Silence Is Not An Option

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I’m trying to get a feel for how I can best participate in our current political world. I’m an outsider to the US mess. I keep an eye on the war in Ukraine, on the horrific destruction in Gaza, watchful of China’s moves on Taiwan and the suppression of liberty in Hong Kong. There’s chaos everywhere.

It takes me back to a Kingston Trio song from the early 60s:

Details different, situation the same (SNAFU)!

I realized recently I can no longer fight on the palisades; but I’m still good at reading stuff from all over the map and building a bigger picture. That’s what I’m finding myself doing at the moment.

Today, I’ll share a few things I’ve read you might find helpful / interesting, too.

Alex Himelfarb’s recent contribution to Pledge For Canada is a must-read, I think. He’s explaining the historical connections we have as a federation and the role taxes play in keeping a nation together. He ends with:

To build a more resilient, less dependent – democratic – Canada, we will need to rebuild our collective toolkit, find a new solidarity across our differences, and rediscover the common good. We will need government strong enough to harness the market and democracy strong enough to harness government. 

What We Owe Each Other describes Canada’s equalization policy and how it operates. It’s a good refresher for all of us, including Albertans. There’s also this tidbit that clarifies provincial contribution to the national economy (in case you think Alberta contributes the most – it doesn’t).

Corey Hogan has written a useful piece about three myths underpinning the Alberta separation movement: Three Alberta Separation Myths.

The next several months could be a dangerous time for Alberta. It does not take a majority of Albertans voting to separate to severely damage our home – serious talk alone will be sufficient.

Consider the example of Quebec in the 1970s: companies moved from Montreal to Toronto to escape political uncertainty. This was despite the fact that corporate taxes were lower in Quebec than Ontario at that time.

Putting so much political risk into the equation will more than undo any other Alberta Advantage we create. It’s incumbent on all of us to tread carefully. Now is a time for cool heads and facts.

There are also the Treaties which govern much of the land in Alberta! It could be argued most of the province is controlled by those treaties and the First Nations Peoples will determines what happens there. (Tried tracking down the source, unsuccessful.)

One other quick link to “The Truth About 51st State Supporters“:

when a Canadian proudly declares they support Trump over any Canadian leader, what they’re really saying is:

✔️ They would rather see this country controlled by a foreign dictator than governed by Canadians.

✔️ They support the rise of authoritarianism over the principles of democracy.

✔️ They would rather burn this country to the ground than see a government they don’t like in power.

That’s not patriotism. That’s treasonous thinking.

I’ll end today with an incredibly moving piece by Victor Kravchuk – a “Ukrainian living through war”.

Let me ask you something:

If tomorrow you woke up and your country was being erased, not just by missiles, but by hate. If you saw strangers online spreading that your story no longer mattered, that your pain was inconvenient, that your survival was a political annoyance…

Wouldn’t you want someone to write you back?

Wouldn’t you want someone, somewhere, to care enough to keep your voice alive?

That’s why I’m still here. 

And that’s why you, reading this right now, are part of something I’ll never be able to measure.

Gotta step away from my computer and get on with life.

It’s a gorgeous warm, sunny day here in NS. Dandelions everywhere. Magnolias and azaleas in bloom. You can see the leaves growing on a day like this.

I have to head out for a walk – to feel connected to it all.

Kantha

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Red Kantha

I was gifted this kantha, made in Bangladesh, a couple of months ago (I won’t go into the long story of how it came to me). The quality of both the kantha quilting and the embroidery is exceptional. I can’t imagine the hours it took some woman to execute it. All hand work, done for pennies!

I can’t see using it as a bedspread, although it would fit my queen bed. Instead, I intend to make a spring/summer loose coat from it.

What you see is half the kantha, the half beneath is identical. There’s certainly enough fabric to make a gorgeous garment – I see the half medallion (at the top centre) at the neckline with the large embroidery below at the centre of the back. I could then cut the two fronts from the other side, same thing – medallion at the neckline, same embroidery below. I visualize loose sleeves with the border along the edge. I think the half may be long enough for the border to be at the hem of both front and back, as well.

