I applaud Diane Colley-Urquhaut for being the only member of council to take a breath and declare that we should not “fall into the cancel culture” as the only dissenting vote regarding a name change for the James Short Park and parkade.
Questioning the thoughts and actions throughout history has become a pandemic in itself. Where do we stop? No one is or was perfect.
I have had the privilege of being involved with our Chinese community for decades, remembering as I write, the many good times dining with Roddy Mah and friends at Harbor City. Over many years talking business, culture or visiting with organizations like Wink Kei, never hearing the name James Short brought up.
Yet today his name has been called “an affront’ to the community.
Churchill is one man thanked by so many for his leadership during the war years, yet today he and his statues are under attack. He had his faults for sure – I like to remember him for his quotes.
In a new biography of Georgina Landermer, his cook for 20 years, on the subject of diets for his digestive troubles, he said, “almost all the food faddists I have known, nut eaters and the like, have died young after a long period of senile decay.”
Good to see so many following the rules by wearing facemasks; a lot quicker than we took to wearing seatbelts, and still there are many who can’t be at a traffic light without texting or answering emails.
The differences in laws can be questioned. A Brutish newspaper columnist asked why, “we can socialize in pubs but put on a mask to buy a pint of milk on the way home.”
Time to thank Doug Driediger of Metrographics Art+Design for the pleasure his murals bring across Western Canada. Several can be found in our National Parks and on buildings in Chemainus on Vancouver Island, as well as Alberta and Calgary.
He has a huge panorama on the back of the Calgary Petroleum Club facing out onto 6th Avenue S.W., but sad to hear that his inspirational hands and dove on the side of the CUPS building – an iconic painting for the past 25 years – is to be painted over. It will be replaced by a mural by an artist selected by the Calgary Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) organization.
I do like murals and we have so many good works in this city, but why a new one needs this particular wall space bothers me.
Cheers to Wade Sparks of Rileys Reproductions and Printing which is celebrating 70 years of business in Calgary.
Final Words: “Soap and water and common sense are the best disinfectants.” – Sir William Osler
