The boys have school today and tomorrow, but all of their work has been completed, so these last two days are purely social time for them. Maggie and I are enjoying a little time at home with just the two of us before the boys' holidays begin. We're doing some research today on how we will spend this summer, our first one in Europe.
There are a number of activities that we are investigating for both boys. There is a day camp type of thing run by the commune that costs around 7 euros per day, including meals, that we are planning to put them into for a week or so. Also there is a tennis camp for a week that includes tennis for two and a half hours in the morning, and then lunch, followed by their choice of art class, multisport, music, dance, and so on. That is a bit more expensive than the day camp but it would seem that the Belgian government reimburses parents 11 euros per day for camps and vacations, so if the price is 150 euros per week, that works out to only around 85 euros, which isn't too bad. When we consider that daycare costs per day were approaching $50 back in Toronto, it puts it into perspective. Malcolm has inquired about golf camp; there are a number of sessions, and the golf course is right across the street from the boys' school. I don't have a price yet, but am looking into it.
As well we are looking into Corsica as a vacation destination for later in July. All of France vacations in August, so we hope to benefit from going in July when the crowds are less. Corsica is also much less touristic than mainland France, so that should be nice. Maybe we'll have time to visit Marseille or Montpellier around the same time.
We had a good weekend, but it was very busy. Friday was the end of school party for the boys, and then on Saturday we received some bunk beds and a secretaire from friends of ours who are leaving Brussels for Singapore in a few weeks; after a potluck lunch with them, we went in the evening to the house of Duncan's friend for a barbeque with his family in their garden. On Sunday afternoon I gave Simonas his last guitar lesson, and then our two families enjoyed tapas in their garden, with some tastings of Lithuanian beer, and then a bottle of rosé champagne that we had bought on our trip there last February. They are heading back to Lithuania in a week or two so we are making the most of the time before they leave. As you can see our social calendar is very full!
But today we have some work to do... we just finished lunch together and are going grocery shopping now. I swam this morning and have to do some singing after we get back. Likewise there are a few houses that I have to call that might still be auditioning singers in July.
I hope the weather in Canada is as nice as it is here right now (subject to change without notice; c'est La Belgique!). For the moment the forecast for the next week is lows of 14 and highs in the upper twenties, with sun. Time to go to the beach!
Monday, 29 June 2009
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Beautiful weather in Brussels
It's Thursday, and weather is very clear and beautifully warm; it looks to be the same all week. Our friend Greg has been here since Sunday, but he left this morning to go to London and tour around Scotland, so I have a moment to finish up a blog post, and then I'm doing some singing, and then a little swimming.
We've been spending lots of time outside, including this past weekend... Saturday afternoon we went to a birthday party for one of Maggie's colleagues. John is from Alaska, and he and his Dutch wife and their kids have a beautiful large house on the edge of a barley field, in the country near Overijse, perhaps 20 minutes drive from here.
We all enjoyed socializing over barbeque in the long afternoon of one of the longest days of the year, while the kids played on the trampoline, swing-set or in the field.
* * *
The boys from Aus didn't disappoint, and we saw some great performances of unsophisticated but rip-roaring rock and roll over the course of the evening. Despite Angus being 54 he's still a fabulous guitarist, and the whole band seemed to really enjoy themselves. It was great to see the audience going crazy to their music, and both boys (and the dads) had a great time. I would have liked to take Duncan but it really would have been too much, and we all really needed our ear-plugs!
Malcolm and Duncan are winding down their school year with parties and games days. Having completed his two weeks of tests, Malcolm surprised himself by saying this morning that he wished they had some work to do. He really thrives on routine, and I think he feels that if there are no exercises or exams, then he might as well stay home and read his book or watch tv. The social aspects of recognizing the end of the year, and spending time with his classmates are still very important, so he'll have to "suffer" through another couple of days before summer really begins.
