Spirituality and Health Care: An interview with Dr. Jane Philpott [Ken Gray] I first became aware of Dr. Jane Philpott as she stood beside Jody Wilson-Raybould, then Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, both eventually fired from the Liberal cabinet of the day by Justin Trudeau. They took their stand on principle as the most significant... Continue Reading →
Canadians are cancelling U.S. trips as Trump sours relations
Ken Gray, with content from The Washington Post (Democracy dies in darkness) [Ken Gray] Some friends recently asked if I thought boycotts were getting the attention of Americans, especially legislators and business leaders. Itโs hard to say. With, for instance, groceries, changes in buying behaviour are obvious. There are some excellent bargains on American fruit... Continue Reading →
Agony — More than just a Wordle start word
A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent for the congregation of St. Saviour Anglican Church, Penticton BC โ The Very Rev. Ken Gray I confess, I am a WORDLE addict. I begin each day with the immensely popular New York Times online game, a game I originally panned as a colossal waste of time... Continue Reading →
Protecting Liberty, again
Ours is not the first generation to take up the cause of the protection of liberty. Whether Canadian or American, we are likely not the last. We typically associate such struggles with failed states often in the global south and elsewhere--Myanmar, South Sudan, Russia, El Salvador, China. We have memories of two world wars from... Continue Reading →
Hail the disconsolateย ย ย
A prophet cannot know that all will be well, that those in power will wake up and mend the damage they have caused, and that peace will prevail. The mystic can never be certain that union with God will be the outcome of longing for God. They must rest in unknowing. Unknowing is not always... Continue Reading →
Canada eh!
Resistance to the Trump/Musk horror show is growing. In the US, social media now includes a variety of mea culpa statements by Trump voters. Many are hard to verify and may be fakes. That said, I am reminded of that stupid woman who admitted on the BBC a day following the โleaveโ victory that she... Continue Reading →
The truth gets uglier, day by day
UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL IMAGES AND A VIDEO "Trump and Vance have revealed to Americans and to Americaโs allies their alignment with Russia, and their animosity toward Ukraine in general and its president in particular. The truth is ugly, but itโs necessary to face it." -- David Frum, The Atlantic, Friday, February 28, 2025 And one... Continue Reading →
Checkup, on Cross Country Checkup
Howls of protest surged online as the CBC News special 51st State: A Cross Border Conversation was announced and broadcast on multiple platforms across the U.S. and Canada this past Sunday. This was an international co-production between CBC Radio Cross Country Checkup with Ian Hanomansing and The Middle with Jeremy Hobson. Both hosts took calls from Canadians and Americans.... Continue Reading →
Trump is rapidly gaining a personal monopoly on the use of force
[Ken Gray] On this my 67th birthday I wanted to write something myself about the state of the world, of North America, and of Canada. A few ideas are in development, but for now, the words below published by Robert Reich today are best shared here. They answer a question many Canadians and Americans ask... Continue Reading →
Trump is serious about annexation of Canada โ Just watch Ukraine
In facing an imperialist neighbour, Ukraine offers a cautionary tale for Canada โ Lloyd Axworthy, in the Globe and Mail, February 19, 2025 Lloyd Axworthy is a former foreign minister and current chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council. He recently authored his memoir: Lloyd Axworthy: My Life in Politics. Canadians now face a... Continue Reading →