The Squeezed Middle

There is a lot of talk of immigration of late, and far, far more to come, both of talk, and, more to the point, of immigration itself (see this article by Mark Steyn for his take on the ‘Dreamer’ debate amongst our neighbours to the south). I myself am an immigrant, coming into Canada as a wee lad, leaving my native Scotland under the decision of my parents.  The six of us, that is, along with my three brothers, all entered through the proper channels, following that quaint notion of legal procedure. Many current immigrants, in Canada, but far more so in the United States and Europe, have come through illegal and improper channels, some, one might surmise, for good reasons, others, one might also surmise, for less noble and necessary ones.

The thing is, the ‘law’ should decide who is who, which ones are true refugees, which ones are not. This is the whole point of a ‘border’, which defines a country geographically, which in turn corresponds to the notion of ‘citizenship’, the legal standing to come and go as one pleases across that border, along with all the rights and privileges of working, and the duty of paying taxes and such, within that border.

Those of us who continue to try to keep and obey the law are being undermined by those who simply do not keep and obey the law, or do their best not to. Society seems to be dividing ever-more into the ‘elites’ who are either above the law, or to whom different laws apply, or whose riches and privileges permit them to care not for the law; and the undocumented underclass who also in many ways escape the burden of law, recipients of a growing welfare state, with ‘free’ handouts in everything from education to housing to cookies (and now there is talk of a guaranteed income, just to keep them all nice and happy and, yes, as Belloc well predicted, servile).

In-between these two growing swathes of society is the ever-more squeezed middle, those who try to obey the law, who fulfill all those difficult jobs, the ‘working class’ who provide, or used to provide, actual and real wealth to the economy, instead of the growing cadre of ever-more expensive and lavish governmental and bureaucratic jobs that siphon off that wealth; all those who pay taxes, perform civic duties, who strive to maintain the culture upon which our nation was built.  Their numbers are dwindling, for who, in the end, wants to be the chump who strives to maintain order when the order is inexorably and incrementally being disordered, dismantled, even flouted without consequence, beneath and all around him?

One might call him a chump, but, from another, non-worldly, perspective, such is often the way of sanctity, to do what one should and must, even if it makes little or no earthly or temporal sense, and there is little reward this side of the grave. As Wellington would have said of a more secular pursuit, at least one has done one’s duty, to God, to one’s neighbour, to oneself.

Carney’s Amoral Majority

After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→

Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress

This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→

A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop

As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→

A Tale of Two Benedicts

A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→

My Name is Bernadette

April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→

Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk

As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→

The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus

As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→

Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace

Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→

Payette’s Payout

I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→