890 Wednesday-Night.com
Salon Magazine vol 18

March 24, 1999

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#889

#891

890

Wednesday 24th March 1999

David saluted Eric Hamovitch and his new book Paul Martin, a Political Biography co-authored with Robert Chodos and Rare Murphy. Eric commented that, "Martin just may be running out of time - as did his father". The book was not based on any interviews with Mr. Martin, but the authors consulted many of his friends and associates. The authors are not convinced that he is a Business Liberal, but "he has done a good job (in attacking the deficit) that many others may not have been able to do." His own experience with a highly leveraged buyout (CSL) leaving him with a huge debt may have coloured Martin's feelings about the Canadian debt.
Kosovo
Considerable discussion was devoted to the NATO bombing campaign in the remnants of Yugoslavia. We saw video and sound news clips: people lining up for gas (Ron Meisels juxtaposed that in WW II, people lined up for bread, not gas), candles and other supplies, crackdowns on media outlets; White House briefings, Yeltsin, Milosevic, explosions over Belgrade, refugees, attacks on Kosovar villages and people….
Is NATO correct to carry out the threat to intervene? Should the threat have been made??
Opinions around the table are deeply divided on many aspects of this issue. Some of the points raised:

As soon as Yugoslavia begins to break up, every little part of the country would seek independence. One guest reminds us of the reasons that the word "balkanization" exists in the English language. (Editor's Note: see Globe & Mail, Tuesday March 23, Balkan powder keg: 10 years of terror N/F)
As our good friend Misha would remind us, the history of Kosovo, ever since the 1389 battle in which a Serbian hero (Prince Lazar) was killed is so closely identified with Serb nationalism that it is unthinkable to Serbs to permit full autonomy, let alone annexation to Albania

Tito, left, with senior army officers watching war games in 1971.

(Editor's Note: Please see the National Post Friday, March 26 The undoing of Tito's legacy by Alec Russell for an excellent recapitulation)

Why didn't the UN begin to prepare for this eventuality two years ago, all the indicators were evident then? Instead we have an intervention which is U.S. driven, a fact that is somewhat disturbing, if not illegal.. This should be a UN initiative.

Got to next week for more with Dr. Mihailo Crnobrnja

Fr. David Oliver

CIA Fact book &map
Cuba.

Speaking of U.S. wisdom in foreign policy, the subject turns to Cuba with a brief clip showing the problems in sugar and tobacco production, the privatisation of the cigar industry and general poverty in the streets. Cubans are tired of controls, shortages and poverty. Recent U.S. policy changes have expanded contacts with Cuba while still maintaining the embargo. Controls on travel have been relaxed, categories of people eligible to receive stipends of up to $300US per quarter have been expanded, direct mail service restored.
Jacques Clément, recently returned from two weeks in Matanzas, has asked Cubans about their opinion of Castro. "Basically they don't want to talk about Castro", adding that a German hotel manager told him that 70% of Cubans support Castro, partly because of free education and medical care which he introduced.

Dr. Mark Roper

Dr. Mark Roper suggests that the much-vaunted medical care is a myth. Only Canada, North Korea and Cuba offer universal Medicare and Cuban medical practices are essentially Third World medicine essentially due to the lack of supplies.
Jacques states that prostitution is nearly licked, there is no drug problem and almost no killings. A number of dissenting voices were heard in response to this statement which appears to be contrary to other experiences. Jacques maintains that Montreal is much more corrupt than Cuba as Cuba has no unemployment. Several voices respond that "no unemployment" is Communist propaganda as we have seen previously in Hungary and other eastern European countries. There is vast under-employment in order to create no unemployment.

Cuban Girl

Cuba has the highest literacy rate and the lowest infant mortality rate in Latin America. However many of the university graduates cannot afford to practice professions at an average monthly wage of $10. As a result doctors, lawyers and university graduates have joined the 81,000 workers in the $1.8B tourist industry which is growing at 50% annually. Canada, along with Spain, Italy, Mexico and Germany have a major stake in this industry. There are 21 joint ventures (51% owned by the Cuban government). The Caisse-backed Savard project is one example of Canadian investment.
Udo Studner believes that the biggest threat to the revolution is the creating of a two-tiered system where some have valuable tourist pesos and the rest have regular pesos. The result is substantial social unrest caused by the friction between those with the better pesos who can buy more and those with the regular pesos that buy less.
Quebec's PQ has had a more ideological than business approach to Cuba.

