I was discussing family history with my brother and sister in our online chat, specifically our maternal grandfather’s wartime service. Seeking to clarify a point, I looked up his records and realized that today is the 110th anniversary of the day he arrived in England, after almost nine months of training in Canada. Like many, […]

“The cross or the machine. It’s always the same choice.” – Marcus Mumford, “Conversation with my Son” That line has been haunting me since the end of February, when I first heard Prizefighter, the latest album from Mumford & Sons. So much richness in a few words. I am not going to review the album, […]

While i give world news a chance to percolate a bit, I thought I would go back to this date in 2020 for something that is less likely to raise anyone’s blood pressure.

The man amuses me. Or would if what he does wasn’t so bad for his country. One thing politicians try very much to avoid is making policy on the fly. For Donald Trump not thinking things through seems to be a way of life. Monday he announced that the United States was going to make […]

It has been attributed to many famous people who never said it, including Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. No matter its origins, there is a lot of truth to the idea that you should “Never pick a fight with anyone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.” As a publicity-seeker, you […]

There are aspects of Canadian democracy that baffle outsiders. Independence referenda probably top the list. Twice residents of Quebec have been asked whether they want the province to become an independent country. Twice the voters have chosen to stay, through in 1995 it was a pretty narrow margin. Next month voters in Alberta will go […]

I went to see Switchfoot Friday night at Ottawa’s Cityfolk festival. I was struck by the lasting power of their lyrics and the band’s ability to speak hope into a hurting world. I’m not sure how many times I have seen Switchfoot since they first began their rise at the tail end of the last […]

Apparently Canada is not allowed to make an agreement with the European Union to have closer ties. Donald Trump will not permit it. trump says such a deal would be “laughable. But he doesn’t appear to be laughing. Such an agreement, he said, would be a “hostile act.” If it comes to pass, Trump says […]

Canada is on track to become an associate member of the European Union. Which sounds good, except for the fact that nobody knows what that means. To state the obvious, Canada is not part of Europe. Joining together with the 27 EU countries might raise a few challenges. Someone is bound to object. After all, […]

I was thinking of collecting the best humor online about the Canada-US trade war, the tariffs leveled by the USA ,and the Canadian retaliation. Problem was, I couldn’t find anything really funny to share. Still, there were a few images I found mildly amusing. I am sharing them today, trying to add some levity to […]