Some time ago, a white-collar professional acquaintance of mine was temporarily laid off. She was concerned—maybe a bit embarrassed—but not too worried; she had good connections and an impressive CV. She even had some savings. But they certainly wouldn’t last long: she still needed an income. I asked her if…
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Speaking before an international audience today, Canada’s Prime Minister said, “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and frankly, the results have been a pleasant surprise.” Indeed they have. Speaking with Members of Parliament today, there were a variety of responses to the presence of equal numbers of female MPs and…
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Parents, take note! Your search for clarity in the education debates is finally over. The Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) commissioned a report a few weeks ago that set out a fairly bleak picture of general dissatisfaction with public schools and then concluded with a series of recommendations about…
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Well, that was awkward. Oh, sorry—I’m not talking about how the federal government, in a remarkable display of self-satire, cut short debate on the Fair Elections Act (or as I like to call it: “Democracy 2.0: Abridged too far”). And, tempting as it is, I’m not hinting at the recent…
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When it comes to parenting, everyone’s an expert. And society loves to jump all over the latest media-feted example of overly indulgent parenting of kids of all ages—from toddlers to millennials. Sure, all parents make mistakes, and all kids have meltdowns (some of which might have, admittedly, been handled better)….
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Has anyone else noticed the explosive rise of fact-checking in the Canadian media as of late? This is certainly a welcome development. Instead of the usual “He said, she said,” muddle in the name of balance, we are in the throes of a renewed quest for pure facts and unadulterated…
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The Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS) has released its third Alternative Person of the Year Award. In 2011, rating agencies had been its recipients whilst last year Chinese labour camps rose to the top. This year, competition was rough. After lengthy discussions, our jury did come to a…
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Free agency opened on July 5 in the National Hockey League (NHL) and a myriad of contracts were signed. Between July 2 and 16, which includes the few days before the free agency officially began, free agents (or players on the verge of becoming free agents) were offered a total…
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What happened Finance Committee? I remember, back when we first met, you asked me for my pre-budget submission and I gave it to you. You cared about my priorities. You asked me over for the Finance Committee’s Pre-Budget consultations. We talked. I felt like you really heard me. We made…
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True confession time, people. I commit sociology. And not just as a one-off. You might say—all right, I will say it—that I’m a repeat offender. In fact, I’m practically addicted. Scarcely a minute can go by without my synapses looking for their next fix. That might not be a politically…
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