Mike O'Brien

As for future possibilities, once Cuba opens up, Mike O'Brien says that the airline market potential is immense.
What will happen once Castro dies? Jacques notes that this year Fidel did not appear on nightly TV as has always been the case. suggests that brother Raoul is a possible successor, but he is immensely unpopular and lacks Fidel's charisma. As in most dictatorships, the succession is not well planned and it is mostly a much older generation that still espouses the revolutionary ideals.
For sure, the Americans will have to overcome strong anti-Americanism before they can gain a foothold in Cuba. "The first organization to win over the hearts of Cubans will be the organization which brings in food. Cubans are starving."

Fr. David Oliver

Canada is reviewing its bilateral activities and support for Cuba's reinstatement in the OAS after four dissidents were sentenced to jail terms. Is Chrétien's reaction to the jailing appropriate? Is he taking a tough stance with Cuba because of the flack he took over the Suharto visit to APEC in Vancouver?
Historically, Canada has done business with Cuba in the hopes that it would eventually become democratic. Constructive engagement to create middle class. Dissidents, therefore could be a sign of success? Canada is being consistent in reviewing its relationship with Cuba in light of the jailing, and Cuba is not showing good faith. Canada has always stood up for democratic rights, even while doing business with Cuba. This is the same policy followed in China - if we don't do business there, we have no opportunity to create change.
Québec Healthcare

Dr. André Pasternac

One of our doctors feels that Minister Marois' offer will improve matters. Another sees problems with the collective bargaining process and points out that the increased budget from Québec may not cover the 10% increase in the next contract. Hugh Scott may ask Québec to absorb the increase so that the hospitals may benefit from at least some of the "new" money from Québec.
A teacher of nursing has noted that over the past five years when she takes students to the hospitals, the patients are much more ill than in the past. Her students are faced with patients who are just out of surgery because people are being discharged so quickly.

Dr. André Pasternac

We are falling behind. Montreal used to be a leader in research. Dr. André Pasternac mentions that there is no MRI at the Montreal Heart Institute. Yes, we can get good care, but the overall standard is slipping. As a society we are too poor… brain power is decreasing as the best move to the U.S., morale is poor, nurses are exhausted, secretaries are unhappy. Job security means good people often don't get promoted. Last year, buyouts of collective bargaining positions cost $143 Million.
Real estate
Bruce Burnett and Andrew Cross were asked for their views on the future of real estate in Montreal. Both concur with the positive reports in the media. Andrew suggests and 8.5% increase in the coming year.

Diana & Jacques

On that happy note, David asked Alan Mass to thank Jacques Clément on behalf of all for bringing back so much solid information from his vacation. Alan commented that most of us go on vacation to gaze up at a coconut and wonder when and where it might fall. Jacques on the other hand appears to conduct extensive socio-economic research when he is on holiday and shares it with us so that our opinions may be based on something more than obscure bits of information.
Tuberculosis
A smaller group remained to discuss the current resurgence of TB as a world health problem. Thought to have been eradicated, TB is now the world's deadliest infectious disease, killing more people than AIDS, malaria and tropical illnesses combined. Today is World TB Day and newspapers contain a number of articles on this subject. The Pan American Health Organization warns that Canadians will become increasingly vulnerable as the disease spreads through the country's homeless and intravenous drug users. (see the Gazette, Thursday March 25 Health organization spreads TB alert by Aaron Derfel).
The subject is of particular interest to Wednesday Night as one of our friends has recently been diagnosed as having some form of the disease. Information on the origin and nature of the TB is sketchy at this time, but it appears that it dates from childhood and is not of an infectious nature. A number of Wednesday Nighters have been tested - ALL ARE NEGATIVE.
Notes by Carroll McCormick and Diana Thébaud Nicholson Edited by Diana Thébaud Nicholson
Wednesday-Night #890
Saturday 20 March 1999 Caribbean upbeat Trinidad and Tobago is diversifying its wayto prosperity JAY BRYAN We also get into Cuba with Jacques Clement's return from a sexy holiday.. See Our night in Cuba #837

Wednesday 24 March 1999 Old boy's club Once the bastion of Montreal's anglo business elite, the Montreal Exchange was run like a neo-colonial institution ROBERT STEWART (saved)
Friday 26 March 1999 Health care: No news is good news $3.1-million hike for 'administration and departmental management' among the few surprises JEFF HEINRICH

See our first Surround Pan of "la cucina" at 388 Victoria

See extend deLavigne through the project, to Atwater? Not a good project!?

Thank you to Andrew de Courcy-Ireland for the comments below

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David Oliver

889 #891

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