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Letter – Standing up for commentator, regarding Donald Trump

To the Editor: Concerning Mac Olsen’s piece on President-Elect Donald Trump: It takes guts to go against the ‘feminist norm’. You are to be applauded. It’s not my birthday but I agree with you and proffer a question and answer.…

January 20, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

The View From Here – Does the Aga Khan use the same pay to play tactics as his friend Trudeau?

Tom Henihan It is difficult to reconcile the idea of the prime minister returning from a lavish vacation on the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas, tooling around with the super rich on his Highness’ yacht, then embarking on…

January 20, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Letter – A reader takes issue with a recently published anti-Trump letter to the editor …

To the Editor: In response to the recent letters berating Mac Olsen on his support for Trump (in particular, the letter by Eva Sartorius), I must say that despite my dislike for his support of the drug war, I can’t…

January 19, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Keyboard Commando – Is ‘puppy love’ at the dentist’s office a good idea? I wonder

Mac Olsen Allowing a dog or other animal to sit with a patient in a dentist’s chair for therapeutic purposes sounds like a great idea, especially to put the patient at ease. However, I urge caution, especially because some people…

January 19, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Commentary – People are full of surprises

Joe McWilliams Streaking sure was popular when I was in high school, and I deny anything anybody may say about me during that period. My friend Gordon ***** can deny it too, if he wants, but I have witnesses. It…

January 18, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

The View From Here – Airport security is pointless if pilots can man the cockpit while impaired

Tom Henihan In todays hyper-vigilant, security obsessed airports it is unlikely that a drunken passenger would make it passed the check-in desk much less make his or her way onto a plane. However, an impaired pilot having consumed over three…

January 16, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Keyboard Commando – Canadians entitled to broadband Internet service as a basic service

Mac Olsen It’s not often I will give credit like this, but kudos to the federal government for declaring broadband Internet as a basic service for all Canadians. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Communications made the announcement on Dec. 21,…

January 15, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Commentary – What’s in the news in 2017? Carbon tax and sesquicentennial

Richard Froese The new year 2017 marks a milestone for Canada as we celebrate 150 years as a nation, the sesquicentennial. Communities like High Prairie, Slave Lake and Falher and McLennan have planned events during the year, mostly focused on…

January 12, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

The View From Here – The New Year is a frontier offering both a retrospective and prospective world-view

Tom Henihan The New Year is in reality an uninterrupted flow of personal concerns, pivotal and mundane events that continue from the end of one year to the beginning of another. Our Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, which functions…

January 8, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Letter – Commentator’s ‘birthday present’ is laughable

To the Editor: After reading Mac Olsen’s column, “The best birthday present ever,” in the December 14, 2016 issue of the paper, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He claims that climate change is a left wing conspiracy,…

January 8, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Letter – Donald Trump is a carpet bagger, not to revered

To the Editor: I beg to differ with Mac Olsen on several of the opinions he expressed in his commentary “Trump’s inauguration will be best birthday present ever” in Dec. 14, 2016 edition of Smoky River Express. First, Donald Trump…

January 8, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Keyboard Commando – Public figures, stars that passed away in 2016, and some reflections

Mac Olsen Everyone mourns the passing of someone close to them, be it relatives or friends, and sometimes even public figures and stars. Whom we lost last year included Carrie Fisher, who passed away on December 27, 2016 following a…

January 8, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

Commentary – Faking it

Tom Henihan It appears that fake news was every bit as influential as real news in 2016. In fact, fake news dominated the actual news in November and December, which saw a bazaar, troubling and violent year close with a…

January 4, 2017 · by Admin2015 ·

The View From Here – While Christmas is explicitly sentimental, it remains magically untouched by ridicule

Tom Henihan There is not much anyone can say about Christmas that doesn’t sound clichéd or come off as trite and sentimental. During Christmas, there are a myriad of standard blessings, such as “the season filling the home with joy…

December 25, 2016 · by Admin2015 ·

Keyboard Commando – Is the rushing about and preparation worth Christmas? It certainly is

Mac Olsen So much to do, so little time. That’s the familiar theme you here when someone is preparing for a big event, possibly something that’s life altering in its context. Christmas may seem to fit that bill, especially as…

December 23, 2016 · by Admin2015 ·