As in the movie Casablanca … which, I believe, is the best movie of all time.
But before I get into today’s blog, a quick follow-up to my recent Blog regarding our left leaning Supreme Court.
I mentioned in that Blog that most of the important matters affecting society today are dealt with by the Courts and not by our Legislatures. One area I referred to was with respect to Euthanasia.
This issue came up this morning in a radio show in regard to Stephen Fletcher’ – Tory MP - private bill to legalize assisted suicide.
A Pastor called in and said he feared such a measure would only serve to encourage young people to opt in greater numbers for death. It is one of the greatest issues now affecting our teens – and the last thing society needs to do is give the signal that it believes such actions are condonable.
I never had thought of this issue in those terms…but he is quite correct.
One of the main reasons put forward by Euthanasists in general is that when pain is unendurable, assisted suicide is the only way out. I have been on a Hospice Board and my wife Anne has both a Chair and an Executive Director of Hospice and as such we both know that medicine has advanced to the point where nearly all pain can be well and truly controlled.
The pain issue is a red herring.
But what interested me the most was that the Pastor said he agreed with Fletcher in that a debate was needed on the subject. He went on to say that if society does not debate it – the Supreme Court will legislate its legality. My sentiments entirely.
Again why should a majority of the Court – 5 members speak for 35 million Canadians?
So with that back to Casablanca and more to the point, its theme song … As Time Goes By.
So take it away Sam…
You must remember this,
A kiss is still a kiss,
A sigh is still a sigh,
A smirk is still a smirk … A Smirk Is Still A Smirk?
That is if you drive or ride a bus in Canada’s National Capital … Ottawa.
In Ottawa, City Transit requires to deliver passengers to their door if it is 7 pm or later and if the passenger requests it.
Well recently a woman did just that and all hell broke loose this week at City Hall and with the Capital’s media.
Here is what the lady said to set this fire cracker off:
I approached the woman bus driver and asked her to let me off directly in front of my home since it was past 7 pm.
The woman driver is alleged to have said something along the lines ‘are you afraid and / or do you think this neighbourhood is dangerous?’
The pax allowed that she did whereupon the bus driver … are you ready … Smirked.
It apparently was not a big smirk or even a moderate smirk but according to the complainant, it was a smirk nonetheless.
So she took her complaint to the driver’s bosses and to a receptacle media.
I sympathize with the woman passenger – especially given that Ottawa has been plagued with numerous unsolved rapes over the last 1 or 2 years – so the lady’s fear is understandable to me.
I also believe the driver should have kept her comments to herself is for no other reason than it is company policy to do what the passenger was asking.
I am not so sure though that it warranted raising the matter to the level of her bosses nor to the media.
I hope if it was me, I would simply say sharply to the driver … ‘mind your own business’.
And if this was repeated on another occasion – then I would entertain kicking it upstairs.
I say this because I think too many in society complain to authorities first before trying to resolve a conflict man to man or should I say in the case at hand - woman to woman.
And to bring this back to the Supreme Court, sadly we are beginning to expect and demand others to deal with issues and make decisions on our behalf which we ourselves should be attending to.
As I see it…
‘K.D. Galagher’
