Opinion
Some reflections on the Simkin Centre and saying good riddance to the narcissist-in-chief
By BERNIE BELLAN
The Simkin Centre has certainly been on the minds of many readers of this paper over the past few weeks – in both a very positive way when it comes to hearing about the huge donation given to that institution totally out of the blue, but also in a much more worrying way as we learn of a number of incidents of COVID there, and the sad news of two deaths of residents from COVID.
The first death of a resident from COVID came on October 24th, while the second death came October 31st.
Given the terrible situation in Manitoba at this time it is no surprise that the Simkin Centre, despite its staff having taken all necessary precautions to safeguard against a COVID outbreak, was also victim to a virus that is especially hard to guard against in health care facilities. With so many readers having a close connection to the Simkin Centre, either at present or at some point in the past, any mention of COVID at that personal care home resonates in a way that hearing the news in other PCH’s doesn’t.
Naturally, we’re all deeply concerned by what’s happening – and what makes it all the more difficult is knowing how increasingly difficult it’s been for all personal care homes in the province to deal with the ever mounting financial burdens they’re facing without any increase in funding from the province. I usually shy away from criticizing either the provincial or federal government within the pages of this paper, since there’s plenty of that for all to read or hear in the “mainstream media” – but the freeze in funding for PCH’s that first started under the former NDP government is an absolute travesty.
That’s why it was such welcome news to read of an unexpected gift of $725,000 from the Myer and Corrine Geller Trust to the Sharon Home/Simkin Centre. That money couldn’t have come at a more urgent time, although admittedly a good portion of the money will not be put to immediate use. (According to the report issued by the Simkin Centre about the donation, 70% of the money will be put into a reserve fund to be managed by the Jewish Foundation.)
You might be wondering why I was so determined to try and crack the mystery why someone who had left Winnipeg over 70 years ago would want to leave such a substantial donation to our Jewish personal care home. Frankly, I enjoy a challenge and this particular story presented a challenge of a sort about which I don’t ever recall reading.
Although there is no absolute way in which anyone could prove that Myer Geller wanted to give a substantial donation to the Sharon Home because his mother had been a resident there – short of hearing directly from a relative who might be able to corroborate that hypothesis, as I argue in my article on page one, that is the most likely scenario based on the evidence I have been able to put together (with the help of others to a certain extent).
And, if it is true that Myer Geller’s mother, Sarah, was a resident of the Sharon Home, what could be a more loving gesture of devotion from a son or daughter to a parent to thank the facility that took care of that parent in his or her final days? If Myer Geller’s magnanimous donation might also lead others who have a parent at the Simkin Centre to want to do something similar, there couldn’t be a greater expression of appreciation for the tremendous work that staff – and volunteers, do there, day in and day out.
As we all continue to endure what is emerging as a ferocious battle against an unrelentingly dangerous virus, it’s easier for some of us than it is for others.
For myself, I spend a good portion of my days now holed up in my very comfortable rec room – which has now become the office of The Jewish Post & News. While I’m certainly working harder than I ever expected to be doing at this stage of my life, I have to admit that producing this newspaper to a very large extent relieves me of having to worry about what to do with my time. I don’t know how many books one can read or how many TV shows one can watch without going stir crazy. I also have a dog who, while spoiled rotten, forces me to get outside for walks on a regular basis – so, all in all, I consider myself very lucky.
One thing that I’ve avoided doing for the most part though, is spending any time on Facebook. Other than posting occasionally to our JewishPostandNews Facebook page – when I want to alert followers of our page to an interesting story on our website, for the most part I simply don’t look at Facebook.
If anything, the terrible reputation that social media have developed for being purveyors of the worst sort of misinformation has quite repelled me from being the least bit interested in looking at any forms of social media – other than Bartley Kives’s Twitter feed, which I find hugely informative.
Now that the US election is over – and we are likely to be relieved of the burden of the incessant BS emanating from the current occupant of the White House, maybe, just maybe, we can wake up every day without having to hear or read about the latest unbelievable lie uttered or tweeted by Donald F. Trump, although the liklihood is that Trump will never stop wanting to be the absolute centre of attention – which is what his entire career has always been.
