Canada’s Dominion Day

A blessed Dominion Day to all our readers, on which we celebrate the official founding of ‘Canada’ as a (mostly) independent part of the British Commonwealth since the signing into effect of such in 1867. Although we gained further sovereignty, of a sort, with Pierre Trudeau’s 1982 Constitutional Act – along with his bland, but insidious Charter of Rights and Freedoms – we are still technically a democratic-constitutional monarchy, with full authority residing in the Queen, through her representative, the Governor-General, who bestows authority to rule on the Prime Minister, his cabinet and party, and the parliament overseen by them, whether as a majority or minority rule.

As someone once quipped: North of the 49th parallel we value equality; south of it, they treasure freedom.

For all the talk of democracy, we don’t have much say in Canada, except a vote for a member of parliament every four years or so, who cannot do much but sit mutely by. Back to Pierre Trudeau, who spoke more truth than he perhaps wanted to let on, when he called such back-bench MP’s ‘nobodies’. Power now resides in the Prime Minister and his ‘chosen few’, his cabinet ministers, and, if a crisis arises, in unelected judges, as we just discovered with the carbon tax fiasco. The National Post reports that Justice Grant Huscroft really ‘gave it’ to Ottawa in his dissent, when the rest of the judges decided that the rapacious and illegal tax to be just fine and dandy. Well, so what? Should not the majority choose whether they want to be taxed to ‘fix’ the environment, and if the majority says no – as they inevitably would – should not the tax be abolished?

But let us today rejoice in what Canada does have: Not only an unsurpassed scenic beauty, as well the freedom to move about and explore that beauty. We also, so far, and far more importantly, have the freedom to worship, associate, write and teach and criticize the government, our dear leaders, to our heart’s content. Yes, such freedom is being whittled away, especially in our public institutions, so let us fight and defend our freedom, and use wisely what freedoms we do have.

The best way to do is to keep firmly in our hearts and minds that Canada was founded on Christian principles, as embodied in the one, true, holy Catholic and apostolic Church, spread and watered by the blood of martyrs, apostles, missionaries, pioneers, and all the noble first dwellers in this land.  We have made ourselves slaves by jettisoning that heritage, for a government can only control people who, at some level, want to be controlled, and have sold their birthright for a bowl of milquetoast Liberal-esque pottage.

We would do well to honour their memory by waking up, and telling the powers that be that enough is enough, and that the only way to live, is to live free.

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→

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→

Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów

We celebrate Saint Stanislaus today (+ April 11, 1079), in light of this Easter Octave, a bishop and martyr who accepted the episcopacy only at the direct order of Pope Alexander II. He proved a wise and courageous leader of his flock, put to death by his own king, Boleslaus, for rebuking the monarch’s ‘immoral[…]Continue reading→