In my patten collection I just found this garment by Sandra Betzina –

Unlined Coat

Fitted at the top, flowing through the bottom. I like the folded neckline although I would fold it to the inside (otherwise, the way Betzina constructs it, that folded neckline would expose the unfinished back of the fabric). The other thing I could do is make that “scarf” element separately, attaching it to the front, then top stitching it underneath. It would do that same thing – provide heft and shape to the neckline and the front edges. I might actually be able to find two pieces of the kantha border to do that!

I would also straighten the hem – I’m not a pointed hem kinda gal. That would mean lengthening the centre front and back/removing the points. I do want pockets – probably not inserted in the side seams but added using a welt opening closer to the front edge.

Also, because this is an unlined garment, I would bind the seams on the inside using some batik fabric.(Betzina suggests pressing the seams open and adding a Hong Kong finish on the raw edges.) At the moment I don’t see any other adjustments except I might put a couple of hidden hook/eye closings just above the waist so I can close the coat on a windy day.

I think I’m ready to start working on it – our weather is just warming enough that I’d get to wear it a few times before it becomes too warm to warrant even a light coat.

Resisting at 82… Realizing I’m too old to march!

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Ramona Grigg (an elderly American woman – my age) raised some important questions today for people enraged by the trump regime’s clear efforts to install a dictatorship in the US. 

If Speaking Truth to Power is Heroism in America, We’re in More Trouble Than We Know.

If it’s becoming brave to demand our constitutional rights, the need for resistance is NOW.

RAMONA GRIGG

MAY 09, 2025

Toward the end she says:

I’m not going to end this by attempting to come up with solutions, … other than to stress the ‘keep on fighting’ part. How we fight works on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute judgement call: what does this fresh hell require of me?

This right here is what I’m doing. It’s what I have the energy and the skills for. Praise you for what you’re doing! Whatever it is, it’s better than doing nothing. And maybe together we’re building a force formidable enough to make a difference.

“It’s what I have the energy and the skills for….” that jumped out at me.

It struck home and I felt compelled to message her:

Hey Ramona, keep up the “Shouting”! I realized recently that my days to actively participate in a physical protest at the US consulate in Halifax, or our city hall square, or on our waterfront are over! I no longer have the physical stamina to find a spot to park my car, walk to the protest with my sign, and stand around for even so much as an hour! I just can’t do it. No pretending any more. I think that’s part of what’s been immobilizing me – keeping me from being able to sew anything, to create anything. But, like you, I can still write coherently. Which I’m doing even though my audience is small and shows no signs of growing larger! Oh, well. I do what I can. Keep doing what you can, girl!

I’m frustrated by my declining physical capacity! I have no trouble getting around the grocery store, walking from my car to the change room at the pool three mornings a week, being physically active enough to do all the stuff I do in a day, in a week. What I can’t do any more is any extended walking – my knees and back have become cranky and push back when I overextend myself. I have to accept I’m not going to be able to participate in whatever the next protest is, or even the energy to instigate and organize one.

I wish I had a magic wand that would make my writing / shouting visible. I wish I knew what it would take to get a gazillion subscribers to read and converse with what I’m thinking. I have to accept there’s no reason to be noticed. I’m not some well known TV personality who’s jumped over to Substack and found an instant following. Not a well known academic or writer, or political figure who’s already attracted attention. Just carrying on, putting what I’m thinking out there when I have something to say.

I also know shouting publicly makes it likely I would be stopped at the US border where I to attempt a visit the US. Good thing that’s not on my agenda any time soon.

That brings me to Rachael Gilmour’s video today.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-163223839

I watch Rachel Gilmour’s commentary, but I don’t as a rule pass it on. This one is a doozy! She’s calling out the CPC for an email they sent out using serious falsehoods about the three automatic recounts happening from the election (because the results were very close) calling them “rigging” from Liberals!

This looks like how PP’s “cooperation” on a united Canada is going to play out. More stupid lying and confrontation. Too bad.

