US commerce secretary lashes out at Canada ahead of trade talks: ‘They suck … Is this nuts?’ Howard Lutnick spoke at Semafor World Economy months before USMCA is due for an extension.

Lutnick,another tantrum, another spew of angry rhetoric.

China does buy from Canada where we have been penalized by supporting American requests & treaties(ex: 2 Micheals)

Canada cares about Saskatchewan farmers & more.

Lutnick is a self centred bully blinded by power.

#cdnpoli #trade #saskpoli

What countries do better for core educational subjects?
(PISA standardized testing of 15yr olds)

Paper or Digital in Education?

Business says jobs require computer savvy. PISA says students with less anxiety about Math do better in that subject.

Canada’s top PISA scores are in Science.
2/2 #abed

Back to books - Sweden's schools cutting back on digital learning Swedish classrooms swap laptops for books, pens and paper, raising concerns from the tech sector.

What countries do better for core educational subjects?
(Based on PISA standardized testing of 15yr olds)

Sweden’s conservative govt says move back to paper vs digital will improve scores?

Says put devices & technology into classrooms without clear pedagogical intent & clear goalposts.
1/2 #abed

In times of chaos- poetry can bring us back to the beauty in our world

“Praise for a Color,” Adélia Prado

#poetry #bees #yellow mailchi.mp/theparisreview…mailchi.mp/theparisrevi...c9

Pope Leo decries world ravaged by ‘tyrants’ following Trump’s insults The pontiff did not specifically name the president during his speech in Cameroon. He sharply criticized those who manipulate religion “for their own military, economic or political gain.”

All of us need to call out leaders who support “tyranny” & disrespect for international law & human dignity.

International, National, Provincial/State, local, leaders need to be accountable for their actions.

#humanrights #democracy #ethics

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...

Listened to Ibram X Kendi ‘Chain of Ideas: Great Replacement Theory and the Origins of Our Authoritarian Age’ at MRU. Think about it?

69% of us form a coalition of diverse ‘Perspectives’ have the power of unity supporting 1 perspective -Yes we support working stronger together as being Canadian 2/2

Rob Breakenridge: Could Danielle Smith's next step be a step too far? Alberta separatists have been put on pause by the courts, but the premier could hand them a lifeline. It would be a risky move.

55% UCP support separation? 15% for “sending a message”?

Bill 14 “disrespects administration of justice”while “legislating to pre-emptively end…court proceeding,”

“Cavalier” taking a position of perceived privilege for an authoritarian group seeking power by weaponizing independence/freedom
1/2

The Hungarian Canary in the Coal Mine What happens if the far-right takes power and holds on for years? Hungary is a warning.

Orbán (Hungarian authoritarian)Putin & Trump support him

Hungary’s slow economic recovered by EU $

Organ’s illiberal Govt riddled by corruption,Xian fundamentalism,control of media/electoral system

Liberal or illiberal democracy - who is more free?

#hungary #democracy #EU #Orban

#MarkCarney & Majority

#PierrePoilievre political blindness is Shakespearian…

“Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” King Lear

Political blindness or Liberal libretto?

#cdnpoli #CCP #Liberals

UCP needs to clean its act up!

“The Alberta NDP demands the Justice Minister be fired over his ties to Sam Mraiche” Globe & Mail

Albertans expect better!!!

#ableg #abpoli #yyc #yeg

Another #ABDanielleSmith UCP magic trick to exit Canada

Says she is for Canada but forms another picked committee to do Alberta Elections job.

Call an election now - that’s the referendum

#abpoli #ableg #yyc #yeg #alberta #cdnpoli

April 6, 2026 (Monday) “It’s really difficult to cover him in a way that conveys how unhinged he is,” journalist Aaron Rupar of Public Notice told George Grylls of The Times about President Donald J.

Trump’s Easter Theology?

“We had a great Easter.This is one of our better Easters, I think,in a lot of different ways. I can say,militarily,it’s been one of the best.” Trump

Not Salvific hope but death & destruction

#peace #Iranwar

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-6-20...

Musical Interlude

Easter Musings

“For 'the human' is a medium of possible divine revelation.”
Edward Schillebeeckx

“Joy is the emotional expression of the courageous YES to one's own true being.”
Paul Tillich

#humanity #decency #possibility

UCP once again slams public ed. & let’s Developers off the hook!

“…Bill 28, developers won’t have to pay as much to municipalities in off-site levies as they do currently.Charter & private schools will also be exempt from paying off-site levies provincewide”
#abed #yyc

mailchi.mp/sprawlcalgar...

