billion productive workers could do for the economy? I don’t dare think that minimum wage would rise soon as it’s cause for heavy investment from abroad. But one can only hope that with greater investment, the spread of web technologies and raising of living standards, a middle class will emerge to threaten the status quo. Something happend like that in 18th Century France, no?

Whatever may happen in the future, China will always be a major player in the world’s economy. But altering attitudes, behaviour and policy of the ruling elites to respect democratic values is another task entirely. We may just have to wait until the elders die out and a younger generation replaces them a la Democratic House. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t still advocate for change or get rid of sanctions or stop critisizing. It just means patience is necessary.