"Bonus" post (2)

Just wanted to hop in to say that I was going to post something yesterday, as usual, but my internet went down yesterday evening, and didn't come back until I did something miraculous that didn't involve rebooting the computer, the router/modem, or anything else, at 11am. Don't ask me what I did, and I still haven't checked to see if the TV is working, but I hope to spend the afternoon perusing the news, Facbook, and the Twitterverse for more strike/union-related news and opinion. 

But first, I have posted the open letter to the Premier that I started  yesterday after the Throne Speech* (I get a kick out of everyone who posted about the "Speech from the Thrown"). I purposely left out the dig at her for not meeting, or really acknowledging, the strike. I paired that down to the line about dialogue and engagement being necessary for negotiation.

*For my USAian readers, the Speech From the Throne is read by the Sovereign, in our case the Lieutenant Governor, at the federal level the Governor General, at the beginning of each parliamentary session. It's provided by the leader of the government (Premier or Prime Minister, as the case may be) and, sort of like the State of the Union address, lays out the priorities and goals for the legislative session.  And without a ton of posturing, introduction of 'honored' guests and so on.

So, cautious optimism that Premier Stefanson is a critical thinker and a creative problem solver, and will see that some of her goals will require some investment. At least, as far as I know, she doesn't spend five months of the year in Costa Rica.**

**Overstruck the dig at the previous Premier, who for various reasons Shall Not Be Named(tm) and anyway Who Doesn't Matter Anymore(tm). Also, Costa Rica sounds like a beautiful country (not least because I have beautiful friends there), and there are worse places to spend 5 months of the year.  But between are most recent mayor, who would spend inordinate time at his property in Arizona, and he who Shall Not Be Named's penchant for disappearing to Costa Rica for weeks at a time, I'm pretty done with elected officials who spend so much of their time non-locally.  Have a vacation for a week or two. Even a weekend or two a month. But please.