Global politics

[Buck_Mulligan]

GZero Media founded by Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia group, has a daily email newsletter which on Thursdays is called GZero North, and leads with a Canada focus. One of the best places for Americans to get a balanced view of Canadian affairs.

https://www.gzeromedia.com/gzero-north/canada-choice-us-china

[Psy-Fi]

Denmark to raise retirement age to highest in Europe

[Psy-Fi]

Aid trucks looted in southern Gaza as famine looms due to blockade

[Auroras In Ice]

King Chucky coming to visit Canada today and it's being spun by media here as some kind of flex of our sovereignty against Trump. Not sure how that circle gets squared in people's minds because it's kinda the opposite  . For ages, our tie to the monarchy which are almost purely ceremonial and symbolic at this point has been losing support among the population except among the really old people who have some weird affinity to the royals that they can't seem to let go of. People have just gone along with it because it doesn't have any practical impact on anything and makes the old people smile and get all glassy eyed when one of those rich inbred weirdos flies in and pretends to give a shit about whatever city they land in. We were getting so close to finally bucking this meaningless vestigial tie to the monarchy, but now it's regaining traction as some misguided sovereignty flex. Can we not! Please!?

Just griping.

Carry on.

[Jwb]

All your allies are on the other side of the ocean.  Maybe it's a safety in numbers kind of thinking.

[Buck_Mulligan]

I suspect most Canadians would rather have than not whatever fleeting moral support the visit gives. FYI. I believe views in Australia are similar to those in Canada. Lots of people questioning the purpose of the relationship.

[Jwb]

Trump is open to us joining the commonwealth.  Be funny if we joined and every other country including the UK left.

[Auroras In Ice]

King Chucky came all the way over from England and gave a prepared throne speech outlining the priorities of the Carney gov. Nothing says "hey look how sovereign we are! like a foreign monarch coming by to proclaim it on your behalf.

Ugh. Embarrassing.

All your allies are on the other side of the ocean.  Maybe it's a safety in numbers kind of thinking.

I think that's a part of it, yeah. When Trump started in on threatening annexation and all that, there was a weird contingent among the core Liberal base that got up in their feels over the lack of overt public support offered from leaders in the UK as if they don't have enough on their plate post-BREXIT or really have much capacity to offer anything particularly tangible especially since Starmer needs to walk a tight-rope with Trump too. Deepening ties with the EU is smart and it's been working out well... but, the Brits?... Even as a symbolic gesture, it really doesn't match the intent.

I suspect most Canadians would rather have than not whatever fleeting moral support the visit gives. FYI. I believe views in Australia are similar to those in Canada. Lots of people questioning the purpose of the relationship.

It's definitely pablum for a specific segment of the population, but I think the wider majority are completely indifferent with a smaller sliver (raising my hand) actively disliking it. Knowing loads of Aussies myself, I definitely think there's a lot of parallels between us on many things including our shared commonwealth history and even reliance on the US. Still, I have trouble imagining Aussies doing something like this.

[Psy-Fi]

Slovakia approves sale of brown bear meat to public

[Mindy]