All posts by Art Martens

Hedley, Inspiration, People

Lindsay Fairweather, Advocate For Cold Water Swimming

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Lindsay Fairweather on the bank of the Similkameen River, preparing her mind for a plunge into the cold water.

My idea of a preferred activity on a December morning differs vastly from that of Hedley resident, Lindsay Fairweather. For me, it’s sitting in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace with a cup of steaming coffee, reading a John Grisham novel. In a telephone conversation with Lindsay last week, I gathered she’d be just as happy swimming in the frigid water of the Similkameen River. She began swimming in the river this past May and now takes the plunge once a week. She seems to agree with Jim Whittaker, Mt. Everest mountaineer who said, “if you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.”

Lindsay has long been prone to living closer to the edge than most of us. “When I was about 15,” she said, “I had an experience that scared me. I was floating down the Similkameen on a tube. At the Slaughterhouse Rapids I was bounced from the tube and was suddenly under the water. I reached the surface but the water sucked me down repeatedly. All I could do was hold my breath and crawl along the bottom from rock to rock until I was past the rapids and able to pull myself up on a rock. I was pretty shaken up, but there was lots of adrenalin.”

More recently when she learned about the benefits of cold water swimming, she felt a tugging to try it. “I began swimming in the river this past May. To acclimatize my body to the coming winter temperatures, I ended my showers with five minutes of cold water.” Now she and a friend swim once a week. “She wears a wet suit. I wear my bathing suit and neoprene gloves.”

Lindsay Fairweather swimming underwater.

Prior to current winter temperatures, she did a two kilometer swim. “I was becoming aware of weariness and cold setting in so I made for the shore. Seeing it was overgrown with poison ivy, to which I’m severely allergic, I returned to the river. To deal with the weariness, I reminded myself that I’m much stronger than I give myself credit for. The Ford slogan, “built tough” came to me and I told myself, that’s how I’m built.” She began repeating to herself, “Built tough! Built tough!” It became a mantra. From this and other experiences she has learned it’s important to not under estimate the power of the mind. “Sometimes you have to think of another option,” she said.

Lindsay returned to the river and kept swimming, repeating “Built tough”.

Several potentially life ending episodes have convinced Lindsay she can’t be blasé about what she is doing. She recognizes that cold water swimming is inherently hazardous and she must be constantly aware of how the cold is impacting her physically. One website stresses the importance of understanding the dangers. “When entering cool water,” it says, “the muscles tighten. Breathing can become erratic and shallow. Overcoming a game ending panicky feeling starts and ends with the breathing.”

For Lindsay breathing is an essential aspect of her preparation. “I take a number of rapid breaths,” she said. “I also practise holding my breath. I can do that for three minutes. When I enter the water, I breathe calmly and walk until I’m in up to my neck. Learning to stay calm also helps me in challenging circumstances I encounter in life. People suffering with depression and anxiety disorders can benefit from this.”

Lindsay has derived a number of life altering positives from cold water swimming. “I love the thrill,” she said, “but there are a number of mental and physical benefits. Injured muscles heal more rapidly. Cold water immersion also quick starts the immune system and increases the number of white blood cells. I’ve found that it impacts my mental state. I feel happier, more awake and clear minded. It’s like a kind of meditation. I think more positively about myself. It helps me overcome negative self talk.”

By the end of an hour long conversation I concluded that much of Lindsay’s enthusiasm stems from the way cold water swimming is changing who she is and how she perceives herself. Each time she immerses her body in the river, she must steel herself against the cold. Experience has taught her there is potential unseen danger lurking beneath the surface. Her words suggest that for her cold water swimming is an inner exploration. It is creating in her a fuller understanding of who she is and what she is capable of accomplishing.

Community, People

Lynn Wells, End of an Era

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Lynn Wells shared some of her experiences.

Only rarely do the faint of heart apply for a leadership role. Leading can be a messy undertaking, fraught with unanticipated challenges and sometimes undeserved criticism. Knowing this, I’ve noted the fortitude of Lynn Wells as head of the Hedley Improvement District for many years. She completed her third and final term last week and Hedley will now need to look for new leadership.

In a two hour conversation in our home, Lynn shared some of her experiences, beginning in 2010. “The community needed to upgrade its fire truck or accept a huge increase in property insurance,” she recalled. “I asked if I could serve on the committee set up to research the matter.” There were widely differing opinions as to whether the town should purchase a new truck or find a used one. At times the discussions in the community became pretty heated. It was Lynn’s first foray into local politics.