I meet with Duncan's teacher on Monday, so we'll see how his year-end evaluation turned out. He's still having some hearing issues but is really interested in letters; I see him tracing them carefully with his finger on a book or magazine cover when he doesn't notice that I'm watching.
As I said before this is the first year in about fifteen that I haven't had a garden, and so I've been quite industrious about container gardening. Roses, herbs and some ornamentals like ferns or snake plants have been the current thing. The first green bean off the plant was eaten yesterday, and my potted irises are starting to come out beautifully. Since irises are the official symbol of Brussels, I think it's appropriate to have some, don't you?
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Funny Belgian names
This one caught my eye... apparently the recipe for these sausages comes from the Jura mountains, where France, Germany and Switzerland meat... er, meet.
Yes, it's true, its....
....Jurassic Pork!
Ok, I know that a pun that bad is in violation of the Geneva convention, but I couldn't resist.
Maggie gets back tonight from her trip, and the boys and I are eagerly looking forward to her arrival. On Sunday our friend Greg arrives for a visit of a couple weeks, with a week in Scotland in the middle. He'll be our first guest since Rob and Viki were here in January. Then we have Brahm and Jan coming for a couple of days in July, and that's pretty much it for guests during the summer.
Yesterday afternoon Malcolm had a visit from Simonas, and they played "Idol Quest" (a birthday present from the Jones family), tiddly winks and then the French version of Monopoly. Then I went to get Duncan, and we made popcorn and watched a Tintin video while I made pizza; I think Simonas ate his own weight in the hawaiian version. It was good for Malcolm to have that time with his pal, as they are moving back to Lithuania in early July. I don't know what Malcolm will do for a best friend next year... of course he will keep in touch with Simonas, as he does with Nicholas back in Toronto, but it's not quite the same as having a best buddy in school with you.
Duncan wants his friend Hugo to come over and play too, so I wrote down my phone number and email address on a piece of paper and gave it to him yesterday. Hugo's parents speak mostly Portuguese, so we'll see if the message gets received.
Today I've already been swimming; I think I'll do some errands this morning and sing this afternoon.
Yes, it's true, its....
....Jurassic Pork!
Ok, I know that a pun that bad is in violation of the Geneva convention, but I couldn't resist.
Maggie gets back tonight from her trip, and the boys and I are eagerly looking forward to her arrival. On Sunday our friend Greg arrives for a visit of a couple weeks, with a week in Scotland in the middle. He'll be our first guest since Rob and Viki were here in January. Then we have Brahm and Jan coming for a couple of days in July, and that's pretty much it for guests during the summer.
Yesterday afternoon Malcolm had a visit from Simonas, and they played "Idol Quest" (a birthday present from the Jones family), tiddly winks and then the French version of Monopoly. Then I went to get Duncan, and we made popcorn and watched a Tintin video while I made pizza; I think Simonas ate his own weight in the hawaiian version. It was good for Malcolm to have that time with his pal, as they are moving back to Lithuania in early July. I don't know what Malcolm will do for a best friend next year... of course he will keep in touch with Simonas, as he does with Nicholas back in Toronto, but it's not quite the same as having a best buddy in school with you.
Duncan wants his friend Hugo to come over and play too, so I wrote down my phone number and email address on a piece of paper and gave it to him yesterday. Hugo's parents speak mostly Portuguese, so we'll see if the message gets received.
Today I've already been swimming; I think I'll do some errands this morning and sing this afternoon.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
a little jet-lagged...
... but recovering. Maggie left early yesterday morning and so far things are going fine. I had such a whirlwind of a trip to Canada, logging lots of road time, working steadily, and visiting a few people; I had almost no time to myself. Yesterday and today I've been making up for that while the kids are at school.
Malcolm has been doing extremely well on his end-of-year tests; I don't think he's scored lower than 80% on any of them, and he had one mark that was stellar, like 29/30 on his spelling test. Today was fractions, and we'll find out how geometry went yesterday. As a reward for the two solid weeks of tests they are going on Friday to Boulogne-sur-mer in France, to spend the day at the seaside. I hope the weather is nice!
