Year: 2016

  • Letter to the Liberal Party of Canada on Electoral Reform

    Letter to the Liberal Party of Canada on Electoral Reform

    This is the letter I just sent to the Liberal Party on the topic of electoral reform (yes, it’s still on their website). They aren’t convinced Canadians care about it. I care. Leave your thoughts: liberal.ca/contact or email [email protected] (or write a letter/call, if those are your jam). I’m a young person, and I registered as a…

  • The “Your Child” Test (Society is Changing, Part 2)

    The “Your Child” Test (Society is Changing, Part 2)

    This is the second section of a multi-part piece I’ve been thinking a lot about, which I’m calling ‘Society is Changing’. You can read part 1 here, which will provide some context for this section. There has been a ton of energy, brainpower, blood, sweat and tears that has gone into political movements throughout history.…

  • The Problem with Power in Politics

    The Problem with Power in Politics

    There is a catch-22 in politics that is difficult for even the most transparent and beloved leaders to shake. As the American Presidential election hits the homestretch, it’s all too easy to forget that just about one year ago, Canada had its very own set of relatively historic elections. In 2015, left-leaning voters from the…

  • Weaving Social Fabric (Society is Changing, Part 1)

    Weaving Social Fabric (Society is Changing, Part 1)

    In a world where tensions are high, stability is a luxury, and critical aspects of decent society seem to be crumbling before our eyes, it’s easy to rush to angry judgment. The people of the world are becoming more polarized than ever, and this trend shows no sign of slowing. Humans are flawed. We are…

  • There is no “one weird trick” to weight loss

    There is no “one weird trick” to weight loss

    On July 1st, 2015, I weighed in at 248.5 lbs. Today, I average just under 195 lbs, and I feel better than I have in my entire life. This isn’t a diet guide to compel you to buy something, hell, I’m not actually trying to sell or promote any product. What I do have for…

  • A critical look at Canada’s Food Guide (and ways to eat better)

    A critical look at Canada’s Food Guide (and ways to eat better)

    Today, we’re going to learn a little bit about food, and its relationship to eating healthy (and reaching, then maintaining a normal weight). To start, consider skimming through Brazil’s new Dietary Guidelines document from 2014. It’s a pretty incredible (if aspirational, for North American cultures) basis for a healthy diet, and a huge majority of…

  • What the hell can millennials do to fix the world?

    With each passing day, week, month, and year, young people in North America and the world grow up. As we do so, more of the ills of society come into sharp relief. Typically full of optimism, I find it very hard to continue ignorantly living my life day-to-day, sheltered from the worst of what’s going…

  • Cyclists are NOT the Enemy

    Cyclists are NOT the Enemy

    People who bike hate cars. People who drive hate bikes. You’re both wrong. I personally take issue with anybody who doesn’t follow the rules of the road, or who (through apathy, or ignorance) puts others in danger. The Ottawa Citizen has published a few pieces in the last couple of weeks about cycling, bike lanes, the driving/cycling…

  • Here’s what it actually takes to #BikeToWork

    Here’s what it actually takes to #BikeToWork

    There are lots of great reasons to bike to work. Health, including fresh air, exercise, and heightened mental awareness are just a few of the obvious benefits of the self-powered commute. As Twitter celebrates Bike to Work Day today, a few of the difficulties many people face in actually planning to bike to work every…

  • Shades of Gray

    Shades of Gray

    To many folks out there, the world is black and white. Humans, and our descendants, have evolved and survived for millions of years, in part because we can react quickly and make snap judgments that keep us alive. Today, though, we live in a different kind of environment, one with a lot fewer life-or-death situations.…