What just happened

The date — 22/2/22 — auspicious in a numerical sense and yet what will it be remembered for?

I just finished reading The Paris Bookstore and it commences in 1918 and the effects of the First World War are noticeably evident. The real life story carried on into the Second World War and Sylvia Beach was interned at a German war camp for a short time period. When I read the story based on actual people and historical events it felt so far in the past. And yet historians can look at events leading up to it and the First World War and have a very clear understanding of certain events that precipitated the worldwide crisis.

And is that just what happened on the 22/2/ 22? The events that the historians will say all led up to that day? The day when Russia refused to blink at what the rest of the world was saying and went ahead with its invasion of Ukraine.

Here in Canada the escalating conflict that Putin has been pushing for between those two countries has sort of faded into the background as we’ve dealt with the freedom, in quotation marks, convoy and the emergency measures act. We’ve been self absorbed as a country. So now as part of the G7 we have put economic sanctions in place. Apparently the world is to check back in a month and see how that helped? Those were President Biden’s words. A month? Checking back tomorrow morning may tell the entire story that Ukraine’s defenses didn’t stand a fighting chance against Russia coming at it on all three sides. I’d like to hope it’s otherwise but I can’t see how they can hold them off alone.

I don’t usually get very political on the blog but lately I have felt it necessary to speak. To once again publically state that, we the world, can’t be silent. Just like we the Silent majority, had to be heard in Canada.

Past and present Canadian governments have come out very strongly in support of the Ukraine. Which makes sense. We have the second highest concentration of Ukrainian people in the world. Here in the prairies it’s quite easy to know both first and second generation. The connection between the countries runs deep but are we doing enough? Is our voice and background support really going to help turn the tide?

I try to hold onto hope. Across the world in major cities, even in Russia, there are quiet protests. No More War. The scenes from the Kiev metro stations made me think of scenes from The Last Bookstore in London, something from the past. And yet in Gaza and Syria it’s quietly been going on while the world turns a blind eye. If Russia gets its way and joins forces with its biggest neighbour China the world axis will shift and I don’t mean the solar one.

Peace was something that just was. It felt like a fundamental principle that was at the core of our life in Canada. Canadian peace was shattered with the actions of a few (because really in the big scheme of numbers those yahoos weren’t big potatoes) who will change the political landscape of the future of Canada. See the attached link for a good analysis (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/02/ottawa-freedom-convoy-truckers-protest.html) of the impact. And now Putin is putting world peace at jeopardy. On a grand scale.

It seems unfathomable and yet it’s definitely real and scary. Holding onto hope.

Bernie