Duncan on the other hand has some hearing troubles and a bit of a cough, so it would seem that he's suffering from a head cold. Still, he's been rehearsing with the choir all this spring, and they perform on this Sunday the 21st in the afternoon. He seems to be liking it very much.
I have a number of little errands to do but none that are urgent, apart from getting some aphid soap for the rose bush (see below) and looking for something nice for dinner tonight. Maybe I'll wait until Malcolm gets home and we'll do that together.
I haven't heard anything from Maggie, so I hope things are going well... she blogged recently about report card writing, and how that was keeping her busy, so I expect that now that those are finished, she'll have some stories to tell about her trip to Holland, and some photos to back it up.
Next up for me is to get some discs in the mail, and to secure a pianist for some auditions that I have coming. I coached my repertoire with Don T when I was in Canada, so I'm feeling pretty good about the work we did, and am eager to try out those pieces in an audition.
Happy Tuesday!
Malcolm has been doing extremely well on his end-of-year tests; I don't think he's scored lower than 80% on any of them, and he had one mark that was stellar, like 29/30 on his spelling test. Today was fractions, and we'll find out how geometry went yesterday. As a reward for the two solid weeks of tests they are going on Friday to Boulogne-sur-mer in France, to spend the day at the seaside. I hope the weather is nice!
Duncan on the other hand has some hearing troubles and a bit of a cough, so it would seem that he's suffering from a head cold. Still, he's been rehearsing with the choir all this spring, and they perform on this Sunday the 21st in the afternoon. He seems to be liking it very much.
I have a number of little errands to do but none that are urgent, apart from getting some aphid soap for the rose bush (see below) and looking for something nice for dinner tonight. Maybe I'll wait until Malcolm gets home and we'll do that together.
I haven't heard anything from Maggie, so I hope things are going well... she blogged recently about report card writing, and how that was keeping her busy, so I expect that now that those are finished, she'll have some stories to tell about her trip to Holland, and some photos to back it up.
Next up for me is to get some discs in the mail, and to secure a pianist for some auditions that I have coming. I coached my repertoire with Don T when I was in Canada, so I'm feeling pretty good about the work we did, and am eager to try out those pieces in an audition.
Happy Tuesday!
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
almost there...
Today was convocation #15 for me this year, which would bring my personal total up to 33. The rector of the university has me beat, however, with 40. Those numbers likely pale in comparison with some of the deans, who attend all of the ceremonies each year, and of course, for the longer-serving principals and chancellors.
The speeches have been varied and interesting, but the theme of pursuing one's dream with a sustained effort in the face of adversity and skepticism is as common this year as it was last. We had a law professor from the Mohawk nation at Brantford, the principal researcher for Microsoft (who graduated from Queen's in music back in 1973), a researcher into speech perception, the national archivist and librarian of Canada, and many others. It's been interesting, although when I compare notes with other long-term convocation attenders, they admit that during the repetitive parts the mind does wander a bit. Guessing the department that produces the graduand with the tallest heels is a favorite past-time of many, it would seem. So far I think nursing science has the title, but it's still anybody's game...
Only five to go for me, and then it's back home tor Brussels. Last night I had a great dinner with my parents and grandmother, at a chinese restaurant in Belleville, to celebrate my mother's birthday. Now I'm starting to think about the trip back to Toronto and so have already started to mentally pack; I'll get down to that in earnest tomorrow evening.
Here's a photo of Ed Broadbent, as promised.
