The medicine dispensed by the government to protect us has been much worse than the disease
Trucks are rolling across Canada to protest federal COVID-19 restrictions, and millions of Canadians of all stripes, colours and political affiliations are supporting them. It’s time! It’s true that some people have been seriously ill with COVID, but most who have died and were hospitalized had serious underlying conditions that are rarely mentioned. For most…
The biggest threat to reconciliation is an us-versus-them mentality
My siblings, a professor of medical sciences and a veterinarian, often get a chuckle from my lack of scientific knowledge. I always found the social sciences much more interesting, so I’ve chosen to focus on understanding human behaviour with the goal of building a kinder, more co-operative and functional world community. One obvious truth is…
Understanding drugs and viruses key to being ready for the next pandemic
Understanding exactly how antiviral drugs interact with viruses at a molecular level will be key to developing the broad-spectrum therapies needed to battle against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and get ready to fight the next one, according to a newly published paper in the The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The paper reveals the inner workings of the…
While outside, stop a moment and watch. You might see a rabbit hop by or birds searching for a snack
I know how tough it is to amuse kids when times are normal, but during this COVID-19 crisis, I can appreciate that it’s much harder. I raised three wonderful children and two of them are now raising children of their own. So I thought I’d share some ideas on how to engage your kids and…
Elaine Hyshka one of three U of A researchers to join the ranks of renewed Canada Research Chairs
Hospitals aren’t better equipped to help those struggling with a substance use disorder because of ongoing stigma in health care, according to a University of Alberta public health researcher who suggests the pandemic has underscored the need for change. “Even though we have a wide range of very effective interventions for reducing the risk of…
It's more about a grab for power than about public health
“The unvaxxed, I really feel like pissing them off,” said French President Emanuel Macron a few days ago. “And so we’re going to keep on doing that, to the very end. That’s the strategy.” In an interview in September, an outraged Justin Trudeau accused unvaccinated Canadians of being “extremists” who are “often misogynistic and racist.”…
The federal government apparently still wants to push ahead with its plan to require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting Jan. 15. The plan creates some serious problems. Vaccines are the most effective way to reduce risks associated with COVID-19, stop the spread of the virus and save…
Oil markets breaking out of their long-term downward trend
Despite the Omicron variant of COVID-19 hitting the world badly, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in the expanded OPEC+ have confirmed the scheduled output increase of 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) for February. By now, OPEC+ countries have restarted about two-thirds of the production they halted in the early stages of…
COVID doesn’t care if you’re a capitalist or a socialist
As I sat recovering from the side effects of my third COVID-19 vaccine, certain things didn’t add up. First of all, I know a number of good, intelligent people who are choosing not to get vaccinated. Of course, there are some very unkind individuals among them who harass our health-care workers and people in the…
The never-ending stream of government flip-flops in policy and strategy must end
The year is only a few days old but some Canadians are ready to kick 2022 to the curb. The reason is a new wave of COVID-19 restrictions imposed due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Quebec was the first province to experience a significant increase in daily cases. Premier Francois Legault announced a…
Trucks are rolling across Canada to protest federal COVID-19 restrictions, and millions of Canadians of all stripes, colours and political affiliations are supporting them. It’s time! It’s true that some people have been seriously ill with COVID, but most who have died and were hospitalized had serious underlying conditions that are rarely mentioned. For most…
