Quebec on fire

 Massive forest fires are coating much of Quebec in haze and smoke | CBC News

"Yan Boulanger, a research scientist with Natural Resources Canada said that the ground covered by the fires in Quebec's commercial forests in the past four days is massive and estimates that it's equal to what was covered in the past 10 years combined."

Fires Burn Across Quebec (nasa.gov)

Fire season in Quebec usually starts in late May. In an average year, only 247 hectares (a square mile) of area would be burned by June 5, according to Quebec’s fire prevention agency (SOPFEU). But so far this year, 160,000 hectares (600 square miles) have burned.

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The strong Canadian dollar

is apparently hurting some Canadian industries that supply substantial markets in the USA, and are now less competitive.

"So now that Americans are taking a second look at our goods because of our strong dollar and their weak Greenback, Quebecers like Jean Charest are beginning to panic.

My suggestion to Charest is this: Quebecers really don’t like the USA and the American people, so here is Quebec’s best opportunity ever, to wean itself from the American teat.

All Quebecers have to do is learn how to live with a little less. A little less tourism - A little less manufacturing - Maybe even a little less hydroelectric sales. And then they’ll never again need to be upset by the big bad ugly Americans.

On the brighter side though, Quebecers are crossing into the USA in record numbers to buy their Christmas gifts, and to spend their vacation money in a country where their inflated dollar buys them more.

Charest must be overjoyed at his Quebecois compatriots’ newfound buying bonanza south of the border while Quebec manufacturers, retailers and service-providers wonder if they’ll have a job in the New Year." Howard Galganov