Trump bets it all on friendship with Kim

Apparently, the U.S. president Donald Trump, bet everything for friendship with Kim Jong, who is the supreme leader of North Korea. Likewise, Trump sought to flatter his new friend in Singapore when he received an unusual compliment.

It is already well known that Kim rules North Korea with an iron fist and a disregard for human rights. In fact, it is considered that what he has achieved is due to his birth, being that hard work is not involved. Even so, Trump’s choice of praise for his new negotiating partner, conveyed by a person familiar with the conversation, reflects the determination of the president of the United States to flatter his path towards nuclear peace in Asia.

So, while embarking on a second summit meeting with Kim in Hanoi, it seems that Trump is really prepared to employ the same tactics while looking for a concrete roadmap for the denuclearization of North Korea. Likewise, it should be noted that before the formal talks begin on Thursday, the two men will have a small dinner with only a select number of helpers. This would be an intimate beginning to a balanced summit in the most improbable diplomatic friendship, perhaps, of the world.

A link that really surprises

Electric vehicles are approaching a tipping point

CBC's David Common tops up the batteries of a Kia electric car at a public charging station in Chatham, Ont., during a trip from Toronto to Detroit. The road test in -20 C conditions revealed some of the challenges still faced by electric vehicles on longer trips. (Jill English/CBC)

An electric car is a car propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Electric motors provide electric cars with instant torque, creating a strong and continuous acceleration. They are also up to three times more efficient than an internal combustion engine.

Now, it is necessary to indicate that these vehicles are currently surpassing different reasons why many of the Canadians say they do not want to use electricity.

Likewise, it is considered that vehicles are approaching a point of inflection. And is that Canadians are acquiring electric vehicles like never before, with almost double sales in 2018 over the previous year. But while one in every 11 new cars sold now is considered an EV, Canadians are heavily inclined towards gas hybrids and are reluctant to buy only electric options.

However, it is not a secret that there are still a lot of drivers are reluctant to abandon the gas.

Influential reasons

Guaido Hints at More Radical Steps to Topple Maduro as Aid Burns

A demonstrator throws a rock at members of the Bolivarian National Guard. Photographer: Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is the interim president of Venezuela, insinuates more radical steps. This in order to overthrow Maduro. In fact, it ensures that all options are on the table.

It is worth noting that last Friday I celebrate Venezuela Live Aid. It was carried out near the Tienditas bridge that links Colombia and Venezuela. Likewise, it is necessary to mention that it is blocked by Nicolás Maduro, in order to prevent the arrival of aid. This concert was free and could be seen live all over the world.

It was organized by entrepreneur Richard Branson, who explained that the goal was to raise tens of millions of dollars through donations and send them to Venezuela. Also, Branson assured, “United by music we can make a big difference and contribute to end the unnecessary suffering of millions of people”.

Similarly, according to Branson, was a direct request of the self-proclaimed interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, who appeared by surprise in the recital despite being banned from leaving Venezuela, and the opposition leader Leopoldo López.

What happened after the Venezuela Live Aid

Healthiest Countries in the World

Sources: Bloomberg analysis of World Health Organization data; United Nations Population Division and the World Bank

Health Index analyzes both life expectancy and environmental factors. The 2019 edition of the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index, ranks 169 economies according to the factors that contribute to overall health. This index classifies nations according to the variables that include life expectancy while imposing sanctions on risks such as tobacco consumption and obesity. It also considers environmental factors, including access to drinking water and sanitation.

According to the data obtained, four additional European nations were among the top 10 in 2019. Thus, Iceland (third place), Switzerland (fifth), Sweden (sixth) and Norway (ninth). Japan was the healthiest Asian nation, jumped three places from the 2017 survey to the fourth and replaced Singapore, which fell to the eighth. While Australia and Israel completed the top 10 in the seventh and tenth place.

Relevant data

A Comparative Study on Strength between American College Male and Female Students in Caucasian and Asian Populations (PDF)

Click here

Maxime Bernier: How the central bank eats your money

It is already well known that the last weeks have been full of speculation. This in regards to the decision to finally raise the rates after keeping them at a low level for more than a year. In such a way, it is considered that great speculation will be established on the next movements of the bank. That being the case, all this is related to the fact that last week the Bank of Canada increased its reference rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 0.5%.

