Opinion

Christmas is hard work - there I said it and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

As the year 2013 nears an end, it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the successes achieved and the work ahead of us. One issue that continues to concern me is our societyís struggle to properly address bullying.

ìLoneliness is our baggage, a huge and largely unacknowledged cultural failing.î ñ Elizabeth Renzetti in The Globe & Mail, Nov. 23 At the core of the Christmas message in the Christian tradition is a story of relationship.

Oh Canada, I wouldnít have you any other way. Hopefully this is the last weather-related column that I write for a while, as Iím sure youíre all just as tired of reading and hearing about it as I am of writing about it.

‘Children First’ - you hear this phrase thrown around a lot by politicians of every stripe. That’s why the last week at the Legislature has been a disappointing spectacle.

Being a Northern Ontario lad, one of the drawbacks about where I grew up and worked for nearly my entire life was the fact that I had to do some travelling if I wanted to see my favourite musicians perform.

Whoa, well, that was a storm. The fact that Iím impressed says something, as my partner and I moved to Airdrie from Yellowknife, NT for the ìwarmer weather.î It appears that weíve brought the arctic cold with us and for that, weíre very sorry.

ëChildren Firstí - you hear this phrase thrown around a lot by politicians of every stripe. Thatís why the last week at the Legislature has been a disappointing spectacle.

How many of you have got your Christmas Shopping done? If you were in my office right now you would notice that my hand did not go up. Some people love the idea of Christmas shopping.

I started my advent calendar this week and that has triggered a major fear for me: Christmas shopping. Every year I approach the issue in the same way: denial. “No, Christmas is not a season away. No, it’s not a month away.