It is the numbers, all the counting that sticks in one's mind in the Book of Numbers and yet there are other happenings. The people of Israel are hungry and want meat to eat and Moses is overwhelmed by the responsibility so God assigns 70 elders to help Moses by working with the Israelites on the day to day problems that arise. The rules to follow are many and the knowledge of the land they are heading towards is lost to them by the generations between Joseph who was sold into bondage by his brothers and then sold again in Egypt and God taking them out of their bondage in Egypt back to the land of their forefathers. For the sake of Moses God softens his anger somewhat but the path is difficult for the Israelis as they finally head home but it is hundreds of years since their ancestors went to Egypt to buy food during the time of crop failure. Although this reading tends to be repetitive the numbers are overwhelming of people; of goods; of animals. One trys to sort it all but I am not sure that is what I am to learn as I read Numbers.
Personally I am pleased with the decision on the pipeline. In the long run the people of a country always pay for the assets. That is what makes a country strong (corporations are not necessarily country supportive; their bottom line is what they look at, at all times, and one must be cautious at how dependent a country becomes on the corporations within it). The corporations benefit hugely from being Canadian (this Prime Minister has a good eye on business and economics and how a country should flow). The oil reserve in the oil sands is said to be worth 7 trillion (Alberta itself must be worth over 30 trillion with all the rare minerals). A good investment made by the government of Canada when Rupert's Land was slowly brought into Canada as provinces and territories. The benefits will come as time passes but if people are in a rush to acquire what isn't actually their personal property then perhaps they need to find a new place to live although the world is pretty much taken up in terms of formed countries. It is only by the process of support by all of Canada that exciting things like this will happen (British Columbia is supporting the new pipeline as well and otherwise Alberta is landlocked or having to sell all of its oil to our neighbour to the south at a discount). The benefits of the land belong to Canada, provinces are just administrative units unless you have a lot of money to buy the province and anyone buying it for you is not going to be as kind as Canada is to you. Trying to take away from Canada is not democracy; it is dictatorship by the few. Plus you need to get the First Nations to agree to sell the land to you and why ever would they sell their birthright! I am not sure that the history education is adequate these days with regard to the forming of Canada, the acquisition of Rupert's Land and the creation of the new provinces/territories out of Rupert's Land.
Strange that I would be reading about all the whining that was done by the Israelis in Numbers at the same time as the Separatists are whining that they actually might have to pay something to have a pipeline. Over time we might see the oil companies provide funding (one does realize that the bottom line is very important in order for them to stay solvent and beneficial to Canada) for this enterprise but the advantage of Canada mostly building it; we collect the money from those using the pipeline and the current Trans Mountain Pipeline (built by the taxes of all of Canada) will help to fund this new pipeline. One of the reasons I am leery of voting Conservative now a days is their tendency to try to balance the budget by selling our assets. I am leery of the Liberals but they tend not to sell our assets.
A little work done yesterday but we had to pick up a number of important items at various stores and all that was accomplished in less than two hours actually. It is very warm here and it will continue for more days.
A Happy July 4th to our neighbours and cousins in my case in the United States. Canada is giving a gift of 250 maple trees to the United States to help celebrate their 250th Anniversary.
Solitaire puzzles are next.
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