The speeches have been varied and interesting, but the theme of pursuing one's dream with a sustained effort in the face of adversity and skepticism is as common this year as it was last. We had a law professor from the Mohawk nation at Brantford, the principal researcher for Microsoft (who graduated from Queen's in music back in 1973), a researcher into speech perception, the national archivist and librarian of Canada, and many others. It's been interesting, although when I compare notes with other long-term convocation attenders, they admit that during the repetitive parts the mind does wander a bit. Guessing the department that produces the graduand with the tallest heels is a favorite past-time of many, it would seem. So far I think nursing science has the title, but it's still anybody's game...
Only five to go for me, and then it's back home tor Brussels. Last night I had a great dinner with my parents and grandmother, at a chinese restaurant in Belleville, to celebrate my mother's birthday. Now I'm starting to think about the trip back to Toronto and so have already started to mentally pack; I'll get down to that in earnest tomorrow evening.
Here's a photo of Ed Broadbent, as promised.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
day of Music
blog posting saturday june 6th 2009
10:00 am, Toronto
Yesterday was a great day, full of musical work from dawn to dusk... I caught the train in Belleville yesterday morning and immersed myself in translating my Brahms Requiem score, watching some film clips of it on my laptop to help develop my own interpretation. That occupied all of the two-hour train ride, and when I arrived in Toronto, I was met by Bruce who had a day off from the run of Magic Flute in London. We had some lunch, did a vocal warmup, and then Don T. arrived for us to start coaching.
We laugh about how Don beats the heck out of us, but the fact is that he has great ears, a wealth of knowledge about language, performance style, conducting, musicality, drama, and most importantly a real gift for intuiting what each singer needs to produce their own best performance. Toronto singers are really very lucky to have him here to help them deliver the best possible performances, and so are Toronto audiences, although they are most likely completely ignorant of how much of the quality they enjoy is due to his efforts.
In any case, he cudgeled me through the Brahms Requiem for 90 minutes, took a break, and then started in on Bruce, who is working on Falstall, which he performs in Toronto this summer. I am sad I won't be here to see that, because Bruce sounds perfect for this very demanding and hilarious role.
Then we all had a drink together, and talked shop for an hour or so. Despite the cooler than seasonal weather, we barbequed some steaks and had dinner on the back patio. It's great to have the opportunity to talk so much about music, opera, singers and the art of the stage. I forget sometimes, being caught up in the daily routine in Belgium, how much time we used to spend doing that when our family lived in Toronto.
This morning I'm taking it easy. Bruce is heading out for London again around noon, and I'm going to go swimming at the local pool. I'm still smarting from the $10 user fee at Queen's athletic department, so once again I'm taking advantage of the FREE pool here. Then this evening I meet my parents and relatives at our sister's apartment, to celebrate my folks' 40th wedding anniversary.
Tomorrow it's a visit to our Toronto house, to check in with our tenants and pick up a couple of things, and then it's back to Belleville to get ready for another week of convocation ceremonies.
Bon weekend!
10:00 am, Toronto
Yesterday was a great day, full of musical work from dawn to dusk... I caught the train in Belleville yesterday morning and immersed myself in translating my Brahms Requiem score, watching some film clips of it on my laptop to help develop my own interpretation. That occupied all of the two-hour train ride, and when I arrived in Toronto, I was met by Bruce who had a day off from the run of Magic Flute in London. We had some lunch, did a vocal warmup, and then Don T. arrived for us to start coaching.
We laugh about how Don beats the heck out of us, but the fact is that he has great ears, a wealth of knowledge about language, performance style, conducting, musicality, drama, and most importantly a real gift for intuiting what each singer needs to produce their own best performance. Toronto singers are really very lucky to have him here to help them deliver the best possible performances, and so are Toronto audiences, although they are most likely completely ignorant of how much of the quality they enjoy is due to his efforts.
In any case, he cudgeled me through the Brahms Requiem for 90 minutes, took a break, and then started in on Bruce, who is working on Falstall, which he performs in Toronto this summer. I am sad I won't be here to see that, because Bruce sounds perfect for this very demanding and hilarious role.
