Innocuous In Innisfil 🇨🇦

Retired and focused on gardening and golfing. Recently downsized to a smaller moneypit in the Barrie area. Joined Mastodon in November 2022.I sometimes rant a little...

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Read my daily "Good Morning Canada!" Posts by following the hashtag #CanadaIsAwesome

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Last Notes

2026-09-22 12:00:04 UTC

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What's your favourite Berry: (Please boost for science... )
#Poll

2026-09-22 11:51:20 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
According to #StatCan Blueberries are Canada's top selling fruit. We produce more kilos of other fruits but in terms of revenue the little antioxidant powerhouse remains the leader. We are net exporters annually, rivaling cranberries for top berry shipments to other countries. B.C., Ontario and Quebec account for the majority of Canada’s Blueberry production.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Farming #BuyCanadian
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/9224-despite-challenging-2025-growing-season-blueberries-remain-canadas-top-selling-fruit

2026-09-18 11:24:52 UTC

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Even Rick Mercer stopped by the college for some training.
#CCGS #MercerMemories
https://youtu.be/AdkmHjVzF7E

2026-09-18 11:22:41 UTC

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Here's one person's experience at the Canadian Coast Guard College.
#MarineLife
https://youtu.be/HpHgY3z4aDU

2026-09-18 11:18:29 UTC

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Good Morning #Canada
This #CCG_Week continues with a look at the Canadian Coast Guard college, training, and highlights of personnel. The #CCGS college has been training officers and technicians for over 60 years and other countries send their recruits to this institution based in Nova Scotia. CCGS search and rescue experts also train auxiliary members at designated stations across Canada
#CanadaIsAwesome #Training #Education
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-coast-guard/services/academy/look-inside.html

2026-09-17 12:34:38 UTC

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Thanks to Rick Mercer I learned that the #CCGS maintains communication towers to keep remote communities connected. That's critical to allow them to respond to emergencies and general calls for support.
#MercerMemories
https://youtu.be/bl_zQfgSups

2026-09-17 12:23:04 UTC

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The St. Lawrence Seaway closes for a few months in the winter but shipping on the upper Great Lakes continues and the port in Montreal is kept open to Atlantic ships. The #CCGS will assist hundreds of ships as well as keep ice moving in the current to prevent ice jams and flooding. The CCGS and USCG share responsibilities in keeping maritime traffic moving.
#GreatLakes Icebreaking
Part 1: https://youtu.be/GgoNkyCi3bw
Part 2: https://youtu.be/y7M9qZpjph0
Part 3: https://youtu.be/2II7Wz-NysI

2026-09-17 12:09:37 UTC

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Good Morning #Canada
The really cool visuals for the Canadian Coast Guard come from their #Icebreakers while performing their winter duties. Most of that activity happens in 2 regions: the Arctic and the Great Lakes.
Supporting the far north, and protecting our sovereignty in the region, drove the funding for 2 new Polar Class Icebreakers announced in 2021 and currently under construction on the west coast.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CCG_Week
https://youtu.be/9A0-K-R84ak

2026-09-16 11:43:12 UTC

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One of the most interesting vessels in the #CCG fleet is not really a ship. The Canadian Coast Guard has 4 #Hovercraft, 2 based in Richmond BC, and 2 in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. They allow the CCG to access areas where other ships cannot travel.
Here's a look at the Trois-Rivieres station:
https://youtu.be/eoJatV8Iw4U
Here's a look at the Richmond station:
https://youtu.be/BlT5deC9a34

2026-09-16 11:25:34 UTC

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Good Morning #Canada
The Canadian Coast Guard maintains a fleet of hundreds of ships across the country. Duties include: search & rescue, #Icebreakers, survey & sounding, marine research, supply & maintenance, environmental cleanup, and enforcement.
This highly useful government website lists every type of #CCG vessel, what they're used for, how many are in service, and includes links to specs on each ship. Highly recommended for naval nerds.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CCG_WEEK
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-coast-guard/services/fleet/vessel-classes.html#hovercraft

