The Big Issues.

It seems that, according to botanists, the new Canadian banknotes have the wrong leaf on them. Experts say that it’s the leaf of a Norwegian species of maple, not the Canadian one.

‘You’re being pedantic,’ say the Canadians. ‘It’s only meant to be a graphic representation of a maple leaf.’

So who’s right? I seem to recall that the Canadians describe their flag as ‘A Canadian Maple leaf in red…’ Are they now covering their embarrassment with a convenient excuse, or are the botanists being pedantic?

Oh for such matters of great import to keep our minds from atrophying in the mire of mere trivialities. Such as, for example, Oxfam’s assertion that the world’s richest hundred people (yes, just 100) have enough wealth to end world poverty four times over. Though the detail might be complex, I’m sure Oxfam have a valid point here. They’re asking that we reorganise the way in which the world operates so as to achieve a better balance between the masses who die of want, and the tiny minority who bathe in senseless, unimaginable luxury. I think the wrong people are in charge to have any hope of that happening, and maybe there’s a bigger picture to consider anyway.