Althia Raj: A closer look at six controversial powers inside Mark Carney’s Building Canada Strong Act

Carney has learned from Trump to consolidate executive power in his own hands.

https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/a-closer-look-at-six-controversial-powers-inside-carney-s-building-canada-strong-act/article_f4febc73-3e96-4716-a287-44a30bd0d555.html

> … to narrow, exempt, and build in so much discretion that they can, when they need to, for their political purposes, make the laws either not apply at all, or apply in a toothless way. And that way, they can say: ‘Well, we still have these laws.’ But what are they worth now?

https://www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?t=94c1828d-2561-4e4e-bfe3-d8c7157e6b4b

My own security system flagged me, a Black woman, as an animal

https://theconversation.com/my-own-security-system-flagged-me-a-black-woman-as-an-animal-292087

> As Ottawa seeks billions in international investment in advanced technology, bias cannot be a moral footnote.

My first novel's characters wear flashy, skintight clothes. I didn't expect it to change the way I dress, too

https://www.thestar.com/life/beauty-and-fashion/fashion/my-first-novel-s-characters-wear-flashy-skin-tight-clothes-it-changed-the-way-i-dress-too/article_43fb8a9b-eab5-560e-857f-1bc4ab29be10.html

Not the reason I read novels, but maybe some will.

> I’m not the type of writer who believes in creating intricate backstories for every character — many of mine lack even a last name — but I do believe they should have a sense of style. After all, my job is to make imaginary people seem real, and what is more tangible and telling than an outfit?

Weird. Me or her, IDK which.

> Barely half of Canadians aged 15 to 24 have a job. That’s not a blip. It’s a broken ladder.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/the-youth-jobs-crisis-has-a-culprit-closer-to-home/article_92130f4b-6b48-4ea7-9039-14ee4f2b652c.html

> Ontario Premier Doug Ford has shown little sympathy; last fall, he said young people just aren’t looking “hard enough” for work

Apparently, they've all suddenly become lazy. They could all be working in fast food for minimum wage.

Gift link:
https://www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?t=264f2df0-6f8f-44cd-bc3d-c01b9651a811

#NeverVoteConservative

We know how to end homelessness. We just won't pay for it

Funny how that "trickle down theory" works.

Record homelessness, record wealth for billionaires.

We know how to end homelessness. We just won't pay for it

https://phys.org/news/2026-10-homelessness-wont-pay.html

"Trump vs Europe as US presses for release of emergency diesel stocks"

Trump causes massive shortage of diesel fuel. Demands other people solve the problem at their expense.

By reducing their ability to respond to other emergencies, such as Russian aggression.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/2/trump-vs-europe-as-us-presses-for-release-of-emergency-diesel-stocks?traffic_source=rss

> Europe's leaders are mulling proposals to respond to Trump's diesel demands.

It rained, after a couple of dry weeks.

Our "lawn" is suddenly full of mushrooms.

#fungi

Overnight, Meta deleted all her accounts. AI customer service won’t let her reach a human | CBC News

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/meta-accounts-deleted-ai-customer-service-9.7364543?cmp=rss

> Toronto resident Jasmine Ault says Meta disabled her accounts overnight, without giving her a reason, and that she's been unable to get past their AI chatbots to speak to a human to resolve the error. Experts say without regulation enforcing the right to speak to a human, this will keep happening.

Yes we need this for corporations in general, but for corporate social media, we need to abandon them altogether.

Starting with all government accounts.

My parents, leaving for a holiday, from our house shortly before i was born.

About 10 years later, they got a motorbike and five more years, they got a car.

The motor bike came when my dad switched from working in a single factory where he could go by bus, to being an out-fitter, installing and repairing machinery in different factories, so the bus was no longer practical.

I did have a crash helmet for riding pillion on the bike, but for some reason I wasn't actually allowed to ride it myself. A Francis-Barnett.

#memories

Remember The Beatles?

They had a song in which a hammer went rogue.

🎼🎵 Bang! Bang! Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head

https://genius.com/The-beatles-maxwells-silver-hammer-lyrics

Schools forced to shut amid burst Thames Water pipe ‘leaking 750 litres a second’ | Water industry | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/28/schools-forced-to-shut-amid-burst-thames-water-pipe-leaking-750-litres-a-second

The UK privatized water and sewage.

It has been an unmitigated disater.

Everybody in every country should be fighting for no privatization and more public or co-operative ownership.

Winter is coming