Jan Reimer was Edmonton’s mayor from 89-95. She was wonderful but hated by car dealers. Why car dealers? Because Edmonton was very innovative in winter. They stopped salting roads. They used a different system. 1/8 Of course, salt is effective at melting ice. In Edmonton, however, at temperatures hovering at -20° for extended periods, it is completely ineffective. It just doesn’t work. And then there are significant downsides. 2/8

Nicholas Winton was on his way to Switzerland for a skiing vacation in 1938 when he learned of what had happened in Germany. Kristallnacht, violent mass organized attacks against Jews all over Germany, left 267 synagogues and 7000 Jewish owned businesses destroyed, 91 dead. This was the start of the Nazi attempt to murder all of the Jews in Europe. 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and taken to concentration camps.
Winton figured this was coming to Czechoslovakia so he went to Prague and set himself up in a hotel. He got to work.

Passionate about freedom?
Willing to fight for freedom?
Are you healthy and under 50?
Do your part. Join the fight.
Ukraine has put out the call for anyone who is willing to fight alongside.
The airfare to Poland is no impediment. If you can protest and carry gas cans and scream “freedom,” you can carry a weapon to protect a democratic country from the invading army of a totalitarian country.
Also needed: mechanics, drivers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators.
Don’t need to carry a gun to be a hero.

Thinking about our Covid-19 situation in BC with the view of what’s happening in Italy.

We have short-term economic interest that we’re weighing against human life. Many lives.

To me it’s a morality question. And to me the obligation we have to each other is to save our lives. I would not send 100 employees to a job site knowing 20 would get very sick and 2-3 would die. That is not acceptable.

I’m at a loss for why we have a question here. We’re speaking of human life.

Somehow I missed this story from May.
This fellow was my evidence teacher and he was the pride of the faculty of law. It was no secret that he and I did not like each other.
I knew my stuff. He gave me a shitty grade. I knew it was personal. Whatever.

https://twitter.com/cbcedmonton/status/1265273270443618304

What surprised me was that the law faculty was so enamoured by him. To me there was something off about him. He seemed contrived. Worse, but it’s hard to pin down.
I’m surprised he didn’t go into property development.

Poor old Bill Morneau.
Here’s my take:
He gets into politics for altruistic reasons. He’s actually a human (not a lizard alien) and he decides he should bring his significant skills to the table in the service of the public. Very honourable. And he joins a party with real vision, a smart balanced leader and a solid team with a plan. And they do it. They win an election, they cut child poverty, they make taxation much more fair and they advance a progressive agenda. Can’t please everyone but they do a very good job.

I suspect people don’t know what’s coming.
It you look at photos of any city from pre WWI you’ll see all sorts of businesses. You’ll also notice that none of them exist anymore. There are reasons.
Most businesses don’t survive their first owner. They had the heart and motivation. The courageous entrepreneurs who start businesses do the work of three employees. They often contribute far beyond what they extract from the business. It is their drive that keeps it going. Without them, the business folds or falls in decline. Employees don’t often see it.

I’ve learned a lot in the last few weeks that I haven’t shared on Twitter. So much. But yes, here are a few tidbits:
Commercial property owners downtown Vancouver, about 30% of retail and restaurants told them they give up. No plan to every re-open. Walking away.

https://twitter.com/StephenPunwasi/status/1253859270166228992

This was as of the end of March. Almost all other restaurants and retail informed their landlords they simply couldn’t pay. Basically only a handful paid their rent April 1. Landlords are panicked and allowing it to slide to try and keep the tenant. Offices are the next issue.

17 years ago I spent a lot of time at 222 Main Street Vancouver criminal court. I got sick. Pneumonia. It had long-lasting effects.
I just spent 2 days in court and all I could think was the risk to which we are all exposed. I am particularly concerned about the elderly. Including my elderly colleagues and judges and my family.
In these circumstances it would be reasonable to refuse to go to work. As lawyers if we refuse to go, we face career changing discipline.
What’s more important? Your life, the lives of others or your career as a lawyer?

Oaths are important. I took the Barrister’s oath and reflect on it regularly. I have been present when new lawyers take their oath. I have administered it many times. Sometimes we discuss it a bit so it’s clear to everyone the obligations. I have reminded some lawyers of it. US senators have an oath:
Oath of Office
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

There is no way Scheer will win a majority. He may get his shot at PM if the seat split makes it impossible for a stable Liberal minority government. But it’s unlikely. We’re looking at a possible Italian job. The Conservatives are going to have to do some soul searching when this is done. Creepy Harper was capable of keeping the the yellow vest people in line. Scheer let them loose and gave them a hug. Manning is the one that brought them in and normalized them as Conservatives.

As a history undergrad with a particular interest in German history, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the societal failings that facilitated the Nazis gaining total power. It was a live issue. How did this very sophisticated society allow this to happen? In a 12-student seminar, @matthiaszimmer assigned readings from the Weimar Republic Sourcebook. I can’t remember what the intention was, but I ended up going much further into it to investigate this issue for my own satisfaction and so I would know the clues if it happened again.

My theory here isn’t some whimsical musings. Well, maybe it is but it’s based on a somewhat obscure connection I have to JWR. When she was a prosecutor, I had files with her. Some have noted that she can be difficult. I found her to be pleasant to talk to, difficult to work with.

https://twitter.com/pauldoroshenko/status/1099922894405001216

I couldn’t reason with her. I’d explain the law and I felt she didn’t get it. The changes she made to impaired driving law make me think she didn’t really get the Charter. She seemed completely unforgiving of (other people’s) human failings. She seemed to have a lot of anger.