I’m alright Jack, bugger you!

Here is a pic of my daughter Robin and my grand daughter Julia.  As you can see they are a couple of big mouths.  This is the two of them recently at a labour convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When Robin was born the first words out of her mouth were not mommy or daddy but “it isn’t fair!” Hence a career as a labour leader for one of Canada’s biggest unions Unifor. So I guess you can figure I ain’t a conservative! I am a Social Democrat to the bone. If they would have me I would live in Denmark. I keep waiting for them to ask me to be their poet laureate at Guldagergaard.

The Arts is a good place for me with my views. I have friends in every genre- gay, queer, black, yellow, red and all out off the wall crazy. I love them all to death. The Arts is a welcoming place for people that are different and that includes the likes of me.

Robin has done me proud. She has been wire tapped by the RCMP, followed by the Ontario Provincial Police, locked in a church basement by the cops, dumpster dived in a Walmart dumpster, marched in Gay Parades, and picketed Tyson Meats in Brooks, Alberta.  So what chance does Julia have of being a Conservative? Not a hope in hell.

Caring for others is hard work and takes courage. It is so much easier to just look after your own self and claim survival of the fittest.  I’m alright Jack, bugger you seems to be so prevalent today.

Here is a picture of my Uncle Jimmie’s pink woman’s mohair hat that he was so fond of wearing. I keep the hat on a chair in my bedroom to remind me of him, the conditions were he worked as a child in the coal pits of Northumberland, England  and then later 

the potteries of Medalta, Alberta where men were covered from head to toe in red lead.

As you sit comfortably in your home tonight, sipping a nice glass of red wine and chowing down on a nice meal you had better give thanks to someone that sacrificed for you.  I do! Thanks Uncle Jimmie. Thanks Robin and Julia.  Thanks Jay my son the downtown Toronto paramedic. Thanks to all of you that give more than you take. Bless you! Oh and my dad’s name was Jack. I’m alright Jack. I’m living your dream!