In 2011 she ran for a position on the Hedley Improvement District (HID). Trustees receive a $100 per year honorarium and are responsible for the water system, street lighting and fire department. She paused for a moment to reflect, then said, “I didn’t know what to expect. It was a steep learning curve. I wanted to understand what I had become involved in so I looked into the history and responsibilities of improvement districts. I learned the HID had been set up in 1952. Funding is an issue because we’re not permitted to apply to the provincial government for funds. Improvement Districts can apply to the Regional District, but every community has a wish list and there is fierce competition for grants.”

Lynn considers the lack of funds for infrastructure upgrades as Hedley’s most pressing issue. “Several years ago I wrote two proposals requesting grants from the RDOS,” she said. “Elef Christensen, our Area Director at that time, was able to obtain only enough money to replace water pipes on one block of Daly Avenue.”

As in many communities in our province, much of our water system is well past the “best before” date. Underlying this issue is a longstanding debate as to whether Hedley should join the RDOS. This could give us access to provincial grants, providing of course the government isn’t bankrupted by the covid crises. In the past there has been a solid wall of opposition to this prospect. Some old timers in town attach great importance to the almost complete lack of building and other regulations.

Lynn pointed out that whatever course of action we take, we must expect there will be an increase in taxes and fees. She is acutely aware this could cause hardship for people on fixed incomes. In spite of the drawbacks, she favours joining the RDOS. Last spring she felt the town could not ignore the issue much longer and wanted to initiate the required consultations with local citizens. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing nixed this idea due to the covid pandemic.

“We have low levels of arsenic in the water,” she said. “If this rises above the permitted level, Interior Health may require us to upgrade our infrastructure. To undertake this ourselves would entail borrowing about 2 million dollars. If we join the RDOS, they may cover up to 75 percent. To this time we’ve been applying bandaid solutions in emergency situations. This siphons off funds saved for capital projects. It’s not sustainable.”

To this time Lynn has stickhandled the community through the various water issues. The trustees have held town meetings to provide information and explain HID decisions. One of these meetings became boisterous, with a few disgruntled citizens throwing unfair barbs at her. Resilient and resolute, Lynn remained unflustered, refuted the allegations graciously and carried on. Someone else might have walked out of the meeting in frustration. The most effective leaders are able to remain focused on important objectives and not be distracted by opposition.

In recent years a number of people have moved out of Hedley for health and other reasons. New people with fresh ideas and greater means are taking their place. Also, some of us who have been here a while are realizing we need to begin seriously grappling with the water issue before the system crumbles. Change is coming. Without Lynn Wells leading, we really should all pay more attention and accept greater responsibility for our community. Thanks, Lynn, for your years at the helm.

Politics

Statue of Liberty May Again Infuse Hope

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Statue of Liberty (photo: this day in history)

I have long thought of America’s Statue of Liberty as a beacon of hope for people around the globe. To me it suggests America is a nation where government leaders value honesty and truth. Where those who govern live by a high standard and do not deceive the people. From the very beginning, the words of U.S. presidents, senators, state governors, big city mayors, business leaders and others have supported this lofty vision. Until recent years, it has been a source of hope and inspiration for many.

Observing the U.S. president over the past four years, and the recent election, I’ve concluded that the symbolism of the statue has been seriously tarnished. By clever use of social media, Donald Trump has convinced a huge swath of the U.S. public that the nation’s electoral system, institutions, media, and political opponents have been corrupted. He has championed the idea that the media are guilty of propagating fake news, while he himself is unabashedly spreading falsehoods. And he has persuaded top Republican Party leaders and numerous influential individuals to fall in step behind him. With his many tweets and harangues, he has convinced his followers to believe the worst about their country.

Hoping for a more objective perspective, I turned to a foreign source. Writing in the November 3 Jerusalem Post, Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman observed that “trolls have provoked and inflamed discourse, and technology has made it possible to control the actions, and maybe even the minds of potential voters in America.”

Trump’s allies have demonstrated an uncanny knack for employing the internet to decimate voters’ confidence in his opponents. In one case a digital editor manipulated content to persuade viewers Joe Biden didn’t know what state he was in. In the video Biden greeted the crowd with “Hello Minnesota!” The editor changed the signs behind him from Minnesota to Tampa, Florida. This was to reinforce Trump’s depiction of Biden as “Sleepy Joe”. Before it was taken down, the video received over a million views and almost certainly planted doubt in the minds of some voters concerning Biden’s capacity to govern America.

