Though the story of Frozen 2 is a fairy tale, it contains many deep truths
I have to admit I’m not a big fan of fiction and less a fan of blockbuster films. I prefer to know what actually happened and is happening in the world. Still, great fiction is great because it reveals deeper truths about humanity. My intention in seeing Frozen 2 during the opening weekend of its…
The shared borders with France and Switzerland have clearly contributed to a multilingual society in this very northern and beautiful corner of Italy
Newly retired and eager to explore some new territory, I admit I knew nothing of the Italian Alps. We flew into Switzerland, and then drove south through the 11-plus km of the Mont Blanc Tunnel into northern Italy. We were with old friends who know the area well because they have a son who lives…
Canada’s creative lobby may have turned its back on the world but that doesn’t mean Canadians are joining them in their quest to hide
Canada’s creative lobby may have turned its back on the world but that doesn’t mean Canadians are joining them in their quest to hide behind a big wall of regulations aimed at protecting them from foreigners. A recent study by Ryerson University’s Faculty of Communication and Design, entitled Watchtime Canada: How YouTube Connects Creators and…
Steve Schroeder talks about how the Calgary International Film Festival contributes to the city’s cultural vibrancy
Steve Schroeder is executive director of the Calgary International Film Festival, which takes place Sept. 18 to 29 this year. How has the arts/culture scene in Calgary evolved? Schroeder: I’ve been working professionally in the Calgary arts scene for almost 24 years, so my perspective on this question takes the long view. There’s no doubt…
Each of us is worthy of dignity and respect. The more we embrace this truth about ourselves, the more we can see it in our neighbours.
In his book Horton Hears A Who, Dr. Seuss reminds us, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Being mindful of this is one of the keys to finding joy and fulfilment in life. Everyone we meet, above all else, is a person. Each of us is worthy of dignity and respect. The more…
Former Canadian Olympic swimmer Mark Tewksbury of Great Traits talks about how sport shaped him and helps him inspire businesses
Former Canadian Olympic swimmer Mark Tewksbury is a founder of Great Traits. What is Great Traits and what does it do? Tewksbury: Debbie Muir and I have taken our vast Olympic experience and distilled it into high-performance traits for the corporate world. Our Corporate Champions Program helps leaders create a high-performance culture in their organizations.…
Dale Sturges talks about the array of programs RBC offers to be recognized as a bank that stands for Indigenous prosperity
Dale Sturges is national managing director of the Indigenous Financial Services Group with RBC. Does RBC offer any unique programs or services to meet the needs of Alberta’s Indigenous community? Sturges: RBC offers a number of programs to support access to education and employment for Indigenous people, including the RBC Indigenous Talent Development Program, which…
Reflecting on Canadian culture at the Dog House Restaurant and small businesses dedicated to local artisans
As cities go, Duncan, B.C., is pretty small. In fact, it’s the smallest city by area (2.07 square km) in Canada. In 2016, it had 4,994 citizens. It was incorporated in 1912, as the star of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, an agricultural, mining and logging centre first visited by Vancouver Island Gov. James Douglas and…
Cultural appropriation is how people learn. We take the most useful information we come across and pass it on to our children
The controversy concerning what’s called cultural appropriation has taken a strange new twist. Complaints about this newly-invented crime have typically involved Indigenous artists complaining that a non-Indigenous person has appropriated something from them. But now a group of Inuit claims a fellow Indigenous artist has culturally appropriated the throat-singing they say belongs to them alone…
The place of French in Canada 50 years after the Official Languages Act was first enacted shows we can and must do better
By Sen. Raymonde Gagné and Sen. René Cormier To mark the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act (OLA) and the International Day of La Francophonie, an open caucus was held at the Senate of Canada to reflect on the place of French in Canada. Professors Stéphanie Chouinard, Michael MacMillan and Benoît Pelletier addressed the following question:…