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EESTI ELU reedel, 28. augustil 2020 — Friday, August 28, 2020
Estonian officials not expecting new Europe-wide travel restrictions ERR, August, 2020
English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Repression and stupidity, fertile grounds for Moscow’s and Washington’s jokes It’s not belly-busting, I-can’tstop-laughing type of humour. Sometimes it’s nasty and the punch line assumes the listener is totally familiar with the subject matter alluded. • Putin calls the White House. “Hello Donald, I want to dis cuss Ukraine with you.” “What’s Ukraine.?” “Thanks Donald.” (Trump’s ignorance when Crimea was annexed in 2014? Putin’s reliance on Trump’s friendship no matter what the former’s transgression? The joke may be groundless, but does reflect the understanding and mood of at least some observers – in the Kremlin leaderships’ case, most people, over generations.) • Trump has two parts of his brain, the right part and the left part. The right part has nothing left. The left part has nothing right. • How does every Putin joke get started? By looking over your shoulder. • Stalin appears to Putin in a dream: “Kill of all your oppo nents and paint the Kremlin blue. Any questions?” Putin: “Why blue?” • What is Trump’s approach to world leadership? “A complex world demands complex hair.” • Little boy: “Daddy, I want to be like president Trump when I grow up”. Dad: “Pick one of them son, you can’t do both.” • Putin arrives at the Narva border crossing. Estonian Bor der Guard inquires: “Citizen ship?” Putin: “Russian.” Border Guard: “Occupation?” Putin: “No, only visiting.” • On a White House visit a young boy meets Trump in a hallway and says to him, “I want to be president one day.” Trump says, “Are you stupid? Are you an idiot? Are you retarded?” The boy replies, “You know what, I’ve changed my mind. Those are too many requirements.” • Five suggestions to intelligen tsia in Russia. 1. Don’t think. 2. If you think, don’t talk about it. 3. If you think and talk about it, don’t write it down. 4. If you think, talk about it, write it down, don’t sign it. 5. If you think, talk about it, write it down and sign it, don’t be surprised about what happens.
• It’s ludicrous for people to compare Trump to Hitler. Hitler wrote his own book. • Why does Putin have so many bodyguards? For personal safety, nobody wants to be left alone with him. • Putin opens the refrigerator door and sees a bowl of quiver ing sült (jellied meat). “Stop shaking,” he says, “I’m only getting the milk”. • Breaking news: Trump’s per sonal library burnt down. The fire destroyed both books and in a tragic twist, he hadn’t even finished colouring the second one yet. • Russia has been kicked out of the G8. Putin creates the G1 group of industrial, econo mically advanced nations. Rus sia is THE member. The G1 summit will convene in Sep tember in Sochi and Russia will be invited to participate. It’s anticipated that all member countries will attend. • Trump says to Pence, “The less immigrants we let in, the better”. Pence corrects him, “The fewer”. Trump says, “I told you not to call me that yet”. • Putin’s used shirts are sent to factories that produce armour for tanks. Putin’s used socks are used to bombard Chechen reb els. • Trump: “Vlad, how do you know the people around you are smart and trustworthy?” Putin: “I ask them a question. If they get it wrong – Siberia.” Trump: “What’s the question?” Putin: “I ask them, who is your mother’s son, but isn’t your brother?” Trump: “Ooh, that’s good, what’s the answer?” Putin: “Well for me it’s me, Vladimir Putin. I’m the son of my moth er, but not my brother.” Trump: “Wow, of course. I’ll try it on Pence.” Trump calls Pence: “Listen, who’s the son of your mother but not your brother?” Pence: “That’s easy. It’s me, Mike Pence:” Trump: “No you moron! It’s Vladimir Putin!” Both jokes about Trump and Putin have some common aspects – they provide a glimpse of how some Russians and Americans judge their l eader, they’re both cruelly cynical, they mirror the public mood, at least a substantial part
European-wide restrictions to limit the spread of corona virus are not expected to be implemented in the near future despite an increase in infection rates across member states, Estonian officials believe. Across Europe, the map of coronavirus restrictions is be coming more and more compli cated and is different in every country. In general, 16 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants as an average of the last 14 days is the limit for countries not to impose restrictions on travelers. However, Finland has set a much lower theshold at eight and other countries have their own rules. There is also no uni fied position on wearing masks. This raises the question of whether a maze of rules is inevi table in the coming years across the European Union. Keit Kasemets, head of the European Commission Repre sentation in Estonia, told ETV’s “Akuaalne kaamera” (AK) re cently that in his opinion not all restrictions would return. “It is certainly not the case that Europe now has either mask-wearing rules or social distancing rules. As far as the various travel restrictions are concerned, the role of the European Union is, firstly, to ensure that the internal market (Continued on page 9)
