The other day I was in the fine city of Saint John, N.B. and happened to be waiting outside a South End business. Like others I began watching a disturbing pantomime unfolding across the street.

A young woman climbed into a very large dumpster and began sorting through bags of garbage, throwing down discoveries which had potential to be breakfast for her and her pals, and other bits and pieces possibly beverage containers to be redeemed for cash. Soon, a young man joined her up in the dumpster, also picking and choosing items to throw down.

Another person who was knocking on the door of the business nodded toward the dumpster divers and dismissed them as “crazy” and left, shaking his head.

Then, the young the young people lit cigarettes and headed down the street. The first woman also lit a cigarette and tottered after the others.

It struck me as tragic that these obviously homeless and hungry young people were ingesting substances that would likely shorten their lives. There are no doubt more serious examples of the toll of homelessness and addictions on New Brunswickers, but I believe the dumpster incident is a symbolic example which might galvanize others into action as it did me.

I had previously lived in the South End and loved Queen Square with its many red brick buildings. Even then it had its rough side, including poverty and some crime, but homeless did not seem as prevalent as today. Saint John always had its charm.

On their first day back in the House after all the floor crossings and the three Liberal victories in the three by-elections, the two main party leaders had a vintage Parliamentary debate which foretells what it is going to be like between the two leaders in the long period before the next election.

After their bi-partisan concern during observances for the Tumbler Ridge shootings, the two leaders, symbolically, held hands. Poilievre “played nice” for a while, and this heralded a new era of cooperation between the two main parties and a more cooperative, civilized approach by Poilievre.

But stung by the floor crossings of four of his caucus members to the Liberals, Poilievre reverted to the role in which he is most comfortable, that of attack dog.

Poilievre remarked in an interview with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation that Carney is “badly educated in economics.”

In the House, Poilievre said the Liberals had already blown the federal deficit, as the November 4 budget had projected a $78.3 billion deficit for the current fiscal year which ended in March and more than $65 billion for the current fiscal year.

Poilievre, who holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations from the University of Calgary, was up against Carney who has been the Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard and a Master’s and PhD, both in Economics, from Oxford.
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Poilievre drew laughter in the House from the Conservative benches, but Prime Minister Carney had the last laugh when he told Poilievre: “I feel like I’m in the presence of students.”

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire may be shaky but much of the credit for it goes to Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan who regularly refers to his country’s “brotherly relationship” with
​Iran, even though Iran is much bigger, richer, and more populous.
 
Sharif is a Sunni Muslim, a religion that also makes up a small share of the Iranian population, which is overwhelmingly Shia Muslim, the official state religion. Nonetheless the Pakistan Prime Minister is in an excellent position to show brotherly affection for Iranians and take a lead role in ceasefire talks.
 

​Sharif, and countries such as Great Britain have been hugely disappointed that the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not joined the ceasefire and has continued to pound Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges in Israel, has long been waging war in Gaza, Lebanon, and until very recently Iran, as a way of holding on to power in Israel.
 
It is long past time for Israel to give up its offensive in Lebanon.
 
Leading up to the crisis point in this Middle Eastern war, U.S. President Trump’s conduct has been atrocious, venal, and scary for most citizens of this world.
 
On Sunday, Trump warned: “Open the Fuckin’ strait or face living in Hell.”

​Now, Avi Lewis, grieving son of Stephen, is launching his career as federal NDP leader, at an incredible time for Canada as a nation. It is too early for Avi to be viewed in such glowing terms, but he has a strong family foundation of dedication to social justice, to build on. 

​With his experience as a journalist and filmmaker, Avram David “Avi” Lewis, 58, is young on the political stage.