Professor Michael Dahan of Sapir College in Israel, an astute observer of American politics says “infusing fake news into the public sphere is exactly like poisoning wells, because it affects public ability to reach conclusions on the basis of factual information.” He says further “to bypass social networks, Trump has used a sophisticated election application with a social media-like feed, full of attacks against Biden and others, without revealing who wrote the content or where it came from.” The ease of creating fake news today through digital tools compounds the challenge. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler of the Israel Democracy Institute believes “this is a transparent attempt to keep voters within the universe of alternative facts of the Trump campaign.”

Well, now this chapter in U.S. history is almost over, even if Donald Trump cannot yet grasp that he will no longer be president. Having watched this pretty dramatic episode unfold over four years from our side of the forty ninth parallel, I’m likely not the only one experiencing a sense of unease at the delicate nature of American democracy. This is the nation many of us look to as an example of what it means to live in freedom under a government that is elected to serve the people.

How is it possible that Republican Party mandarins have endorsed, seemingly with few questions, the decisions of a leader who lied to his people, praised ruthless foreign dictators, disdained longstanding global alliances, refused to disavow white supremacists, and cast doubt on the legality of the American electoral system? Equally puzzling is the willingness of some 70 million U.S. citizens to cast their precious ballot in support of his candidacy. Is there such a deep level of discontent in America that people chose to believe Trump’s distorted version of the truth?

Prior to the election several friends, keen observers of American politics, told me if they lived in the U.S. they’d vote for Trump. Possibly I would have voted for him too, if he was less volatile, less divisive, more truthful and committed to fostering reconciliation between disputing perspectives.

I very much hope Joe Biden will be able to help Americans again have faith in their democracy. A united, optimistic America will once more give citizens of the world reason to feel inspired when they look at the Statue of Liberty.

People

Living In Difficult Times

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Uncle Jim & Aunt Betty probably didn’t have the luxury of this many trees near their home.

At this time when some people are chafing at covid-19 restrictions, I’m reminded of how people responded to the deprivations of the Great Depression. There were few opportunities for employment, and even fewer government handouts. My grandparents, Abram and Susana Funk, lived in a remote area of Manitoba. They were surrounded by their 14 offspring, all on small acreages. Having grown up on marginally productive land, the Funks had developed a robust work ethic, learned to laugh at adversity, and at times to risk just to survive.

I especially like to think of my Uncle Jim. With coal black hair and a powerful physique, he was the most audacious of an audacious bunch. I once asked his wife, my Aunt Betty, if he had requested a kiss on their first date. “Oh no!” she said, laughing with evident pleasure at the memory. “He didn’t ask. He just did it.” By the winter of 1936 they were already married, had three children, and a fourth was well on the way.

Having shared food with hungry destitute men looking for work, the supply in their root cellar had been considerably depleted. Uncle Jim knew he needed to shoot a deer. When he rose early on January 19th, the mercury had plummeted to below zero F over night and snow was falling relentlessly. He placed paper and kindling in the stove and lit the fire, then hurried out into the frigid cold to feed the dozen chickens, Dolly the milk cow, several rabbits and Ned, his faithful appaloosa mare. After milking Dolly he collected the eggs and carried in enough wood for the day. His pretty blond wife was already mixing dough to bake brown bread.

Like his five brothers, Uncle Jim was skilled with axe, saw and rifle. He had been in the woods many days in summer and fall, cutting fire wood to sell in Winnipeg. His meager income had enabled them to buy flour and other essentials, but now there was little money left in the tin coffee can kept under their bed. In spite of the cold and snow, he’d have to hunt today.

He had donned his thick grey Stanfield underwear upon rising. Now, wearing a heavy parka with a fur lined hood, his coal black moustache and deeply sun and wind browned face gave him the appearance of an Inuit hunter setting out to search for polar bears. Uncle Jim kissed Aunt Betty, who said, “it’s not a good day for hunting. Don’t take any foolish risks.”

The wind was less brisk now and the snow lighter as he and Ned set out for a meadow about an hour from home. There at the edge of a stand of poplars, he tied a canvas tarp between two trees down wind from where he expected deer. Using the tarp as shelter against the weather, he and the appaloosa settled in and waited patiently. He had just poured himself a cup of strong black coffee from a flask when two young bucks emerged cautiously from among the trees on the opposite side of the clearing. They pawed at the snow while their noses sniffed anxiously.

Uncle Jim raised his rifle slowly and fired two shots. One buck crumpled and the other fled. After gutting the deer, he hoisted it to the back of Ned, and holding the reins, set off on foot beside the horse.

