I Have Some Questions January 5th 2026

       I know what today is:  It is the eleventh day of Christmas.  Tomorrow is the Epiphany.  Or the 12th day of Christmas and The end of the season in our house as well as many.  Our interior was dismantled and stored on January 2nd, but I do leave the exterior of the house decorated and lit up until January 7th.  I am first to admit I have trouble letting go of Christmas.  But life goes on and this Christmas was so good.  So wonderful.  It is time to move on.  And with that,  new developments internationally have garnered a good deal of my focus.  

      My politics are no secret.  And lord knows I have no head for business.  I do have some concerns about what we see happening in the world,  and perhaps equally disturbing,  at home:

It's been better than a couple of days since America saved Venezuela and countless Americans from the horrific drug trade.  So why is it almost 100% of the discussions since the American invasion of Venezuelan soil been about oil?  The POTUS isn't shy at all telling Americans and the world that Venezuelan oil is American corporate property.  He did make some mention of drugs the first day, and included in that mention was......Canada.   

     The invasion of Venezuela is an illegal act by international law.  Not all that new to Americans,  and I think we can all safely assume there will be more evidence of drugs in Venezuela than there was Yellow cake in Iraq.  I mean a dime bag in the Presidents night stand would be more drugs than yellow cake.   It has been a long long time that I ever questioned the motives behind western interference.  I am a libtard, not an utter moron.  And while I understand the reasons for the diplomatic wording from our Prime Minister,  I have to wonder how we cannot condemn the violation of international laws designed to protect countries like ours from what the Americans are eager to become.   

    Venezuela has the second largest oil deposits in the world.  Canada is third.  I learned this morning that China receives approx 80,000 barrels of heavy crude a day from Venezuela.  Canada exports about about 50.000 barrels a day to heavy oil refineries in the southern states.  I have to wonder where that leaves us in the mix.  I mean Americans already get a 30% discount on Alberta crude,  but what are they going to pay for oil from occupied Venezuela?   Which brings another question.   ( And I sincerely don't know the answer to this one)

    Our leader of the opposition, Pierre Polierve  who lost his seat of two decades in Ottawa rewarded an elected MP in what is considered the safest Conservative seat in the country with a lucrative lobbyist job to take his place in a costly by election here in Alberta.  He is now a representative of people who depend heavily on oil production for a means of income.  So why does our leader of the opposition announce with such glee his approval of a violation of the laws designed to protect nations like ours?   And more importantly to those who gave him his seat, his income, his tax free mansion complete with servants, and his expense account,  why does he celebrate what could be the collapse of the oil industry in Alberta?  

    Limiting the importation of drugs to America isn't something I would argue against.  I was a cop.  Life without an illegal drug trade would be beyond wonderful.  But I think you will find the bulk of the worst of all street drugs originates in China.  Not Venezuela,  Not Mexico, Not Columbia, and certainly not Canada.  But China gets a buy.  Not Venezuela.  Will Canada?  

    My own MLA here in this corner of my home and native land is what we call a Maple MAGA.  He was a front rower at the POTUS inauguration.  Our Premier in all her blushing giggling glee attended Washington to an inauguration that was desperate to put bums in seats in public view.  Yet she didn't make the list like my Maple MAGA MLA.   Nope, she had to watch it on closed circuit from the Canadian Embassy.  She actually flew to Washington on our nickel to watch the inauguration of the POTUS on t.v.   Are they aware what American occupation of the Venezuelan oil reserves may do to our Provincial economy?  

    It is obvious I have some fears for our future.  Fear for my country.  Fear for my province.  Fear for the free world, which seems to be ever decreasing.   I have more than one very conservative friend.  So far only one has voiced his satisfaction, if not down right excitement about the American invasion of Venezuela.  It sometimes appears that people like said friend, and Pierre Polierve see little point in being able to swallow up someone weaker is pointless if you don't actually swallow up someone weaker from time to time.   After all the regime was a bad regime led by a bad president.  Like Russia?  Like several other bad regimes led by bad presidents who are fortunate enough to not be seated atop the second largest oil reserve in the world? 

    I can see two things for which Canadians need to be vigilant.  The new conservative motto:  Unapologeticly conservative.  It fits Mr. Polierve perfectly.  Unable to make the necessary changes to his image of nasty, strict to the point of cruel, unable to mask his personal feelings about sexual orientation, They have decided that embracing it will eventually win the bulk of voters over.  Don't pretend to want to work for all Canadians.  Just the ones who see things the way you do.  Use polarization to your advantage and suggest to the people you serve that they are on the bus or in the ditch.  It is much much easier to convince people that they are being used, that they have it bad than it is to show them the advantage to an educated,  equal opportunity nation.  A nation where the kindness to new comers stopped with your white grand parents.  Unapologeticly conservative should not mean what the current leader wants it to.  

   But the real threat is complacency.  Ask people in the UK about complacency and how it can be applied to the Brexit referendum.    A family member who is very conservative has repeatedly told me separation in Alberta will never happen.  That it is simply posturing to obtain a better deal from the federal government.   That attitude, and missing the polls when it matters is all it takes to find ourselves amid a separation the vast majority of us don't want.   Although our Premier assures us that separation is not our goal, she has done all she can to ensure the separatist movement will get it's referendum.  It will only take a few strategic moves such as more difficult registration and eligibility, a date where many Albertan's may be away on vacation, the placement of polling stations to ensure that the complacent voter may not bother.  

    It may very well be that a retired cop living a pretty decent life in a beautiful part of the world, with family all around,  who's only food insecurity is that he may consume too much, who can afford to enjoy his surroundings and a little travel is just being paranoid.   Geez I hope so.  I really really do.