On April Fool’s Day in 2015, I wrote: “Maybe most days are fools’ days. There are so many weird things going on in our country — in the world actually — one has to wonder. “
Today we have the wars of misinformation and some mixed messages from politicians. In his speech opening at the recent Conservative convention, leader Erin O’Toole said climate change is real and his party would deal with it. Convention delegates then voted to deny the reality of climate change. Who to believe? Unfortunately the climate won’t stop changing just because the Conservatives say it isn’t.
Although the never-ending COVID-19 pandemic dominates the news it had competition last week. The knife attack in the North Vancouver library that saw one victim dead and six injured was a stunner. Then there is the automatic pay raise for federal MPs on April 1.
READ MORE: Canadian control
The thousands of workers who’ve lost their jobs because of the pandemic might see this as a bad joke. Last year the Prime Minister and opposition leaders donated their raise to charity. They’ll likely do so again.
Other news included Canadian mining company Teck Coal being fined $60 million for contaminating waterways in southern B.C. It’s the biggest fine ever given under our Fisheries Act, but what about cleaning up the polluted waterways?
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Sunday’s snowfall shouldn’t have been a surprise. Same thing happened in March 2018.
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Tomorrow is the beginning of the Easter weekend. Like Christmas, the religious aspects of the holiday can be taken over by worldly things. Christmas has Santa and elves, Easter has egg-laying bunnies, but for everyone Easter marks new beginnings, birth time for animals, new growth for plants, sometimes more blue skies and sunshine. However you celebrate this weekend, be safe, be happy and hope for kinder days ahead.
Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian and book author.
editor@wltribune.com
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