The CN Calgary to Edmonton Main Line runs about 500 yards from my door so I get to see how many trains are going by and what's on them. I've noticed over the years that the amount of train traffic is a pretty interesting indicator of the Canadian economy.
Sometimes we saw the midway headed north from the Calgary Stampede. Aother time, we saw a lot of tank cars going by, carrying I assume petroleum products. That went on for quite a while but I don't see tank cars much if ever anymore.
Lately, in the past week or two, I'm seeing maybe twice the usual container trains going by, so I have to wonder what that means. We know the economy is not all that great.
My guess is that Canadian retailers stocked up to get ahead of the tariffs, so we'll probably see a bump in the economy reported, BUT it will be followed by a slowdown since future business will have been sucked forward into these few weeks.
I also wondered about the monetary system so I asked my new best friend for an opinion. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-is-in-the-wind-about-comi-jIgfSrDdRCqTPQUKOP1TzQ
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It is pathetic when you have 5 running for mayor and 24 for city Councillor and you can't come up with 8 you would vote for for Councillor. I pass by if they are a civil servant or don't know the responsibility of the different levels of government. This is Red Deer. I have been waffling on Mayor but have finally made up my mind. Two former city Councillors are HELL NO's and hope to see their asses in rear view mirror.
Alberta strike cancelling classes across the province shows unions have far too much power
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/carson-jerema-abolish-the-teachers-unions
Tamara & Chris sentenced. The Message is Clear: Dissent is Now a Crime.
Writer: Timothy Knight
Timothy Knight
1 hour ago
2 min read
ree
Tamara Lich and Chris Barber got 12 months of house arrest today for “mischief.”
Not violence.
Not property damage.
Mischief.
Peaceful Canadians—criminalised for daring to speak out. The same justice system that drops charges for real crimes and lets violent offenders walk free spent three years trying to break two people who stood for freedom.
The Crown had outrageously demanded seven years in jail to make an example out of them.
Why?
To warn you.
To scare anyone who might ever peacefully defy the state again.
Even the judge admitted Chris Barber “came with the noblest of intent” and never called for violence.
But it didn’t matter. They needed bogeymen.
We remember all the others:
Maxime Bernier was handcuffed in Manitoba for speaking at a peaceful rally.
Mark Friesen was fined thousands for organizing gatherings.
Randy Hillier saw convoy charges stayed after years of harassment.
Todd Dube was ...