Publié le 27 janvier, 2015: Journal Métro. SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were easy to ask for what you wanted? Being able to assert yourself is a necessary skill. It ensures that our rights are respected and that we are treated as equals in relationships. But [...]

Boredom has its rewards (SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française) There’s a funny thing about the activities that give us the most pleasure; we never would have found them if we weren’t bored at some point. If you think about the things you really enjoy – a sport like tennis or golf or [...]

The foster mother (SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française) We are blessed by the mother who gave up the child. – Lucinda Williams. As an adoptive father, that lyric makes me cry every time. My last two trips to the United States were to Burlington, Vermont and New York City. Both times we [...]

Many people wonder if human beings are fundamentally good or evil. Most of us will acknowledge that there is a bit of both in the world. I agree but the quantity of each is not fixed in stone. Good and bad actions are forces that influence our collective mindsets. Malala Yousefzai was shot by the forces of evil. We are not [...]

Photo by René Lortie I have nothing more to add but in case you missed what I wrote five years ago, here it is:(SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française) Today is the 20th anniversary of Marc Lépine’s rampage. Yesterday, I was in my car and heard two riveting interviews on CBC’s As It Happens. [...]

Chances are pretty good that if you are under thirty you’ve never even heard of a Rolodex. Of course if you’re over fifty…there is probably one on your desk. (SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française) I think of Rolodexes and manual typewriters whenever I think of how much my world has changed since [...]

Premonitions (Voir plus bas pour la version Française) I have a confession to make. Before I get on an airplane I think about it crashing and I imagine my family at my funeral. When my kids are out late, I imagine a car crash and think of what I’d say in their eulogy. Occasionally I [...]

(SVP, voir plus bas pour la version Française) Life can be filled with moments of pure joy at times – the birth of a child, the warmth of love, the goose bumps felt when listening to music that inspires you – but unfortunately tragedy and grief are also part of the human experience. We witnessed [...]

Je me demande si les hommes de cavernes ont déjà eu à s’asseoir pour écouter des professeurs de cavernes. Si c’est le cas, j’imagine qu’un certain nombre d’entre eux auraient reçu un diagnostic de trouble du déficit de l’attention (TDA), ou l’équivalent pour l’époque! Je suis pas mal certain que si vous lisiez la liste [...]

It appears that Luka Magnotta’s lawyer will be arguing that his client is not criminally responsible in the murder and dismemberment of Lin Jun because he is suffering from Schizophrenia. I will wait until the evidence gets out before commenting on the specific case but since next week is Mental Illness Awareness Week I thought [...]