Monthly Archives: January 2024

 Rich vs Poor

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‘The super-rich know that their wealth is unfair,’ says Mr. Marlene Engelhorn, a Viennese heiress who is giving away 25 million Euros to the general public by way of a committee of 50 selected citizens, without personal input in how it is distributed. She was spotted in Davos protesting at the World Economic Forum (WEF), with a sign that said: Tax the Rich,’ Camp said as I sat down. He was already halfway through his first pint. I guess this is a slow time of year at the book store.

            ‘It’s admirable and she certainly has a point but it’s quite unusual for the rich to demonstrate against themselves. What is her message?’

            ‘The WEF is basically an exclusive club of the super-rich and some government reps promising to make the world a better place. The reality of course is nothing like it. It’s mostly hobnobbing at seminars and dinner parties albeit without the Russians this year who were notorious for their lavish, bacchanalian parties.’

‘Nobody advocates for debt-relief for the poor countries nor does anybody offer a fairer tax system or a better wealth distribution,’ I said.

‘Giving away money is not a new idea but only 2 percent of the money spent on charitable purposes by foundations around the world goes to climate protection – that alone shows that there is little to be made of traditional patronage.’

‘And the rich get richer and the poor stay poor,’ I said.

‘The five wealthiest people in the world, all men by the way, have more than doubled their wealth since 2020 while at the same time, nearly five billion people, the poorest 60 percent became even poorer. That’s from a study by Oxfam, just published before the current WEF.’

‘Go figure. A better wealth distribution by way of taxation would be a welcome thing, bring the poor up while the wealthy remain just as rich. Maybe an inheritance tax over one million dollars would be a start.’

‘I agree with you but the argument against that is the inherited money has already been taxed as income.’

‘Bullshit. As Ms Engelhorn points out: It’s normal for money to be taxed several times. Income tax on your salary, purchase tax when you buy something, Goods and Service Tax everywhere, alcohol tax when you drink or buy alcohol. Why not inheritance Tax?’

We both emptied our pints and looked out at the monochromatic scenery behind a curtain of rain. Typical weather for this time of year on the Pacific West coast.

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CARBON TAX

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‘What do you think of the carbon tax Camp and why is it such a bone of contention? ‘

 ‘Like any government tax it is always opposed especially if people don’t understand it. The carbon tax is a price levied on emissions from fossil fuel sources, be it from coal, oil, natural gas or gasoline. The levy varies based on how much carbon dioxide a fuel releases when burned. Coal, for example, releases more carbon pollution than natural gas to produce the same amount of energy, so the tax is higher on coal than natural gas,’ Camp explained.

‘As I understand it, the Liberals under Trudeau, introduced the tax in 2019 and it is designed as a financial incentive for people and businesses to change their behaviour to burn less fossil fuels and transition to greener forms of energy, thus helping Canada lower its emissions.’

‘That’s about right and typically people oppose the costs of the carbon tax but forget the associated rebates, which are worth roughly $70 to $140 per month for a family of four, depending on where they live. That’s a nice chunk of change.’

‘Axing the carbon tax would also axe the rebates. How much money are we talking about here?’ I said, knowing that Camp had looked into this issue, unlike most of us who just hear the buzzwords, the bumper sticker and the complaints.’

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 God Made Trump

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            ‘Have you seen the latest campaign commercial released on X by Trump? It’s called: God Made Trump.’ I asked Camp as soon he sat down. 

            ‘It’s frigging cold out there,’ he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around himself. ‘The arctic freeze is here.’ He shook his head in disgust. ‘Yes, I’ve seen it. The one where he claims that God Almighty personally appointed him to come down to earth to save America.’

            ‘Yes, that one where he promised God and America that he would work 7 days a week, not only 6 like his boss, work until midnight every day, use his strong arms to wrestle the Deep State and then deliver his grand child?’

            ‘You don’t have to repeat it. It made me barf the first time. At first I thought it to be a farce, a comedy stunt but no, this is a genuine Trump narcissistic maniacal promo video. No doubt to be lampooned at nauseum by Saturday Night Live, Steve Colbert and every self-respecting Late Night Show comedian.’

