Petersian Perspective

Who’s Line Is It Anyway?

mypeters — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:57:33 +0000

I never really understood the hoopla that’s created when somebody suggests that new immigrants learn either English of French. Well, sort of. Many times, the idea is floated around by self-styled ‘conservatives’ whom are more concerned, or comfortable with, the idea of us and them. I can no doubt understand that the reaction, to their reaction, is to be defensive. Anybody who’s ever been on the receiving end of vulgarities while being besieged with banshee-like demands can tell you, you catch more fly’s with honey than you do with vinegar.

First posted on mypeters.blogspot.com on May 13th 2009

The not-so-subtle attack on new immigrants is so blatant, that even when the threat isn’t present, new immigrants, perhaps as a defence mechanism, know to have their guard up against all attacks. Coupled with the other obstacles that new immigrants face when trying to familiarize and become grounded in their new home, I can understand the instinctive desire that would compel them to ‘arms’, pardon the dramatics.

That being said, learning one or both of the official languages is certainly the best way to integrate themselves into their new home. It’s quite easy to find members of your specific ‘group’ in Canada, especially in the larger municipalities. However, that in my opinion is not what Canada is. Canada is a nation that aims to reflect what the world could be: a mix of diverse people working towards a common purpose, using the strengths of their specific cultures and experiences, shaped by those cultures, to make a better place.

The cultural mosaic of Canada however, needs a common thread. That common thread is communication. Too often, new immigrants choose to sit on the sidelines, only learning the most basic English terms to get by in general society. This is the greatest impediment to their growth and prosperity in their new found home. They’re ideas can only really be brought to the fore front and heard if they speak either language.

As Canadians, we must honour and appreciate the efforts made by new immigrants, and newly minted Canadians to learn the language(s). Although at times it may be difficult to understand, patience and encouragement must be the tools that we use in order to help them make all of us better. We’ve seen that having marginalized segments in society is not beneficial for the whole.

So in closing, new immigrants, learn the language – and old Canadians extend a hand and show some patience because it could be that new immigrant who holds the cure for Cancer or AIDS in his or her mind, but can’t communicate it to the detriment of us all.

Divorce of Course!

mypeters — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:44:10 +0000

Before I start getting hate e-mails, I’ll concede the following: No, I’m not married; Yes, I’m young, and no, ice water does not run through my veins. I often have ideas that I would call vanguard, radical, revolutionary, and more fittingly, Peters-esque. These are the ideas I like to share – usually in private. But we’re all family, what’s a thought among friends.

Whether you decide on getting married or not should be an individual decision, but if you’re going to do something, do it right. Marriage isn’t what it used to be, and you can blame who you want. Some blame women’s liberation, others blame the Divorce Act of 1968, ‘no-fault divorce’, and so on and so on. I blame people. More specifically, people not thinking it through. But here I am to change all that.

First, make getting married easier. Yes, easier. Decrease the cost of marriage licences, offer tax incentives and tax deduction eligibilities for marriage expenses. Second, give significant tax breaks to married couples. The longer you’re married, the more your tax rate decreases. Third, six months prior to marriage, the couples have to enter marriage preparation courses for the preceeding six months prior to the marriage. Fourth, and most importantly, make divorce costly. Now I know you’re asking yourself, “make divorce costly?” Yes. Instead of all that money going into the pockets of lawyers, tax it. I don’t mean a novelty tax of 5-10%, I mean a Sin Tax. 25-30% of the couple’s net assets. Finally, prior to divorce, mandatory reconciliation courses and prior to any court filing, mandatory mediation.

Now of course, if abuse and cruelty have taken place and can be proven than by all means, the tax of the assets could be apportioned at the discretion of the courts or the government, and perhaps by the mediator.

Now before this is used against me and taken grossly out of context, let’s remember that this is simply an idea. I know that it seems that getting in is easy, and getting out is hard, but such is our lot in life. Actions matter, and so do words. There must be consequences when both of these are broken. The only way for a society to make itself better, is if the parts that make up the whole are of the finest material.