In this way, questions arise as far as I could go and of course how fast. However, it is considered that all these assumptions about the establishment of rates have nothing to do with capitalism and free markets. In fact, this would be more specifically linked to central planning and government control of the money supply. In a monetary free market, the interest rate would be determined by the demand for credit and the supply of savings, as well as any other price in the economy.

Consequences referred to the subject

Who will be the technology leader for 5G?

5G is the latest generation of mobile cellular communications. It succeeds the 4G, 3G, and 2G systems. The 5G performance points to a high data rate, lower latency, energy savings, cost reduction, higher system capacity, and massive device connectivity. The first phase of the 5G specifications in version 15 will be completed in April 2019 to adapt to early commercial implementation. The second phase of Version 16 will be completed in April 2020 for submission to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a candidate for IMT-2020 technology.

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a collaboration between groups of telecommunications standards associations that also specified UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G), formally approved the specification of the new independent 5G Radio. The standardized 5G standard specification is an important step towards the next generation of cellular networks.

It should be noted that the development of technology has just begun. In the coming years, greater investment in R & D will boost the development of 5G. This will provide the opportunity to reach a better-connected world. Which is expected to benefit both economies and entire societies.

What is expected with the 5G

The Rise and Fall of Chavismo in Venezuela

Photographer: Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images

Venezuela is a country on the north coast of South America, which consists of a continental mass and a large number of small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. The country has extremely high biodiversity and ranks seventh in the world list of nations with the highest number of species.

Oil was discovered in the early twentieth century and, today, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world and has been one of the world’s leading oil exporters. Previously, the country was an underdeveloped exporter of agricultural products such as coffee and cocoa, but oil soon dominated exports and government revenues. The excess oil of the 1980s led to an external debt crisis and a long-term economic crisis. The recovery of oil prices in the early 2000s gave Venezuela’s oil funds not seen since the 1980s. The Venezuelan government under Hugo Chávez then established populist social welfare policies that initially boosted the Venezuelan economy and increased social spending, temporarily reducing economic inequality and poverty in the early years of the regime. However, such populist policies later became inadequate, which caused the collapse of the nation due to its excesses, including an exceptionally extreme subsidy to fossil fuels, which are widely accused of destabilizing the nation’s economy.

The decline of Chavismo

Trump Demands End to Maduro Regime in Broad Attack on Socialism

Donald Trump on Feb. 18. Photographer: Alicia Vera/Bloomberg

The U.S. president demands that the Maduro regime ends with a generalized attack against socialism. Trump has asked the Venezuelan army not to support the Maduro regime. Since the army has remained loyal to this regime. Likewise, in a speech offered in Miami, he has criticized socialism while foreseeing attacks that could be deployed against the Democrats in his re-election campaign.

In this way, Trump expressed before an audience at the International University of Florida, “The twilight hour of socialism has reached our hemisphere and, frankly, in many, many places in the world”, and likewise said, “The days of socialism and communism are numbered, not only in Venezuela but also in Nicaragua and Cuba”. It should be noted that in his speech offered on Monday, Trump did not directly link socialism with the Democratic party or any of its politicians. However, he repeatedly pledged to prevent the ideology from becoming entrenched.

While Trump said that this would not happen with the United States, he expressed “Socialism is a sad and discredited ideology, rooted in the total ignorance of history and human nature, which is why socialism should always eventually lead to the tyranny, as it does”.

Trump’s demands

U.S. military planes drop aid to Venezuela border in effort to boost support for Guaido

A second United States Air Force C-17 cargo plane loaded with humanitarian aid lands at Camilo Daza airport in Cucuta, Colombia, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. AP Photo/Fernando Vergara

The army of the United States was given the task of transporting tons of aid for Venezuela to a Colombian town on the border with Venezuela, Cucuta. This as an effort to undermine Socialist President Nicolás Maduro and back his rival in the leadership of the South American nation, Juan Guaido.

It is necessary to mention that Cucuta, is a Colombian city that is the border with Venezuela. The same during the last years in which Venezuela has suffered a crisis has been flooded by thousands of Venezuelans. Those who, in turn, have tried to escape the terrible situation that their nation is going through. In this way, Cucuta is a collection point of aid that is supposed to be distributed by the supporters of Juan Guaido, the opposition leader who is recognized by the United States and many other nations as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

In this way, the C-17 cargo planes that took off from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida had landed in Cucuta, Colombia. That being the case, Mark Green, who is a USAID administrator, was at the Cucuta runway in a ceremony to receive the help and said, “This was not the first, and it will not be the last”, and assure, “More is on the way”.