While I’ve gone out of my way to try and present as estimable a defense of Trump as a capable president as one can muster by allowing others to write opinion pieces glorifying the narcissist-in-chief, I can’t help but think back to the end of the Nixon era, when another lying commander-in-chief left the White House in disgrace.
At the time I was a devout fan of Dick Cavett, whose talk show remains unequaled in terms of the erudite level of discourse it brought to late-night TV. Cavett, who it was later revealed, was on Nixon’s “enemies list” – marked for severe retribution, had a wonderful turn of phrase when it came to constantly referring to Nixon as the “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Watergate scandal. No doubt, he got under Nixon’s skin more than anyone else in the media for continuing to use that term night in and night out.
Now, while late-night TV hosts have had a four-year field day roasting the consummate con artist that is really all that Trump is, for many of us the hope is that Trump will indeed face indictments on a whole range of charges once he leaves (or is marched out) of office.
At the very least he should be indicted on the same charges of campaign finance transgressions that led to his former lackey lawyer Michael Cohen going to jail.
Yes, I know there have been some good things that have been accomplished during his presidency – although they are very few and far between, and that Israel now has established diplomatic relations with more Arab countries than ever before, but how on earth can otherwise rational and intelligent people continue to give Trump a pass for everything else that he’s done?
Never mind the disastrous manner in which his administration has handled the COVID situation (George W. Bush was also hugely incompetent when it came to dealing with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, so it’s not surprising that another Republican president would also dismiss the warnings of scientists and other professionals within his own administration that disaster was afoot unless he took precautions early), Trump is very much responsible for the savagely crude level of discourse that is so much associated with social media these days.
Yet, it’s not just the Trumpers who have led me to avoid Facebook as much as it is possible to do so at a time when social media are by far the most popular means by which most people derive their information, it’s also the voices on the left who have repelled me.
When I read Prof. Mira Sucharov’s memoir, “Borders and Belonging”, about which I write on page , I was struck by the degree to which an academic puts their career in jeopardy by attempting to provide balance when it comes to discussing certain subjects, among which one of the most incendiary is Israel’s relationship with the Palestinians.
Mira has been subjected to vitriolic scorn from both sides of the debate – and it has certainly taken its psychological toll, as well as an apparent physical one, on her, for daring to toe an even handed approach to that issue.
As someone who has also been subject to vicious denunciations from some of the more extreme right wing defenders of Israel within our community, I can relate to Mira’s quandary, although to be quite honest, I’ve never been involved in the kind of nasty cross-fighting that goes on in the academic world, and which she’s encountered on a regular basis.
We all have one overriding concern these days – and that’s to get through the pandemic while retaining both our physical and psychological equilibrium. To the extent that Trump was responsible for the deterioration of that equilibrium on so many counts, I say thank goodness we’re almost rid of him, even though it’s apparent that his presence will haunt us always. I say
Local News
Is It Alberta’s Turn to Regulate Online Gambling? Looking at the Possibilities
Online gambling and betting in Canada is booming, with each province allowed to regulate its own space. Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, turned two this year after leading the way in April 2022. In what should motivate Alberta and other provinces, Ontario is already reaping the rewards, generating $100 million annually in gambling revenue. Will the local administration in Alberta do what is needed?
Talks have been rife that Alberta is considering going the Ontario way by having an open-licensing system. In July 2023, the minister for Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, issued a mandate to make this province a hub of online sports betting and gambling.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently asked Nally to cooperate with indigenous partners and other stakeholders to develop an online gaming strategy. The main focus will be on revenue generation and responsible gambling. In light of this, Nally said Alberta’s primary focus is becoming a “leading hub for iGaming” with streamlined regulations and low corporate taxes. Such conditions should position Alberta to become a leading iGaming destination.
A few weeks ago, the minister attended the ICE international gaming conference held in London. Together with Ontario’s Attorney General, Doug Downey, and other stakeholders, Nally participated in a roundtable discussion regarding the status of iGaming in Canada. CDC Gaming Reports also revealed that the discussion highlighted the success of iGaming in Ontario and how Alberta can emulate this success story.