of the public. In the USA, jokes about Trump cover his vanity, bragging, womanizing, lying, hunger for power and other character traits, with a large portion targeting his perceived low intellect. But for Russians, where the media are state controlled, they’re a form of personal liberation from intentional mis information. They offer a sense of cathartic rebellion. They offer the freedom for Russians to express what they see with their own eyes. They point to Putin’s hypocrisy, his failure to cope with rampant poverty, his avowed fight against corruption while personally becoming grossly wealthy. The one trait that seems to dominate the list is Putin’s repressive leadership. How effective are jokes in helping to drive change? Before and after studies on political humour are most likely impos sible to conduct. No scholarly conclusions have been drawn. One can at the moment say that there is no persuasive and con sistent evidence of its persua sive capacity. While no societal attitude change can be affirmed, this type of cutting, disparag ing, sometimes outrageous humour may act as a social balm and still increases the salience of certain serious issues. They can take tyrants and their wannabes down a notch. LAAS LEIVAT
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New temporary public policy will allow visitors to apply for a work permit without having to leave Canada Change intended to benefit employers who are still facing difficulties finding workers August 24, 2020 – OTTAWA – Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country, thanks to a new public policy announced today by the Honourable Marco E.L. Men dicino, Minister of Immig ration, Refugees and Citizen ship. This temporary policy change takes effect immediately and will benefit employers in Canada who continue to face difficulties finding the workers they need, as well as temporary residents who would like to contribute their labour and skills to Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, tempo rary residents who remained in Canada were encouraged to maintain valid legal status. With air travel limited around the world, some visitors to Canada have been unable to leave, while some foreign workers had to change their status to visitor because their work permit was expiring and they didn’t have a job offer to be able to apply for a new work permit. Some em ployers in Canada have also faced ongoing labour and skills shortages throughout this period, including those who provide important goods and services that Canadians rely on. To be eligible, an applicant looking to benefit from this temporary public policy must: • have valid status in Canada as a visitor on August 24, 2020 and remain in Canada • have a job offer • submit an application for an employer-specific work permit that is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer of employment, no later than March 31, 2021 • meet all other standard admissibility criteria This temporary public policy also provides the opportunity for applicants who meet these criteria and who had a valid work permit in the past 12 months to begin working for their new employer before their work permit application has been fully approved. To do so, they need to follow the instruc tions for the process described here: https://www.canada.ca/en/ immigration-refugees-citizen ship/services/work-canada/per mit/temporary/after-apply-nextsteps.html Quote “We have heard from em ployers who continue to face challenges recruiting and hiring the workers they need during
the pandemic. At the same time, some visitors in Canada may be able to contribute their skills where there are labour shor tages. The measures introduced today will now allow visitors to apply for work permits without having to leave the country first. This exemption from the normal temporary work permit requirements is aimed at remov ing barriers to create a more agile workforce that leverages visitors with the skills and experience to accelerate our economic recovery.” – The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Quick facts • Any type of visitor who meets the criteria is eligible to apply under this new public policy, including super visa holders, business visitors and those who entered Canada through a Global Skills Strategy work permit exemption. • Foreign nationals who arrive in Canada as visitors after August 24, 2020, are not eligible under the public policy. • Prior to this temporary policy change, a person applying as a temporary resident would usually need to apply for their initial work permit before they came to Canada. If they were already in Canada with visitor status when they were approved for a work permit, they would need to leave Canada and return before their work permit was issued to them. Associated links • How COVID-19 is affecting IRCC: Foreign workers (https:// www.canada.ca/en/immigra tion-refugees-citizenship/ser vices/coronavirus-covid19/for eign-workers.html) • Process for public policy applicants who have had a work permit in the past 12 months (https://www.canada.ca/en/ immigration-refugees-citizen ship/services/work-canada/per mit/temporary/after-apply-nextsteps.html) • News release: Government announces help for employers to meet their labour needs (https://www.canada.ca/en/ immigration-refugees-citizen ship/news/2020/05/governmentannounces-help-for-employersto-meet-their-labour-needs.html) • Web notice: Extension for temporary residents restoring their status (https://www.cana da.ca/en/immigration-refu gees-citizenship/news/notices/ restoration-extension.html) Follow us: • facebook.com/CitCanada • twitter.com/CitImmCanada • instagram.com/CitImmCanada