Blocked help

Trudeau's mistreatment of a female Aboriginal minister destroys all his progressive pretensions

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is embraced by Jody Wilson-Raybould after delivering a speech on the recognition and implementation of Indigenous rights in in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press file photo

Jody Wilson-Raybould is a Kwakwaka’wakw Canadian politician and the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Granville. She served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in the cabinet of Justin Trudeau from 2015 until January 2019 and then as Minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada from January 14, 2019, until resigning on February 12, 2019.

On February 8, 2019, The Globe and Mail reported that sources close to the government said that the Prime Minister’s Office allegedly had attempted to influence Wilson-Raybould concerning an ongoing prosecution of SNC-Lavalin while she was Minister of Justice and Attorney General. When asked about the allegations, Trudeau said that the story in the Globe was false and that he had never “directed” Wilson-Raybould concerning the case. Wilson-Raybould refused to comment on the matter, citing solicitor-client privilege and resigned from the Trudeau cabinet on February 12, 2019.

Trudeau said he did not anticipate her resignation and expressed disappointment over her decision, as it was not reflective of the conversations they had had during their recent meetings. Following Wilson-Raybould’s resignation, Trudeau further elaborated by stating that the government abided by all rules, did its job properly and that if anyone within the government — including the former attorney-general — felt otherwise, the responsibility lay with Wilson-Raybould.

Wilson-Raybould potentially on par with Trudeau

Federal funding 'helpful but not required,' Bombardier Inc executive says

Bombardier Inc. is a multinational aerospace and transportation company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Bombardier started as a manufacturer of snowmobiles and is now a large manufacturer of regional passenger aircraft, business aircraft, and mass transit equipment, as well as a financial services provider.

The company has grown noticeably and is that it has done so in such a way that it already has more than it needs.

Bombardier, who previously asked Ottawa for $ 1B, says those talks “are progressing well.” However, the financing that the transport company has obtained for its CSeries program is already “more than we need”.

In such a way, such financing conversations of Bombardier Inc. with the federal government are “moving forward as planned”, but the company will be fine, even if it does not receive any kind of support. This has been affirmed by the head of the CSeries program.

Financing is not mandatory since already has more than what is needed

The reality of public education

Mary Hudson, tells the reality of public education through an article written by herself. In it, Hudson expresses everything I’ve endured for nine years while working in the New York public school system. Also, Hudson was a teacher and translator for Fable for Another Time and The Indomitable Marie-Antoinette. She has a Ph.D. in French Literature from the CUNY Graduate Center and obtained the last book of her late husband Jack Holland, A Brief History of Misogyny: The World’s Oldest Prejudice, published posthumously when Viking Penguin abandoned him after his death. Recently it has been reprinted.

In her article, the dirty secret of public education, Hudson tells how difficult it was for her to work as a teacher in the public school system. She constantly received humiliations from his students, who had no respect. Not for her, or for any other teacher. However, most of the teachers with whom she worked for nine years in the public school system of New York City were professionals, dedicated and talented. Although that happened a while ago, it is notorious that the system has not improved. Being that basically the fundamental problem has not been recognized and it leaves consequently that it cannot be solved.

9 years full of abuse

Canada, U.S. must do more to check Russia's military moves in the Arctic, says NORAD chief

A Russia Tu-160 bomber stands on the runway at Engels Air Base near Saratov, about 700 kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow, Aug. 7, 2008. (Misha Japaridze/The Associated Press)

'We are at risk in ways we haven't been in decades' - Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy

The American commander of NORAD delivered a stark warning Tuesday to policy makers in both Washington and Ottawa, calling on them to think hard about whether they're doing enough to address new threats — such as Russia's recent military moves in the Arctic.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, speaking at defence conference in Ottawa, checked off a list of recent alarming statements and provocative acts by Russia — among them a confrontation between Canadian and American fighter jets and Russian Tu-160 Blackjack bombers near the North American coastline last month.

"We face a more competitive and dangerous international security environment today than we have in generations," said O'Shaughnessy.

