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It’s A Dog’s Life

Bruce Mabley
Political activist and philosopher Franz Fanon wrote decades ago ‘The Wretched of the Earth’ to describe the poor and disenfranchised victims of international capitalism. As a simple citizen of a supposedly civilized state, I have the odd impression that Fanon’s words might also apply to me.
I’m not poor or rich like most Canadians. I have a nice home and can pay for three square meals a day. I have to be thankful for that even if most of it was earned by my own hard work and a bit of intelligence. The economic conditions were fairly good in North America.
On the other hand, as an elector living in Montreal (Québec) Canada, I have to be forgiven for thinking that I have led a politically disenfranchised existence.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a great place to live with lots of parks, schools, libraries, hospitals and services. On the other hand, our team of elected representatives needs a lesson in democracy.
Our federal team
Many, like Transport Minister Marc Garneau, have missed the point of being responsive to their electors. What to make of a Transport Minister whose first concern, when the Boeing Max airliner crashed again in Ethiopia, was to use it as a golden opportunity to deploy his astronaut scientific skills to settle some vacuous academic debate.
Instead of immediately suspending Boeing’s plane to protect Canadian passenger lives, he waited patiently for the arrival of more data. Prudence, for Garneau, apparently means waiting for science to split hairs. Meanwhile, passenger safety is put on hold and peoples’ lives are endangered.
Luckily, we had an astronaut in the driver’s seat. Right?
On badly-needed electoral reform, a broken Liberal Party promise, who better than Francis Scarpaleggia to be named Chair of the committee designated to scuttle the file? His loyalty to the chief knows no bounds. Loyalty is good, right?
Anthony Housefather’s barely concealed mutism about Hampstead Mayor Steinberg’s ground-breaking new definition of ‘pacific ethnic cleansing’ in relation to Québec’s new secular law is worrisome. The concept itself is totally illogical. How can ethnic cleansing be non-violent? Perhaps this explains Montreal Mayor Plante’s own mutism as well. After all, Argentina, where she was visiting, is quite far away from Montreal. I guess Housefather learned how to shut down the truth more than once at the Justice Committee in Ottawa regarding the SNC Lavalin imbroglio. Then I could mention the young Peter Schacht, a MP ready to work for Canadian youth but who has fallen silent for three years without any serious legislation or projects except a few summer internships. Summer is great, right?
Such are the ways of a majority government, I suppose. Another observer more well-informed about the workings of Canadian politics might have concluded that the lack of any results is due to some terrible inefficiency in our machinery of government. But wait! Wasn’t that why we voted for electoral reform and sunny ways in 2015?
A pretty meager result, you say. The Ottawa scene is little better, awash in scandals and under the joug of sclerotic political parties – their arrogant masters and equally arrogant malcontents.
e, the citizens, those who elected these Rip Van Winkles, deserve a hundred times better. This is not to say that I support either the Conservatives or NDP. Although Singh appears to me the most intelligent of the three, his knowledge of Quebec and our specificity seems lacking. As for the Conservatives, the memory of Stephen Harper and his Senate scandal is enough to
strike fear into the heart of any voter.
As an international political observer and writer and former Canadian diplomat, I thought the Harper performance on international affairs to be one of the worst in the history of Canada. I was only half right. That statement remains true but little did I think the Justin Trudeau would equal his puerile incompetence and poor judgement.
It’s a dog’s life. Moreover, to prove it, the Mayor of Montreal has seen to it, thanks to her sanctimonious benefactors and professional muckrakers, that, in the City of Montreal, a pitbull dog has more rights than a human being.
Maybe its time for the gilets jaunes. Or maybe we can try voting for the Bloc Québécois.
*Dr. Bruce Mabley is a former Canadian diplomat having served in the Middle East, and is the director of the Mackenzie-Papineau think tank in Montreal.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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