We have to decide if we want to have opinions or influence
There’s an old saying in the government: “There’s a book inside all retired senior officials and Ambassadors.” With some modesty, I might have a few chapters and articles, and occasionally one percolates to the surface and is published. The invitation I received to testify recently before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade caused…
Though we think they’re helpful, all worms upset the balance, making soil quality poorer
Worms are meant to crawl and slither … aren’t they? Then how come some are jumping? We’re all familiar with earthworms, which can be quite large but essentially always look alike. They’re pinkish and look sort of like small snakes. Gardeners among us will also recognize wrigglers, which are small, bright pink worms that favour…
Canada is the solution for reliable, affordable, environmentally responsible energy supply
Anti-oil-and-gas activists want the world to believe that the ongoing use of natural resources like gas and oil is an imminent threat to human society as bad as the atomic bomb. They’re wrong. Modern life relies on oil and gas for transportation, home heating/cooling, food supply, and everyday products like your cellphone, computer and clothes.…
The expansion, now expected in late 2023, will help meet continued world oil use, benefiting Canadians
The case for the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion remains strong as oil demand is on its way to a new record high, according to industry analysts. Following nearly two years of world consumption exceeding supply, global oil demand is expected to reach a first-ever 101.6 million barrels per day in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency…
Mazda has mastered the art of building innocuous, practical family transport, and CX-30 is right on target
Car manufacturers sometimes market their products in a confusing way. In the old days, it was called “badge engineering,” where one model would be gussied up or slightly altered and sold as something else – even though it was virtually identical to the vehicle it was based on. The Oldsmobile Cutlass, for example, was sold…
Researchers and agriculture company battle the crop-damaging disease and train new scientists
A $1.25-million research project is tackling clubroot resistance in canola to help battle new strains of the crop-damaging pathogen. Funded by agriculture company BASF, University of Alberta plant scientists Stephen Strelkov and Sheau-Fang Hwang will work to identify new sources of pathogen resistance that can be bred into canola seeds. New strains of clubroot, a soil-borne disease that attacks the…
With the right systems and people in place, we can step back as owners and do what really needs to be done
In 2014, one of the professors in my MBA program asked: “Why are you here?” As he went around the class, people responded: “To further my career.” “To earn more money.” “To get a better job.” When he came to me, I said: “I’m here to learn how to work less and make more money.”…
And putting your parents' future financial security at risk?
Inflation and supply chain issues are putting affordability matters at the forefront for Canadians. People worry about the cost of childcare and entering the housing market. People planning for retirement or already in retirement worry if they have enough to live the lifestyle they hoped. The Bank of Canada has warned that the low rates…
Beware mission creep: today, promoting Canadian content; tomorrow, controlling how you think
Sign first; then we’ll discuss the details. Nobody would trust a real estate agent or used car dealership with that approach, but that’s how the Trudeau government is trying to sell its plan to regulate the internet. The government is trying to rush new censorship legislation through Parliament at lightning speed. Through Bill C-11, the…
Flexitarians have decreased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and reduced risk of cancer
For a number of years, I talked about becoming a vegetarian. I could see the health and environmental benefits, but completely removing meat seemed a bit extreme for my tastes. I recently discovered flexitarianism, a vegetarian diet where one eats meat occasionally. I limit my intake of meat and seafood, but I can still enjoy…