Then we all had a drink together, and talked shop for an hour or so. Despite the cooler than seasonal weather, we barbequed some steaks and had dinner on the back patio. It's great to have the opportunity to talk so much about music, opera, singers and the art of the stage. I forget sometimes, being caught up in the daily routine in Belgium, how much time we used to spend doing that when our family lived in Toronto.
This morning I'm taking it easy. Bruce is heading out for London again around noon, and I'm going to go swimming at the local pool. I'm still smarting from the $10 user fee at Queen's athletic department, so once again I'm taking advantage of the FREE pool here. Then this evening I meet my parents and relatives at our sister's apartment, to celebrate my folks' 40th wedding anniversary.
Tomorrow it's a visit to our Toronto house, to check in with our tenants and pick up a couple of things, and then it's back to Belleville to get ready for another week of convocation ceremonies.
Bon weekend!
Ed Who?
Friday jun 5th, 2009 9:46: on the train to Toronto
Week two of convocation is over, and it has been an interesting one. Last weekend I enjoyed seeing the dress rehearsal and the opening performance of Die Zauberflöte, and got a chance to work my audition material with Bruce, and to visit a bit with the cast, and with Timothy Vernon, the conductor, who gave me some very appreciated advice and encouragement. We also got a chance to go see Up!, the new Pixar/Disney film (which is really very charming and beautiful). The opera is really wonderful, decorated in a Viennese Jugendstil / Art Nouveau sensibility, and musically quite exciting.
Then it was back to Belleville/Kingston. I've spent some time in Belleville this week visiting with my parents, and even got in nine holes of golf with my dad. I went to see Maggie's parents at the cottage as well, and stayed over that evening. Right now I'm on my way from Belleville to Toronto to do some more coaching. Tomorrow evening the extended family will gather to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, and then I head back east on Sunday to get ready for the home stretch before leaving next Saturday to return home to my very much missed family in Brussels. Nine ceremonies down, and ten to go...
Many of my friends, family and colleagues have asked politely if sitting through those convocations isn't a strange form of torture. I concede that I've grown very familiar with some of the fixed parts of the ceremony; for example, I think I could probably deliver the principal's address myself, from memory. Nevertheless, the feeling in the room is energizing, and of a different character for each ceremony, depending on which department or faculty is graduating. The officiating members of the faculty are different each time, and their excitement is as palpable as that of the graduating students and their families.
More importantly, the speeches given by the deans, guest lecturers and honorary doctorate recipients are wonderful to hear. So far, I've listened to the perspectives of a multimillionaire venture capitalist, a Canadian astro- and aqua-naut, a nurse who has written over twenty books and builds libraries in Ghana, and a decorated veteran of the Normandy invasion who owns and operates a multi-city housing company, to name but a few.
The biggest treat so far came on tuesday, when Canadian statesman and former federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent was invited to address a class of engineers. I've always admired Ed, a real gentleman, and his speech to the graduates didn't disappoint.
In fact, I liked it so much that I'll sign off this entry with the text of his speech...
Queen’s University Convocation Address
Ed Broadbent
June 2, 2009
To accept an earned degree makes sense. After all, it requires diligence over a number of years of studying, doing research, and writing exams. To accept an honourary degree appears more problematic. It’s rather like one of those movie directors whose work is a vague and distant memory—and who then turn up in Hollywood to accept an Oscar for a lifetime achievement award. It is, of course, personally quite gratifying: standing before a large, polite, and captive audience—and then hearing nothing but good things said about you. For a former politician that’s unique. It’s rather like having your obituary written by your mother.
Of course the real reason for accepting an honourary degree from Queen’s University is that it is a great honour. Queen’s is one of Canada’s outstanding universities, known at home and abroad for producing leaders in almost every field of intellectual endeavour. I repeat, for me this is a great honour for which I am most appreciative. I first came to Queen’s nine years ago as a Skelton-Clarke Fellow, and I have continued each year since to teach a course in the political studies department. And now, I have had the happy experience of receiving a degree in the same week as some of my students. It’s with a great deal of pleasure that I speak to you now not as specialists in your field but as democratic citizens.
