Demystifying police work is needed to increase public support for major reforms, argues U of A sociologist
Two contrasting perspectives have emerged in response to recent calls to “defund” police. One perspective – espoused by some activists on the political left – holds that policing is fatally broken, can’t be fixed through any reforms and ought to be cancelled outright through financial asphyxiation. The second perspective argues that policing takes an outsized…
If China wants to keep trading with the West, it needs to do something about the living standards of its working people
The idea that our entire civilization could depend on millions of foreign slaves that we pretend don’t exist is like something out of a dystopian novel. But it’s the world in which we’ve lived for decades. COVID-19 is proving to be the wake-up call we needed. With cheap goods comes cheap labour, and with cheap…
There’s a high likelihood of a rash arising as a result of contact with the plant. Have I mentioned I’m in agony?
I write this week’s column from a position of grave discomfort, for my careless attitude toward poison ivy has left me blistered and in some agony … sigh! I always thought I was immune to this dangerous plant, for I have tromped through it all my life and never even had a glimmer of an…
We know good safety practices from our grandmother – but are we courageous and persistent enough to follow them?
By Derek Ng, Deborah Prabhu and Allan Bonner Contributors It seems as if everyone is an epidemiologist these days. So it’s worth considering epidemiology’s history and the role it should be playing in public policy, preventing disease and promoting health. When U.S. President Donald Trump and reporters get into arguments about infections, testing and death…
The way to focus people on the organization's optimal future is to get them to pay attention to their own insights
Don't you just hate dealing with people who fight against every plan for organizational change? You know the type: They're disruptive, set in their ways, and highly resistant to change, even when it is obviously in the best interest of the business. Well guess what? Research suggests that those trouble-making, inflexible, change resistors are ...…
There simply is no ethical justification for colleges calling athletes back to campus while telling other students to stay home
A group of U.S. college football players (#WeAreUnited) have presented a set of demands to Pac-12 athletic conference administrators. The demands vary from COVID-19-based health and safety concerns to economic and racial justice issues. Big Ten football players, through a group called College Athlete Unity, followed with a similar list of demands. It’s clear to…
The long-term outcome of the prolonged lockdown is positive for many businesses, leaders and families
As summer comes to a close, with the call of September and school and work bearing down on us, the reality that the effects of COVID-19 linger is indisputable. Businesses, workplaces, schools and universities are all searching for ways to balance risk with service levels. The novelty of working remotely is wearing thin for many…
Canada’s amended Patent Act weakens protections for intellectual property in the life sciences just when rights are vital for mobilizing a rapid response
First, the good news: Symvivo Corp., a Canadian company, has a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in phase one trials. The bad news is that the federal government is dismantling the incentives to find a vaccine. In the battle against the global pandemic, public- and private-sector actors both have essential roles to play. Governments are collecting data,…
With seating for seven, this edition of the Quest also featured a lower step-in height and improved fuel economy
Looking for a decent used minivan? I am and one of the models I’ve had a look at is the Nissan Quest, 2011 edition. This is the fourth generation of Nissan’s people-carrier. The previous generation was, by the company’s admission, a bit of a disappointment. So they went back to the drawing board and redid…
As the system increases in generosity and accessibility in Atlantic Canada, it may perpetuate the nation’s problems with EI
By Alex Whalen and Fred McMahon The Fraser Institute The spike in unemployment across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered changes in the employment insurance (EI) program. And those changes could lead to significant problems. When unemployment grows in any of the country’s 62 EI regions, eligibility and benefits change along with it.…
Two contrasting perspectives have emerged in response to recent calls to “defund” police. One perspective – espoused by some activists on the political left – holds that policing is fatally broken, can’t be fixed through any reforms and ought to be cancelled outright through financial asphyxiation. The second perspective argues that policing takes an outsized…
