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…
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…
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…
Edmonton troupe finds a creative way to keep performing during pandemic
Carlean Fisher has been in love with the stage for as long as she can remember. As a young woman, pulling the curtains from backstage was enough to feel the rush, until years later when she got involved as a player with Edmonton’s Walterdale Theatre. “It’s an important part of who I am, ever since…
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…
The rules that have guided our economy no longer apply
Did you notice that 2022 began with far fewer forecasts and outlooks than are usually seen when we put up our new annual calendars? And most of those who bravely made predictions for 2022 have already been proven wrong. The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, just when everyone was eagerly anticipating the end…
Time to stop focusing on case counts and use more relevant metrics such as hospitalizations and ICU numbers
It was another quiet and relaxing Christmas in our household. We gazed at the tree for hours, admiring the lights and ornaments. We opened our presents, watched movies, read books, ate sumptuous meals, and listened to J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Perfect! Well, almost perfect. My son could occasionally be heard laughing and singing to a…
Forcing students to get a booster without evidence of its efficacy just adds insult to injury
The Canadian Academics for Covid Ethics (CA4CE) is a group of researchers and scholars from fields spanning the natural and social sciences and humanities. It is concerned with the mismanagement of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response in Canada and around the world. The following commentary was written by Drs. Kevin Cheung, Claus Rinner, Laurent Leduc,…
Evidence that vaccinated people can and do contract and spread the virus undermines the rationale of vaccine passports
The creation of multiple COVID-19 vaccines in an astonishingly short period was a stunning achievement by the biotech industry. The vaccines were approved for “emergency use” in just a few months, rather than the eight to 10 years normally required of previous vaccines. Most Canadians were more than willing to accept that risk. According to…
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…
