Returning from its month long visit to the origin of the universe, a trip of 15.96 Ga (billion) years there, and 15.96 Ga (billion) years back, the November issue of the The Canadian Vindicator e-zine continues its mission of linking Canada and Ireland via the Internet and its offspring, the World Wide Web.

The time distance between our two countries on planet Earth is much shorter. For example, when it is 12 noon in Ontario it is 5 p.m. in Ireland, and when it is12 noon in British Columbia it is 8 p.m. in Ireland.

Canadian Separatism is only deja vu-Ireland led the way

Separatism has long been the bane of Canadian politics. Until 1949 Newfoundland and Labrador remained separate from what was then called the Dominion of Canada.

When Canada formally assumed status as an independent nation with patriation of its Constitution in 1982, the Province of Québec began a movement to secure the agreement of its people to secede.

From time to time British Columbians have debated secessation, either to form a separate country or join the United States.

To the horror of an e-zine dedicated to strengthening links between Canada and Ireland, it has now been revealed that the geological formation known as present day Ireland was originally part of Canada.

At a three-day conference on "Natural Landscapes--The Geological Foundation", organized by the Royal Irish Academy and the Geological Surveys of Ireland and convened recently in Dublin, Paul Ryan, a geology lecturer at NUI Galway, told delegates: "The separation of Ireland from Canada was recorded in the rocks of the Giants' Causeway at a time when the volcanoes of Iceland were near our [Irish] shores."

No wonder the citizens of each feel at home in the both countries.

And no wonder the conference was opened by Ireland's greatest living poet, Derry-born Seamus Heaney, whose poetry evokes the living landscapes of his homeland. No one better could be found to open such a conference designed to explore the importance of the country's geological heritage to tourism, and to look at ways to protect its natural heritage.

The question remains, did Ireland separate from Canada, or did Canada separate from Ireland?

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