"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens
We’ve had a few of those days this last month. Sunday it rained in the night, continued in the morning, rested a bit, rained again, then snowed — nice big fluffy flakes covering the ground. By late afternoon the snow was gone except on the hills. Is spring coming or not?
No matter how freaky the weather, a bouquet of fresh flowers, especially daffodils, can bring a ray of sunshine on a dull March day. My daffodils were a St. Patrick’s Day gift.
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Newly-minted Prime Minister Mark Carney didn’t waste any time calling an election. We go to the polls April 28, and until then we’ll be hearing plenty from the leaders of all five parties, Liberal Carney, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, NDP Jagmeet Singh, Parti Quebecois, Yves Francois Blanchet, Green Party Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault.
Most voters will probably focus on the big two, Carney and Poilievre, but I hope the other parties elect a few people because we’re a diverse country, and if we want to be a strong one, we need that diversity reflected in our government.
We need kind, virtuous people in our governments too. Elon Musk says politicians have “too much” empathy. In my opinion they don’t have enough. Too many ignore the eight virtues — generosity, courage, honesty, compassion, patience, gratitude, justice and wisdom. We do hear sometimes about justice.
I think U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (among others) lack empathy. Mr. Trump seems to have no sympathy for anyone, Mr. Netanyahu wouldn’t be at war with Palestinian women and children if he did.
