August 2017
For the 150th, let’s also re-make our economic myths
Every society needs its myths. But as much as myths and stories can empower, they can also be damaging. Here are three economic myths about Canada that could use re-writing.…
Social conflict is inevitable in decolonization battle
Members of Unis’tot’en camp, November 2012. All the controversy over Canada 150 and its morbid celebration of the gains Canada has made at the expense of Indigenous lives has many…
Unhappy birthday
Illustration by Inori Roy As Canada commemorates its sesquicentennial with a festival of propaganda, the gulf between this country’s reality and its image — prettily packaged at home and exported…
The Treasure by Alberta author Suzanne Lamontagne leads Audreys Books’ Edmonton Bestseller list this week
Here is the list of the top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles sold in Edmonton for the week ended Aug. 20, 2017, compiled by Audreys Books and provided by the…
Resource Companies Grapple With Supreme Court Decisions on Duty to Consult Indigenous Communities
The duty to consult Indigenous communities — what it means and how it should be properly executed — is now a key issue for pipeline and petroleum companies hoping to…
The Case for Ousting Trump
It doesn’t have anything to do with money laundering or colluding with the Kremlin to rig the election. It has everything to do with the ruinous impact of a dysfunctional…
Hawaiian Luau and Other Fun
My camera broke:
Still Crazy After All These Years
Apologies to Paul Simon but the phrase, “still crazy after all these years,” speaks perfectly of America’s inability to either accept or learn from its past. The proof is manifest…
Sorry, But You Did Have It Coming.
It’s a phrase that lawyers are particularly fond of – “the author of his own misfortune.” It describes the common defence to those who make poor choices and then seek…
I-M-P-E-A-C-H, I Quit
Daniel Kammen is a professor at UC Berkeley. Until recently he’s also served as a science envoy to the US State Department. It seems the good professor has had a…
Is Canada as racist as the United States?
Take the quiz.
LawFact of the Day: Wills and Estates
Here is your daily LawFact from Wise Law Toronto for Thursday August 24, 2017. Today we are talking about Wills and Estates. For more information on Employment Law, Family Law,…
Public Health Restructuring Proposed
An “expert panel” appointed by the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has now recommendedthe reduction in the number of Public Health boards from 36 to 14, matching the…
How One Hawaiian Mayor is Making His Town Better
Hawaii is a beautiful part of the world and like most gorgeous parts pf this planet it’s feeling the pressures of climate change. Despite the American government’s blatant rejection of…
Our Summer Of Discontent
We live in a time of multiple crises — the dangers from climate change, economic inequality and revived racism are real. But E. J. Dionne argues that the most pressing…
X: Recipe for Hate gets five out of five stars!
My publisher Dundurn has (smartly) arranged for teachers to read the book, since it’s (partly) aimed at a YA audience. Here’s what one teacher in the U.S. had to say:…
Fact Checking Donald Trump’s Worst Speech Ever
Donald Trump's speech in Phoenix the other night was so deeply disturbing it made many all over the world wonder what could be done, if anything, to keep him away…
New column day
Here, asking why Justin Trudeau and Gerald Butts are so willing to offer political cover to the Trump administration (including the now-departed Steve Bannon). For further reading…– Ryan Lizza’s report…