THE ART OF AGING...

THE ART OF AGING - 
By Bernard Bujold -
At what age do we become old? That depends on how rich we are... 
I was listening to a fellow journalist, aged 68, say on the radio that, after a brilliant 40-year career in a major media outlet, no one wants to allow him to take on a new challenge elsewhere. He's been offered plenty of volunteer work, but he wants a salary... Sad to say, today's society is not based on ideas, but on financial power. If my journalist colleague had been the rich owner of his media, he'd still be in great demand. The richer an individual is financially, the younger he stays, even if he is old, and the more he can decide what society is like around him. Societies everywhere on the planet are dominated by financial power. Sad for my journalist colleague, but fame, prestige, and ideas don't have the same value as money, especially when you're 68! 
 Such is life... 
Fortunately, there's always the beach! 
www.lestudio1.com

THE ELECTORAL SPORT

THE ELECTORAL SPORT... 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Some friends, knowing my passion for politics, ask me which next electoral competition will provoke my interest... I must admit that I'm a bit lost. The next big campaign will be in Quebec on October 5, 2026, and to date, I don't have a favourite “horse”! 

I'm no longer attracted to François Legault; Paul St-Pierre Plamondon seems an uncertain bet, and I'll never vote for Pablo Rodriguez, the Liberal favourite. Of course, there's still more than a year to go before the election, but a year is a short time in the sport of politics... 

At the municipal level, elections will be held on November 2, 2025, throughout Quebec; however, I have even less of a favorite candidate than at the provincial level. To be continued... 

Have a nice Spring 2025! 

SEE JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL POLL 

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2025/05/14/la-caq-degringole-en-3e-place--les-quebecois-prets-pour-du-sang-neuf 

SEE ELECTION QUEBEC 

https://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/voter/elections-en-cours-et-a-venir/#provincial

THE CABINET OF MARK CARNEY

MARK CARNEY'S CABINET - May 2025 -
By Bernard Bujold - 
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced his new cabinet of ministers. In the end, a minister's cabinet is like the wait staff in a restaurant. There's the chef and then there are the waiters... 
Personally, I like two of the ministers very much: Acadian Dominic Leblanc, nicknamed “the fixer” and whose father, Roméo Leblanc, I knew well; and my riding MP, Steven Guilbault. 
For the rest, one is as good as the other... 
https://www.facebook.com/MarkJCarney2025 
https://www.parl.ca/

TULIP FESTIVAL - 2025

TULIP FESTIVAL - 2025 -
By Bernard Bujold -
The tulip season in Canada, and particularly in Ottawa, is a major spring event, with tulips blooming from April to May, depending on weather conditions. Over 100 species and thousands of cultivars, classified as early (18-29 cm, April), mid-season (40-60 cm, mid-May), and late (25-70 cm, late May). Botanical tulips are ideal for rock gardens, Triomphe for bouquets, and Darwin hybrids for their robustness. Bulbs should be planted in autumn (September to December) at a depth of 10-15 cm, in well-drained, sunny soil. A cold winter period is essential for flowering. 
Happy tulip season...
www.lestudio1.com

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY - Edition 2025

MOTHER’S DAY 2025... 
Every year, in May, it’s time to celebrate mothers. 
Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers this Sunday, May 11, 2025!

Mother's Day is also tulip season...

www.lestudio1.com

THE ART OF ELECTING A NEW POPE

THE ART OF ELECTING A NEW POPE - 
By Bernard Bujold - 
The 2025 conclave was held in a horse race style, with a horse emerging from the pack to dominate the race quickly. The new Pope Leo XIV was elected in the 4th round with over 100 votes. 
SEE FULL STORY IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/pope-leo-xiv-conclave-election-robert-prevost-0eb0f255?st=houTcG&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

A NEW POPE

A NEW POPE IS ELECTED... 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a native of the United States (Chicago), was elected the new Pope of the Catholic Church at 6.06 pm Vatican time on Thursday, May 8, 2025... His name will be Leo XIV. 

It's a source of renewed pride for Americans, particularly for President Donald J. Trump, who congratulated his election and invited the new Pope to visit Washington. . 

SEE BIOGRAPHY 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV

THE CONCLAVE - MAY 2025

THE CONCLAVE MAY 2025 - 
By Bernard Bujold - 
Neither I nor Donald are on the candidates list to be the next Pope, but we had figurine toys made of us to give to our friends, for the fun of it… 
I could have theoretically been on the list if I had accepted the invitation from my village priest when I was a teenager to become a priest, but I refused his offer! I always regretted it… 
On a more serious note, a total of 133 Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world are meeting starting today, May 7, 2025, in Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel to elect a Pope. They will untangle complex issues as they consider candidates to lead the church's 1.4 billion followers across all seven continents. If one thinks that elections are a rough game in the non-religious world, the one at the Vatican is the toughest… 
The group of cardinals will be weighing such factors as geography, international political trends, the candidates’ age, their popularity, and the lingering fallout from years of controversy surrounding sexual abuse by the clergy. This selection will also determine whether the next leader of the Catholic Church will continue and expand the reforms that gained traction during the last 12-year reign of Pope Francis, who died last April 21, or return to the more conservative approach of Benedict XVI! 
But there is worse for the next Pope, the Vatican is out of cash and cannot meet the daily financial operation expenses! The Vatican art and real estate collection is priceless, but the Vatican doesn't want to sell anything, and the city-state is deeply into an unsustainable debt deficit and has no cash… 
In a way, the Vatican would need a clone of Donald Trump… 
To be continued... 

See full stories 

FINANCES 
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/vatican-pope-finances-5d3a9bbd?st=nQ2Ter&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink 

THE ELECTION PROCESS 
https://www.wsj.com/world/conclave-pope-election-starts-c37aee46?st=u4x3Ji&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink 

THE FAVORITE 
https://www.wsj.com/world/next-pope-polymarket-kalshi-bets-26bb4a4a?st=c69r6Q&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink 

SCHEDULE 
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/05/06/when-does-conclave-start-time-schedule/83459537007/