The range of emotions I feel after reading the story of a Winnipeg woman whose body was pulled from the Red River a few days after authorities found her two young children dead from an apparent bath tub drowning are wide ranging, but none of my feelings are pleasant. If you are a frequent reader of my column, you are not likely surprised to learn I can be a little extreme. However, this is one of those murky cases. It sounds like the mother was being treated for postpartum depression. On one hand, I think young children should be removed from the home while the mother is sick. Yet, if that is going to be the case, how many moms would actually seek treatment? Nobody wants to lose their children, even if temporarily. This is not a black and white issue.
More depressing news from the political world and I think what's most disheartening is that there really isn't anything ordinary citizens can do. First, there is the story of retiring MP Maurice Vellacott, who is headed to his comfy couch with over 90-thousand beans in his jeans every year from now until he dies. His estimated lifetime earnings starting now will be $3.8-million dollars. And, as appalling as this should be to you, you should be more upset to know that he's entitled to every penny according to the laws of our country. 33-year-old Pierre Poilievre will never have to work another day in his life. He's taking home $76,000 a year by 2019 just for having been elected in 2004. 44-year-old Rona Ambrose will get just over $103,000 a year by 2019 and she's 43-years-old. Think they are out of touch? The median household income for Canadian families was $68,410 in 2009.
Then there are the 'you pick your favorite corruption Senate story of the day' issues. The one I'm going with is Mac Harb, claiming housing expenses when he it appears as though he shouldn't have. Senators are allowed to claim up to $22,000 a year if they live more than 100km outside Ottawa. Well, Harb decided shortly AFTER he got into the Senate that he'd like to 'live' in an old stone house with a pasture and a well in a community 118km away from Ottawa. In 2007, Harb sold 99.9% of the house, but still said it was his primary residence until 2011. That's when he decided he'd 'live primarily' in Westneath (148km outside Ottawa). A Global News reporter, however, took a survey of Westneath residents and the majority didn't think Harb lived there. Westneath isn't very big. The Whitewater Region has a population of just under 7-thousand people. To me, I feel politicians should be regarded as having above average intelligence and I think you can draw a line from Point A to Point B and determine this guy was, on purpose, trying to milk the taxpayer. For that, he should milk the taxpayer a little more by taking in some time at the Gray Hotel.
I feel as though I need to preface my next story by saying I am pro-American. I never like to hear Canadians talk about how dumb they are, but my mom (who's visiting us from the east coast this week) was playing a game on Facebook the other night with someone from Arizona. They were chatting about various things and the topic came up about where my mom lives. After a short discussion, mom made mention that she, frequently, travels to Maine as it's only a short drive from her New Brunswick home. The woman from Arizona was astounded. "I didn't realize Canada was so close to the United States." Oh boy.
Sometimes you have to wonder how guys like Dan Hawkins and Kavis Reed ever got head coaching jobs in the CFL. I wonder if managers actually hire or do they just pick a name out of a hat. For every Corey Chamblin, you will find a Kavis Reed. Meanwhile, Paul Lapolice is wasting away inside a television studio. It seems CFL coaches are either really good or embarrassingly bad. There are no in-betweens. However, let me be the first to say I'm not totally sold on Mike Benevides in BC. I think there is still a chance he screws up what Wally Buono built.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have teased us before. They specialize in stealing your heart and then giving it back in pieces. So be guarded when it comes to their 5-and-0 start; but at the same time I think we should realize this team is for real. The top three teams are in the West Division (Saskatchewan, BC, Calgary) and only one of them will be in the Grey Cup.
If you are running the Ottawa Red Blacks, who do you select in the expansion draft to be your quarterback? After last week, Drew Willy has to be in the conversation. Calgary is all but assured of losing either Drew Tate or Bo Levi Mitchell. One week doesn't make a career, but Mitchell looked really good while Tate is Buck Pierce Jr (can't finish a football game).
What do Alex Rodriguez and Pete Rose have in common? They are going to be regarded as two of the best baseball players of all-time, but will also be recognized as being a disgrace to the sport forever.
Nice person mentions this week to: Matt Inglis, Aron Hershmiller, Debbie Shen, Tanya Quinney, and Karen Kolosky.