2026-09-15 12:32:43 UTC

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A jaded observer may believe the government's merging of the Canadian Coast Guard and Department of National Defence allows Canada to fulfill the ICE Pact AND count the $11B in funding as part of our #NATO spending commitment. I'm sure that never entered into Carney's strategy.
For an excellent background on Canada’s building of #Icebreakers you can read the Wiki page on the Polar Icebreaker Project. We've stumbled, but maybe we're walking tall now.
#History #CanPoli
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_Icebreaker_Project

2026-09-15 12:19:23 UTC

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It didn't get a lot of attention during Carney's announcement of 6 new ships, but there are 2 new Polar Icebreakers under construction on Canada’s west coast. Originally announced in 2008, the Polar Icebreaker Project started and stopped until finally provided funding in 2021 by Trudeau's government.
#Shipbuilding #CCG
https://youtu.be/bUaidJbJ8u8

2026-09-15 11:59:59 UTC

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Good Morning #Canada
This #CCG_Week series was prompted by a birthday gift from PM Carney on Aug 24th (my DOB), when he announced 6 new #Icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. The new ships are needed to replace our 2 existing Icebreakers and meet commitments under the ICE Pact, an agreement between USA, Canada & Finland to build Icebreakers and secure the Arctic.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CCG
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/pm-carney-unveils-11-billion-165512858.html

2026-09-14 12:09:10 UTC

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Cool design of the Canadian Coast Guard rescue craft, shared with Coast Guard agencies in other countries, is the self righting capability if they roll over.
#Ships #Rescue #CCG_Week
https://youtu.be/sSMHwTHJJPo

2026-09-14 11:59:36 UTC

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Good Morning #Canada
The #CCG has an enormous job covering the world's longest coastline: over 243,000 km of coast and 5.3 million square km of water. Unlike many other nations, the Canadian Coast Guard has no military, naval, or law enforcement duties. On an average day, the CCG coordinates multiple search and rescue operations, saving roughly 13 to 15 lives daily. All with only 6,700+ staff plus 4,000 volunteers in the CCG Auxiliary.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CCG_Week
https://youtu.be/JqOhPjYMNw0

2026-09-13 12:40:31 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
This week PM Carney announced the building of 6 new #Icebreakers for the #CCG - Canadian Coast Guard services. In commemorate that event I think we need a #CCG_Week full of #History , facts and stories about this important department. The CCG was officially announced in 1962, although many of its responsibilities were handled by various ministries dating back to 1867. Fasten your life jackets for the week ahead.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Defence
https://youtu.be/RFMgV_QlHv0

2026-08-27 15:24:59 UTC

We're headed to the community beach for some kayaking. Granddaughter just finished a canoe camp last week so she's ready. She is accompanied today by our youngest daughter, the favourite Aunt Katie. My role today is mule (pulling the 2nd kayak), photographer and shore support.
Temp is 22°C, partial clouds and 14 km/hr winds offshore.
#Kayaking #BeachLife #GetOutside
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/117/168/117/830/024/261/original/bdc15252b2d1c454.jpg

2026-08-26 13:06:54 UTC

Happy 48th to my awesome wife. She is not on Mastodon but I've already told her I would do it all over again... just not in a baby blue tux...
#WeddingAniversary
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/117/161/932/970/103/963/original/5511f3bad8ff3f99.jpg

2026-08-24 11:42:17 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
Please excuse my self indulgence today but I'm celebrating a milestone - my 70th birthday. I feel strangely confident at this age, in a better mental state versus when I turned 60. I'm in decent physical shape and downsizing in 2025 has given us financial security.
Being born in 1956 means the 1960s was a pretty important decade for me growing up in Toronto. So this short video brought back a lot of memories.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #1960s
https://youtu.be/YC1BFbNiyDo

2026-08-22 12:53:05 UTC

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Other legislation that should be passed immediately is the Digital Services Tax, legislation that was canceled in order to foster good relations in the trade talks. That sure worked. Pass it immediately and make U.S. tech pay taxes in Canada for profits made from servicing Canadians.
There should also be increased export duties on anything the U.S. still needs - aluminum, oil, electric power, potash, etc. Build a fund from these taxes and use it to support other industries with fewer options.

