Dead trees are important in our landscape, with many species relying on them for survival We see them every day, and, essentially, most people just ignore them. Hundreds of thousands of them were created a few years ago when the Emerald Ash Borer invaded North America. Communities rallied to cut them down and place restrictions…
The learning styles myth perpetuates a falsehood about how students learn Are you a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a tactile-kinaesthetic learner? If you think this is a valid question, then you, like many others, have fallen for one of the most pervasive education myths out there. It’s not hard to test this claim…
The Canada Health Act must permit more room for experimentation and innovation at a provincial level The provinces say they need more federal money for health. The federal government says it wants to be assured of improved outcomes first. In my view, adding money, even with various provinces and metrics, will not be sufficient. We…
New drug price guidelines will hinder Canadians access to new and innovative treatments Cheaper prescription drugs are a bit like apple pie: sure to please just about everyone. But if lower prices come at the expense of access to potentially life-saving new medicine, that’s not quite so appetizing. Unfortunately, it seems that bureaucrats in Ottawa…
With food prices the way they are these days, if you see a mistake, don’t hesitate to alert a clerk or manager If you’re not checking your grocery receipts for errors before leaving the store, chances are you’re overpaying for some of your groceries, especially for discounted items. In the U.S., some states have tried…
Asking for feedback is pointless. Instead, ask the interviewer for advice If a candidate I did not hire wants to make me uncomfortable, they only need to ask for feedback. (I will revisit this.) Self-proclaiming job search experts and career coaches commonly advise asking for feedback when you do not get the job you have…
Its “burn the witch” vibe is getting out of hand As Justice Minister in the 1960s, Pierre Trudeau articulated the essence of liberal tolerance with his “government has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.” Sixty years later, PET’s son Justin would like to amend that to “the government has no place in the…
We need to seriously consider changes that can improve the health and general well-being of the game’s participants I’m no football hater. I genuinely enjoy watching the game. However, I am deeply concerned about the undeniable dangers of the game – especially for our children who are playing before their brains are fully developed. The…
A sampling of some of the odd origins of some animal names that we take for granted I always marvel at and sometimes struggle to decide where an animal got its name. Think of mammals for a minute – what is a skunk? A rabbit? A moose? Generally, with birds, many of the names refer…
Remember, the tax collectors’ objectives are at odds with taxpayers’ interests Nobody likes filing tax returns. Tracking down pay slips, filing away proofs for every deduction and filling out forms is very few people’s idea of a fun way to spend their time. Even worse is having to do it twice, if you happen to…
Dead trees are important in our landscape, with many species relying on them for survival We see them every day, and, essentially, most people just ignore them. Hundreds of thousands of them were created a few years ago when the Emerald Ash Borer invaded North America. Communities rallied to cut them down and place restrictions…
The learning styles myth perpetuates a falsehood about how students learn Are you a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a tactile-kinaesthetic learner? If you think this is a valid question, then you, like many others, have fallen for one of the most pervasive education myths out there. It’s not hard to test this claim…
The Canada Health Act must permit more room for experimentation and innovation at a provincial level The provinces say they need more federal money for health. The federal government says it wants to be assured of improved outcomes first. In my view, adding money, even with various provinces and metrics, will not be sufficient. We…
New drug price guidelines will hinder Canadians access to new and innovative treatments Cheaper prescription drugs are a bit like apple pie: sure to please just about everyone. But if lower prices come at the expense of access to potentially life-saving new medicine, that’s not quite so appetizing. Unfortunately, it seems that bureaucrats in Ottawa…
With food prices the way they are these days, if you see a mistake, don’t hesitate to alert a clerk or manager If you’re not checking your grocery receipts for errors before leaving the store, chances are you’re overpaying for some of your groceries, especially for discounted items. In the U.S., some states have tried…
Asking for feedback is pointless. Instead, ask the interviewer for advice If a candidate I did not hire wants to make me uncomfortable, they only need to ask for feedback. (I will revisit this.) Self-proclaiming job search experts and career coaches commonly advise asking for feedback when you do not get the job you have…
Its “burn the witch” vibe is getting out of hand As Justice Minister in the 1960s, Pierre Trudeau articulated the essence of liberal tolerance with his “government has no place in the bedrooms of the nation.” Sixty years later, PET’s son Justin would like to amend that to “the government has no place in the…
We need to seriously consider changes that can improve the health and general well-being of the game’s participants I’m no football hater. I genuinely enjoy watching the game. However, I am deeply concerned about the undeniable dangers of the game – especially for our children who are playing before their brains are fully developed. The…
A sampling of some of the odd origins of some animal names that we take for granted I always marvel at and sometimes struggle to decide where an animal got its name. Think of mammals for a minute – what is a skunk? A rabbit? A moose? Generally, with birds, many of the names refer…
Remember, the tax collectors’ objectives are at odds with taxpayers’ interests Nobody likes filing tax returns. Tracking down pay slips, filing away proofs for every deduction and filling out forms is very few people’s idea of a fun way to spend their time. Even worse is having to do it twice, if you happen to…