Please check out what Gilmore has to say – she’s right about how recounts happen in a Canadian election! Nothing to do with the party, directly. All overseen by a judge. Thank goodness there are actual paper ballots to recount!

And this is my today’s contribution to the Resistance conversation!

A Warning From Charlie Angus

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Charlie Angus sounded an alarm this morning – those of us who voted for an independent, more self-sufficient Canada need to heed it.

I know what you were thinking: the election is over, Canada will negotiate a new deal with Trump, and life will return to normal.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not how it’s going to play out.

In a world of gangster leaders like Trump and Putin, Canada’s repudiation of the MAGA march just won’t stand. The authoritarian, anti-democratic “project” has been years in the making. It’s been driven by the likes of Bannon and Hungary’s Victor Orban — and they aren’t going to let Canada stand tall as a model of liberal democracy.

The online platforms are already gearing up with BOT farms disrupting online conversations. It’s all about undermining both Carney and Canada.

He goes on:

On the domestic front, there is no way the Conservatives will give Carney the grace period needed to build trust with the public. The Maple MAGA machine will do everything it can to undermine Carney. 

Just watch.

He ends with:

In the MAGA world it is unacceptable that Canada is seen as a symbol of the resilience of liberal democracy.

In the coming months, it will not just be the new Prime Minister who is put to the test. Canada, our shared values and nationhood, will be tested as well.

I know we will rise to the challenge, but only if we can identify the toxic playbook being used by Maple MAGA and the far right.

Here’s my reply when I restacked his message:

Thanks Charlie for sounding the alarm. I think I’d have come to the realization myself eventually, but better I should get here sooner.

I believe we need the resistance you’re building right now more than ever. We Canadians need to keep pushing back against Maple MAGA, trump MAGA, and Russian efforts to bring Canada to heel.

We need to keep those protests going – both to support American efforts to resist trump, but also to make complacent Canadians aware of the bumpy future we also face – not from our Liberal government, so much, as from Poilievre and Conservative efforts.

What Canada needs at the moment is a strong collaboration of politicians and citizens to work through the problems we face. I was hoping PP losing his seat might send a message that Canada needs a different approach from him. I wasn’t hopeful he could actually bring that; I was pretty sure he had but one song. But I was holding my breath allowing him the possibility of actually putting Canada first.

I can see from your piece, my hope is naive. You’re right. The attacks have already started. We need to build our resistance as quickly as possible so we can fight back in support of our independence, our autonomy.

We need to be alert for every opportunity to rally – at the moment it’s quiet out there. But as soon as the distractions and stonewalling start up (I suppose that will come with the opening of parliament), we better be ready with our signs. 

One of the things that’s made the protests in the US effective, particularly with regard to the deportations, has been the advance organizing done by community groups who have been in a position to jump into action as soon as someone in the community has been rounded up. People have predetermined what roles they would play, who would call the lawyers, who would bring out the signs, who would make calls, who would sent emails. Within hours, protests have arrived at the right places and they’ve been able to interfere with the disappearing of community members. We need similar advance planning. 

I haven’t found that group of friends who will march with me. I know, I just need to start by calling one or two people to plan for what’s coming….

The election is over. Now what?

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That’s David Suzuki’s headline from the piece linked below. 

Climate issues disappeared during our election. Building energy independence, self-sufficiency, expansion of pipelines were the “big” ideas. The costs of sustaining our reliance on fossil fuels were nowhere to be found. 

OK, so we understood the “enemy” we were fighting was US expansionism, Canadian annexation, trump’s threatening the destruction of our economy. Except for our determined Green Party, the other leaders were focused on the economic realities facing us. We accepted that.

But the election is over. Now what? 

We can’t lose sight of the overarching threat that ignoring climate issues presents us. We can’t forget about the economic and social costs of increasingly destructive heat domes, violent storms, wildfires, floods, droughts, migrating disease threats, habitat loss, and on and on. We can’t pretend these threats don’t matter – they impact everything else in our lives.

We need to keep discussion about these serious issues alive; we need to place them at the forefront of all decision-making going forward.

