Upcoming policies from future Alberta Prime Minster Danielle Smith

Premier Danielle Smith has announced changes to how Alberta educational institutions may accept research money from the federal government. “For too long, the Trudeau government has given research money based on left-wing, so-called ‘progressive’ ideology”, the premier said. “Only research designed to support Justin Trudeau’s view of the world is awarded grant money. Well, that…

Saving the world one bag at a time

Before the federal government and The People’s Republic of Edmonton declared war on paper or plastic bags, stores would provide customers with bags, gratis, to tote away their purchases. Hey, it was the least they could do after we spent $200 on groceries. But now that bags are evil, we are required to bring our…

I am now a grandfather. Congratulate me.

As of March 15th at about 1:45p.m. – the Ides of March, whatever that means – I crossed the last threshold into senior citizenship. I am now a grandfather, and, by extension, I am now married to a grandmother. My youngest son, with a little help from his wife, increased the population of our already…

Why Brian Mulroney looks so good today

Have I ever told you about the time I met Brian Mulroney? It was 1984, and Mulroney was running to replace the exhausted and deeply unpopular Pierre Trudeau/John Turner government. He stopped by Red Deer, and I decided to go see him. I stood in line just outside Red Deer Ciy Hall, and shook his…

In search of valuable cardboard

Hockey cards are having a moment, aren’t they? Recently, an entire carton of unopened 1979-80 hockey cards, found in a Saskatoon basement (could this story be any more Canadian?) sold for $5 million. There could be 20 Wayne Gretzky rookie cards in the box, potentially worth many millions. Last week, collectors lined up to buy…

Oscar predictions from a guy who hasn’t seen most of the nominees

If Barbie wins the best picture Oscar on Monday, it will mark two years in a row that I didn’t finish the best picture winner. I stopped watching last year’s Everything Everywhere All At Once when I became hopelessly lost, intending to finish it later. Later has not arrived. And this year, I got about…

You – yes, you – can be scammed

One day last week, I got a phone call from my mother-in-law. I know this sounds like the set-up for a joke, but it isn’t. “Where are you?” she practically shouted. A strange question, in that she phoned me at my home. Then she asked me, in an even more panicky tone, where my wife/her…

The age-old question of … age

One of the biggest issues in the U.S. election isn’t the economy, or the border (southern, not northern), or various worldwide conflicts. It’s age. Specifically, old age.  The only thing that can stop the rematch nobody wants between Joe Biden, 81, and Donald Trump, 77, is if one of them kicks the bucket, which, at…

Skip Valentine’s Day, save the world

How much have you, or are you, spending on Valentine’s Day? If the Retail Council of Canada can be trusted (have they ever lied to us before?), the answer is, not much. According to a survey by the council, 51% of Canadians who celebrate Valentine’s Day will spend less than fifty dollars this year, and…

When The Beatles conquered America (and me)

I am reading a book called ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ a history of pop music. Naturally, there was a chapter on The Beatles and their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was on Feb. 9, 1964. I thought, ‘Hey, that’s 60 years ago! What a great idea for a blog!’ Well, yes it is,…