The following morning, after chores and breakfast with his family, he heard a car door bang shut. Looking out a window, he realized it was Constable Monroe, the Mountie stationed in Steinbach.

He was surprised when the constable greeted him with, “Mr. Funk, we have a report that you’ve been hunting out of season. Do you have any game in your barn?” Not wanting to lie, Uncle Jim said, “I have rabbits in there.” To this the Mountie replied, “I’ll have to look.” Concerned the deer would be taken and he’d be fined, Uncle Jim said nothing.

The Constable had been in the force many years and understood the plight of these rural people who had little income. When he returned he said, “Mr. Funk, that’s a mighty big rabbit you have hanging there. I hope you and your family enjoy it.” A hint of a smile crossed his face and then he departed.

Politics

New Times, New Wars

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I don’t usually publish the writing of others. The following piece was submitted to me by Robert Billyard, a covid survivor I wrote about Aug. 23, 2020. He’s a longtime friend and an ardent campaigner for causes he deems worthy. It’s a thought provoking article. I’m including it because Robert is a valued friend. A.M.

Robert Billyard & his wife Jennifer

New Times, New Wars by Robert Billyard

Peace movements must be relevant and specific to our times.

I fail to understand why we are focusing on the world wars of the 20th century when we should be focusing on the imminent dangers of war in the 21st century.

We are presently in the second cold war. A major confrontation looms large between China and the USA. The USA holds the world hostage to its bullying confrontational militarism that is a persistent threat and blocks any hope of world peace and harmony among nations. The US ignores international law and walks away from treaties with reckless abandon. It is willing to wage endless warfare and endless bullying to achieve its stated purpose of global domination.

War in the 21st century has become more complex, more hybrid and more covert – and in too many ways easily hidden from public view, aided and abetted by a mainstream media that is both propagandist and complicit in modern warfare.

We have awarded the war mongers tremendous power and control over our lives, and they have shown tremendous guile and megalomania in maintaining this control. We allow them to kill and connive in a shadow world sequestered from public and media scrutiny.

We must also acknowledge that in modern times the immorality of war has sunken to new lows. Gone are the pious high minded resolutions born of the Nuremberg trials after WW II. Now, there is a wanton disregard for civilian casualties (“collateral damage”). War is more and more by remote control where killing becomes more indiscriminate drone warfare. There is the lingering suspicion that the Coronavirus is actually a biological warfare agent. Now war criminals walk the street and slide into comfortable retirements.

Leadership today is too often based on deceit and duplicity. Where governments have their sovereignty and mandates usurped by vested interests and the veiled power that colonize them. Deceit, duplicity and secrecy become their essential survival skills. Scandals, as exercises in incompetence, reveal for us the real workings of government.

The peace movement is endowed with the most powerful weapon there is – the truth. And it must start using this weapon effectively. It must start going after politicians who monger war and pander to it. It must go after NATO and show it for what it is -a weapons cartel and extortion ring in service to a rogue super power.

The peace movement should be in solidarity with the plight of Julian Assange for his torture and persecution is a travesty of justice and a fundamental attack on the freedom of the press. It is a further indictment of the media and journalism just how little support he has received from colleagues so willing to remain silent in this blatant attempt to silence the truth.

As the world becomes more integrated, change, trends and tyrannies jump national borders with the greatest of ease. A tyranny very obvious to the so called west is what can be termed elite betrayal. Governments in the west become more self-serving, secretive and duplicitous. True democracy becomes a luxury no longer affordable and in too many ways government’s true loyalty is to the corporate and economic elites that control them. Governments have become contemptuous of the populations they are elected to serve.

Their service to war and militarism is unconditional. We fight the empire’s wars, buy unneeded and over priced weaponry and support the endless profiteering of corporate parasitism.

When was the last time you heard a politician make a convincing pitch for peace in our times? They are all on the bandwagon of war, war and more war as they serve their warmongering masters.

The peace movement must get with the times, start naming names, being specific, relevant, forceful, and most importantly speak the truth and insist on it. In other words, the present status quo must be challenged in convincing terms.

Community, Inspiration, People

Hedley Saga Continues To Unfold

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Trisha Mills and Bill Carmichael at the entrance of their future home.

When the iconic Hitching Post restaurant went up in flames the night of October 23,2018 it marked the beginning of a Hedley community saga that is ongoing to this day. Since the fire, the story of Bill Carmichael and Trisha Mills, the loss of their business and health, and their courage in the midst of calamity has been unfolding mostly behind the scenes. Also largely behind the scenes has been the response of some in our community. It’s an intriguing and inspiring chapter in local history and deserves to be passed on to the next generation.