Trudeau pushes back on SNC-Lavalin, says he was 'surprised and disappointed' by Wilson-Raybould's resignation

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Jody Wilson-Raybould attend a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa last month. Wilson-Raybould, the former justice minister, announced on Tuesday she is quitting the federal cabinet. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

If former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould felt she was being pressured by the Prime Minister’s Office to help Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution, she had an obligation to bring those concerns up with the prime minister, Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters in Winnipeg, Trudeau said that he was “surprised and disappointed” by Wilson-Raybould’s decision to step down.

“This resignation is not consistent with conversations I had with Jody weeks ago when I asked her to serve as Canada’s minister for veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence. Nor is it consistent with the conversations we’ve had lately,” said Trudeau, who referred to the former minister by her first name several times.

“In regards to the matter of SNC-Lavalin, let me be direct: the government of Canada did its job and to the clear public standards expected of it. If anybody felt differently, they had an obligation to raise that with me. No one, including Jody, did that.”

Wilson-Raybould — who has kept largely silent since a news report claimed the PMO pressured her to help Quebec-based multinational engineering firm SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution — announced she was quitting the Liberal cabinet this morning.

Her resignation could trigger another cabinet shuffle and is likely to cast a long shadow over the upcoming election campaign.

Trudeau said that he’s consulting with Canada’s new attorney general, David Lametti, on whether, and to what degree, he can waive attorney-client privilege and reveal details of his conversations with Wilson-Raybould on the SNC-Lavalin case.

The prime minister warned, however, that his ability to comment might be limited by the fact that there are ongoing court proceedings involving the Quebec company.

Trudeau reiterates commitment to Indigenous reconciliation

Is Canada a dangerous bastion of socialism? According to Trump, maybe: Don Pittis

U.S. President Donald Trump delivering his state of the union address flanked by Vice-President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Trump warned against the Democrats' embrace of socialism. (Doug Mills/Reuters)

Both socialism and liberalism have different nuances of meaning, some of which are clearly applied in Canada.

Now, is Canada a dangerous bastion of socialism? This question arises because of the alarm that has been shown by US President Donald Trump. Who could apparently consider that Canada is based on socialism?

And that is, Trump has used the speech of the union last week fueling partisan anxiety. Trump expressed in his speech before the Congress, “Here in the United States, we are alarmed by the new calls to adopt socialism in our country”, and also pointed out, “The United States was founded on freedom and independence, and not on coercion, domination and control of the government”.

It should be noted that while speaking, the network cameras went to the self-declared supporter of socialism, Senator Bernie Sanders. While according to US standards to the left representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

What is really alarming for the United States? It seems not to be for Canadians

Clock ticking as Royal Canadian Air Force looks to stop hemorrhaging experienced pilots

Royal Canadian Air Force Commander Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger waits to appear before the House of Commons public accounts committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday, December 3, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The Royal Canadian Air Force is currently experiencing a shortage of experienced pilots. And is that such a shortage of experienced pilots is forcing the Royal Canadian Air Force to walk a delicate line. It is found between having enough experienced aviators available to train new recruits and conduct missions in the air.

There is no doubt that this has caused the top commanders to juggle to put those who are still in uniform.

It should be clarified that such a shortage is basically caused because veteran aviators leave for commercial jobs or other opportunities outside the army.

However, within the army, there have not been enough new pilots to replace the number of those who have left. In fact, the auditor general discovered that while 40 combat pilots left the Forces recently, only 30 new ones were trained. Therefore, a contract for a new training program is currently underway that will allow the air force to increase the number of new pilots trained in a given year when necessary since the current program allows only a fixed number to be produced.

The voice of experience

'Strategic messaging': Russian fighters in Arctic spark debate on Canada's place at the top of the world

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks after inspecting a new Russian fighter jet after its test flight in Zhukovksy, outside Moscow, Russia, on June 17, 2010. Alexei Druzhinin / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The debate about Russia’s intentions and Canada’s own status at the top of the world has been renewed. This is basically due to the actions that Russia has recently taken in the Arctic. And according to the newspaper Izvestia, at the end of last month, the Russian military will resume combat patrols in the North Pole for the first time in 30 years. In such a way that the patrols will be added to the regular flights of bombers to the edge of the airspace of both the United States and Canada.

Do not forget that Russia has not been left behind. And it has been strengthening its civil and military capabilities in its north for a decade. While the old air bases of the Cold War era have been rejuvenated. Since foreign policy observers have counted four new Arctic brigade combat teams, 14 new operational airfields, 16 deepwater ports, and 40 icebreakers, with another 11 under development.

