Hey, Danielle! Keep your hands off my pension
When the news broke about Danielle Smith’s scheme for an Alberta pension plan, an old expression came to mind – if it ain’t broke, don’t fit it. Admittedly, the English…
Maurice Tougas
Grandfatherhood: The final frontier
So, I’ve got big news. I think. I’m going to be a grandfather for the first time. Congratulations, people tell me. Um, sure, I say. Don’t get me wrong. I…
The year the musicians died
I worry about Willie Nelson. The Red-Headed Stranger turned 90 this year, so clearly he won’t be on the road again much longer. But I’m especially worried about Willie, one…
A city guy goes to the farm
As a child in the city, my knowledge of farm life was limited to what I saw on Green Acres (which was, for younger readers, a TV show about a…
Clash of the holidays
So, what costume are you wearing for Halloween? Are you giving out mini-chocolate bars, or Twizzlers? Oh, wait. Sorry, seems I’ve jumped the gun. Based on what I’ve seen in…
This is perfect, thank you so much … not
The other day, while on an extended old-man rant about words and phrases that irk me, my son asked why I let such trivial things bother me. There’s nothing you…
Remember when $100,000 was a great salary?
You may have heard the news last week that the Alberta government – that’s us, by the way – shelled out more than $3.5 million in compensation to 23 executives,…
It’s time to free the children
Spring is officially over (although we’re already had a month or more of summertime temperatures) and summer is officially here. Glorious sunshine. Everything is green. Mosquitoes are ready to hatch.…
Winners and losers in the Alberta election.
So, what have we learned after the ugliest, closest election campaign in Alberta history? As always, there are winners and losers outside of the polling stations. Here are a few……
Will this be game over for Notley, or Smith?
Monday’s election results will look like a real-life episode of HBOs Succession, only with a lot less profanity. No one can say with any certainty how Monday’s provincial election will…
The debate debate: who won, who lost, who cares.
Televised debates can be pivotal in an election. In 1960, in the first U.S. presidential debate on TV, John F. Kennedy looked cool and composed, while Richard Nixon looked nervous…
A few last words on Gordon Lightfoot
We’re at roughly the halfway mark of the provincial election, but you’d hardly know it was happening. With wildfires chasing thousands from their homes, and the Edmonton Oilers in a…
The line starts here. But why?
I am an impatient man. Just ask anyone who knows me. But make it quick. For example, I will not wait in line. For anything. A ‘line’ to me is…
Just in time for Easter, a bunny tale
Let’s begin with a little quiz. Fill in the blank: the “legitimate heir to Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Beyonce” is _____. Tough one, right? Taylor Swift, maybe? Lady Gaga?…
Oilers don’t get no respect
It’s tough being an Edmonton Oilers fan these days. One game you think they might make some real noise in the playoffs, the next game, you think they shouldn’t even…
Coddling kids does them no good
I’m glad I’m not raising kids today, and not just because I am old enough to be a grandfather by now. I am worried that the new generation, the kids…
The girl name list, from Aabish to Zunaira
Last week, as you recall (I hope), I issued my annual deep dive into baby boy names of 2022 in Alberta. This week, let’s check out the ‘babies born as…
The boy names list, from Aabir to Zaidan
Every year around this time, the Alberta government bestows upon its winter-weary residents a gift: every baby name in Alberta in the past year. I say it’s a gift because…
Warning: Blog may be offensive to nobody
Late last year, Stanford University (one of those ritzy U.S. colleges that parents spend fortunes to send their kids to so they can brag their kid went to Stanford), issued…
Spare me any more news about Spare
In my last blog, I offered up some suggestions to add to your reading list for 2023. Looking ahead, I can safely say that Spare, the tell-all, woe-is-me book by…