Alberta premier and education minister had private meeting with groups behind push to ‘conservatize’ Alberta school boards and ban LGBTQ books Private and faith-based schools, along with right-wing think tanks and parental rights groups, were invited to discuss education

When did private schools stop being private?

Private school students in AB get 70% of the funding public school students receive…expected to climb to $544M by 2027, 30% increase compared to 2024.[plus tuition]

$90M over 3yrs to fund construction & expansion of private K-12 schools
#abed #yyc #yeg

Windfall Tax on Big Oil Demanded as Trump's Iran War Pads Profits of Fossil Fuel Giants | Common Dreams Renewable energy group 350.org calls for windfall profits tax on fossil fuel companies amid surging oil prices due to Iran war.

Iran War - soaring gas prices, fossil fuel shortage, oil profits,increased coal use,

“…time to impose a windfall profits tax on fossil fuel companies to help fund the continued development of renewable energy sources & provide real long-term relief to global consumers”

#scichat #coal #environment

Proposed political neutrality legislation offensive to Alberta teachers, ATA says | CBC News The Alberta Teachers’ Association says the provincial government's suggestion that educators don't act with integrity or present issues in a balanced way is offensive.

UCP Diversions Again

How about more action on 745,000 to 835,000 student rapid growth,Geographic fairness for rural access,financial resources for urban scale

Infrastructure & staffing aren’t keeping up despite recent announcements.

UCP ideology in action!

#albertateachers #abed #yyc
#yeg

Only Trump uses this ridiculous concept for a person who wants hourly media coverage

Trump derangement syndrome a pejorative term used to describe negative reactions to Trump characterized as irrational & disconnected from his actual policy positions (Wikipedia via CNN)

Trump’s speech tonight reflects the tragedy the world faces - the blindness of the power of one man, with court jesters, that has brought violence, revenge, and destruction.

Far from the Grace,

“I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”

Stephan Lewis was a Olympian for social justice

When I was 14 knocking on thousands of doors,making election signs in a basement, becoming a youth member on his NDP constituent exec - a very sad day.He spoke at my school with dazzling eloquence.

Could China’s EV formula destroy North America’s auto industry? Canada has cracked open the door to Chinese-made electric vehicles and the impact could be transformational. For The National, CBC’s Chris Brown breaks down how China became the world’s EV leader and ...

Mind boggling wake up call

“Could China’s EV formula destroy North America’s auto industry?”

#CBCNational examines EV robotic manufacturing & charging infrastructure

Electric coming with new workforce

#scichat #abpoli #ontpoli

www.cbc.ca/player/play/....
#scichat #ableg #ontpoli

Althia Raj: Avi Lewis inherited a divided and weakened NDP. Here’s how he plans to turn it around The new leader wants to see the government dream big, harkening back to FDR’s New Deal. “People don’t have faith in the government to do things,” he recently told Althia Raj. “ I think we know why tha...

Althia Raj: On NDP Avi Lewis

One young supporter said he didn’t care about left or right but that the world is not working for us.

Is that too big an ask for any leader?

#cdnpoli @althiaraj #NDP

A Case of You
Joni Mitchell

“On the back of a cartoon coaster
In the blue TV screen light
I drew a map of Canada
Oh Canada
With your face sketched on it twice
Oh you're in my blood like holy wine
You taste so bitter and so sweet”

Prairie Woman who is an icon

#poetry #Canada #music

Stephan Lewis, his father, was Ontario provincial leader. Dave Barrett premier BC.

His grandfather David Lewis was leader!

Authoritarian tactics

Handmaids Tale

Offered says,”I try not to think too much. Like other things now, thought must be rationed.”

#literature #thinking #democracy

UPDATE: After sending billions to Kushner and Trump, Saudis lobby to escalate Iran War “I’m not going to start a war,” President Trump pledged during his November 2024 victory speech.

Questions raised about possible conflicts in Iran War and business interests?

“…since 2021, Mr.Kushner has collected more than $110M from the government of Saudi Arabia for investment management services that have reaped little to no return.”
(Source:Public.info)

#Iranwar #ethics #politics

Even more Data Centres

Large Pharma & AI research faster & prioritized. Eli Lilly 1B.

2 major pharma companies now scaling compute as core infrastructure,not side experiments, to run drug discovery end to end.
(International Intrigue Source)

#research #AI #water #scichat

Everybody Knows
Lenard Cohan

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

#poetry