Looking into the Alberta Budget 2024, it’s evident that state monopoly could soon give way to Canadian casinos to thrive in the province. Alberta took the first baby steps towards a more liberal gambling sector after setting aside $1 million for gambling. This budget will support the looming review of the Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation. The idea is to review the entire regulatory framework to find more funding ways for Alberta charities and community projects.
Major operators like BetMGM, PointsBet, and PokerStars have since hired lobbyists to ensure commercial operators become a reality in Alberta. Speaking to investors and industry analysts in March this year, PointsBet CEO Sam Swanell tipped Alberta and British Columbia to legalize online betting soon. He noted that this could provide the much-needed expansion of that TAM.
Alberta is yet to take full advantage of online gambling despite being the country’s fourth-largest province, with around 4.3 million people. Smaller markets in North America, such as West Virginia and Connecticut, are already benefiting from commercialized online gambling. The good news is that noises about legal online gambling are getting louder in Alberta. It’s just a matter of when the government will make the announcement.
What Next for Online Gambling and Betting in Alberta?
Including a $1 million gambling review budget is definitely a step in the right direction. However, there’s still much to do to end Alberta’s long-standing gambling status quo. But at least the budget opens the door for further discussions and reforms regarding iGaming in Alberta. That discussion has been underway, although the momentum has increased in the last year or so.
As it stands, PlayAlberta.ca is the only regulated online gaming platform in Alberta. It’s a government-run website operated by the AGLC (Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis). Besides casino games, this website provides sports betting and lottery-style gaming experiences. The legal sign-up age on PlayAlberta.ca is 18 years.
For Albertans who prefer more gambling freedom, the government doesn’t restrict anyone from joining offshore operators. Most gaming sites operating in Alberta are licensed in Curacao, the UK, and Malta. Compared to PlayAlberta.ca, these websites provide a more extensive variety of games, rewards, and general experience.
In conclusion, it’s just a matter of when Alberta will introduce an open-licensing market. This approach has proved to be a success elsewhere, especially in Ontario. A recent Ipsos report in Ontario revealed that only 13.6% of the residents prefer to gamble on offshore websites. Alberta could soon follow this path, although there’s much work to do to realize this dream.
Opinion
Hamas savages make no distinction between Israeli Jews, Arabs
By MYRON LOVE I remember many years ago attending a presentation by Simon Wiesenthal, the world’s leading Nazi hunter, during which he made the point that the focus of Holocaust education should not be on the number six million – the number of estimated Jews who were murdered – but rather on the 12 million martyrs – including other targeted groups such as the Roma, people who were gay, the mentally and physically handicapped and the many great many Slavic people who were also murdered. After the Jews, the Slavs were next on the list.
By focusing strictly on Germans killing Jews, he observed, it became too easy to make it out to be only Germans versus Jews – thereby making it easier for Holocaust deniers and absolving the other European peoples who were complicit in the killings.
Similarly, while we naturally mourn our Jewish brethren who were so horribly slaughtered on October 7, we need to also bear in mind that Hamas made no distinction in its murderous rampage between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs or between Israelis and foreign workers.
In a posting for The Gatestone Institute on November 30, Israeli-Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh noted that he Hamas terrorists who attacked Israel on October 7 did not slaughter Jews alone. The terrorists also murdered and kidnapped scores of Muslim citizens of Israel, including members of the Bedouin community. The terrorists’ murder spree made zero distinction between young and old, Muslim and Jew.
“Scores of Arab Israelis were wounded, murdered or taken prisoner,” he reported.
One such brave individual was 23-year-old Awad Darawshe, an Arab-Israeli paramedic who was on duty at the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, which was among the first locations under attack. When the medical staff on site were ordered to flee, he insisted on remaining behind to treat the wounded.
Abu Toameh suggests that the paramedic thought that because he was Arab, he could reason with the killers. He was murdered nonetheless.
Another courageous Arab-Israeli that the writer noted, 50-year-old Abed al-Rahman Alnasasrah, was murdered by Hamas terrorists when he attempted to rescue people from the music festival. He was married and a father of six children.