Almost exactly fifty years ago I graduated from university. For all of us in the class of 59 that June day in Toronto was sunny in every respect. We were happy not simply because of the supportive presence of family and friends but because we knew in our bones that the days ahead held great promise. Thanks to the work of our parents’ generation, our formative years had taken place in Canada’s most bountiful period. Not only had Canada achieved continuing economic growth since WWII, but much more significantly, a new notion of citizenship and the role of governments had begun to emerge. Following the great depression, governments in the post-war years had come to the realization that if markets were left to their own devices inequality would grow, economic instability would be inevitable, and yet another economic crash was bound to happen.
Instead of seeing Canadians simply as people pursuing their own well-being as individuals, government policy was based on the realization that we are also members of communities, that our social nature, with its sharing and cooperative elements is just as important to a satisfactory life as is the pursuit of personal self-interest. Indeed, when it comes to citizenship, whether or not we feel connected to others, whether we value only ourselves or care for our neighbours, our positive rootedness in our social context is what matters most.
My generation added to the foundation we inherited. Canada’s governments joined with other advanced democracies in building nations that took seriously the democratic goal of equality. By the 1980s Canada had transformed itself. Through progressive taxation, unemployment insurance, medicare, universal pensions, affordable universities, the rights of First Nation Canadians, women, gays, and ethnic minorities, we were becoming what we never were before, a sharing and caring nation, where increasing equality was the name of the game.
As I said, in 1959, mid-way through this transformation, I could feel in my bones this unfolding. As a working class kid from Oshawa, I believed that the world was my oyster. I could indeed develop my skills and talents. I could make my individual choices. However, I came to understand that virtually all of my years of education in Canada and in England were financed by taxes paid by others. The increasing sense of dignity and confidence among Canadians I could feel came not just from economic growth but also from strong social programmes based on equality. For millions of Canadians, our flourishing sense of self was the by-product of social circumstances in which a positive role for government had become the norm.
Your world, however, has been quite different. You are graduating not in the golden age of the long postwar boom, when capitalism was balanced with strong social programmes, but in a moment of economic crisis. Your moment in history is the culmination of what has been happening for the past three decades, when an ideology very different from the one I grew up with has been at work. Instead of seeing our identities as individuals thoroughly embedded in society, with all our individual rights and responsibilities linked inevitably to the lives of others, Canadians have been encouraged to adopt a contrary view, to follow a personal agenda of individualistic materialism. This radical denial of the social aspects of our nature emerged in the Anglo-American countries in the 1980s and soon held sway over much but not all of the world. Its advocates in the media and politics shaped our national and international institutions to reflect their narrow economic priorities. Interventions by the state were certainly welcome if they helped to increase profits and the spread of markets, but government was no longer seen to be an essential component of finding solutions for a civilized life for the majority. Rather, government was portrayed as the source of our problems. Instead of seeing our selves and thus our self-interest as being in part realized in sharing with others, self-interest was simplified and reduced to mean personal gratification. Cooperation was ignored or worse, dismissed as utopian. Greed was almost converted into a civic virtue. Thus, over time, the environment was brutalized and the rich got richer.
Then, last year, this all came crashing down. I need not bore you with many details, most of which you know. But I will emphasize a few. Inequality in Canada and the United States is the worst it’s been since the 1920s. Millions globally are unemployed and child poverty in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal is just as bad as it was 20 years ago when Parliament voted to take steps to abolish it. Our production of greenhouse gasses and the devouring of our resources continues as if we didn’t know the fatal consequences for our planet.