The tough conversation is, of course, what balance can we, must we, strike between sustained use of fossil fuels and changing over to clean energy resources. That conversation threatens Canadian unity! 

Both Alberta and Quebec claim they feel exploited/hard done by/undermined/ignored by the rest of the country. Alberta is threatening to vote for separation.

Nevertheless, we’ve got to find a way to talk about these tough issues in a civil manner. We’ve got to drop the bombast and hostility and name calling and threats in order to solve what are existential problems!

I am holding my breath, hoping this election has sent a message to our politicians about how they MUST conduct themselves! We’ve sent them to Ottawa to solve serious problems! They damn well better get to work and stop with the name calling and other stupidity we’ve seen for far too long! Our parliamentary system may be confrontational by design. Right now, I believe, all parties must cooperate to resolve the many grave issues we’re facing.

I suppose, in the global scheme of things, Canada’s contribution to climate change is relatively small, but that’s no reason for not putting climate issues at the centre of all our political decisions. There are a number of tipping points to be concerned about: the mass death of coral reefs, the abrupt thawing of the permafrost, collapse of the Greenland ice sheet, breakup of west Antarctic ice, sudden shift in the West African monsoon, loss of Amazon rainforest, shutdown of Atlantic currents. Any one of these impending scenarios could have catastrophic consequences for all life on earth.

The thawing of the permafrost is of particular concern to Canada since most of our north is frozen and increased thawing is causing major difficulties for northern communities (not to mention the release of astronomical amounts of methane into the atmosphere). But even more than that we are experiencing drought on the prairies, heat domes in the west, more severe storms affecting the Atlantic provinces, wildfires in many parts of the country, unexpected flooding following torrential rainfall everywhere – we’ve experienced all of these disaster events during the past decade. We should all be concerned. 

(From Suzuki’s piece this morning):

This election was in large part about countering threats from our neighbours to the south — neighbours we once thought we could rely on but who have turned against us in efforts to weaken our economy and come after our resources. Let’s hope our new government is up to the challenge. Part of that will be showing there are better ways.

During the election campaign, the fossil fuel industry and its political supporters used the tensions between the U.S. and Canada to argue for ramping up the industry — to build more pipelines and oil and gas infrastructure. The ostensible justification is that doing so will make Canada more energy independent. It’s a bogus argument, given that pipelines and oil and gas infrastructure don’t get built overnight.

If we truly wanted to become energy independent, we would focus on the most cost-effective and efficient energy: renewable energy from wind, solar, geothermal and energy storage. We need a clean-powered, connected electricity gridthat facilitates interprovincial transmission. That would give us independence not only from the U.S. but from the multinational oil companies that seek only to enrich their owners, executives and shareholders.

The election is over. Now what? 

Our election may be over, but our work is just beginning.

I agree!

Working With Decorative Zipper

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Normally, when you apply a zipper, the zipper tape is hidden within the garment or bag or whatever. But lately I’ve been using a decorative zipper which has interesting tape I want to showcase. How do you apply a zipper in that situation?

Here’s my cork iPhone case which I finished a couple of days ago using the zipper tape as a focal detail:

iPhone Case using Cork and Decorative Zipper

Now, that I have finally figured out how to apply decorative zipper tape, I’m about to make another bag – I will take photos at each step so I can prepare instructions.

Step one – prepare all the elements:

Supplies for iPhone Case

What do I have?

I’ve cut a 6″ x 16″ wide strip from some denim cork fabric;
I cut 1 3/4″ and then 1 1/2″ pieces from one end;
I had a leftover 2″ x 6″ piece which I’ve folded in thirds for the tab (upper left with clips).

I had one 17″ length of zipper tape (the other half of the tape I had used on the completed bag above), I cut two more 7″ pieces of zipper tape (longer than the width of the bag so I have some wiggle room to add the slides); I have three slides.

I cut four pieces of lining fabric:
one piece of 6″ x 16″,
one piece – 8″ x 12 1/2″,
two pieces 6″ x 8 1/4″ (to accommodate the size of a credit card)

A piece of velcro
An interesting button
48″ of parachute cord

With everything prepared, I’m ready to sew.

