The Katrina Flood in New Orleans

Watching the images on MSNBC.com and CNN.com video was heart-wrenching. Quoting a source I heard today "this has ripped the bandage of the seeping wound that America has been hiding - the urban poor and the growing gap between the rich and the poor".

It seems evident that the response time was unacceptably slow and the federal government here needs to be held accountable. Let's hope it's a wake-up call to the Bush Administration to stop the tax cut. Things have run out of control, and a higher power has said "the circumstances have changed. You cannot do this tax cut." It will kill this economy and reinforce what was revealed during this whole crisis - inequity. As Kennedy "There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction."

It got me thinking about Canada. I know this would not have happened there. I just could not imagine it. It's part of our culture in Canada to be concerned with the society at large.

I was very interested to see this news article today from the CBC, and ironically also heard it on Fox News while I was working out at the gym:

Louisiana senator: Thank you Canada
Last Updated Thu, 08 Sep 2005 07:12:44 EDT

CBC News
A Louisiana state senator has praised a Canadian search and rescue team. Senator Walter Boasso said a Vancouver-based team reached St. Bernard parish five days before the U.S. army got there.

"Fabulous, fabulous guys," Boasso said. "They started rolling with us and got in boats to save people ... We've got Canadian flags flying everywhere."

The suburb of 68,000 people was initially ignored by U.S. authorities who were scrambling to get aid to New Orleans. Boasso said floodwater in his parish is still 2.4 metres deep in some places.

He said residents of the outlying parishes had to mount their own rescue and relief efforts when Hurricane Katrina struck last week.

The U.S. government response to the disaster has been widely criticized. Some politicians and editorial writers have called for the resignation of top Bush administration officials.

Boasso saved his praise for the Canadians and their quick work. "They were so glad to be here," he said. "They're still here. They are actually going door-to-door looking in the attics" for people to rescue.