vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #165 / Opinion / Reading article...

Let me tell you the story of the great Canadian voyage to the Russian Far East to open an honorary consulate. The representatives of my country showed up in the last week of March this year and proceeded to offer $3,000 per year to anyone who would accept the position. You also had to have an office and secretary. I didn’t ask if that was U.S. or Canadian dollars. In fact, I was too embarrassed to ask anything.

My Russian friends were a little less inhibited; they greeted the offer with uproarious laughter. I have two suggestions for my government: 1) Hold a series of bake sales in Ottawa to raise some extra money, and 2) If you come back with the same offer, don’t come in the last of March. Wait a bit and come on April 1 so we can all have a good laugh.