I will start by constructing the tab – the cork strip is folded in thirds, I’ll use a decorative stitch to hold it together; next, I’ll add the “hooks” part of the velcro to one end; last, I’ll stitch the button to one end (as a decoration).

Step two – the body.
I’ll start by applying zipper tape between the small strips, then along one side….

Now – on to actually making the case. I hope to have the photos by later this afternoon. I’ll write instructions tomorrow and add them here when they’re done.

May 3 2025

I made the second bag two days ago, taking pictures as I worked, only to discover when I went to document the process that I’d created the pockets “top-down” (which works but is too difficult to describe and follow because you’ve got to keep your pocket linings out of the way as you work your way down!).

I should have worked from the “bottom-up” – adding zipper and pocket lining to the “bottom” pocket first, then the upper pocket second. So now I have to make another bag, take pictures as I work, so I can describe what I do.

I’ll get to that when I can. (Here’s where I’d put a “sad” emoji).

Here’s the finished bag:

You can’t tell how I constructed it once it’s done. However, it would have been much easier to describe the process had I installed the bottom pocket first.

Oh, well.

I haven’t completed the instructions for making the cork bag with decorative zipper tape – but the photos are all there!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/aygxqolctyr6kxpgb7ptv/iPhone-Case-2-front-pockets-decorative-zipper-tape.pdf?rlkey=8gd9iv1qk52jjkzqwi5apc4dl&st=es727j45&dl=0

One of these days I’ll get around to completing the written instructions….

Take a deep breath…

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The Next Step

Bernie commented on my previous post – Collaboration, NOT Confrontation – with the link above. She had included this commentary by Marc Doll in her piece. Here’s what Marc Doll had to say –

If you voted Conservative and already hate Mark Carney.

Take a breath.

Ask yourself why?

How did it happen that you harbour such a strong emotion against someone who… up to this point has likely only done things you like.

He replaced Justin Trudeau.
He got rid of the Carbon tax.
He has promised middle class tax cuts…. etc.

From my perspective we have just elected a Centre-Right government led by a well-respected economist who may well be the most knowledgeable leader in the Western World, who was appointed not once but twice to be the top Banker of 2 separate nations by 2 very right wing governments, who was educated in two world renowned Universities, and who currently has no scandals to his name.

Ask yourself how you came to a head-space where you abhor someone who is by all measures a Progressive Conservative? Why do you have a high level of antipathy towards someone who you likely agree with in all but the colour of the flag he chose to fly? Ask yourself how much money had to be invested by political interests to get you to already feel such strong emotions against someone you would have supported strongly under a different colour banner?

I know why I am sceptical about the direction the Liberals are going to take our country as I’m one of the weird folks who still think the environment, some controversial social issues, respect for international borders, international law and a redistribution of power and money from the billionaire class back to the regular Canadians as top issues.

Carney has a far from stellar record on any of the issues I deem important but still I recognize he is the adult in the room and frankly the only leader who is equipped to deal with the Threat that we as a nation face.

If you are filled with anger. I can tell you it is an anger that someone spent a lot of money to make you feel.

It is time for Canada to come together as a Nation and your ‘purchased’ anger needs to be set aside at least until he has a record which you can actually point to as a reason to hate him.

In the meantime. Let’s get on to team Canada against our current enemy.

Let’s work to break down the economic trade barriers inside our own country.

Let’s give ourselves more than the US can take away.

Let’s continue to boycott everything from the nation that threatens our existence.

Let’s be leaders and build partnerships with the remaining stable and sane countries in the world.

Lets’s continue to plan our vacations in Canada and buy Canadian.

Let’s pull for our Country and stop letting the billionaire class divide us and create hate and antipathy so that they can enrich themselves and consolidate their power.

Marc Dole

Latest Socks

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While watching the election coverage the other night, I finally finished a pair of socks.

I was’t sure I had enough of the mauve yarn to complete two toes – so I dug through my stash for another leftover. Came up with the turquoise. There was enough in that ball to finish the pair of socks.

Into the stash they’ve gone.