My purpose is not to discourage but to challenge. Do not be intimidated. You do have more challenges than my generation. But what has been done can be undone. Change for the better is possible. You live in a marvelous country, with strong democratic traditions. Do not be intimidated. Look at those beside you and remember you are among the fortunate highly educated few. I urge you to take up the challenges. Pursue not just personal success but also the common good. See your neighbours not as competitors but as allies. Regard your government as your instrument, not you enemy. Be inspired by great successes. And when you celebrate later today, remember you are where you are not just because of your own ability but also because of the support of family, friends, and fellow-citizens. Go forward. Be brave. And make a better world.
Week two of convocation is over, and it has been an interesting one. Last weekend I enjoyed seeing the dress rehearsal and the opening performance of Die Zauberflöte, and got a chance to work my audition material with Bruce, and to visit a bit with the cast, and with Timothy Vernon, the conductor, who gave me some very appreciated advice and encouragement. We also got a chance to go see Up!, the new Pixar/Disney film (which is really very charming and beautiful). The opera is really wonderful, decorated in a Viennese Jugendstil / Art Nouveau sensibility, and musically quite exciting.
Then it was back to Belleville/Kingston. I've spent some time in Belleville this week visiting with my parents, and even got in nine holes of golf with my dad. I went to see Maggie's parents at the cottage as well, and stayed over that evening. Right now I'm on my way from Belleville to Toronto to do some more coaching. Tomorrow evening the extended family will gather to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, and then I head back east on Sunday to get ready for the home stretch before leaving next Saturday to return home to my very much missed family in Brussels. Nine ceremonies down, and ten to go...
Many of my friends, family and colleagues have asked politely if sitting through those convocations isn't a strange form of torture. I concede that I've grown very familiar with some of the fixed parts of the ceremony; for example, I think I could probably deliver the principal's address myself, from memory. Nevertheless, the feeling in the room is energizing, and of a different character for each ceremony, depending on which department or faculty is graduating. The officiating members of the faculty are different each time, and their excitement is as palpable as that of the graduating students and their families.
More importantly, the speeches given by the deans, guest lecturers and honorary doctorate recipients are wonderful to hear. So far, I've listened to the perspectives of a multimillionaire venture capitalist, a Canadian astro- and aqua-naut, a nurse who has written over twenty books and builds libraries in Ghana, and a decorated veteran of the Normandy invasion who owns and operates a multi-city housing company, to name but a few.
The biggest treat so far came on tuesday, when Canadian statesman and former federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent was invited to address a class of engineers. I've always admired Ed, a real gentleman, and his speech to the graduates didn't disappoint.
In fact, I liked it so much that I'll sign off this entry with the text of his speech...
Queen’s University Convocation Address
Ed Broadbent
June 2, 2009
To accept an earned degree makes sense. After all, it requires diligence over a number of years of studying, doing research, and writing exams. To accept an honourary degree appears more problematic. It’s rather like one of those movie directors whose work is a vague and distant memory—and who then turn up in Hollywood to accept an Oscar for a lifetime achievement award. It is, of course, personally quite gratifying: standing before a large, polite, and captive audience—and then hearing nothing but good things said about you. For a former politician that’s unique. It’s rather like having your obituary written by your mother.
Of course the real reason for accepting an honourary degree from Queen’s University is that it is a great honour. Queen’s is one of Canada’s outstanding universities, known at home and abroad for producing leaders in almost every field of intellectual endeavour. I repeat, for me this is a great honour for which I am most appreciative. I first came to Queen’s nine years ago as a Skelton-Clarke Fellow, and I have continued each year since to teach a course in the political studies department. And now, I have had the happy experience of receiving a degree in the same week as some of my students. It’s with a great deal of pleasure that I speak to you now not as specialists in your field but as democratic citizens.