Similarly, bomber patrols have been constant. NORAD has reported up to 20 sightings and 19 interceptions per year. While for its part, the commercial infrastructure has also kept pace. A vast gas field has been opened on the Yamal peninsula, on the central coast of Russia. In fact, Russian news sources have reported that the volume of cargo is expected to grow to at least 40 million tonnes in 2020 from 7.5 million tonnes in 2016

Opinions that arise

Warship rejected by DND years ago will now be the backbone of Canada's future navy

A representation of the BAE Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship. BAE Systems

The warship that will form the backbone of the country’s future maritime force had previously been rejected by the Canadian defense department. In fact, it was rejected years ago under the argument that it was not able to meet the needs of the navy.

DND was in charge of rejecting the warship years ago.

Despite this, even this ship will be used. Being that on Friday, the Liberal government announced that it had signed a contract with Irving Shipbuilding to acquire new warships. These would be based on the Type 26 design that is being built in the United Kingdom. Although, the defense department pointed out that the Type 26 design could be modified for Canadian needs, however “the technical and program risk would be high”.

Likewise, Carla Qualtrough, who is the procurement minister, said in the announcement that Type 26 meets Canadian requirements and that the government considers it the best design for the marina. While government officials say the design will be modified for Canadian needs, and ultimately, 15 of the boats will be built on the $ 60 billion Canadian Surface Combatant program.

Modifications that would make Type 26 the most optimal option

Ontario universities still don't really want free speech on campus

Students rally in support of free speech at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., on Nov. 24, 2017. Dave Abel/Toronto Sun

It is already well known that the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities of Ontario, during the month of August 2018, forced all colleges and universities to design a policy. This policy should deal with freedom of expression. Thus, it should be ready by January 1, 2019.

It is necessary to emphasize that these policies should be consolidated taking as a point of reference to the principles of the declaration of the University of Chicago. Regarding freedom of expression. Where it should be clearly stated that “universities and colleges should be places for open discussion and free consultation”. Similarly, “they should not try to protect students from ideas or opinions they disagree with or find “offensive”. Likewise, “while members of the university or university are free to criticize and refute the opinions expressed on campus cannot obstruct or interfere with the freedom of others to express their opinions”. And of course, “speech that violates the law is not allowed”.

Indignant teachers

Davos 2019: Globalization in a digital age

By Dave McKay

Davos is an alpine city and a municipality in the Prättigau / Davos region in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 10,937 (2017). Davos lies on the Landwasser River, in the Rhaetian Alps, between the Plessur and Albula ranges, at 1,560 m (5,120 ft) above sea level. About this sound

Davos is home to the World Economic Forum (WEF), an annual meeting of global political and business elites (often referred to simply as “Davos”). This was founded in 1971 as a non-profit organization. He obtained formal status in January 2015 under the Host State Act of Switzerland, confirming the role of the Forum as an International Institution for Public-Private Cooperation. The mission of the Forum is cited as “committed to improving the state of the world through the participation of business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape the global, regional and industry agendas”.

As already mentioned, the WEF organizes an annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the Eastern Alps region of Switzerland. The meeting brings together some 2,500 business leaders, international political leaders, economists, celebrities and journalists for up to four days to discuss the most pressing problems facing the world.

Stage of globalization that could make the world much more decent, democratic and distributed

B.C. mother pleads with Ottawa for help in returning children allegedly abducted to Lebanon by ex-husband

Shelley Beyak wants her children returned to Canada after Mia, 10, and Liam, 8, were taken to Lebanon 10 months ago by her ex-husband, who's wanted by the RCMP on a Canada-wide warrant. 'It's a horrible thing to see my children in this predicament ...,' says Beyak, who is calling on the prime minister for help. (Shelley Beyak/Facebook)

Shelley Beyak is a mother in B.C. who needs and asks Ottawa for help to give back to her children who have allegedly been abducted by her ex-husband.

Beyak’s ex-husband is Wissam Tarabichi, who is the subject of RCMP’s countrywide court order, took his son and daughter to Lebanon about 10 months ago. Certainly, Beyak thought that once she could reach Beirut, she would have the opportunity to fight to recover his two children, who were taken to the Lebanese capital by his ex-husband 10 months ago. However, since she landed in the city where she lived and where Mia, 10, and Liam, 8, were born, she has found hope to take them back home in Abbotsford, BC.

