Air Canada Rouge

PLEASE hire competent staff who show up for work!

We had the ‘pleasure’ of flying Air Canada this week to Las Vegas (LAS) from Vancouver (YVR) and return. What a fiasco of delays – all blamed on staffing issues. 

On the way down at YVR we were only delayed an hour due to waiting for flight attendants to show up, which is the *norm* for AC Rouge – fortunately we did not have connecting flights to contend with and plenty time to deal with the unusually efficient Homeland Security/USBP.

It shows you how complacent we have become to consider only an hour within the time constraints as being normal for Air Canada. We could and should demand better, but when they are the only game in our village complaints will only get you on the no-fly list.

The return trip was far worse than a slight delay.

At LAS, the flight was delayed on the onset by an hour (again, somewhat normal for Air Canada), then at the appointed time for boarding, we were advised that the Flight Attendants (FAs) had not shown up for work. 

To put his into perspective, as international travelers we are required to show up two hours in advance of our original flight time (flight time was Noon – we had to be there at 10AM), but the FAs can show up whenever they feel like it – if at all? 

Even if they were to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled departure, they would have to be at the airport by 11:50AM. Here it was 1:30PM and only one of the four FAs was at the gate.

The reason (excuse?) for the delay was a transportation mix-up.

From downtown Las Vegas to McCarran Airport is a 30min drive in rush hour. It begs the question as to why the FAs were two hours late.

Once in YVR (two hours late) it got worse. Four rescheduling delays due to staffing issues over another hour, then a gate change complete with a change in aircraft resulted in further delays. The original plane held 75 passengers – the alternate plane only had 50 seats, so 25 people needed to volunteer to take a later flight.

Overall, we were delayed over three hours all due to staffing issues at Air Canada.

Thanks Air Canada.

Naw’Lins

We took a little trip to New Orleans (or “Naw’Lins”, as the locals pronounces it) in June and had a great week. Little did we know when we booked the trip that June through November is the height of hurricane season in Louisiana, but fortunately we did not get blown away by winds, but by the hospitality of the people, the architecture, food, and the music of this city.

We stayed at a Wyndham Resort “La Belle Maison” only two blocks from the French Quarter where we spent tons of time wandering, eating, and listening to impromptu concerts provided by local artists ranging in age from 8 to 80 (https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g60864-d1176540-Reviews-Wyndham_La_Belle_Maison-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html).

For those who have not visited the area, know that the French Quarter is more than just Bourbon Street, although it has the most notoriety. The area is about 10 blocks by 10 blocks, but the blocks are short, so the whole area is walkable (and flat). The architecture in this area has changed very little since the 18^th century and there are local by-laws in place to protect the exterior of these buildings, which disguise some of the best and most unique restaurants we have ever had the privilege of visiting.

When we take time in new cities, we like to experience and celebrate the differences from experiences we can get in Canada. In Naw’Lins we tried all kinds of food and drink we have never had: Alligator, hushpuppies, crawfish, grits, jambalaya, muflatas, and adult beverages including Mint Julep, local craft beer, local rums, and a Hurricane to name just a few. We also experienced a variety of brands of local hot sauces that made each meal a delight to the palate.

Take a cruise on the ‘Natchez’ – the last remaining steam powered stern-paddle wheeler on the Mississippi River where the dinner cruise includes a narrative of the history of the area between the otherwise non-stop live jazz piped throughout the ship (http://www.steamboatnatchez.com).

 
 

“Shop-til-you-drop” is the mantra of the French Market and the adjoining French Quarter Flea Market, where there are all new items, mostly hand-crafted by local artisans at a cheaper cost than you will find on Bourbon Street. Food vendors have it all covered so you can take a break for a bite before you continue shopping (http://www.frenchmarket.org).

If/when you go, take a tour of some of the antebellum homes that are open to the public. You will not be disappointed in the history lessons or the hospitality of the people who run the tours. The French they speak is very much a ‘patois’ that is closer to Acadien than Quebecois, with inflections of Spanish, English, and Choctaw, just to make it interesting. That being said they were able to understand and converse in le joual au Québec.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip was taking a Swap Boat tour. These are small open boats driven by a caged airplane propeller mounted above the rear seat and able to go very fast through swamp and bayou areas. We went looking for alligators with marshmallows for bait! Our captain (Scott) was great at explaining all about the Louisiana swamps, and the life and times of ‘gators. We did see some large alligators but nothing up close because the day was very hot (38C) and the alligators like cooler temperatures (http://www.cajunencounters.com/swamp_tour).

