Iman Najidzadeh Counts the Reasons He’s Thankful for His CUSW Membership

 Iman Najibzadeh migrated to Canada from Iran in 2011. Once here, he began his apprenticeship to become a licensed electrician. During his time spent studying, he had to find work; he worked for two years with a non-unionized construction company. “The biggest thing I noticed is that they didn’t care

What’s Happening North of 60

 Canada is a country born from colonization. This process, and the residential schools that followed, have had monstrous effects on First Nations peoples, effects that we are only beginning to acknowledge through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. But the colonization of the North, for the First Nations, Métis and Inuit

Opioid Crisis Should Be Top of Federal Health Agenda

 Hundreds of codeine tablets stolen from the medicine cabinet of an elderly person living alone in a rural community.  Hydromorphone tablets being distributed at weddings and high school parties. Fentanyl patches being cut up and sold for a profit on the street.  This is the reality of the opioid crisis

A Trainload of Memories

 All photos by David Eisenstadt. Raised in Calgary, I visited Banff year ‘round, travelled by car through the Rogers Pass and saw much of BC’s interior. I never travelled there by train. That changed when my wife Rhoda and I discovered the Rocky Mountaineer and their various routes through the

One Nation Under Gord

 Photos by Andre Gagne. “Thanks for listening in the back. Thanks for listening, period. Have a nice life.” -Gord Downie There are moments in time that unify a people, memories that become the history we look back on remembering where we were, what we were doing, who we were with.

Canada: A Gaming Nation

 Many people today are surprised to see Canada rising as a gaming nation. People all around the world often do not know what to expect of Canada for a number of reasons. The United States dominates the international conversation on almost all North American markets, to the everlasting frustration of

Ottawa’s Potent Presence in the Rio Olympics

 More than 314 Canadians are competing in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Here is a breakdown of some of the competing athletes that have come through Ottawa. The Ottawa Rowing Club was founded in 1867, which makes it the oldest rowing club in Canada. The club is known for

Glam Up Your Closet for Spring!

 Spring has not only Sprung, with home refreshening in the mix, but what about reorganizing your closet? It’s time to switch out the winter clothes and bring in your new season’s wardrobe. As climate can be extreme in Canada, we look forward to the next months of warmth. For me,

Cloudy with a Chance of Design

 It is a bit overcast in Miami today, perfect day to mooch about in the Design District. I popped by for a cappuccino with my friend and designer extraordinaire at Tui Lifestyle. I absolutely love Tui’s take on furnishings… Miami modern chic meets warm inviting home. I could spend endless

New Health Accord Should Reject Per Capita Funding Model – and Consider Frailty Instead

 Health Minister Jane Philpott has promised a new Health Accord to be finalized over the coming year. When the previous Health Accord expired in 2014, the Harper government unilaterally established a new funding model for federal health transfer payments to the provinces and territories based on an equal per capita

A Portrait of Canada

 Canada is a place of boundless natural beauty, and part of being Canadian means appreciating the natural wonders of where we live. Few understand this better than Leah Pipe, the BC-based artist who pens the awe-inspiring beauty of the Skeena Watershed area in Northern British Colombia. Beautifully arresting, rivetingly detailed and quietly absorbing, Pipe’s

Interview: Why do Canada’s Children Lag so Far Behind?

 In a recent UNICEF report, Canada ranked in the bottom half of the world’s richest countries in overall child well-being and child equality. Experts say that a lack of access to healthcare and inadequate supports for parents are reasons why Canada lags behind. In the video below, Dr. Denis Daneman and

When is Police Use of Force Justified?

 I am a seventh generation Black Canadian. I was also a police officer for 36 years. I have worked in a city, rural, and federal environment. The growth of the Black Lives Matter movement has come out of the lack of information, accountability, and racist behavior by some individual police officers.

Prime Minister Trudeau… So Far, So Good… But Soon, The Rubber Hits Road.

 By all counts things are going well for Canada’s new Liberal government. Aside from Prime Minister Trudeau’s brief off-side when he unintentionally elbowed NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau in Parliament, leading to a possible Oscar or “Golden Raspberry” for her and Thomas Mulcair for best performance for feigned outrage. It

The Best Real Money Canadian Casino Sites

 One of the main attractions for Canadian casino-game players is that there is a large number of different online casino sites where they can play. However, since there is so much choice for players based in Canada looking for first class gaming sessions, you should spend a little bit of time looking around

People Need Less Money to Live As They Get Older? If Only.

 Pension plans for teachers, hospital workers and public servants target of study hype By Michael Wolfson Last week the C.D. Howe Institute released a short study just in time for the finance ministers’ meeting – rolling out the tired, old argument that as people age, they do not need as much money

BREXIT – The Economics

 "Britain's exit from the European Union is of less significance than the economists have contemplated" at least to the UK. The economic pundits, always in sync with the status quo have hopped on a new bandwagon!  They shout "The evil English have separated from the EU and they will be

Remembering the Politics of Fear

   The recent debate over the admittance of Syrian refugees is ominously reminiscent of events that took place over a century ago in Canada. Indeed, Syrians were among the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered Canada, aggressively recruited by Canadian government agents and their proxies throughout Europe, the Ottoman

A sneak peek at the Milton Shoe Company

 We've got a little secret for you. If you're looking to put the right foot forward into your next business venture, or you've always wanted to walk a mile in the shoes of great movers and shakers (and just plain stylish men), but never had the funds to do so...now is

Slideshow: CanWNT Beats Brazil at TD Place

 During last night's 'Road to Rio' match in the TD Place,  Canada's Women's National Soccer Team swept Brazil with a penalty-time goal that ended the match 1-0. Ottawa's face-off was a chance for the Canadian team to even the score with Brazil after the yellow-clad team beat the Canadians 2-0

Joyce Family Donates $2 Million to Help Alberta Fire Relief

 Photo by JasonWoodHead23, Creative Commons. On Friday, Tim Hortons co-founder Ron Joyce and other family members made the largest individual donation the Canadian Red Cross has seen in the wake of the Fort McMurray fire. “It is part of our Canadian culture to look after one another during times of

Four Amazing Canadians that Make us Proud

 Not all symbols of national greatness come in the form of the tallest skyscraper, a country's economic standing or its position in global rankings. Sometimes national greatness is achieved by something as small as one individual. Canada has many reasons to be proud of its celebrities, and here are just a few

Ottawa’s Tulip Festival Kicks Off With a Bang

 All photos by Arizona Lanceleve. The 2016 Tulip Festival kicked off yesterday at Lansdowne Park in a big way. Guests were invited to come see a spectacular bout of fireworks to celebrate the 71st run of Ottawa's famous spring festival. People flocked to the opening festivities last night to see

Safe, Secure and Affordable Housing is a Health Issue: Why Canada Needs a National Housing Strategy Now

 "Social factors, like housing, income and wealth, educational background and race are more powerful determinants of health outcomes than our behaviours, genes or even the healthcare system." When you're feeling unwell, whether from a minor cold or a devastating terminal illness, the feeling of home, the desire for a safe

Turkish Canadian Community Raises Money for CHEO

 On Saturday April 23, distinguished guests gathered to celebrate Turkish National Sovereignty and International Children’s Day at a fundraising gala organized by the Turkish Cultural Canadian Association (TCCA), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). This yearly event, organized by the Turkish