Only On The Walters Post

A while back, I weighed in on Canada’s hunt for new submarines. I thought I had it figured out, but after digging deeper, here’s where I really stand.

When it comes to submarines, I we shouldn’t play roulette with our navy.

Let’s skip the sales pitches. Canada has two options: Hanwha from South Korea and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp.

Hanwha’s promising the works—“We’ll build fast! Create jobs! Supercharge Canadian industry!” It all sounds great, but here’s the thing: speed and big promises don’t equal quality. You can build a flashy sports car in a hurry, but let’s see how it holds up when you hit a pothole the size of Lake Ontario.

Now the Germans on the other hand—ThyssenKrupp. They’ve been making submarines since before disco. Trusted by NATO, built to last, engineered with that famous German precision. When you buy German, you get reliability. No frills, just function.

Bottom line: Hanwha might deliver on time, maybe even build something kinda decent. But for submarines—where lives are at stake—you don’t go with the new kids on the block. You trust the team whose record proves they know what they’re doing. That’s Germany.

Deep underwater, a shiny promise won’t keep you alive. It’s not about speed or showmanship. It’s about trust—knowing what you have will last. That’s what really counts.

And that’s the way I see it.

Until next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post

So, we hear it again. Canada could lead the world in pulling CO₂ out of the air if Ottawa backs the market and keeps things moving. Now on paper, that sounds ambitious, even exciting. But the truth is, we are far from the only country working on this. The United States has its direct air capture projects, Europe boasts some carbon storage successes, and private companies all over the globe are working to find ways to pull carbon out of the sky.

Still, I cannot help but feel a bit of pride. Canada is taking this seriously. From federal investments to the work of companies like Deep Sky and Carbon Engineering, there is real effort being put in. However it is one thing to talk about net-zero, but it is another to actually put money and energy behind it.

But here is the thing, and this is where my old feller instincts kick in. As much as I believe we need to do things to help the environment, I worry that a lot of these “solutions” might do more harm than good in the long run. Wind farms, solar panels, even some of the new carbon capture technologies all come with their own problems. Big tracts of land, rare materials, heavy energy demands, and long-term maintenance headaches. We patch one hole and open another. Honestly, sometimes it feels like we are running around trying to look virtuous, while just making a bigger mess.

Then I think, we have oil, gas, and coal in abundance. Maybe it would make more sense to figure out ways to use what we already have cleaner and smarter, instead of chasing the next shiny idea that promises a perfect world but probably will not deliver. That is the kind of thing an old feller like me frets about. We want progress, we want to feel like we are doing something important, but sometimes the simplest and most obvious solutions get ignored because they do not sound exciting or newsworthy.

Still, Canada is moving forward, doing honest work in carbon removal, and that deserves acknowledgment. But let us keep our eyes open and our wits about us. Leadership is not just about being first, it is about getting others to follow, without tripping over our own ambitions along the way.

Until next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post

These days, it often feels like drama overshadows reality. Whether I turn on the TV or check my phone, I’m met with headlines about disasters, political disputes, and unrest. The news spreads so quickly it can make the world feel smaller and more intense than it really is.

But every now and then, something reminds me of life’s vastness and mystery. It might be the return of geese cutting across the sky in perfect formation, a seed pushing up through hard soil, or even a stranger showing unexpected kindness. The world has ways of reminding us it’s bigger than the headlines.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also noticed how uneven the news can feel. It doesn’t just inform anymore, it shapes how we see the world. Curiosity and wonder get pushed aside by stories meant to stir fear or anger.

In the end, it’s not just what happens that counts, but how we choose to see it. For me, it means looking past the noise and reminding myself, and maybe others, that wonder is still out there if we take the time to notice.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW