We spent most of the past week in the Ottawa area. We stayed with family in the middle of Carleton electoral district. We visited in downtown Ottawa and out past Carp. After two years of restricting ourselves due to the pandemic, it was wonderful to be with family of different generations.
Of course, I was curious about the political situation in the area. We were staying in MP Pierre Poilievre’s electoral district. I got the impression in listening to the younger adults that they were more amused by the topic of politics than the older adults. One of my brothers had come up from Boston. His only comment on Donald Trump was a long sigh and a “Good Grief!”
But what I would think of as being “in the belly of the beast,” the younger adults could laugh off. I think MP Pierre Poilievre amuses them. They are not as aware of the damage someone of that ilk can do.
These were not the downtown Ottawa people who were alternately annoyed and frightened by the “freedom convoy” that usurped the peace of downtown Ottawa in February. They had no idea why the Ottawa police were stymied by the trucks and their drivers and their party mood. Yet, again, they were amused by Poilievre greeting the convoy organizers, welcoming them to Ottawa.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau might think he is a great communicator, but he sure didn’t communicate with these people just a dozen or so kilometers up Highway 417.
I was amused by the sight of the new welcoming signs for Ottawa. They announce the population of Ottawa as one million. I was surprised that no wag had painted on “and 338 cranky politicians.” Mind you, the area is rapidly losing its farmers fields that are becoming warrens of cracker box homes at outrageous prices.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip. It was certainly worth the expense for gas.
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