Our back lawn has been getting way out of control, due to Mrs Piper and me both being pretty busy. I spent the afternoon digging Russian thistles out of what is supposed to be a garden bed. (in between times of playing variants of football with the Cub, of course.) I had thought last night we were in for a storm, but the clouds blew past and it was a beautiful day.
Mine has been growing like crazy too, and I haven’t had the chance to cut it. Plus, I was hoping to get my usual tomato and pepper plants from the garden centre this weekend, but that hasn’t been possible.
Well, waiting a week or so won’t derail my plans for summer-fresh tomatoes and peppers off the vine. Looking forward to them!
That’s right. And the exemptions from the civil law are not because parliamentarians are a breed apart with special rights, but because those exemptions are considered necessary to enable them to do their job in Parliament:
• They have complete freedom of speech in Parliament, because that is necessary to enable them to be able to consider and debate any issue of importance, without worrying about the law of libel and slander restricting their ability to discuss matters of public importance;
• they have immunity from civil subpoenas while Parliament is in session, because they have been elected to represent their constituents in the nation’s business. They can delay complying with the subpoena until the House is not in session.
• their travel to and from their constituency and Parliament cannot be interfered with, for the same reason;
and so on. “Privilege” is the historical name for these exemptions, a term which reeks of 18th century British aristocracy, but it’s not a general immunity from the law, only where needed to carry out their duties.
But they are not immune from the criminal law, because that is not necessary to carry out their duties. The best example of this point is Fred Rose, MP, who was elected on the floor of the Commons and charged with spying, in the aftermath of the Gouzenko affair.
It’s still raining, and our game has been cancelled. 
I’ll find some other way to occupy my time, I guess. At least I don’t have to go to work! 
The 21 gun salute has just started at the Legislature. Our windows are shaking every 30 seconds.
Happy 90th Birthday, Ma’am!
Happy Victoria Day!
Happy Dead Queen’s Birthday!
Ribs are ready to go on, corn is on the stove, I’m just putting together the slaw, and I’ll make some garlic bread at the end!
Been gardening all day. Had to stop before I dropped! It’s a beautiful day!
Happy 24 !!
Been an interesting weekend. It got off to a very bad start – a client jumped off the Sleeping Giant to her death. She was a good soul. It finished with news that the evacuation of Geraldton has ended and that our satellite office there was not burned in its forest fire (and our other satellite offices in Marathon and Manitouwadge are not at immediate risk from the fires near those towns, although the mines between them have been evaculated). Canada is once again bisected – both 11 and 17 are closed due to forest fires – there have been warm temps and significant winds this weekend, so quite a few fires are not under control.
It finished on a good note: the daughter of a dear friend was accepted into the medical school of her choice (and a few others), another dear friend called up out of the blue to catch up for a couple of hours, and on a much more mundane note, my ribs improved enough that I was able to get the lights on the trailer and the brakes and gears on the bicycle working again (it’s a spring ritual of mechanical ineptitude that I didn’t get around to earlier).
Our office is at the other end of the parking lot of the large grocery store at 12 seconds into this vid and 35 sec into this vid. Thank you Ministry of Natural Resources for saving the town.
Was just going to ask for the full scoop on the Greenstone Fires, Muffin. Thanks for the update. To think there was snow so recently.
I would NOT want to be on the stretch of 11 between Hearst and Longlac during a fire watch.
I have spent the last 4 hours in the line up for the Nanaimo (Departure Bay) and Horseshoe Bay ferry. First and last time I do that without a reservation.
Ah, young grasshopper. Listen and learn.
Make a reservation. I’ve done such on North Sydney to Argentia, and Port aux Basques to North Sydney. I’ve also done so on Tsawassen to Sidney. Reservations smooth the crossing, and make sure you get where you’re going on time.
I’ve also taken a bus from Vancouver to Victoria, and back again. That was fun!
I am sorry you did not get to enjoy the charms of my city (such as they are - when Nanaimo makes the news it’s usually for something awful. The latest is some yokel trying to bribe a border guard because he forgot he had weed and shotgun shells on him when entering Washington State) and I feel your pain when it comes to the limits of Departure Bay’s majesty. Had you driven a couple of miles up the road I would have happily sold you booze to make the journey more tolerable. My liquor store is not the closest one to the ferry terminal but it’s basically a straight line away and it would have been the highlight of my weekend to meet a fellow Doper.
17 is open again.
I just read that Gord Downie has brain cancer. 
Terminal.
The line up snaked around and was only three blocks from the Husky where an overwhelmed clerk rang through some of my purchases twice and forgot to give me a bag. It was ok, we were in no rush. We could have gone back to Parksville and spent another night at my parents’ place, but.my 12 year old refused to consider anything that might make hom late for school today.
It was a good time. We saw my folks and my brother and sister in law, spent time at Rathtrevor Beach and Coombs. I am over there every month or so, and more in the summer. Usually I do a walk on and get a ride to Parksville, but there was zero none nil zip zilch parking to be had in Horseshoe Bay on Saturday. (Even the residents who have spare parking spaces for rent were full up)
Next time I head to the island, I will let you know! I’m a cider fan; are there any Vancouver Island brands to recommend.?
Tardy Victoria Day best wishes to all my Canadoper friends!
The Chronicle Journal’s on-line reporting about this story sucks. I had to wade down the page below the 10 Mile Road race pictures, the motorcycle crash, to find the story. I know, I know. I won’t give them my money; they won’t give me the stories. But still… for the Newspaper of the Northwest, I would like to read a story about something happening in the region. Grr.
Dare I turn on the news? Or is going to be Elbowgate, week 2?