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As spring takes its slow path into summer; the dreams of gardens bursting with flowers and vegetables are constantly on the minds of many. We now actually believe summer will arrive. The process begins with the general cleanup of the debris left behind from last year. There are lawns that have to be cleared of the evergreen cones and the last leaves of autumn, which refused to leave the trees until well after the first snow was on the ground. This is when many of us realize we are...

The world of marketing is a weird and wacky place at times. Manufacturers and distributors live in a highly competitive world and look for any little aspect or product trait that will give them an advantage and boost sales. At times the rush to associate their product or service to the latest fashion or fad becomes a little silly. Strolling through the shampoo selections I was surprised to read on the front of the Kirkland brand shampoo that it was gluten free. When was the last time you...

Last November the voters in the city elected a council where a majority of those elected and re-elected provided this council with a different philosophical outlook than the previous council. Gone was the get it done attitude where decisions were made on a somewhat pragmatic basis. The previous city council recruited a new city manager in Beth James who was given an initial mandate to simplify the governance process and weed out waste. She took her considerable abilities and proceeded to...

  It is sad when our collective intelligence fails us. The recent labour action at the university is another example of utilizing brute force to try to resolve a dispute. Strikes and lockout still have a place and can be useful tools in bargaining in industry. It is questionable if they are the correct tools to use as we endeavour to resolve a dispute where significant collateral damage to innocent parties is the result. In the fields such as education or health care and other fields,...

Forecasting the future is never easy. Regardless of the information we have, there are many other factors which can impact the accuracy of our view of what our world will be like five, ten and twenty years down the road. A healthy amount of imagination or vision is also needed. In many large organizations, as with individuals, thoughtful visioning endeavouring to take into account what may change in the coming years from today and the past is sadly lacking in planning for the future. The...

Hopefully by the time you are reading this, the strike at UNBC will be over. The faculty association at the university will have reached a deal and students and their professors will be rushing about to complete their year. While there is the occasional remark about where pay rates are, those remarks are more occasioned by lack of knowledge and comparing apples to oranges. There are hundreds of reasons why individuals choose to follow the academic life. Large motivators are a passion and a...

New technology has brought us the means to communicate with others at a speed just short of astounding. Today Facebook and other social media, based on the web, allow us to be in touch with many more people with far less effort than we could in the past. While it brings out a good amount of thoughtful and sometimes witty comment, it also gives insight into the odd way some view the world. Don Cherry giving Ron McLean a bad time over McLean’s enjoyment of a seal burger stimulated reactions...

  In just under a week, the 2105 Canada Winter Games will open in our city. It is time to get excited if you are not so already. Strangely there are people out there who think it is no big deal. They are wrong; it is a very big deal. The Games are the preview of the next Olympic Games. The participants are the cream of the youth athletes from over 800 towns and cities in Canada. There will be participants in these Games who will be on the podium in future Olympics. Of the 18...

The Conservative nomination vote last Saturday an was interesting exercise and a few lessons on political reality were handed out. Todd Dorherty waged a carefully crafted campaign. He didn’t toss his hat into the ring until Dick Harris had publicly announced he was not going to seek the nomination. It was a small courtesy, but an important one, as it removes confrontation. Getting the public support of the incumbent MP, Dick Harris enhanced his chances of success. Harris has a large group...

Tis the season! The activities that abound during the Christmas and New Year holidays are an appropriate antidote to the colder weather and shorter days. It is a time to gather with friends and family, share old traditions and perhaps start a few new ones. One can count on an abundance of food and drink, much of it well outside of what anyone would describe as healthy. The temptation will be there and most of us will surrender. Why do so many of the “bad” foods taste so darn good? Bring on...