It is necessary to mention that because Canada has no jurisdiction in Lebanon and that the Lebanese religious courts favor the custody of the parents, there is nothing that Beyak can do to take them home. Despite this, the RCMP issued an arrest warrant throughout Canada for the arrest of her ex-husband.

There is no doubt that she is currently in a really complicated situation. Being that she herself said that the children seemed stressed, distrustful and conditioned by Tarabichi, who did not speak to her. Therefore, Beyak now tries to do everything in her power to recover her children. However, this may not be enough. Therefore, she is now asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to intervene. “I need something tangible for the children to return home, I just can not do it on my own”, she said in a telephone interview from Beirut.

Encounters not as pleasant as I expected

Juan Guaido says Venezuela's opposition is 'not going anywhere'

Juan Guaido, leader of Venezuela's opposition, spoke at a meeting of the Confederation of Associations of Agricultural Producers of Venezuela in Caracas. He told the assembled farmers he would help them rebuild the countryside. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

Juan Guaidó is a Venezuelan engineer and politician, current president of the National Assembly of Venezuela and partially recognized as president in charge of Venezuela.

On January 23, 2019, an open meeting was held in Caracas where he was sworn in as president in charge of Venezuela. After that, around 50 countries have expressed their recognition of Guaido as president in charge of the republic, while about half a dozen have expressed their support for the National Assembly as “the only legitimate power.”

The leader of the Venezuelan opposition was relatively unknown even in his own country when he was pushed into the international spotlight. But even so, Guaido affirms that despite the risks involved in assuming President Nicolás Maduro, he is not backing down.

A leader who works to help his country

Canada decides to stand up for human rights in… (spins wheel) Venezuela: Neil Macdonald

Surely Trudeau realizes that in using the terms "violation of human rights and the complete disregard of rule of law," he's describing a whole gang of the world's governments — not just Venezuela's. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

It seems that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau certainly looks more comfortable pointing out virtue or lecturing about peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. And it is that Trudeau was in a happy place on Monday, inaugurating the meetings of the Lima Group in Ottawa, whose effective purpose is to get rid of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

Thus, the Lima Group is a multilateral body that was established after the so-called Lima Declaration on August 8, 2017, in the capital of the same name. Representatives of 14 countries met there to follow up and seek a peaceful solution to the crisis in Venezuela. Among other things, it demands the release of political prisoners, calls for free elections, offers humanitarian aid and criticizes the breakdown of institutional order in the South American country.

Thus, referring to its members, the opposition leader, and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido is not only the new leader of the country. In fact, he is now a member of his group.

Trudeau referring to Venezuela

RMC Paladins upset Queen's Gaels in annual Carr-Harris game

Royal Military College Paladins injured captain David Savery and alternate captain Owen Gill hold up the trophy after their team won the annual Carr-Harris Challenge Cup game on Thursday at the Leon's Centre, 5-1 over the Queen's Gaels. (Ian MacAlpine/The Whig-Standard) IAN MACALPINE / IAN MACALPINE/KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARD/POSTMEDIA NETWORK

A team playing with just pride on the line can be a difficult opponent.

Just ask the Queen’s Gaels.

Taking on the Royal Military College Paladins in the annual Carr-Harris Challenge Cup game, the Gaels found that out the hard way in a 5-1 loss to their cross-town rivals on Thursday night at the Leon’s Centre.

It was RMC’s largest margin of victory in a Carr-Harris match since an 8-3 exhibition game victory in the inaugural game in 1986. They posted a three-goal win in 1993, 5-2.

Going into the game, the Gaels, at 18-8-0-0, had a chance to climb into second place in the Ontario University Athletics East Division standings with a win, but they trailed the Paladins 4-0 by the 1:47 mark of the second period in front of 3,888 fans, the largest crowd to see a hockey game at the Leon’s Centre this season and a Carr-Harris attendance record.

The Paladins, at 5-19-2-2 coming into the game, were eliminated from OUA playoff contention last weekend.

Scoring for RMC were Liam Stagg, with a pair of goals, Rhett Wilcox, Alex MacDonald and Cameron Lamport. After RMC’s fourth goal, Queen’s starting goaltender Justin Fazio was replaced by Jack Flinn.

Paladins goalie Austin Hannaford stopped 46 of 47 shots for the win, while RMC accumulated 30 shots on the two Gaels goalies. Twenty of Hannaford’s saves came in a second period in which the Paladins outshot the Gaels 21-11.

