The baby girl’s name list 2023, from A to Zrylie
Every year, the government of Alberta does something that even Danielle Smith can’t ruin: the baby name list. I love this list, not only because it is vastly amusing and…
Maurice Tougas
Upcoming policies from future Alberta Prime Minster Danielle Smith
Premier Danielle Smith has announced changes to how Alberta educational institutions may accept research money from the federal government. “For too long, the Trudeau government has given research money based…
Saving the world one bag at a time
Before the federal government and The People’s Republic of Edmonton declared war on paper or plastic bags, stores would provide customers with bags, gratis, to tote away their purchases. Hey,…
I am now a grandfather. Congratulate me.
As of March 15th at about 1:45p.m. – the Ides of March, whatever that means – I crossed the last threshold into senior citizenship. I am now a grandfather, and,…
Why Brian Mulroney looks so good today
Have I ever told you about the time I met Brian Mulroney? It was 1984, and Mulroney was running to replace the exhausted and deeply unpopular Pierre Trudeau/John Turner government.…
In search of valuable cardboard
Hockey cards are having a moment, aren’t they? Recently, an entire carton of unopened 1979-80 hockey cards, found in a Saskatoon basement (could this story be any more Canadian?) sold…
Oscar predictions from a guy who hasn’t seen most of the nominees
If Barbie wins the best picture Oscar on Monday, it will mark two years in a row that I didn’t finish the best picture winner. I stopped watching last year’s…
You – yes, you – can be scammed
One day last week, I got a phone call from my mother-in-law. I know this sounds like the set-up for a joke, but it isn’t. “Where are you?” she practically…
The age-old question of … age
One of the biggest issues in the U.S. election isn’t the economy, or the border (southern, not northern), or various worldwide conflicts. It’s age. Specifically, old age. The only thing…
Skip Valentine’s Day, save the world
How much have you, or are you, spending on Valentine’s Day? If the Retail Council of Canada can be trusted (have they ever lied to us before?), the answer is,…
When The Beatles conquered America (and me)
I am reading a called ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ a history of pop music. Naturally, there was a chapter on The Beatles and their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show,…
Tim Hortons has become the ultimate symbol of Canada
Canada is not a great country for symbols. Sure, there’s the maple leaf, but how many times do you actually see a maple leaf tree in Western Canada? There’s the…
Whither the Alberta NDP?
During the provincial election of 2015, Rachel Notley was everywhere. Literally. The party – which, going into the election, had just four seats – was desperate. Their candidates were so…
My 2023 books worth reading (and one to avoid)
Happy New Year, readers. And since you are readers, I thought I would give you the New Year’s gift of a list of my favourite books of 2023. (You will…
The goodbye list of 2023
Welcome again to my annual list of the famous and infamous who left this mortal coil in 2023. In this list you will find famous names, people you thought were…
All I want for Christmas is …
“What do you want for Christmas?” I’ve heard those six words dozens of times since I was a child. As a kid, it was an invitation to go crazy. The…
Your must not see films of 2023
As a lifelong fan and even, dare I say, a student of movies, at this time of year I like to peruse the ‘best of’ lists from movie critics, looking…
Wait a second before you toss your cookies
In preparation for the inevitable snowfall, I was attempting to get my snow tires put on my car last week. I went to one of those drive-thru lube places, which…
In the land where money has no value
Wouldn’t you like to live in a world where money has no value? Where you could spend any amount of money on anything you like? And I don’t mean Taylor…
I want my Goodies
Canada’s population has been growing at an unprecedented rate – more than one million people in 2022, making it the fastest-growing country in the G7. But if we’re so hot,…