Electing POTUS

I have been challenged by an American citizen who is of the opinion that only those in the USA need to be concerned about the US Presidential Election this year (or any year for that matter).

BillyBobNotThornton said:

“… Canadians can keep their opinions to themselves because they don’t know what they are talking about. American soldiers have been protecting Canada since the late 19^th Century with little or no thanks over the last 150 years so you can keep your thoughts about Mr. Trump and shove them where the sun doesn’t shine, because we don’t care… “

Well BillyBob, here’s a newsflash for you, the POTUS (President Of The US) is one of the most public figures on the planet in this, the first half of the 21 ^st Century, and the one with (arguably) the most WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) at his/her fingertips. His/Her state of mind when it comes to working with other world leaders is crucial to prevent humankind from being wiped off the face of the planet to be replace with other life forms, so the outcome of the Presidential election needs to concern every person on the planet who breathes oxygen.

That being said, many people from around the globe and specifically from Canada, are watching the substantially elongated election process like watching a slow train wreck. The question remains as to who the survivors of this experience will be and placing short odds on who we do not want to be the leader of the free world.

Many Canadians also observe America's political spectacle with a sense of smugness. The unhinged rhetorical fusillades and open conspiracies of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, in particular, have become a form of ironic reality show entertainment. "I would build a great wall" and all the rest are laugh lines in the Canadian media.

We wonder: How could this great nation to our south -- a beacon of liberty, and the West's great protector -- have become a place where popular presidential candidates jabber about banning Muslims, or casually propose "carpet bombing" Middle Eastern population centers? 

BillyBob, these are the things of which nightmares are formed. These are the words that will see the world plunged into another global war, this time with more destructive power and a POTUS with an itchy trigger-finger. A Republican POTUS the likes of Mr. Cruz or Mr. Trump will make your worst nightmare seem like a happy place of joy and comfort.

Most of us travel to America, at least occasionally, for vacations and work. We talk to Americans every day on Facebook and Twitter, watch the same TV shows, follow the same sports.  America is a friend, in other words. Even left-leaning Canadians politicians such as Justin Trudeau will tell you as much.

But the face that this friend has shown us during the current presidential campaign -- of naked religious bigotry, of race paranoia, of curdled nostalgia for mythologized "greatness" -- is not a face we recognize or appreciate. And once the voting is done on November 8, we hope it is a face that Americans never show to the world again.

If by some form of natural disaster should overcome every other POTUS candidate, and Donald Trump wins the upcoming U.S. election, Cape Breton Island is ready to welcome intelligent Americans looking for refuge in Canada. http://cbiftrumpwins.com/#intro

Affordable Housing

Full disclosure: We do not own rental property, but we manage two apartment buildings with a total of 51 apartments for rent at market prices, which today (February 2016), in the town of Smithers BC is $775/month for a one bedroom apartment, up to $900/month for a two bedroom with a den.

I have been recently challenged by people in our town because of a perception that the rents we charge are not affordable, and that affordable housing is necessary for society to thrive. The properties we manage are, as stated above, at market rates. Anybody with a first year course in Economics, Sociology, or Business will tell you that market rates are momentary and somewhat fleeting – being the price somebody is willing to pay for a particular product or service, at a particular point in time and location. 

Market rates are decided by the seller based on the actions of the buyer. Very simple basic stuff most people need to know before they finish grade eight,

Affordable housing in BC is not cheap.  There is a difference between affordable and cheap.

AFFORDABLE is defined as 30% of the provincial average wage for a single employable person working full time at 37.5 hours/week. Three years ago, (2013) the average hourly wage for full-time employees in the province of BC was $25.73, or $4,181.13 per month, 30% of which means the definition of AFFORDABLE housing for a one bedroom apartment in BC is $1,254.33 (not including utilities). Any rent under $1,254/month for a one bedroom is a gift and is more dependent on market rates than affordability.

In our experience, people do not want affordable housing, they want cheap housing – something that they can afford on welfare ($375/month).

Market prices today (February 2016), in the town of Smithers BC is $775/month for a one bedroom apartment, up to $900/month for a two bedroom with a den, which means we are charging 62% of the AFFORDABLE rates for BC for a one bedroom apartment. For those who want us to change our rents to be ‘affordable’ we could oblige, but it would mean INCREASING our rent for a one bedroom by $621/month (plus utilities).

