Commentary – Good life not so good
Jeff Burgar Those of us who grew up in a small town have heard the story many times: “I can’t wait to be old enough to get out of this town.” Now you may think this is just particular to…
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The View From Here – Derek Fildebrandt is a young politician well versed in old political tricks
Tom Henihan It is odd how politicians’ clerical errors never seem to benefit the taxpayer, as they always error on the side of personal gain. When caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar, they are inevitably thankful that…
The Situation Room – Kudos to two people making a difference in the lives of others
Mac Olsen, Editor, Smoky River Express Let’s give a shout-out to Vanisha Breault and Johnny Depp for helping others in their struggles with every day life. Breault, who lives in Calgary, has helped her 19-year-old daughter, Eden Lal, to deal…
Commentary – National standards required for recycling coffee pods and discs
Mac Olsen Until recently, I took it for granted that the discs I use in my coffee maker go right into the garbage and then into the landfill. But given a report I’ve seen about the calls for Keurig to…
The View From Here – A cashless society may lead to a less cohesive society
Tom Henihan We have grown accustomed to rapid technological advancement and though we never expressly ask for these developments, we tend to accept passively each new disruption they create. Technological change brings social change, altering the manner and means of…
The Situation Room – Coming to the ‘rescue’ of wildlife has unintended consquences
Mac Olsen, Editor, Smoky River Express It’s a lesson that many children get in school – don’t interact with wildlife, including baby birds and fawns, or their parents will abandon them outright. But it’s a lesson that some adults don’t…
Commentary – Teach your kids something worthwhile
Katrina Owens For pete’s sake ladies and gentlemen, please teach your kids that shoe laces do not (and should not) count as leashes for dogs or cats. If I have to hear about one more preventable canine or feline death…
The View From Here – The prime minister should have stature not celebrity
Tom Henihan Justin Trudeau is ever-present, on the cover of popular magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire and numerous other like-minded publications. His endless selfies, the shirtless encounters with hikers in the backwoods and his eternal jogging across the background…
The Situation Room – Phone cameras can be eye witness to traumatic events
Mac Olsen You never know what your smartphone camera can capture in those moments of harrowism and harsh reality. A couple of weeks ago, a CTV News station in Toronto broadcast a road rage incident involving a car and a…
Commentary – What’s all the fuss about?
Chris Clegg “It’s not summer if your tongue isn’t purple!” – Calvin The cartoon character of Calvin and Hobbes fame isn’t too far off the mark. He made the remark after climbing a chair and looking into a mirror. Yes,…
The Situation Room – Community shouldn’t be left in limbo over rail line disrepair
Mac Olsen Never should we take rail service in the Peace Country for granted, especially when it comes to getting our oil, lumber and grain to market. When driving through the Peace Country, I often see rail repair or maintenance…
Commentary – Mad dogs and Englishmen
Joe McWilliams Something I wrote 22 years ago and stumbled upon recently seems to resonate with present circumstances in the north and Canada generally. It was called ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen,’ and was a reflection on Rudy Wiebe’s historical novel…
The View From Here – Though young adults are an enigma to many of us, they may have their priorities right
Tom Henihan It has always been the case that older people make pronouncements and issue judgement on the young often without understanding the social, cultural or financial realities faced by that generation. Consequently, adult children are often admonished for not…
The Situation Room – Humanitarian support for British Columbia fires desperately needed
Mac Olsen The news about the forest fires in British Columbia appears to worsen every week. Earlier this month, Williams Lake residents had to be evacuated and many are staying in Kamloops and other communities. I’ve talked to several people…
Commentary – Canada Day inspires spirit of 150 years
Richard Froese Canada Day on July 1 has come and gone for another year. As Canada celebrates its 150th birthday in 2017, the day was probably bigger and more memorable than in many years or decades. Canada Day suitably fell…