Behind the optics…

Court Painter has called upon a manual phoropter to decipher the optics of the announcement.

Presidental Dining…

choke points…

The Shawinigan Handshake in Canadian folklore is considered a chokehold at a chokepoint. Former PM Chretien demonstrates the manoeuvre on a southern neighbour.

Definition: A chokepoint is a narrow, strategic passage—such as a strait, valley, or bridge—that restricts movement and forces traffic (military or commercial) to pass through a single, congested area. It serves as a bottleneck that, if controlled or blocked, can halt flow, create hazards, or provide significant tactical advantages in warfare and geopolitics.

Approximately 80% of global trade by volume moves by ship, much of it passing through narrow, high-traffic waterways known as maritime chokepoints. Disruption at any of these locations—whether from conflict, accidents, or environmental factors—can cause immediate spikes in energy prices and massive delays in global supply chains. Source:Al Jazeera +4

The Most Critical Chokepoints (2026 Status)

Chokepoint Primary SignificanceCurrent Status (April 2026)
Strait of HormuzWorld’s most vital energy artery; ~20%–30% of global oil flows here.Highly Volatile: Traffic collapsed in early April due to conflict. Iran has issued warnings against passage; US naval presence is active.
Strait of MalaccaAsia’s “trade superhighway”; handles ~40% of world trade and 80% of China’s energy imports.Operational but Congested: Still the world’s busiest natural strait. Subject to piracy risks and regional geopolitical tension.
Suez CanalArtificial shortcut connecting Asia and Europe, shaving ~8,900 km off the trip around Africa.Strained: Vulnerable to spillover from regional Middle East conflict. Significant container shipping has shifted to alternative routes.
Bab el-MandebGateway to the Red Sea and Suez Canal; crucial for trade between Europe and the Indian Ocean.High Risk: Frequent drone and missile attacks by Houthi forces have forced major shipping lines to reroute.
Panama CanalCritical link between the Atlantic and Pacific, handling 40% of all US container traffic.Operational: Managing environmental challenges like drought, which periodically restricts transit slots and increases costs

Independent Public Inquiry demand…

Click Link for post

https://open.substack.com/pub/drjaredwesley/p/momentum-toward-a-public-inquiry?r=1sx7vz&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

  • SOURCE:
    Jared Wesley
    is professor of political science and associate dean (Graduate) in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta.
  • May 7th 2026

Thirty-eight (38) academics from across the province joined me in publishing this open letter earlier this morning. I invite you to read and share it widely.

As we argue:

As I argued earlier, police and Elections Alberta investigations are underway. They are necessary. But they are not enough.

GG…