2026-08-22 12:44:51 UTC

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Thinking about retaliation. Applying reciprocal #Tariffs is the stated next step. That will raise prices for us and makes it more important than ever to #BuyCanadian. Our government needs to work on a strict labeling law that makes it easy to identify Canadian products, and stop importers from #MapleWashing their goods. Push that legislation through immediately.
#TeamCanada

2026-08-22 12:37:58 UTC

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There's the whole issue of trust. Trump is capricious, has obvious signs of cognitive decline, doesn't care about partnership (except with Russia and North Korea...) and was just as likely to trash any agreement if some upset billionaire dropped a few million into his pocket. The current U.S. - Canada trade deal, #CUSMA, was negotiated in Trump's 1st term and he's referred to it as the worst deal negotiated in history. He's not sufficiently self-aware to realize he's trashing his deal.

2026-08-22 12:28:58 UTC

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The reference to the "last minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms" is typical Trump. He talked about the tactic in his book, Art of the Deal (that he didn't write), where you get close to a deal and then throw something outrageous onto the table. His deals are not good for both sides, standard practice for achieving stable longterm partnerships, but must be an overwhelming win. He has to dominate the partner in order to feel he is winning. Canada was never going to get a fair deal.

2026-08-22 12:22:26 UTC

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Trump is quoted regularly that his favourite word is "Tariffs". The likelihood that he would alter his misguided approach to trade policy is close to zero. He sees money pouring into the government but doesn't understand the damage done to his economy or impact felt by U.S. consumers. Because he's also incapable of learning, his trade negotiators weren't going to change his mind. As long as he remains in office, tariffs will remain central to his trade policy.
#TrumpTariffs

2026-08-22 12:15:40 UTC

Some after coffee thoughts on the collapse of U.S. - Canada trade talks. (Rant incomming)
This document is all over the news this morning, and shared widely on #MastodonCanada. Some were surprised by the collapse of discussions, primarily media and businesses, but there was a slim chance of ever achieving a deal.
#CanPoli #Tariffs
Statement by Prime Minister Carney on Canada-U.S. trade negotiations | Prime Minister of Canada
https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2026/08/21/statement-prime-minister-carney-canada-us-trade-negotiations

2026-08-08 12:33:47 UTC

This past week we euthanized Cassie, a fluffy grey rescue that was with us for 13 years. She spent 10 years with us but when we rescued kitten Casper 3 years ago there was some conflict. Our daughter took her in to give her a break and she ended up staying with her. We have 1000s of photos of Cassie on a lap because she had the super power of knowing when a human was reclining somewhere in the house. Irritating at times, but not unwelcome.
#InternationalCatDay #Caturday #CatsOfMastadon
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/117/059/838/782/885/656/original/c416fdda4f9e3a8c.jpg
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/117/059/843/939/295/555/original/b4eff0d6f82ff0be.jpg

2026-08-07 11:30:54 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
Why should you visit Fort St James, a town of 73,000 only incorporated in 1952? It is the oldest continually inhabited town in Canada west of the Rockies and served as an economic hub in B.C. for 100 years before the railway arrived. The outpost's log buildings have been preserved and you can get a real sense of how the fur trade built Canada.
#CanadaIsAwesome #History #TravelCanada
The Last Fur Trade Post: Preserving History at Fort St James
https://terraencounters.wordpress.com/2023/10/09/the-last-fur-trade-post-preserving-history-at-fort-st-james/

2026-07-16 12:02:11 UTC

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OK - this morning's post really needs a poll. Comments, for or against, are welcome. Please boost to encourage participation and dialogue.
#Government #CanPoli #Democracy
Do you think political parties are good or bad for government.

