It was finally good to see that the President of the United States of America (or POTUS as he is lovingly referred to south of the 49th) was coming for his trumped up visit to Canada after all the delays and trouble inside his country wallowing in absolute turmoil.
Interesting to see him take off from Washington in bright sunshine wearing a light jacket and then have to land in Ottawa in a foggy ice storm wearing a heavy park! Poor guy could have been in Moosonee for all he knew.
From the CTV News web site on 24 March, 2023:
“OTTAWA – The United States’ first lady was given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau took Jill Biden to the curling rink…The official itinerary says Jill Biden will be given an “introduction to the sport of curling” before chatting with a local youth team about wellness and mental health”.
The story goes that Ms. Gregoire Trudeau proffered this event as showing the First Lady how sports coincides with developing good mental health and wellness. Some sports, that is. What seems to be missing here is an acknowledgement that there are other sports outside of the confines of the prestigious Rideau Curling Club.
I am sure that the privileged local youth that enjoy the confines of the Rideau Curling Club don’t worry too much about their mental health and wellness. Would they accept a poor kid from the Jane/Finch corridor in such a lofty place? Yeah, right, it might drive you to drink!
It is refreshing, however, to see a county’s first lady interested in sport. I suppose curling was a wise alternative now that the Roxham Road Five K run has been placed on hold.
Not that I wish to suggest that Ms. Gregoire Trudeau may be a bit of a hypocrite here, but I wonder has she discussed the health and wellness benefits of some of the shooting sports? Group therapy at its best!
Now I will be the first to admit that robbing a milk store in downtown Ottawa with a forty-pound curling stone is a little more difficult than with a thirty-ounce Glock nine-millimetre, but, I am just one opinion in the wilderness of political correctness.
We have yet to hear an announcement from our Prime Minister about adding curling stones to the prohibited list under the current Bill C-21, but as the hearings before committee in Ottawa are still ongoing, there still may be time.
It seems to me that more people in the Peterborough area have been seeking to join the Peterborough Revolver & Pistol Club in greater numbers than have been flocking to the outskirts of town to join the Peterborough Curling Club, but I may be wrong on that account having never myself dabbled in the sport of curling for my mental health and wellness. The shooting sports suit me just fine.
I wonder how Canadian Olympic shooting star and best friend of MP Pam Damoff, Ms. Linda Keijko, is at throwing a forty pound curling stone, ‘cause she may have to get used to it!
Could I get another drink, please…on the rocks!