When Linda and I visited Bill in the Penticton hospital shortly after the fire, we were appalled at his multiple serious injuries. Trisha had been taken to the Kamloops hospital with equally devastating injuries. Although Bill expressed hope for the future, we feared they might both be confined indefinitely to wheelchairs. Many in Hedley rallied to their cause, contributing to a gofundme site set up to help them with initial living and medical expenses. The insurance company has been resistant and for most of two years Bill and Trisha have lived in a 22 foot motor home with their dog Dexter.

In spite of significant continuing pain, they have struggled to regain their ability to walk. Often I have seen them hobbling down the alley behind our home, steadying themselves with their walking sticks. Unless asked, they don’t talk about the extreme discomfort, or the loss of income and possessions. “We talk every day about our plans for the future,” Bill said. “We want to again provide a food service to Hedley,” Trisha added. “How that will look will depend on what our bodies allow us to do.” This summer they purchased a food truck business as a first step toward achieving that goal. This helped sustain them financially over the summer but with colder weather, they have suspended the business until next year. “My body requires double digit temperatures to function in the food truck,” Trisha said.

Putting the food service on hold doesn’t mean they will relax over winter. Needing a home, they decided to erect a metal structure on their lot behind the restaurant site. “It’s less expensive, and it won’t burn,” Bill said. “I put one up about 25 years ago, with the help of a rugby team. There was lots of scaffolding and quite a few ladders. I was planning to do it again. Several men from the community offered to help.”

He’s amazingly gritty but much more limited physically now. Realizing this would be an extremely difficult project for Bill, Dennis Matson, pastor of the local church, suggested he bring in a contractor with a mechanical lift. “We don’t have the funds for that,” Bill said. Dennis talked with a Princeton contractor and obtained a considerable reduction in price. The church contributed some funds, bringing the cost down to an affordable level.

Dennis Matson, pastor of the local church, suggested Bill bring in a contractor with a mechanical lift to erect the structure.

Prior to erection of the metal structure, I visited Bill at the building site. With a shovel and wheelbarrow he was distributing a large pile of coarse gravel fill around the perimeter. For about an hour I loaded the wheelbarrow and he pushed it and dumped the fill. The terrain was uneven and I saw that he needed to call on deep inner reserves of determination and perseverance to do the work. He didn’t groan or complain, but admitted that he and Trisha have “clenched bodies” at the end of each day.

When I showed up the following morning to help complete distributing the fill, Trisha was there and had already finished the project. I expressed concern that she was pushing her injured body so hard. “It’s o.k,” she said. “It needed to be done.” The metal portion of the structure is now in place, but it needs to be insulated and the ends enclosed.

Bill and Trisha both live with pain every day. Bill still needs three more surgeries. I consider their story important because they are showing our community it is possible to call on deep inner reserves and forge ahead in spite of adversity.

Their story is also a reminder that in this time when communities are struggling with increasingly complex issues like covid-19, opioid deaths, homelessness, poverty and much more, we need to stand by individuals and families in distress. When the people of a community reach out to those in need, everyone benefits.

Societal Issues

Conspiracy Theories, A Challenge

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Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, Does He Want To Control COVID-19 Vaccinations Around the Globe?
Photo: en.wikipedia.org

Conversations with my friend Ike are becoming increasingly challenging. I first met him when we were in a car pool to SFU where he was immersed in studying philosophy. Our paths diverged and I didn’t hear from him until he came across my blog and contacted me. We renewed our friendship but I quickly learned our thinking had followed radically different paths. Over the years he became disenchanted with our institutions, system of government, religion, and much more. He had become enmeshed in a variety of conspiracy theories and now embraces them passionately.

Tall, gangly and skinny, Ike lives with his partner Elaine near Williams Lake. Elaine wears granny glasses, has her hair in a bun, and is as keen as he in pursuing theories about everything wrong in our society. They each have a laptop and, sitting side by side, devote many hours to perusing websites that expound on who and what is to blame for the issues troubling our country and our planet. Their lives revolve around conspiracy theories.

It soon became clear to me that Ike considers his knowledge to be irrefutable. Initially I raised several arguments against his current favourite theory. “If you believe that it just proves you are one of them,” he responded. “It shows how crafty people with power are. They work in the shadows behind the scenes, duping the public into believing lies. If people knew what we know, they’d be worried.”

Ike has huge regard for the views of James Corbett, whose website contains innumerable accounts of individuals and corporations allegedly misleading people. Currently Microsoft founder Bill Gates is receiving a lot of Corbett’s attention, (and therefore Ike’s).

