A serious blow to our delusion we are better than Americans
When it comes to health care, Canadians only seem to care about one thing: Are we better than the United States? As long as we “beat” the U.S., we remain smug about our performance, although this attitude can be hard to square with the tens of thousands of Canadians who get quick access to top-level…
Health experts and politicians camouflage their failure by using the only weapon left in their arsenal - instilling fear
We recently marked the anniversary of the COVID-19 confinements that were only supposed to last for only a few weeks. In many ways, fear became the pandemic. Different people drive the COVID-19 fear, but its principal generators are statisticians and the medical bureaucrats – the experts ‘advising’ the politicians, who in turn display appearances of…
Enough is enough
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed more than ever that those who trade freedom for security can’t stand people preferring the former. By ignoring rules they force onto others, such as travel restrictions, politicians reveal the primary goal was power all along, not safety. Earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instituted additional travel restrictions…
U of A choral director conducts live performances in a parking lot, with singers performing from the safety of their cars
In a year when in-person concerts have been next to impossible, U of A choral director Tim Shantz has found a way for the university’s Madrigal Singers to perform live before an audience. And it doesn’t involve Zoom. Gathered in a parking lot, the members of his choir sing into microphones from their cars – all safely contained in…The proven determinants of scientific progress – collaboration, a plan, guaranteed funding, transparency – are nowhere to be found
The Human Genome Project (HGP) stands as one of mankind’s most remarkable achievements. Its significance is easily equal to, or even eclipses, James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of DNA’s helical structure, or Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. The goal was to determine the position and function of the more than 100,000 genes…
12 months in, health-care system still can't provide Canadians with timely care while dealing with COVID-19
It has been a year since the world was brought to its knees by a microscopic particle known as COVID-19. Since then, the virus has taken the lives of more than 22,000 Canadians and infected another 940,000. But those are just the numbers that show up on media screens and government paperwork. The real human…
We'll likely be able to celebrate a more normal December holiday season in 2021. The hard part's getting there
We’ve just marked (I won’t say celebrated) the first anniversary of the pandemic. And we have a long way to go – but we need to stay diligent. A year ago, when it was just starting, most of us expected that the resulting fear, uncertainties and restrictions would be over in a few weeks. As…
There has been a 73 per cent increase in calls to Alberta Poison and Drug Information Service in 2020
Our obsession with killing germs during the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unintended and dangerous consequence, according to the University of Alberta’s Injury Prevention Centre: a sharp increase in unintentional poisonings due to hand sanitizers, disinfectants and household cleaners. Calls to Alberta’s Poison and Drug Information Service (PADIS) related to these products have increased by 73 per cent…
U of A education researchers team up with Edmonton teachers to create activities meant to foster hope and resilience in challenging times
A new project from researchers at the University of Alberta is helping bring the power of hope to schools during the pandemic. Working with teachers from Edmonton’s public and Catholic school divisions, researchers in the Faculty of Education and one of its research units, Hope Studies Central, have co-developed hope-focused activities that teachers can blend into existing classroom…
Doing their final work placements before graduation
On the first day COVID-19 vaccines were given at the southeast Edmonton pharmacy where Mina Nagib works, the atmosphere was electric. “People came dressed up to get their vaccine, wearing suits or traditional dress,” he said. “It was a celebrated event – a major milestone for the patients and for the pharmacists.” The student in…