Where there is money to be made, there are unethical business practices. Unfortunately, there is a lot of money to be made in tobacco sales. Yes, where there is smoke, there is fire. There seems to be an ongoing awkward dance between the government and tobacco companies. Government tries to limit the advertising, use, and sale of cigarettes, and tobacco …
We owe it to ourselves and our children to stop rushing to relax
Ah, summery weather is finally here, and minds wander to beaches and camping and getting closer to nature. Unfortunately, there is the hurried and often harried packing up, travelling, and setup to conquer first. While I appreciate the rush to get to that special place for family quality time, the irony is evident in the insanity we put our kids …
How do you thank your mom for everything she’s done for you?
I didn’t buy my mother a Mother’s Day present this year and I’m not sure I’ll buy one ever again. It’s not that I don’t appreciate her; quite the contrary. It’s just that since I’ve had children and am in the process of raising them, I can’t think of an appropriate gift to send her anymore. I used to buy …
Forces beyond our control are at work when we lose a baby tooth
My daughter has a loose tooth. It amuses and revolts both her and me at the same time. As I watch her grappling with the wiggly tooth, I can’t help but think of the teeth I’ve cut along the way (literally and metaphorically). As a girl, I knew that if I didn’t brush my teeth and ate too much sugar, …
We should celebrate Family Day weekly, not annually: bring back Sundays
Family Day is a great idea, but too bad it doesn’t occur more often. We truly need to focus on our families more and spend less time at work or thinking about work or buying stuff. Imagine one day, monthly or weekly, when we focus on the important things: when no one works, when no shopping errands have to/can be …
Bigger, faster, more don’t mean progress and they don’t make us happy
Did we need a bigger Walmart? Was anyone complaining that the old one was too small? Are bigger, faster and more always better? Life’s trappings have us in such a choke hold that I am wondering who is in control. More and more often, I am feeling strangely uncomfortable. It is a difficult sensation to pinpoint, but I feel it …
Our students should not be schooled in shortcuts and slacking off
Does quantity now trump quality for high school graduates? Does our educational assessment system now pander to the lowest common denominator? I’ve never been a proponent of quantity over quality and perhaps I’m being negative here, but I’m worried. Should we be happy with September’s report from the Ministry of Education that 67 per cent of Grades 3 and 6 …
Get out from under a rock and attend some of our great local shows
This month I made it to three excellent community events. Two were part of the Algoma Fall Festival and one was the opener to the Over the Rainbow Children’s Entertainment series. There was one thing in common at all the events — lots of local volunteers and sponsors, without whom these events would not happen. This is no small point. …
Make the best of the bad weather we’re experiencing this summer
I have never worn jeans so much in the summer. My summer wardrobe has barely emerged from the depths of the closet. When the sun was peeking out one morning, I reached for shorts. And by the time my hand was on them the weather had returned to a dull grey. I settled on jeans, a T-shirt and . . …
Give princesses everywhere the power to save themselves
Welcome to the fairytale fallacy – brought to us by princesses and Hollywood. Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful princess. She was kind, funny, and intelligent, but had one fatal flaw–she was waiting for her prince to come and complete her life. Fast forward through dozens of Disney movies, to a land …