Fatima Altallaqat, 35, from the Bedouin village near Ofakim, was murdered while working with her husband near the city of Ofakim in southern Israel. She was a mother of nine children, the eldest nine years old.
Abu Toameh quotes her husband as saying: “We’re a religious Muslim family and she wore the traditional headdress of a devout woman. It is inconceivable they [Hamas terrorists] could not see who was inside [the car]. They were five meters away from her as they passed.”
Forty bullets were fired into her.
Abu Toameh further cites the comments of Suleiman Zayadneh, brother and uncle, respectively, to four of the Arab-Israeli hostages, who describes himself “as proud to be a Palestinian and Muslim”.
‘The people who came to shoot and kill — they know nothing of religion,” the writer quoted Zayadneh as saying. “These [Hamas] people came and killed left and right.”
Abu Toameh went on to reference the words of Nuseir Yassin, a video blogger with 65 million followers. Two days after the massacre, he wrote: “I realized that… to a terrorist invading Israel, all citizens are targets. More than 40 of them [the murdered] are Arabs. Killed by other Arabs. And I do not want to live under a Palestinian government. Which means I only have one home, even if I’m not Jewish: Israel…. So from today forward, I view myself as… Israeli first. Palestinian second. Sometimes it takes a shock like this to see so clearly.”
Abu Toameh reported that “there have been many storie about reciprocal inter-communal generosity and heroism in the aftermath of this national tragedy, and they create hope for the future”.
He quoted a statement by the Darwashe Family:
“We are very proud of Awad’s actions… This is what we would expect from him and what we expect from everyone in our family — to be human, to stay human and to die human.”
Abu Toameh also quoted Ali Alziadna, four of whose family members were kidnapped, as saying that he was “touched by the outpouring of support” by other Israelis.
“People from all over the country have come to hug and support our family,” Alziadna said. “The entire nation is one family now.”
Abu Toameh pointed out that many Arab citizens of Israel serve as IDF officers and policemen, risking their lives for their fellow Israelis. Many are serving at the front lines, saving lives.
Undoubtedly, Abu Toameh suggested, one of the objectives of the Hamas massacre, in addition to slaughtering as many Israelis as possible, was to thwart normalization between Israel and Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Hamas may also have aimed to damage relations between Jews and Arabs inside Israel.
”The terror group was, without doubt, hoping that we would witness another cycle of violence between Jews and Arabs inside Israel, similar to that which erupted in May 2021,’ Abu Toameh posited. “Then, Hamas succeeded in inciting a large number of Arab citizens of Israel to take to the streets and attack their Jewish neighbors and Israeli police officers.
“This time, however, the Arab-Israelis have not heeded the calls by Hamas. One reason is that Arab-Israelis saw, with their own eyes, how Hamas terrorists make no distinction between Jews and Muslims.
“Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated that it cares nothing for the well-being of Arabs and Muslims. From their luxury homes and hotel rooms in the safety of Qatar and Turkey, Hamas leaders give the orders to attack Israel and then sit back and let the world weep over the destruction they wrought upon their own people.
“On October 7,” Abu Toameh concluded, “Hamas metaphorically shot itself in the foot by showing the world, with unfathomably ghoulish pride, by way of Go-Pro cameras and other self-documentation, that it has neither a religious nor a secular-humanist set of values. Perhaps the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip should look at the Arab citizens of Israel and note how they enjoy equal rights, democracy, freedom of speech and a free media. If Palestinians wish to live well, like the Arab-Israelis, this is the time for them to get rid of Hamas and all the terror leaders who, for seven decades, have brought them nothing but one disaster after another.”
It is too bad that so many gullible fools in our Western societies refuse to open their eyes to the truth.
Opinion
An Arab Trusteeship Council for Gaza
By Prof. BRYAN SCHWARTZ Oct. 17, 2023 (Originally posted to The Times of Israel)
1 No peace is possible with Hamas. It is genocidally antisemitic. This position is foundational, not rhetorical or mutable. Waiting for the emergence of a “pragmatic” version of Hamas is suicidally naïve.
2 Peace and cooperation are possible with most of Israel’s non-Iranian neighbours. They are militarily threatened by Iran, not Israel. For many in those countries, Iran’s version of Islam might be more problematic from the religious perspective than Israel’s Jewishness.
3 Hamas’ attack was partly to prevent a Saudi deal and a long-term economic cooperation
4 Israel has no territorial claim to Gaza and no material, religious, or ideological interest in running it.
5 Israel has vital moral and material interests in the emergence of a peaceful, demilitarized, and prosperous Gaza. If that can occur in the medium term, a long-term reconciliation of the Palestinians with Israel is achievable.
6 As and when Hamas is evicted from power, Gaza will need some new form of government.
7 The Palestinian authority probably cannot be trusted to take over Gaza. It is corrupt and lacked- and probably still lacks- credibility with a majority of the population in Gaza.
8 There used to be a concept called trusteeship in international law, whereby foreign powers would govern a territory in its best interests until its final status is clarified at the wishes of its own people.
9 The United Nations cannot be trusted to administer Gaza – any more than it has shown to be trustworthy to maintain strategic security in Southern Lebanon or to operate UNWRA in a manner that is effective for Palestinians and not hostile to Israel.
10 Consider this alternative. After Hamas is evicted from power, there is an interim period- say five to seven to ten years -of governance over Gaza by an Arab trusteeship council. The Council members are appointed primarily by Arab states sympathetic to Israel and eager to see the people of Gaza thrive. This Council could include local Gaza representatives and a representative of the Palestinian Authority but the majority would be representative of states like Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
11 The trusteeship agreement would be formal, agreed to by Israel, and unequivocally state its objectives, including:
-demilitarizing Gaza;
-defining the sole purposes for which outside reconstruction and development money can be spent and requiring strict accounting
-ensuring that the education system in Gaza is not contaminated by antisemitic hatred;
-promoting sound administration of Gaza, including providing for transparent and non-corrupt government, with significant safeguards for human rights, and conformity to the rule of law;
-promoting the development of a real economy for Gaza, not one fuelled primarily by international subsidies.
13 No state could participate in the Council without having a peace agreement with Israel.
14 In fact, the creation of the Council and Saudi participation in it could be part of a peace deal with Saudi Arabia. The deal could involve a reconstruction package from the Saudis for Gaza, which would help secure the support of the people of Gaza for the Council arrangement as an interim measure.
15 Policing would be carried out by a force composed of Palestinians and members of the police forces of Trusteeship states, under the direction of the Council.
16 The net effect would be to remove Gaza from Iran’s influence and establish temporary control by a consortium of mostly Sunni states. The latter would be chosen from among those that are at least reasonably friendly to Israel and genuinely committed to good governance in Gaza.
17 The definitive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict can only be achieved in a series of steps. Compromises are even more painful if they are framed as permanent. But if practical peace, stability, and some prosperity can be achieved in the medium term in Gaza and the West Bank, an amicable and enduring resolution should be achievable with the Palestinians.
18 While Israel is under severe military menace right now, it is not too early to think about how a positive political outcome can be achieved after the necessary and painful battle is concluded.
19 The current catastrophe is a so-far successful attempt by the regime in Teheran to disrupt peace negotiations involving Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Political vision along with military force might enable Israel to turn around the situation and complete and consolidate a lasting peace with almost all of its Arab neighbours and to set the stage for a formal and enduring peace with the Palestinians. The Teheran regime would be isolated, diminished in prestige, and more likely to be replaced from within.
About the Author
Bryan’s Jewish-themed musical “Consoulation: A Musical Mediation” premiered in the Spring of of 2018; https://consoulation.com His new album will appear in the coming months. Bryan Schwartz graduated with a doctorate in law from Yale School and holds an endowed chair at the University of Manitoba Law School. He is the author or editor of over thirty books and collections of essays. Bryan also created and helps to deliver an annual summer program at Hebrew University in Israeli law and society. He has served as a visiting Professor at both HU and Reichman university. . As a practising lawyer, Bryan has argued a number of cases at the Supreme Court of Canada, advised governments, and served as an arbitrator at the provincial, national and international level.
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