To have an opinion, or not to have an opinion: A question that has governed my actions – or lack thereof – for quite some time. More accurately, I’ve struggled with whether it’s important to voice an opinion. Are our thoughts pulled out of us by others’ interest in what we have to say, or…
In my New Year purge of papers and knickknacks and clothes I never wear, I found a copy of my very first article, dating back to December 2007. It was a human rights column written for my high school paper The Empress, inspired by the all-too-familiar Robert Dziekanski case splashed across the pages of real…
Comparing mainstream and independent media content led me to AlterNet, and this article about private corporations patenting human genes and bodily tissues. All I can say is that I’m glad I read it earlier in the afternoon: It’s unbelievable enough to get the mind wandering, and terrifying enough to give anyone nightmares. The article is several…
Recently stumbled upon a report that lists the top 25 underreported news stories in Canadian media between September 2010 and August 2011. Thirteen Simon Fraser University student researchers analyzed both mainstream and independent news sources to first compile a list of 100 important national or international stories that lacked media coverage during the past year –…
I quick update on what’s been going on in the lovely town of Wainwright, Alberta. Today was my first full day on base, and everything I learned six months ago is coming back to me quickly: The ranks, the regiments, the names of weaponry and which building are which. The weather is cool, but cloudless…
Armed with five textbooks, two jackets, three heavy sweaters and more wiry wool socks than anyone should ever have, I am 10 minutes away from boarding my Edmonton-bound plane on my way to Wainwright, Alberta to spend another three weeks living on a military base. Last April I paid to take a course in foreign…