Why Is Kathleen Wynne Unpopular?

 Photo credit:  Creative Commons, sourced from Jason Hargrove/Flickr Becoming the leader of a political party is a one way ticket to absolute scrutiny—as the face of a political group, the leader takes all the heat. The former leader of the Ontario Liberal Party had become so unpopular among Canadians by

Putting patients first can save our health system

 By: Kapil Khimdas and Danyaal Raza  It’s no secret: Ontario is getting older. The number of seniors in our province has been steadily increasing and over the next twenty years, will double.  Including factors like increased use of health services and evolving technology, this will result in a substantial increase

Health Reform in Ontario Must Include Oral Health

 A healthy mouth is part of a healthy life. The Ontario government’s proposed reform of the provincial health care system is going forward with a glaring omission: primary mouth care. To make this reform truly "Patients First," Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, must include primary

How Casual is Casual Labour?

 Photo courtesy of Katie Sample. An ongoing issue in retail and administrative positions is the classification as casual labour, which trends towards lower pay, reduced or no benefits and zero security. A large part of the casual labour pool is also female, which brings gender parity into the discussion. At the highly profitable Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), some

Why Police Fear Evidence-Based Research

 While almost every sector of society in the 21st century recognizes the importance of evidence-based decision making, police organizations are caught up in outdated policing approaches that are devoid of empirical evidence.  The major reason police are so resistant to the new regulations on carding announced by the provincial government

Older adults living with mental illness need specialized housing

 New Calgary report warns more homeless seniors a real possibility By Pat Cashion and Lee Tunstall Older adults living with mental illness often face a double stigma in our society—both from aging and from mental illness. They are some of the most invisible and most vulnerable individuals in our communities,

Five Things Most People Get Wrong About Canada’s Health-Care System

 By Kathleen O’Grady and Noralou Roos A recent court challenge before the British Columbia Supreme Court threatened to change the rules of the game for the Canadian health-care system—should the challenge have made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada and found success there. Dr. Brian Day of the

Government Puts Politics, Not Students, First When It Targets Education

 Sam Hammond is President of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. Ask any teacher and you will hear that teaching is a calling. That is what drives teachers to work hard and love the work they do. With that comes the responsibility to model values and positive behaviours for students

226,527 City of Ottawa bylaws since 1850: Man, we are overgoverned

 By: David Ducharme A lot can be learned about a city and its inhabitants—its history, character, evolution—by perusing its bylaws. Yep, I said bylaws. While not exactly your high literature full of colorful prose, City of Ottawa archivist Louise Roy-Brochu thinks bylaws are pretty darn good reading. "I always enjoy