            ‘Adding fuel to the fire, no doubt, more press, more exposure. Just exactly what he wants.’ I said.

Let me read you something that shows who is is. ‘He a liar and a cheat, says sports writer Rick Reilly. When he plays golf he takes ‘mulligans’ (extra strokes that aren’t counted in one’s score), throws opponent’s balls off the greens and into the bunkers, and kicks his own errant shots back onto the fairway so often that one of his caddies nicknamed him Pele, after the soccer star. Trump doesn’t just cheat at golf, Reilly concluded. He cheats like a three-card Monty dealer. He throws it, boots it and moves it. He lies about his lies. He fudges and foozles and fluffs.’

‘It’s harmless behavior on a golf course but not on the international stage as president of the USA,’ I said.

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Dog People

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            ‘There are people who have dogs and then there are dogs who have people,’ I said to Camp who was already enjoying a pint of golden liquid in our usual spot by the harbour. 

            ‘I know what you mean,’ Camp said. Dogs are a big responsibility. There are those who have dogs for companionship, some who have them to guard against bears and thieves and then there are those who have dogs, especially the small designer breeds, as accessories. I can never get over it when they drag the small animal on its 3-inch legs behind them.’

            ‘And then there are those who use dogs as deterrents. Some pit bulls are like loaded guns,’ I said. 

   ‘Some dog owners lavish so much emotional capital onto their pets as if they were people, and instead of proper training they yell at them as if the dogs could understand.

   Pets can fill an emotional void, maybe even in lieu of a child, but they can be valuable companions for lonely and elderly people. Dogs get their owners out walking and dog people have an affinity with other dog owners and thus have an unlimited amount of dog lore to talk about. There are so many dogs these days, in high-rise apartments and small flats, left alone all day or fostered out to doggie daycare. It’s a massive industry from petfood to vets.’

            ‘Let me consult Siri,’ I offered. ‘There are approximately 8 million cats and 6 million dogs in Canada. Approximately 35% of Canadian households have a dog and 38% have a cat. (source: Ipsos Reid). From 2020-2022, the Canadian dog and cat populations continued to grow, increasing from 7.7 million to 7.9 million for dogs, and from 8.1 million to 8.5 million for cats. Pet food sales in the US increased by 10 percent in 2020 to a total of US$ 42 billion for the year (according to American Pet Products Association, APPA), and Canada exported $ 1.1 billion worth of pet food in 2020,’ I quoted. 

            ‘I’m in the wrong business,’ Camp said, ‘And more people seem to have acquired a dog during the pandemic. I’m wondering if they kept them once we could travel again.’

    ‘As inflation puts cost pressures on pet owners and many return to in-person work, people are surrendering their pandemic pets, overwhelming animal shelters across the country, according to a CBC report. The L.A. Times just ran an article about overcrowding shelters and the L.A, City Counsel moved to halt new permits for dog breeding.’

    ‘Yes, people got lonely and worked from home. Ergo, get a dog. And thanks to us carnivores who eat all the meat, the pets get all the innards, bones, blood and viscera. Nothing gets wasted. It’s all protein.’

 ‘Interesting point,’ I said. 

‘Did you ever have a dog?’ 

            ‘No, but when I was a kid, I fantasised about a Lassie dog and when we were in New Zealand I looked after a Weimaraner for a few months. It was a very needy dog with unbounded nervous energy and it hated poodles but we definitely took a liking to each other. But with our travel and work lives we could never see the room for a dog.’

            ‘Same here,’ Camp said. I often thought about having a dog, one that would obediently lay at my feet in the book store and walk me home at the end of the day but I decided against it because it entailed to much responsibility for my liking.’

            I asked Vicky, our server, if she had a pet when she brought our fresh pints around.

            ‘I have a stuffed dog, Fluffy, that’s been with me since early childhood. It’s very cuddly and no bother at all and doesn’t mind staying home alone.’

            ‘Also, no pet food,’ Camp said.

            ‘And no pooper scooper,’ Vicky added laughing.