Anybody who wants to build affordable housing is free to do so, noting you will need 30% to 60% CASH equity then take into consideration that your payments for principle, interest, taxes and insurance will run you $300 - $500 per month, per apartment before putting anything aside for repairs, renovations, vacancies, emergencies, maintenance, or management costs. If you expect to recover the cash equity or even consider making a profit from your investment, this margin will need to be added to the mix. 

Which would you rather be … a Nazi or a Socialist?

 This is a decision that Americans need to make in November 2016.

Not surprizing to political junkies, but there are about 50% of the American voters who will vote for a Nazi (Republican) Government rather than a Socialsit (Democratic) Government simply because they are scared witless of BIG Government costing more to get more social services (health care, education, etc.). 

They would rather see the poor stay poor, ill and uneducated, while protecting their specific state of economic wellness.

Xenophobia plays a huge role in this decision, as with the Nazis of the early 20^th Century, the fear component is being played like a high pitched, off-key, E-flat, squelch that make the intelligensia cringe, while the tone deaf masses accept as gospel, fuelling their hunger for somebody to blame for the economy.

How many of these sound familiar as the basis of the current Republican front-runners?

We demand the union of all Americans in a Great America on the basis of the principle of self-determination of all peoples.

We demand land and territory (colonies) for the maintenance of our people and the settlement of our surplus population. 

Only those who are our fellow countrymen can become citizens. Only those who have American blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen. Hence no Muslim can be a countryman.

Those who are not citizens must live in America as foreigners and must be subject to the law of aliens.

The right to choose the government and determine the laws of the State shall belong only to citizens. We therefore demand that no public office, of whatever nature, whether in the central government, the province, or the municipality, shall be held by anyone who is not a citizen. 

We wage war against the corrupt parliamentary administration whereby men are appointed to posts by favor of the party without regard to character and fitness.

We demand that the State shall above all undertake to ensure that every citizen shall have the possibility of living decently and earning a livelihood. If it should not be possible to feed the whole population, then aliens (non-citizens) must be expelled.

Any further immigration of non-Americans must be prevented. We demand that all non-Americans who have entered America, shall be compelled to leave immediately.

All citizens must possess equal rights and duties.

The first duty of every citizen must be to work mentally or physically. No individual shall do any work that offends against the interest of the community to the benefit of all.

These are ten of the 25-point Nazi Party Platform presented to a Nazi Party meeting February 1920, by Adolf Hitler. 
All I did was substitute AMERICA for GERMANY and MUSLIM for JEW.

“…Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it…”

~ George Santayana - philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist (1863 - 1952)

The Call

I called my Dad today.

My youngest sister Lori with Dad

For many sons or daughters this is not an unusual occurrence, something that happens as often as several times a day, to as infrequently as major holidays or birthdays. 

For me this was a little less frequent than a birthday call – in fact it has been over eight years since I have actually talked to my Dad. 
No, there was nothing wrong.
No deep seated Freudian secret that burst its seams, no latent or displaced, unresolved, emotional issues to be resolved, it was just in my mind I had nothing to say.  

We found things to chat about, from my work, to our sons, from his health to Elke’s health and left the call on a cheery note. No commitments for a follow-up call, just a call.

So what prompted this unusual event?
I am not really sure but there has been a confluence of events over the last two months that may have influenced my looking up the phone number, taking a deep breath and dialing.

One Elder we know fell and broke his arm. Within 60 days he died in hospital when they found undiagnosed fourth stage cancer. Another Elder moved to Kamloops to be closer to his sons at an Elder’s home. Both of these gentlemen were tenants in our apartment block and were very close to my Dad’s age, albeit, both younger.

A good friend’s father made the news in Winnipeg because he kicked out of a local Mall just as he was sitting down to lunch because he had been there ‘too long’. This Elder is not only a veteran of the armed forces, but a retired veteran of the Criminal Justice Service, ensuring the worst of the worst of societies criminals were kept away from law abiding citizens. Service far and near, to and for Canadians being disrespected because he is a First Nations Elder.

Elders are not being treated with enough respect in society, but respect begins at home. If our elderly citizens are not treated well in society, they need to know that they will be accepted and respected at home.
Not contacting one’s own living parents is the antithesis of acceptance and respect.

Will I call again? Probably, but it will not be another eight years before I do.