Collaboration – NOT Confrontation!

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I just hung up from a long conversation with a good friend. A day has passed since the Canadian federal election. She wanted to know what my take was on the outcome. I’ve had a couple of days to think about that.

My first takeaway is that the Ottawa riding of Carleton said to Poiliever – no thank you. We saw the real you at the “freedom” convoy in Jan/Feb 2022! We remember; not fooled by your election persona. Poilievre lost his seat in Parliament.

The Conservatives didn’t win the most seats. While they gained 24 they fell short of any kind of win. Enough Canadians didn’t trust Poilievre to take the helm. Enough Canadians wanted nothing to do with his confrontational politics – his constantly blaming everybody else for what he called a failed Canada. Enough Canadians couldn’t imagine this one-song candidate as Prime Minister of the country. Enough Canadians sent a message to Poilievre and his Conservative party – we don’t like how you play this game.

You refuse to acknowledge the global climate crisis.
You are blind to our country’s need to find a path toward a fossil-fuel-free future. We need to build energy independence across Canada – using fossil fuels for now perhaps, but simultaneously and collectively we must build a cross country non-carbon energy network.
You don’t seem to understand that going forward any consideration of natural resource extraction/development will have to include Indigenous peoples in any decision-making.
You seem more than willing to jettison foreign aid as an extravagance, yet foreign aid builds friends and allies; helping less fortunate nations provide medical, agricultural, educational resources for their population benefits us, too.
You totally don’t get the important role the CBC plays in our cultural landscape – it can’t be defunded without great cost, particularly to our rural and northern communities.
You say nothing about supporting Ukraine – a beacon in the fight for national freedom from which Canada could learn a lot (we could easily be in the same position were trump to make good on his insistence that Canada become the 51st state!).
You tout “the biggest crackdown on crime” – but ignore the difficult circumstances that nurture criminal activity.
Your view of immigration is blind to the realities that force people to seek refuge from the political violence and climate driven changes where they live.

Fortunately, enough Canadians voted against this Canada.

Enough Canadians supported Carney for the Liberal Party to win the largest number of seats in Parliament – 169 (three short of a majority); but there was skepticism, too. There was enough support for him to become PM, but not enough for the Liberal Party to work unencumbered!

What I think the electorate has said to Parliament is,

“Hey folks! It’s time to collaborate!”

The economic, social and political threats to Canada are great.
We can’t afford the luxury of the constant negative harping about what the government is doing wrong now and in the past.
We’ve drawn a line and said “Work with one another!”

We all agree on the problems we face –
the economic challenges wrought by trump’s tariffs
his threat to our sovereignty
our housing shortage
pathways to a renewable energy future
our healthcare chaos
income inequalities
a balance in immigration
sustainable cities
a stronger federal/provincial working relationship…

We’ve said: “Work together to solve these and other problems.”

And do it as quickly as you possibly can – the future will be upon us before we realize it!



iPhone Case

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I’ve been making new iPhone cases for myself after having finished the one for my friend Heather.

In fact, this is the third one. I made one using a bit of leftover painted leather, but wasn’t happy with it – the design wasn’t straight on the piece leather and it annoyed me. I did a second using some leftover royal blue leather, but when I took it apart to add some firm backing, the leather split!

This one is made from a cork fabric. Not easy to work with – it’s stiff and turning the bag rightside out took a bit of effort, but I’m happy with it, even if it could be a 1/2″ wider. I can still get everything into it, but it’s a tight squeeze. I’m hoping the fabric will soften and stretch a bit, maybe not. I also have no idea how long the fabric will last before the thin layer of real cork begins peeling off!

Now on to fixing some errant place mats I made for a friend. We didn’t preshrink the fabric (a bad decision) and the backing fabric shrank when she washed them. I made eight. Four are still unused. I’m going to quilt them with a tight design so when the backing shrinks it will just give the placemats some texture. The other four I’m going to have to take apart, and remake trimming the top fabric to fit the backing. Once they’re sewn back together, I’ll quilt them, too. The taking apart is an evening project while watching TV.