2026-07-16 11:46:54 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
Every morning I post some Canadian history, interesting geography, weird factoid, strange cultural topic or moronic humor. I've learned a lot about our country but apparently there are still large gaps in my knowledge. Today I learned that the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are governed without political parties. How awesome is that. No political organizations chasing power for the sake of power.
#CanadaIsAwesome #CanPoli
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_government_in_Canada

2026-07-12 13:19:13 UTC

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The suburbs around Pearson were built after the airport. New developments in the area all had large billboards notifying buyers about flight paths, noise and airport traffic. My uncle purchased a home in Bramalea in the late 50s and the purchase agreement also pointed out the impact of the airport.
Billy Bishop expansion is impacting thousands of homeowners after they've moved into the neighbourhood.

2026-07-02 01:31:58 UTC

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Power has been restored. I was filming the storm out our back door window when we lost power. Cell service also disappeared for over 3 hours which was unusual.
#OntarioStorm
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/116/847/790/583/311/602/original/e221e52ba9638bae.mp4

2026-07-02 00:43:57 UTC

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Approaching hour 4 with no power - we lost it at 5:05 pm. Might be turning in early...

2026-07-01 19:28:08 UTC

"PING PONG SIZED HAIL"....
#ExtremeWeather #Thunderstorms
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/116/846/354/866/047/398/original/6da26165c7028293.jpg

2026-06-27 12:14:24 UTC

Good Morning #Canada
We Canadians are fortunate enough to have water close to us and we enjoy a wide variety of water sports. For example, the internet states, and therefore must be true, that 14.8 million Canadians participate in kayaking or canoeing. Paddle Canada also states there are 318 billion trees across Canada.
Here's some older data from #StatsCan with fascinating numbers on our activities on the water.
#CanadaIsAwesome #Kayak #Canoe #GetOutside
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/1372-flow-chart-how-canadians-love-water

2026-06-17 19:24:13 UTC

Cory Doctorow ( @Plualistic ) is pretty good today. I particularly like the phrase, "eminently guillotineable billionaire" ....
https://pluralistic.net/2026/06/17/its-the-stupid-economy-stupid/#trillionairitis

2026-05-28 01:24:33 UTC

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Thank you Evan, very much appreciated.

2026-05-28 01:10:36 UTC

My daughter, after undergoing intensive treatment for breast cancer over the past 11 months, is a warrior and a survivor. She now works for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation as a grant writer & marketing specialist in their fundraising group. We're supporting her as she challenges herself by walking a half-marathon to raise funds for life-saving cancer research. Find a reputable charity & donate to put an end to this terrible disease.
#BreastCancer #FuckCancer
https://supportthepmcf.ca/ui/Walk26/participant/12279249

2026-05-05 19:08:02 UTC

When we moved from Caledon to Barrie at the end of June last year we brought a selection of plants from our large garden. Although we abused them terribly last summer, ignoring them in temporary containers until the fall, everything appears to be growing. So far only the daffodils are flowering but we have 3 different types of tulips that we hope will bloom this year. Assuming that spring actually starts - too cold and wet so far.
#Gardening #BloomScrolling #Zone5a
https://m.f-h.co/cosocial-ca/media_attachments/files/116/523/494/660/909/928/original/9145ae4f44c06d91.jpg

2026-03-22 21:23:29 UTC

24 hours after the #GreatMigration and I am missing 2 followers.
I WILL FIND YOU...
#MastodonCanada

2026-03-22 13:01:51 UTC

My new instance has community members on a short leash (500 characters) so my usually verbose #GoodMorning posts will require some adjustment. I'll either be short and snappy or mini threading, depending on my level of excitement for the subject.
Don't hate the author, hate the medium.
Still, glad to be here.