Corbett is convinced Bill Gates is manipulating the covid pandemic with lock downs and other strategies to push untested vaccines for economic benefits. He also claims Gates is seeking to establish population control with microchip implants. Some believers claim these will be in the vaccine. “He is scheming to leverage his immense wealth,” Corbett contends, “to control the fates of billions of people.”

Listening to Ike’s mini lectures, I’ve concluded he and other conspiracy theorists are suspicious of most official accounts of events. Many harbor a deep distrust of experts in all realms, including scientific and medical. Even in phone conversations, I sometimes sense that Ike’s eyes are glazing over when I raise an objection. He’s so steeped in conspiracy theory ideology, so certain he’s right, he seemingly cannot grasp the possibility that there could be an alternate perspective.

I have observed repeatedly that Ike and Elaine reinterpret random events to show they are part of a broader, insidious pattern. “People in high positions in government and corporations are conspiring to take away our freedoms and our way of life,” Ike has told me several times. “There’s a new world order and it already rules our planet.” According to a European Commission website, “there is a belief among conspiracy theorists that certain situations are secretly manipulated behind the scenes by powerful forces with negative intent.”

Ike has an answer for all contrary evidence. Not wanting him to close his mind to our friendship, I don’t ridicule his views. I do at times question the accuracy of his sources. Occasionally I agree with him concerning a particular issue. Certainly not all is well in our country or on our planet. Wealthy individuals and corporations are contaminating our environment and our values for the sake of profit and power. Governments too often develop policies that undergird destructive enterprises.

Although conspiracy theories are frequently built on speculation, conjecture, suspicion, faulty information and partial truth, they do have, in my opinion, a useful role. That role is to prod us to consider and question what is happening in our institutions, communities and nation. Those in power and authority at high levels know that most citizens are preoccupied with personal pursuits and rarely take notice of developments or conditions around them.

Conspiracy theorists have a knack for unsettling us and attracting our attention with their disturbing views. Although I prefer facts over speculation and rumour, I’ve come to realize that individuals like Ike and Elaine at times provoke me to be less complacent and trusting concerning what is being done behind the veil of government or corporate double talk and intrigue. Certainly conversations with Ike tend to be stretching, but also stimulating. They challenge me to search for truth.

Politics

Puzzled By Support For Trump

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Heeding the example and words of Donald Trump, his supporters seem not to understand they are endangering themselves by not wearing masks or social distancing. (photo David Todd McCarty, Unsplash)

After a memorial service recently, I chatted with two brothers I have known many years. George, the older, more sophisticated one, enjoyed considerable success running programs at CBC Television, then selling real estate, and currently as owner of several highly lucrative enterprises. Harry is a muscular, no nonsense home builder. They wanted to talk about Donald Trump, and I was astonished to learn both are committed, no holds barred admirers.

I can somewhat understand why marginalized people place their hope in Trump. They believe the politicians and institutions of America are not serving them well. They had been waiting for a strong disruptive leader who would kick Washington in the solar plexus. Donald Trump was the “messiah” they had been longing for. In “The Age of Voter Rage,” pollster Nik Nanos suggests that “for those on the margins, Trump was a vehicle to punish the establishment.”

For me, George and Harry’s motivation is an enigma. I find it equally mystifying that numerous American evangelicals have eagerly flocked to Trump. They virtually worship him, even though fact checking prior to the 2016 election revealed only 4 percent of his statements were true. (Hillary Clinton fared somewhat better at 25 percent).

Nanos believes at the heart of what is happening in some democracies, including Britain and France, is a hearty dose of anti-establishment sentiment. During the Brexit upheaval in Britain, for example, Boris Johnson and other “Leave” proponents claimed the country was sending 350 million pounds to the EU weekly. In the week before the referendum, polls showed 47 percent of voters accepted this contention as true. After the vote this claim was proven to be false. Many voters had disbelieved what was true and embraced what was not true.

Nanos says “when citizens become enraged they are more willing to be led by their emotions and to take risks.” He says further “Trump stoked the negative emotions of citizens and rode their anger to the presidency. Fake news is entering the mainstream and a key source of information for an increasing number of citizens.”

Several weeks ago I listened to a CBC radio interview with an American Trump supporter. Her words revealed a total naivete concerning Trump’s promises and accomplishments. When the CBC host pointed out that her information was incorrect, she blithely continued her poorly informed praise.