Retyped from http://mypeters.blogspot.com/ on June 5th 2009

Doubting My Orientation

mypeters — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:23:42 +0000

I was watching Tim Hudak on Focus Ontario not too long ago and the interviewer, his name escapes me at the moment, asked a question with respect to the image and diversity of the Conservative Party. “Grey hair, white faces, and red necks.” Mr. Hudak then gave some generic answer that really wasn’t all that substantive. That could be due to the lack of time allocated for that segment or perhaps that was the best answer to give. In any event, it got me thinking about the party itself. Like all political parties it’s divided into three parts: the moderates, the hardliners, and the crazies. Unfortunately, the crazies are behind the wheel of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and have high jacked and sank the legacies of MacDonald, Diefenbaker, and Davis. They’re reactionary style of governance is what has distanced them from not only urban voters in the East and West Coast of the country, but also from the moderate Conservatives who may lean right on social justice issues. The far right of the party may want to govern, but they have no idea on how to build the party. I criticize this party, becasue I’ve read about what it means to be a Progressive Conservative. Although I may be more ‘Progressive’ than ‘Conservative’, it seems that the far right of the party would prefer that the former is merely there to adorn the latter. They have failed to apply and to properly communicate what it means to belong to the PC party and are suffering from the same cancer that has ravaged the Republicans to the south of us. They’re simply out of touch. Although I lament the fact that the Liberals have no actual vision of what Canada should be like in the future, and thus, have nothing to implement, they once did. Whether multicultuarlism was meant to create and solidify a Liberal base, it had the profound impact that we see today. Conservatives have failed to establish or communicate any vision for the past 40 or 50 years (on a federal level, anyway). It may be at this point in time and for the foreseeable future that the only goal of politics is to ensure that you stay in politics. The PC party isn’t good at that either. This brings me to the millions of visible minorities, youths, and moderates who feel like they don’t have a party they can believe in. My faith in the leadership and the lack of goals of the party is terribly shaken. I have often thought of changing my affiliation to the Liberal Party. I wouldn’t be faulted for that. The party of Trudeau, Douglas, Laurier, Mackenzie King, the party of the Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the party of Diversity. It was the party that allowed my mother to travel here, put herself through school and gave her two children the opportunity to strive and achieve.It would certainly be the best way to avoid the ridicule from Benzi and Mara and to stop the looks of disgust, confusion and sympathy from strangers when I tell them my political orientation. But it wouldn’t feel right. My close friends tell me that perhaps it just isn’t meant to be. In 2006 or 2007, I applied for a Conservative membership and donated money to the Cornerstone Club. 6 weeks and six e-mails to and from the Executive Director and the candidate of my riding, I was still not in possession of my card. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. But I push on. The PC party has yet to realize that movements and ideas and the will to implement them come from the ground up, not the top down. While living in the Northwest section of Toronto, I can’t tell you how many Conservative candidates I’ve met. Well, I’m lying. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Not a single one. I’ve joked to my cousin that the Conservatives don’t want to win, that they’re trying to LOSE on purpose. But deep down I know I’m serious. They just seem to be so out of touch with the New Canada that it’s hard to think they aren’t intentionally throwing the game. Well, until the party has a vision, can embrace and encourage diversity in their ranks, and nominate candidates that have a broad view of life on the ground and not from an ivory tower, I can honestly say that my 10 dollars for a membership is staying in my pocket and I’m staying home on the next election day. If only this didn’t torment me like it does and I could be apathetic towards Canadian politics like most Canadians. Sigh.

Public What?

mypeters — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:38:39 +0000

I named my car Abernathy. Oh how I miss her so. At the moment – at THIS very moment I’m taking Brampton Transit to get to Downtown Toronto. Some of you, if not all, no doubt, would cringe at the thought of 30 minute wait times, crowded buses and the one and a half to two hours it takes to traverse this sprawling Metropolis. Not me. Those things, although valid, pale in comparison with the lack of manners and hygienic deficiencies of some of our fellow Greater Torontonians. Right now there’s an elderly South East Asian gentleman beside me. I hesitate not to change that last sentence. There is nothing ‘gentle’ about this man. I’m not sure which is grosser – him attempting to give himself a lobotomy through his left nostril with his pinky finger, or the fact that it appears he’s been vomiting into his mouth, pausing, then painstakingly swallowing the contents of his mouth. Woe is me. Now I’m sure you’re thinking “But Peters, if you don’t like it, just move.” Great advice, though it’s ill advised. That thought passed through my mind and vanished as quickly as the 5’2″ behemoth that barrelled down the single aisle of a packed bus, scowling and pushing much taller and sturdier women and men aside with a laundry cart in full tow behind her. I picked the lesser of two evils. May the Lord grant me serenity. I’m afraid private transit has made me soft to the reality and mechanics of public transit. It appears it’s eat or be eaten, or maybe perhaps, miss a seat or be seated. I think the smile and ‘good afternoon’ to the bus driver didn’t help my cause. The mob can always smell an outsider. Oh how I long for my Abernathy!

Here We Go Again!

mypeters — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:44:13 +0000

Hello all!

Yes, yes, I know. Yet another blog. There was really nothing wrong with the last blog, however, it was very difficult to maintain that blog over my BlackBerry. So I deceided to make the change to WordPress. I’ve heard nothing but great things about it and I know they have an app for it to work on BlackBerry, so hopefully this blog will be a great way to express myself quickly and report on life in an efficient and substantive manner.

Well, for now, I’ll leave you with this short entry and start migrating some of my other work to this, my third and final blog home… hopefully!