slave u.

we're all slaves to something… c'est la vie.

The Trials of Paying a Canadian Bill From the USA

In February, I logged into my credit card account online (the credit card company in question offers cards in both Canada and the United States) and found to my utter joy that there was an option for me to initiate a payment by inputting bank account information and initiating the payment from the credit card’s website. Finally, an option that would allow me to pay my credit card without having to jump through the Flaming Hoops of Doom! I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it because I was initiating the payment online via the Canadian website and trying to make the payment from an American bank account. Continue reading

BC Teachers vs. the Provincial Government

I’ve been reading quite a bit about the latest dispute between the BCTF (British Columbia Teacher’s Federation, the Province’s teacher’s union) and the BC Provincial government. Sadly, the government is threatening to legislate an agreement again and the sticking point seems to be all about the salaries. The BCTF had originally included a (in my opinion) outrageous demand that teachers be given the option to take a 26 week paid leave for compassionate care among other things that I didn’t think were necessary, but they have pared all of these away. They do, however, want a 3% increase in salary each year (http://bctf.ca/publications/bargainingbulletin.aspx) for cost of living an additional 3% market adjustment in years 2 and 3. Continue reading

Jack Layton Will Be Missed

It feels a little weird with so many thoughts being devoted to what’s going on in Canada right now when I’m not in Canada, but my physical location doesn’t change the fact that I am Canadian. The news that Jack Layton had died yesterday (Monday, August 22, 2011) morning caused a little numbness.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the NDP (New Democrat Party). I have Libertarian leanings and the NDP was always far too much in favour of what would be in serious danger of gross overspending. That said, Jack Layton was an incredibly inspiring man. With him at the head of the NDP and as the leader of the House Opposition, you felt reasonably good about Stephen Harper (current Canadian Prime Minister) having a much needed check and balance.

He certainly will be missed as a voice of reason, and inspiring speaker, and one of the few great politicians of any decade in Canadian history.