Oh, the weather outside is.... wonderful! Ontarians are making the most of a huge snow storm
There’s no day like a snow day. In that same vein, there’s no column like a snow day column! On Monday, Toronto and most of southern Ontario got hammered by one of the biggest snowstorms in this region in many years. Toronto was originally supposed to get 25 to 35 cm of snow, according to…
In all parts of the country
Ted Byfield passed away at his home on Dec. 23 at age 93. Many Canadian conservatives mourn the loss of a great man. Byfield was a giant in Canadian conservatism. He consistently challenged existing orthodoxies and societal norms within modern liberalism and helped create an intellectual blueprint for a political movement that had often struggled…
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…
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…
No one believes the decision to cancel two prominent women from speaking was a simple misunderstanding
Canada has experienced some strange episodes of late when it comes to free speech. Two recent decisions on the education front are real doozies, however. The Toronto District School Board cancelled two book club events involving prominent, well-respected female leaders from ethnic backgrounds. Why? For fear and concern (completely unfounded, mind you) that these talks…
Fans returned in droves and the league’s economic engine is now moving in the right direction
The Canadian Football League had much to celebrate on Sunday. For one thing, this year’s Grey Cup was an exciting and memorable contest. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-25 in overtime to win the 108th Grey Cup at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. (These teams played in the previous Grey Cup in…
Palliative care is not about giving up hope
In the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the late bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley covered an old Appalachian folk song, Oh, Death. His Grammy-winning version included this haunting passage: “Oh, Death “Whoa, Death “Won’t you spare me over ’til another year?” This is how our society generally treats casual references to the inevitable passage…
Does the party really believe women can't win in a fair fight against men?
Political parties propose and support many policies and ideas. Some ideas are top-flight and beneficial to their political fortunes. Others seem good in theory, but may require additional tinkering or minor adjustment(s). Still other ideas may turn out to be untenable, or require a significant overhaul or have to be abandoned. Then there are ideas…
Maxime Bernier launched a defamation lawsuit against former Liberal strategist Warren Kinsella
Canada respects the principle of free speech. Unfortunately, our governments often have a love-hate relationship with this important personal freedom. They’ve created several restrictions and barriers that have, at times, made speech appear to be far less free. Yet, a recent – and important – free speech ruling may be one of those rare birds…
The president’s son could reap a small fortune from the sales of his mediocre art
Many public and political figures have enjoyed painting, drawing or sculpting as a budding career or a carefree pastime. United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill created over 500 paintings and sold a few in his lifetime. Several U.S. presidents, including Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush, displayed a…
It’s hard to escape ABBA’s sickeningly sweet embrace. Having induced several waves of nausea, they’re back
On Nov. 5, the Swedish pop group ABBA released its first album of new songs in 40 years, Voyage. It will likely rocket up the charts and sell in the millions. Voyage may even end up breaking the record held by Michael Jackson’s Thriller of around 70 million copies sold. Considering the fact that ABBA…
Radical "progressives" are attempting to rewrite history when it comes to Remembrance Day
After more than 20 months dealing with COVID-19, the vast majority of Canadians are gradually getting back into the swing of things. There were proper celebrations in many households for Thanksgiving last month and many children, including my son, were happy to go trick-or-treating for Halloween on Sunday. Unfortunately, several holidays will likely have to…
Streaming services are gradually taking control of our daily viewing options
If you happened to be channel surfing on TV on Oct. 24, you might have caught the classic Peanuts animated special: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It must have been on CBS, where it was first broadcast in 1966 and ran until 2000. No, it wasn't. Then it was on ABC. They picked it…
Incorporate Hart Massey’s original model for Massey Hall and charge $1 for tickets to the first few concerts
COVID-19 remains a significant health problem around the world. Fortunately, some things are slowly beginning to shift into what’s commonly referred to as the “new normal.” It’s certainly happening in Canada. Many sports stadiums have returned to full capacity. Small and large businesses like movie theatres, gyms, hair salons and (fairly soon) restaurants are increasing…
Leo McKern transforms into the barrister with personality, magnificent inflection and dry wit
Thanksgiving in Canada is a wonderful, relaxing time. Turkey dinner with family. Football games and baseball playoffs. Listening to music. Catching up on reading. How could you ask for anything better? As it happens, I can add one cherry on top of the proverbial sundae. I was able to go through my DVD collection of…