Glasstry news

As if this were not a depressing enough morning in Canadian politics, here comes the June issue of The Literary Review of Canada with an essay by Paul Wells explaining why the friendly dictator is just fine and really it's what we all want and need, and in any case hallowed by centuries of tradition.  Wells is reviewing a new book by Ian Brodie, political scientist and former chief of staff to Stephen Harper.  Brodie opens his book with a commonly heard claim about prime ministers, one I heard many times before Harper held the position and still hear about his successor: �Canada�s prime minister is a dictator.� To that claim Brodie, citing Liberal apparatchik Eddy Goldenberg, mostly says, Sure. To the claim that the PM is a dictator, the three possible responses are, �I agree, and it�s awful;� �No he�s not;� and �Sure he is, and what of it?� In these early chapters, at least, Brodie leans heavily on the third response. Well, Brodie and Goldenberg would, wouldn't they? When y...

A Canadian woman and her American sister are each striken with breast cancer . Happily both get essential treatments and survive.  But the costs.... And she had to contend with American-style billing. �Just as I was getting ready to head to the operating room, a tall man in a nice suit came in and told us he had to have a cheque before they would go ahead. �It�s our new policy because people aren�t paying their bills.� We paid him, of course, but it seemed absolutely outrageous � especially when you�re frightened and sick.� The story is in the United Church Observer , and it's by Catherine Wilson.