Queen’s captain Spencer Abraham got the Gaels on the scoreboard on a power play just over five minutes into the second period to make the score 4-1 at the time.

Invasion unlikely, but fever builds in Venezuela, pumped up by 2 presidents

Last weekend, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the incorporation of the Socialist Party's Bolivarian National Militia into the armed forces — another step in the politicization of a military whose soldiers already salute officers with a shout of 'Chavez lives!' (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)

The tension constantly increases in relation to the situation in Venezuela. The nation currently has an interim president, Juan Guaido. He has already been recognized by various nations and of course among them is the United States. Likewise, the United States has already imposed various sanctions against Venezuela. This in order to try to pressure Maduro and his government to finally abandon his mandate. In the same way, he is trying to deprive him of the money he needs to remain in power.

Many speak of a possible invasion from the United States to Venezuela. However, it seems that it is unlikely.

Polls to the public

How U.S. sanctions on Venezuela have left a dozen oil tankers idling with no place to go

Tankers like this one, filled with heavy crude, have been left in the lurch as a result of U.S. sanctions on shipments out of Venezuela. (Jonathan Bachman/Reuters)

The United States has sanctioned Venezuela and this is already causing havoc. And is that according to estimates there are up to 7 million barrels of Venezuelan oil floating in tankers without a specific destination. These sanctions imposed since last week are undoubtedly causing havoc in oil companies that send crude oil to the whole world and cause energy prices to be derailed in the process.

These sanctions have been imposed in order to try to deprive Nicolás Maduro’s regime of the money it needs to hold on to power. It has been directly affected by Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA, for its acronym in English). Which is the Venezuelan state oil and natural gas company. It has activities in exploration, production, refining, and export of oil, as well as exploration and production of natural gas. Since its foundation on January 1, 1976, with the nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry, PDVSA has dominated the oil industry of Venezuela, the fifth largest oil exporter in the world.

Frozen assets

Venezuela's crisis: Why now and what's next?

Local residents look for recyclables in a trash pile in Caracas on Jan. 30. More than three million people have fled the country amid shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

More and more are joining to try to help Venezuela, which is an oil-rich country but still, is caught in a terrible crisis. In fact, a meeting was held in Ottawa on Monday. In it, the foreign ministers of the entire American continent offered more symbolic support to the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Juan Guaido. This in order to try to overthrow the government of Nicolas Maduro.

Regardless of which party or political ideology Venezuelans support, they are all suffering a terrible crisis. Venezuelans are devastated by the shortage of food, medicines and other basic goods. It should be noted that they have already been suffering from this crisis for a long period of time. However this has intensified after that during the month of January, Guaido was declared interim president.

Likewise, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and the European Union have recognized Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela. However, Russia, China, Mexico, Bolivia, South Africa, and others maintain that Maduro is the legitimate president.

Citizens in search of a better country

Political Party Challenges Canada’s Equalization Scheme

A rebel wing of the Canadian political right is shaking a Canadian pillar by challenging a scheme of redistribution of government revenues. The purpose of this is to support comparable public services in all provinces. Without depending on your economic stature. In fact, it has been said that the political party in charge of this has a purpose. Forge an industrial missing link designed to break the environmental disdain that blocks hydraulic fracture. In addition to the construction of pipes in the Eastern half of the country.

It should be noted that the party that is in charge of this is the People’s Party of Canada, which is a right-wing federal political party in Canada. Recall that the party was formed by Maxime Bernier, who was the former minister of the cabinet and candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. The party has formed constituency associations in the 338 constituencies of Canada and plans to present a full list of candidates in the 43rd Canadian federal election. He is only four months old.

Politics of Bernier and his party

MARIN: Canada's reputation hurt by Trudeau's lecturing and finger-wagging

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question during Question Period in the House of Commons Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Canada’s reputation is affected by Trudeau’s conferences and actions. It should be noted that after Trudeau was victorious in the elections of the prime minister he boldly said “the back of Canada”, implying that a decade of Stephen Harper meant that Canadians were lost.

In fact, his words were, “Many of you are concerned that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world for the past 10 years. Well, I have a simple message: on behalf of 35 million Canadians, we are back. “

However, it seems that this has not been the case and in fact, many prefer the Canada of before.

What Trudeau has achieved