Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 7, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba THINK TANK COMMENT EDITOR: RUSSELL WANGERSKY 204-697-7269 ● RUSSELL.WANGERSKY@WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM A7 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7, 2024 Ideas, Issues, Insights Finding tranquility in the garden T WO plump robins are singing in the garden, the burbling, liquid-throated song that only robins have. One is splashing luxuriously in the birdbath depicting the Three Graces — the daughters of Zeus: Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia, represent- ing mirth, elegance, youth and beauty. The other robin is doing a stately walkabout around the rose bush that produces pink and yel- low blossoms. From behind, it appears to be wear- ing an elegant black morning coat, gliding across the grass with its rusty waistcoat protruding. I could sit and watch this garden for an eternity. But, as Rudyard Kipling once observed, “Gar- dens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful!’ and sitting in the shade.” There’s work to be done here today and every day, if you only had the time. This garden in our little corner of the world in St. John’s, N.L., has been a passion project for my husband and me. We started with a blank canvas in 2006 — a rough square bounded by a handful of trees: one conifer, several maples and a few dogberry trees (also known as rowans or European mountain ash). Anyone who has ever tried growing anything on the east coast of Newfoundland is familiar with its notoriously poor and stony soil. One corner of the yard soon became a rock pit — the place we threw the multitude of stones turned up with every thrust of the spade. Any prized flat rocks were set aside until my husband had enough for the walkway he envi- sioned. He measured the length of my stride and we placed the stones in one day, levelling out the soil with sand, creating a meandering path of 25 steps leading to the very heart of things. It was the path I walked to our wedding, which was held in the middle of the cobblestone circle we made, surrounded by a rose garden I had first imagined on the back of a napkin when we were still in the dreaming stages. It’s where we sit now after a hard day’s labour of weeding and pruning and planting in a space that seems to have gone from infancy to mature garden in no time at all. And those are the best of days. That’s the thing about gardens: they can de- mand so much of your time but also give you so much pleasure that the many hours spent bent to the earth — girded with the gardening trinity of gloves, kneeler and trowel — feel fleeting and you’d give anything to do it all over again. Writers write a lot about gardening and no won- der. Both pursuits have things in common. I choose perennials like I choose words — carefully. When I’m not always sure I’ve made the right selection, I try to set them down in a reasonable arrangement and hope they have the impact I was going for. It still amazes me, when I look around the garden in summer, that there’s always something in bloom, even though in St. John’s all the expert advice about plants that are “hardy-in-zone- such-and-such” and “prefer-full-sunlight-to-part- shade” means nothing in this rugged, gale-lashed place where “spring” might entail three straight months of numbing rain, drizzle and fog. And yet. The forsythia, lilacs, peonies and rhododen- drons have lost their blooms. The weigela was a showy triumph of fuchsia trumpet flowers three weeks ago but is now subdued. It is the roses’ turn to take centre stage — old-fashioned white heavily scented ones, peach and red blossoms, off-white tender tea roses and the delicate pale pink rose bush I planted in mem- ory of my sister. Some will bloom in November, until their petals scatter to the ground in a swan song of fragrant confetti. The rock pit is a rock garden, now, where the hostas have sprouted spikes of white bells. The lamb’s ears are clustered in front of a dogberry tree — silvery-green sentinels with cascades of tiny purplish-pink flowers like frilled skirts. Yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia) — named for the Macedonian King of Thrace, a successor to Alexander the Great — has conquered this space with its spears of star-shaped flowers. I look at what we have made together — weeds and overgrowth notwithstanding — and think of Victor Hugo, writing in Les Misérables: “A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in — what more could he ask? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.” It is an oasis; our own small sanctuary. Last night we sat on the deck and listened to the wind whooshing through the trees, saw the shrubs turn into silhouettes, watched the sky darken until the stars of the Big Dipper winked overhead. The best of days always begin and end in the garden. Pam Frampton is a freelance writer and editor who lives in St. John’s. Email pamelajframpton@gmail.com X: pam_frampton Venezuelan suffering: no end in sight I wish that I knew how exactly the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) came to the conclusion that President Nicolás Maduro had been re-elected. What we do know, however, is that the presidential elections were not totally free and fair. The council, which is largely comprised of gov- ernment loyalists, claimed that Maduro’s United Socialist Party garnered 52 per cent of the overall vote, while the opposition Democratic Unitary Platform had secured just 43 per cent. But it’s hard to imagine that those figures actually repre- sent the will of the Venezuelan people. I sort of figured that something wasn’t right on Sunday morning when Maduro, having just voted earlier, said that he would honour the final electoral tally. With a straight face, he intoned: “I realize and will recognize the electoral referee (the CNE), the official announcements and I will make sure they are recognized.” Just in case no one was sure of who to vote for, one should recall that Maduro’s picture appeared 13 times on the final presidential ballot. Nor was the opposition’s wildly popular leader, María Corina Machado, allowed to participate in the presidential election even after winning an Octo- ber 2023 opposition-organized primary contest in a landslide. Furthermore, millions of Venezuelans living abroad, who left the country because of its dire economic and social conditions, were largely prohibited from voting. Over 100 opposition representatives had also been detained, media coverage was denied the opposition coalition and the ruling “Chavistas” prevented local precincts from independently verifying the voter tallies. In addition, international election observers were mostly banned from monitoring the voting pro- cess inside Venezuela. While the economic situation on the ground in Venezuela has improved in recent months, the cumulative impact over the last 10 years or so has been devastating. There is now a real fear that large-scale opposition protests will kick into high gear across the country no doubt triggering a violent and unrelenting crackdown by the Maduro government (with some reports claiming over 20 dead). There was some speculation that the Venezue- lan military, a powerful institution in the country and throughout much of Latin America, might intercede if the electoral fix was in (a charge that was also made about the 2018 Venezuelan elec- tion). But that was always going to be a long shot, particularly since Maduro has made a point of ensuring the loyalty of the Armed Forces and that members of the Venezuelan military brass feared the repercussions of an opposition victory. It does appear for the moment, then, that the Bolivarian Revolution, first initiated by Hugo Chávez in 1998-1999, will continue to struggle un- der Maduro’s leadership. But how will the rest of the international community respond to these dis- puted presidential election results. Though it may be too early to tell right now, it’s hard to imagine that countries in Latin America, the European Union (EU) and North America will remain quiet. A number of countries in the region, including Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Peru (whose ambassadors have now been expelled from the country), have already expressed their dissatisfaction with the election results in Ven- ezuela. It remains to be seen, however, whether Maduro-friendly governments in Colombia, Brazil or even in the Caribbean will advocate for tough- er measures against Maduro. Admittedly, Mexico may be a wild card here simply because it is going through a presidential transition of its own. It is true that countries such as Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Honduras and China will be pleased with the electoral outcome. The Cubans, still dependent on irregular and decreasing supplies of Venezuelan oil, will also be relieved that a right-leaning oppo- sition did not come to power. It’s hard to know for sure, though, how the lame-duck Joe Biden Administration in the U.S. will respond to the electoral outcome in Vene- zuela. But in a high-stakes presidential election year, you can be pretty sure that it won’t casually look the other way. So you can expect that more punitive economic and diplomatic steps (such as recognizing the Platform’s Edmundo González Urrutia as the election winner) against the Madu- ro government are not far off. It is unlikely that the Trudeau Liberals will stray too far from the Biden White House response. One would expect a toughly worded statement from Ottawa criticizing the electoral outcome, a call for some form of external inves- tigation of the election process and an additional ratcheting up of targeted sanctions against the Venezuelan government (triggering a further exodus of Venezuelan migrants). Of course, the Venezuelans are no strangers to being isolated in the world and treated as outcasts. Accordingly, the country is likely to be subjected to a longer list of punishing sanctions — especially against the critically important energy sector (which is the country’s economic life- blood). The only question now is: how many new countries will partake in a broader international sanctions coalition against Venezuela? Unfortunately, the end result will only prolong the suffering of beleaguered Venezuelans once again. And there is really no end in sight. Peter McKenna is professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown. Zoos have an important role WHILE the sentiment expressed in a recent editorial (“Zoos and rehabilitating animals”, July 26) following the tragic passing of Baffin the polar bear at Calgary Zoo may be well-intentioned, it overlooks important information that should be considered when contemplating the role of modern zoos and, by association, the lives of animals in the care of such facilities. The editorial suggests zoos could serve a rehabilitation function for injured or orphaned wildlife. The good news is, they already are. Modern zoos around the world support the rescue, rehabilitation and re- lease of a wide variety of species, many of which are endangered. While wildlife reintroductions can be suc- cessful for many species, large carnivores — such as bears — present unique challeng- es. A bear that is less wary of humans and learns to associate them with food can be dangerous when returned to the landscape, so great care must be taken to prevent ha- bituation. There has been some success re- introducing black and grizzly bears, though results are mixed, and the consequences can be devastating for both bears and people when things go wrong. Polar bears are, quite literally, a different animal. Unlike black and grizzly bears — omnivorous generalists that can adapt to a variety of landscapes and available food sources — polar bears are specialists. They rely on a very specific diet (primarily seals) that can only be found in a very specific environment (Arctic sea ice). When it comes to polar bears orphaned at a very young age, there is simply no known way for humans to successfully take on the role of a mother bear and teach a cub how to survive in this harsh and unforgiving landscape. For these reasons, it is widely accepted that polar bear rescue and release is an unfeasible theoretical concept that presents real risks if habituated polar bears come into contact with humans. Alternatively, letting nature take its course with orphaned polar bear cubs will almost certainly result in a painful death due to starvation or pre- dation. If we can learn anything from the out- pouring of sorrow and compassion following Baffin’s passing, it is that his life in human care had meaning, value and purpose. People form deep and personal connec- tions with these individual bears. Their stories have the power to educate and move hearts and minds. The Assiniboine Park Zoo is one of seven modern Canadian zoological facilities cur- rently accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which represents more than 235 facilities in the United States, Canada and overseas that collectively draw more than 200 million visitors every year. AZA members are leaders in veterinary care, animal welfare, wildlife conservation, environmental education and collaborative international efforts to save species from extinction. Here at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, we are engaged in conservation and research programs that support the animals in our care and conservation efforts in the wild. Through a variety of year-round programs and experiences, we educate zoo visitors about the importance of biodiversity and protecting natural spaces. We collaborate and share the expertise of our conservation scientists, veterinarians, and animal care professionals with a wide range of leading conservation organizations around the world. In the north, we work hard to maintain close working relationships with the Town of Churchill, Province of Manito- ba and federal authorities to support polar bear research, conservation, and veterinary efforts. By working collaboratively with these and other partners, our zoo expertise and resources provide vital supports to the Churchill region and its bears. Nobody wants to imagine a future in which Manitoba is no longer home to polar bears. Regrettably, a recent study co-au- thored by University of Manitoba research- ers and reported on in the Free Press, predicts this could become a reality within the next decade if we don’t act now to turn the tide of climate change. Baffin’s life and legacy is a reminder that our decisions and actions can make a difference for the future of polar bears and other wildlife here in Manitoba and around the world. Science-based solutions delivered by inter- nationally accredited zoos are important to the protection this iconic species. Chris Enright is senior director of zoological operations, animal management and conservation at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. CHRIS ENRIGHT PAM FRAMPTON PHOTO An overhead view of the path where the author walked down the aisle. PAM FRAMPTON PETER MCKENNA ;