I’m very aware not all Canadians share my sense of dismay at the acrimony, discord and bitterness flowing so freely in America. More than a handful of Canadians apparently approve of Donald Trump’s numerous abrasive tweets, his refusal to condemn white supremacy groups like the Proud Boys, and his utter disdain for those who disagree with his policies. Like my friends, George and Harry, some of his admirers are well positioned in our society. They drive Mercedes and live in gated communities. I ask myself, do they understand what is happening in America, or are they mesmerized by this president because he is unconventional and delights in creating havoc in the political system?

Probably the majority of Canadians are troubled at seeing our valued neighbours in such a state of bitter divisiveness and rancor. We have long considered America a powerful bulwark against forces seeking to undermine democratic institutions around the globe, including in Canada. It’s disturbing that Donald Trump has at times expressed admiration for the practises of dictators and seems to have adopted their “play book.” Equally unsettling is his refusal to say he will accept a peaceful transfer of power if he is not the choice of voters in the coming election.

Is there a danger the disruption in American politics will spill over into Canada, and possibly impact even the interior of BC? We tend to feel quite assured that our political leaders will not stray too far from democratic values. In spite of this confidence, I do sometimes wonder how our system of government would hold up if a charismatic, power hungry Prime Minister was determined to stay in office after being rejected at the polls. Certainly party bosses could strip their leader of power, but would they have the will and integrity if it meant they would no longer form government? In America Republican leaders have demonstrated an unwillingness and inability to hold Trump in check.

Nik Nanos says “expecting politicians to self correct is delusional. Citizens need to learn to differentiate between fact and fake news. And they must hold the government accountable.”

Issues

Is This Our Future?

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“BC wakes up to smoke filled skies.” (photo BC Wildfire Service)


Travelling to the coast on the most serious smoke day a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised at the scarcity of vehicles going west. Equally surprising was the incessant flow in the east bound lane. Was everyone in Vancouver leaving due to the dense smoke? I was reminded of rats scurrying from a ship about to sink.

In Abbotsford the smoke hung like a thick, virtually impenetrable shroud over the city. Wanting to walk after several hours of constant sitting, I donned a mask and ventured out into this world of grey. We were staying with Linda’s Mom who lives in a 55 plus complex. Usually I encounter seniors walking their miniature versions of man’s best friend. Their pace is invariably interrupted by myriad inspections of hydrants and other sources of alluring aromas. On this day the streets were bereft of these elderly walkers. They weren’t willing to endanger their own health or that of their little companions. Overnight, the world had become unsafe.

It’s well known that the smoke came to us courtesy of our neighbours south of the 49th Parallel. Most environmental specialists believe the fires in California, Oregon and Washington are increasing in frequency and ferocity due to global warming, much of it caused by humans. I told my friend Howie about our experience with the smoke. I also somewhat unthinkingly mentioned that Linda and I restrict our driving because we don’t want to burden Mother Earth with more toxins.

Howie is a committed curmudgeon, an ardent admirer of Donald Trump’s views, and invariably ready with a diatribe against any suggestion individuals can take action to protect the environment. Howie coughed several times, sputtered with indignation and said, “don’t you know there are millions of cars in the world? Think of the hordes of people in China and India who drive cars.” He snorted his derision and said, “anything you do won’t make a difference. Besides, there was global warming thousands of years ago. You need to read history.”

Some prominent world leaders harbour similar views. In Brazil huge swaths of wetlands are currently on fire. Thousands of animals, including jaguars, deer, monkeys, reptiles and serpents have been burned or displaced. In some areas many thousands of birds are falling from the sky. Even so, President Bolsonaro has weakened environmental protection. He claims reports of environmental degradation in Brazil are a lie.

The Australian fires have received extensive media attention, but fires in other places like Siberia and Argentina are receiving only scant coverage. In Canada we witnessed significant devastation from the Fort McMurray and Kelowna fires, but now that they are out, our focus has again shifted to personal pursuits. When a crisis is over, it’s easy to forget and become complacent.

Although I believe Howie views environmental history through a biased lens, he’s correct in urging me to look at past catastrophes. In “Collapse,” Jared Diamond cites numerous examples of societies whose activities devastated their environment and way of life. “Easter Island is a clear example of a society destroying itself by the over exploitation of resources,” he states. “They cut down all the trees on the island and no longer had wood for fires to keep warm, cook food, or construct canoes for fishing and trading. In time rats were the only source of wild food.”

Growing up in Abbotsford, my friends and I had no inkling such a future was possible. We roamed in the woods, drank from the streams, and never detected foul odours in the air, except near farms. Eight years ago Linda and I moved from there because the air had become unhealthy and unpleasant. In some mega cities the air has become dangerously polluted and citizens need to wear masks to survive.