Almost exactly fifty years ago I graduated from university. For all of us in the class of 59 that June day in Toronto was sunny in every respect. We were happy not simply because of the supportive presence of family and friends but because we knew in our bones that the days ahead held great promise. Thanks to the work of our parents’ generation, our formative years had taken place in Canada’s most bountiful period. Not only had Canada achieved continuing economic growth since WWII, but much more significantly, a new notion of citizenship and the role of governments had begun to emerge. Following the great depression, governments in the post-war years had come to the realization that if markets were left to their own devices inequality would grow, economic instability would be inevitable, and yet another economic crash was bound to happen.
Instead of seeing Canadians simply as people pursuing their own well-being as individuals, government policy was based on the realization that we are also members of communities, that our social nature, with its sharing and cooperative elements is just as important to a satisfactory life as is the pursuit of personal self-interest. Indeed, when it comes to citizenship, whether or not we feel connected to others, whether we value only ourselves or care for our neighbours, our positive rootedness in our social context is what matters most.
My generation added to the foundation we inherited. Canada’s governments joined with other advanced democracies in building nations that took seriously the democratic goal of equality. By the 1980s Canada had transformed itself. Through progressive taxation, unemployment insurance, medicare, universal pensions, affordable universities, the rights of First Nation Canadians, women, gays, and ethnic minorities, we were becoming what we never were before, a sharing and caring nation, where increasing equality was the name of the game.
As I said, in 1959, mid-way through this transformation, I could feel in my bones this unfolding. As a working class kid from Oshawa, I believed that the world was my oyster. I could indeed develop my skills and talents. I could make my individual choices. However, I came to understand that virtually all of my years of education in Canada and in England were financed by taxes paid by others. The increasing sense of dignity and confidence among Canadians I could feel came not just from economic growth but also from strong social programmes based on equality. For millions of Canadians, our flourishing sense of self was the by-product of social circumstances in which a positive role for government had become the norm.
Your world, however, has been quite different. You are graduating not in the golden age of the long postwar boom, when capitalism was balanced with strong social programmes, but in a moment of economic crisis. Your moment in history is the culmination of what has been happening for the past three decades, when an ideology very different from the one I grew up with has been at work. Instead of seeing our identities as individuals thoroughly embedded in society, with all our individual rights and responsibilities linked inevitably to the lives of others, Canadians have been encouraged to adopt a contrary view, to follow a personal agenda of individualistic materialism. This radical denial of the social aspects of our nature emerged in the Anglo-American countries in the 1980s and soon held sway over much but not all of the world. Its advocates in the media and politics shaped our national and international institutions to reflect their narrow economic priorities. Interventions by the state were certainly welcome if they helped to increase profits and the spread of markets, but government was no longer seen to be an essential component of finding solutions for a civilized life for the majority. Rather, government was portrayed as the source of our problems. Instead of seeing our selves and thus our self-interest as being in part realized in sharing with others, self-interest was simplified and reduced to mean personal gratification. Cooperation was ignored or worse, dismissed as utopian. Greed was almost converted into a civic virtue. Thus, over time, the environment was brutalized and the rich got richer.
Then, last year, this all came crashing down. I need not bore you with many details, most of which you know. But I will emphasize a few. Inequality in Canada and the United States is the worst it’s been since the 1920s. Millions globally are unemployed and child poverty in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal is just as bad as it was 20 years ago when Parliament voted to take steps to abolish it. Our production of greenhouse gasses and the devouring of our resources continues as if we didn’t know the fatal consequences for our planet.
My purpose is not to discourage but to challenge. Do not be intimidated. You do have more challenges than my generation. But what has been done can be undone. Change for the better is possible. You live in a marvelous country, with strong democratic traditions. Do not be intimidated. Look at those beside you and remember you are among the fortunate highly educated few. I urge you to take up the challenges. Pursue not just personal success but also the common good. See your neighbours not as competitors but as allies. Regard your government as your instrument, not you enemy. Be inspired by great successes. And when you celebrate later today, remember you are where you are not just because of your own ability but also because of the support of family, friends, and fellow-citizens. Go forward. Be brave. And make a better world.
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