According to the Climate Clock in Manhattan’s Union Square, humans have about 7 years to change course. After that the damage to the planet will be irreversible. We should expect that in time, the devastation may reach even into the Similkameen Valley. Thinking back now to the dense smoke and unpleasant air in Abbotsford, I wonder, “Is this our future?”

In spite of my curmudgeon friend’s scorn, I believe each of us can do something to protect our planet and ourselves. David Miller of the World Wild Life Federation put it succinctly when he advised us to “take care of nature, so nature can take care of us.”

Drone photo of a river in an area devastated by forest fires. (Photo: EPA)
Inspiration, People

Grant Warwick, An Imperfect Hero

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The 3 Warwick brothers (left to right) Grant, Dick and Billy. They did play as a line on occasion, but often were split up. (photo supplied by Ivan McClelland).

Sitting in the sun room of our home in Hedley, Ivan McClelland shared a deeply personal account of his relationship with Grant Warwick, player coach of the 1955 World Champion Penticton Vees. “When Grant arrived I was only 21, playing goalie for the Vees,” Ivan recalled. “I knew he had played in the NHL and could do amazing things on the ice. He had been named Rookie of the Year with the New York Rangers, played on an NHL All Star team and won numerous other awards. I was in total awe of him and didn’t speak to him, unless he spoke to me first. I also knew he had been sent down to the minors because of his troubling, free spirited lifestyle. While playing for New York, and also Montreal, he had sometimes disappeared into the city for days and no one knew where he was.”

Prior to his career in the NHL Warwick had been a gifted boxer, endowed with an exceptionally strong upper body. Ivan described him as tough minded, a player who could fight if he needed to. “In spite of his great talent, after about 11 years the people in control of hockey considered him damaged goods, washed up,” Ivan remembered. “They were glad to be rid of him, but I had seen what he could accomplish on the ice. When he became player coach of the Vees, he didn’t make speeches in the dressing room, he led by example. On the ice he dominated and in his first year with the team, he took us to the national championships, where we lost to Kitchener.”

Grant’s brothers, Billy and Dick, were also on the Vees roster. “Billy looked after Grant when he stepped outside the traces,” Ivan said. “He ensured Grant got home safely after a night of partying.”

In 1954 Grant seemed to get a hold of his life. There was no alcohol and his brilliance again became evident. That year he took the Vees to the National Championship where they defeated Sudbury. This qualified them to represent Canada in the World Hockey Championship in Germany the following year.

Canada’s hockey moguls now came to Grant and said, “You’ve got a bunch of inexperienced kids and over the hill pros. We’re going to give you 5 top NHL players, including Rocket Richard and Jean Beliveau. Also, we want you to take out Ivan McLelland and put Harry Lumley in goal.” The pressure was intense, but Grant refused.

In retrospect, it’s evident a special relationship was developing between this veteran player coach and his young goalie. Unlike many net- minders, who wax hot and cold, Ivan had proved to be consistent in temperament and play. In the dressing room he was given a seat next to Grant. Possibly Warwick drew strength from his calm demeanor.

In Germany, at the World Championship the following year, sports writers criticized Warwick relentlessly for bringing “a weak team.” Remarkably, the Vees won the first four games, against teams Ivan considered more skilled and experienced.

For Warwick the pressure became overwhelming. After the fourth game he disappeared into the night. He spent the next day, Saturday, in his room recovering from intense partying. Not physically ready to play against the Soviets on Sunday, he did only a few shifts. Even so, the Vees routed the Soviets 5-0 and were crowned World Champions.

“Later, in the bus returning to Dusseldorf,” Ivan recalled, “Grant was sitting alone at the front. The players were celebrating at the rear. No one spoke to him.”

Ivan moved up to sit beside him. “I’m sorry I let you down, ” Grant said.

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” Ivan replied.

For Grant Warwick, it was the end of his hockey career. His life deteriorated and for about 10 years he lived on the streets of Edmonton. He remembered his goalie though. Every year at Christmas he phoned Ivan, still calling him “kid” as he always had.

Then his circumstances changed. In one Christmas call he said, “I found the Lord. I don’t go to church, but my life is totally changed. The Lord is giving me strength.” He was now helping others who were less fortunate.

In their final phone call, when Grant was about to die, Ivan said, “How are you approaching this?” Grant replied, “It’s going to be wonderful.” Then he surprised Ivan with the words, “I love you.”

“He was a good man,” Ivan said, “an imperfect hero.”